If you’re new to cycling and are taking it up as a hobby or to shake up your commute, taking your bike to the roads can be a little daunting. Whether you’ll be navigating the roads in a town or city or the winding ones in the countryside, it’s important never to forget that you’re sharing them with cars and other road users too!
To make sure you’re as safe as possible, we’ve pulled together some top tips to help you on your cycling journey.
Get To Grips With The Highway Code
The highway code is there for a reason. It’s been written to protect all the users of a road. Reading up on cycling safety can be the difference between getting into an accident and avoiding the risks. By getting to grips with it you’ll learn all about safe riding, hand gestures for turning and proper road etiquette.
Make Sure You Can Be Seen
No matter if you’re riding during the day or at night, you’ll need to make sure you can be seen at all times. This is for both yours and other road users safety. Nowadays its easy to pick up high visibility clothing such as vests or jackets, that will ensure you’re seen from a good distance when cycling on the road. If you’re riding as the sun sets or at night, it’s crucial you also have lights on your bike. You’ll need both front and back ones to ensure maximum visibility.
Wear Protection
Not only will you need to be seen when you’re riding, but you’ll also need to make sure you’re protected too. Head to a local bike shop to get properly fitted with a helmet. It’s crucial that it fits correctly so it gives you maximum protection should you get into an accident. You could also invest in knee pads as an additional layer of protection and even a sun visor built into your helmet to protect your eyes from the sun.
Plan Your Route
Just like when you drive anywhere, make sure you plan your route out beforehand. This will ensure there are no unexpected surprises on your journey! It will also give you chance to work out whether or not there will be any heavy traffic before you set off – if there is, you may want to calculate an alternative route to make sure you’re as safe as possible.
Whether this is your first time commuting by bike or you’re picking cycling up as a new hobby, these tips will help to keep you safe while you’re out and about.
Featured Image: Pixabay (Free-Photos).
