Bike Often, Bike Safely

The sunshine, the breeze, the burn in your quads—biking has a lot to recommend it. Heck, it’s awfully good for getting from place to place on top of all the physical pleasures. Too bad it’s hard to pull off without encountering several daunting hazards, from the mechanics of the bike itself to those danged hurtling vehicles hogging the lane and in such a hurry.

Strap on your helmet and heed the following safety recommendations to make your pleasure cruise or commute as safe as possible.

If drivers can’t see you, they can’t react in time, and half of them are texting, so their reaction time isn’t what you’d hope for. Do what you can to draw attention to your fine, pedaling self. Wear a reflective vest or band, or opt for fluorescent clothing—especially shorts or pants. Because your legs are churning, they’re more likely to catch the eye of drivers.

If you bike at night, make sure you have a quality light set. A flashing taillight is more likely to get noticed than a steady one, and the same principal applies for wearable lights as for clothing: light up your legs for best results.

All gear failures occur at the farthest point from home; it’s science. Not all of them are predictable, but you can sure heed off a lot of them by checking out your bike before you get moving.

There’s really no scenario in which bike meets car and bike wins. You’re incredibly vulnerable on the road, which means that following bike safety guidelines is critical. Check with a local bike shop to find a bike safety class, and in the meantime: