With the onset of summer, many bike riders will be dusting off their bikes to prepare for the riding season, either to work, or on pleasure trips.
Hank Krause, the owner of White Lightning, a company manufacturing bike maintenance supplies, said, ‘It’s a great time for cyclists to re-educate themselves and learn more about the activity. Accidents send more than 500,000 people to the emergency room each year. Most can be prevented by learning basic bike safety and proper maintenance.’
Here are some of the safety basics that bike riders can follow:
- The habitual wearing of a helmet is a prime basic safety procedure that all bike riders should follow. Applying reflective decals to bike parts, and adding a bike light for better visibility, are two other important safety features that will help to keep the rider safe.
- Following the rules of the road is important.
- Bike brakes must be checked regularly and sandpaper should be used to take the shiny coating from brake pads, as glazed brake pads are not fully functional. Brake pads must also be checked for wear and tear, and replaced regularly. Wheel rims should be cleaned regularly for better brake performance.
- Regular use of a cleaner and bike lubricant on the bike chain is also important to reduce wear and tear.
Krause said, ‘If you regularly clean your bike frame, de-gunk the gears and lube-up the chain, your bike will be safer, it will last longer and it will shift and pedal more easily.’
