Arrange for secure bike parking. Contact your
employer about parking or carry a good lock.
Helmet (ANSI and/or Snell
approved)
Billion dollars: the amount
the U.S. automobile
industry spends on
advertising each year.
Water bottle(s) & cage(s)
Choose your route. Study maps and base your
route on the traffic volume at the time of day
you'll be riding.
Lights & reflectors (for night
riding)
Billion dollars: the amount
the federal government
spends on transit each
year.
Drive your route first. Look at shoulder construc-
tion, street surface and street condition of the
route your are considering for your commute.
Lock
Frame pump of CO2 inflation kit
Spare tube, patch kit, tire
levers
Obey traffic signs and signals. Cyclists have the
same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle
operators. Cyclists must drive like other vehicles
if they are to be taken seriously by motorists.
Bicycles: the number that
can be built using the
same energy and
resources required to build
one medium-size car.
Compact first aid kit
Tools specific to your bike
Never ride with headphones.
Wear comfortable clothes but look out for shoe
laces, pant legs, draw strings or items that can
get caught in your bike chain, brakes or spokes.
Make sure your bicycle is in
good riding condition. On a
periodic basis you should take
it to a bicycle shop for a check-
up or inspect the following
things yourself:
Source: Thunderhead Alliance
and Trek Bicycle Corp.
If you are riding at night or at dusk:
Wear light colored clothing. Consider clothing
with reflective tape sewn into it or add some
yourself.
Brakes - Standing next to
your bike, push it forward
squeezing each brake one at
a time. Each brake should
offer considerable resistance.
Use a light. The front light should be white and
a rear one red or orange. A front reflector is
not a suitable substitute for a front light.
Make sure you have a red rear reflector. Side
or pedal reflectors are helpful too.
Wheels - Grab hold of each
wheel alternately and try to
move it side to side without
moving the frame. The wheel
shouldn't wobble. Lift the bike
and spin each wheel. Look for
spots where the brake
touches the rim. If it does,
this will require adjustment.
Take adequate protection for changing weather
conditions (e.g., rain).
Never ride against the flow of traffic.
Watch for turning automobiles. A vehicle turning
left across your path may not see you. Be pre-
pared to stop. A vehicle slowing to turn right
should never be passed on the right. After check-
ing traffic behind you and signaling, you may
pass on the left.
Tires - Check the pressure
with a gauge or by thumb
pressure. (It should be firm.)
The recommended pressure
is normally printed on the
side of the tire. Fill your tires
using a hand pump to avoid
over inflation or possible
blow-out caused by using gas
station compressors set for
automobile tires.
Never pass a bus on the right as you may collide
with passengers getting off the bus.
When riding near parked cars, be aware that car
doors can suddenly open in front of you. Ride far
enough away from parked cars that an open door
won't be a problem.
Seat - Adjust seat height so
your knee is just slightly bent
when the pedal is straight
down. If major adjustments
are needed, make them
incrementally, allowing your
body time to adjust to each
new setting.
When riding on a two-lane road be aware of
traffic backing up behind you and allow it to pass
whenever possible.
Be considerate to right-turning motorists when
stopped at an intersection by leaving them room
to make their turn, especially if it is possible to
make a right turn on red.
Handlebars - Holding the
front wheel still, try to move
the handlebars from side to
side. If the handlebars turn
more that the wheel, they
need tightening.
Let pedestrians and other cyclists know you are
passing them with an audible warning before you
pass. If a conflict arises, pedestrians have the
right-of-way.
Avoid road hazards. Watch out for gravel or
debris. Cross railroad tracks at right angles.
Steering - Holding the
handlebars, depress the front
brake lever and rock the bike
back and forth over the front
wheel. If you detect play, or a
knocking noise, the headset
needs adjustment.
Keep both hands ready to brake. You may not
stop in time if you brake one-handed. Allow extra
distance for stopping in the rain, since brakes are
less efficient when wet.
Use hand signals to tell motorists and pedestrians
what you intend to do. Signal as a matter of law,
of courtesy and of self-protection.
Don't weave between or leave the curb between
parked cars. Don't ride out from between parked
cars. Motorists may not see you when you enter
traffic.
Follow lane markings. Don't turn left from the
right lane.
Chose the best way to turn left. Like an auto,
signal, move into the left turn lane and turn left;
or, like a pedestrian, ride straight to the far-side
crosswalk. Walk your bike across.
Don't pass on the right. Motorists may not look
for or see a bicycle passing on the right. Pass on
the left like other vehicles.
Make eye contact with drivers. Assume that other
drivers don't see you until you are sure that they
do. Eye contact is important with any driver which
might pose a threat to your safety.
Scan the road behind. Learn to look back over
your shoulder without losing your balance or
swerving. Some riders use rear-view mirrors, but
still look before turning.
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