JUNE: Biking Safety Tips
1. Have the Proper Gear
Wear a helmet that fits properly, is secured at all times and is CSA approved.
Cycling gloves can prevent rashes and cushion your hands against the vibrations.
Ensure your bike is professionally fitted to you. This will help you enjoy the ride more and get the most out of your time on the bike and reduce the risk of injury.
2. Learn to Ride your Bike
Learn what your bike is capable of.
Practice basic manoeuvres like riding in a straight line, circling and cornering.
Practice stopping as quickly as you can to get a feel for how much distance is needed at different speeds and under different conditions.
3. Know Hand Signals
Always make hand signals well in advance of any turn, not just when you think they are needed.
The proper turn sequence is; shoulder check, then hand signal and then with both hands on the handlebars, shoulder check again before making the turn or the stop.
Since making a hand signal requires cycling with one hand on the handlebars, practice doing that while maintaining a straight line.
If you are riding in a group warn everyone you are slowing or stopping or if there are any dangers
4. Be Predictable to Cars
Ride in a straight line, stay to the right, signal your turns and obey traffic signals.
Avoid sudden movements of your bike from side to side (to avoid a rock or pothole). You are more likely to go down from the swerve than from running through the pot hole.
5. Be Assertive
Think and plan your next 30 seconds.
Anticipate behaviour and movements of other road users and dangers that may appear.
Be assertive but remember that a conflict between a cyclist and a motor vehicle usually results in an injury to the cyclist.
6. Know the Laws
By law, cyclists have the same rights and duties as vehicle operators.
The same rules of right-of-way, traffic signs and signals apply to cyclists as apply to motorists.
Ride on the right, in the same direction as other traffic. Some people still believe that cyclists are like pedestrians and should ride facing traffic. This is not illegal but has been shown to dramatically increase the risk of collision.
The law requires traffic moving at less than the normal speed of traffic to keep as close as possible to the right hand curb or edge of roadway. However, you may not have extra space to manoeuvre around road hazards and you should not hug the edge of the road too closely. As a general rule, ride approximately one metre from the edge.
Motorists are required to pass “at a safe distance” and must not return to the right of the roadway until they have fully passed you.
7. Watch for Road Surface Hazards
Keep an eye on the road well ahead of you to see if there are potholes, gravel, glass, drainage grates or other hazards coming up.
If you have to move into traffic to avoid these, look over you shoulder first and use a hand signal if necessary. Abruptly swerving into traffic can easily lead to a collision.
It is important to continually emphasize safety. We all need to share the road with trucks, cars, motorcycles, walkers, joggers and other cyclists. If we are courteous to others and follow the rules of the road than we can enjoy the sport of cycling.
8. When Riding in a group – Be extra cautious
Stay at least one bike length behind another bike.
Communicate your intentions – slowing, stopping, turning.
Warn others about hazards.
You are allowed to ride side-by-side in low traffic areas BUT move to one line if cars are coming either way.
Keep conversations light and focus on your riding.
Source:
www.bikesense.bc.ca
www.bikemanners.com
MAY: Stretching & Conditioning
Training rides for this year’s Big Move are fast approaching. Before you hop on your bike and start the training process, it is important to fully understand the muscles you will be using (and possibly abusing) during those long bike treks.
Despite popular belief, cycling is not all about the legs. Proper core training is crucial in keeping your upper-body and spine in check during any ride, especially long ones. The core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms. The major muscles of the core are located in the area of the belly and the mid and lower back. Training your core muscles before a lengthy bike-ride is crucial in keeping your spine injury-free and makes for a safe, comfortable experience.
Prolonged cycling forces the spine into a forward flex, a bent forward position that causes the lumbar spine to flex, causing disc compression. Also, this posture causes spinal ligaments to become susceptible to stretching. To prepare your spine and back for the Big Move, try your hand at these core exercises three or four times a week:
*To avoid injury, only stretch while you are ‘warm’. A light cardio workout before stretching is suitable.*
The Plank (strengthens abdominal muscles)
Lie face down with your elbows under your shoulders. Keep your neck in a neutral alignment throughout this exercise by focusing on the floor slightly in front of you. Keeping your knees on the mat or floor, slowly raise your body until your weight is supported on your knees and elbows. Align your spine in a neutral position. There should be just a slight concave curve in your lower back and no discomfort in the spine. Brace your abdominal muscles by ‘locking your spine’ between your ribcage and your hips. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Don’t let the lower back sag down or your shoulder blades sag together. When you can hold the plank for 60 seconds, try to lift the knees from the floor and perform the plank from your toes.
Side Plank (strengthens obliques/waist muscles)
Lie on your side with your elbow directly under or slightly inside of your shoulder. With your legs stacked, draw your knees slightly towards your torso. Slowly, lift your body from the mat while also drawing your hips forward to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Your body weight will be on your elbow and knee. Keep your neck in a neutral position, your abdominal muscles braced, ribcage lifted and hips facing forward. Hold this position until you are fatigued.
Bi-Lateral Back Extensions (strengthens lower back muscles and gluteals/hip muscles)
Lie face down with your arms extended straight over head, palms down and your legs straight. Keep your neck in a neutral position by gently placing your chin on the mat and looking down at your mat. Keeping both hips firmly planted on the mat, lift one arm and the opposite leg. Contract the abdominal muscles to keep your body stable. Reach your hand and foot away from each other rather than up to the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat on the other side. You should feel the muscles on either side of your spine contract as well as your glutes (hips). Stop if you feel any discomfort in your spine. Repeat 10-15 times for each side.
Core exercises courtesy of Louise Blais of The Club at White Oaks
Maintaining a strong upper-body is also important for prolonged cycling in order to support yourself on the bike. Basic callisthenics will do just fine. Try push-ups (either standard or bent-knee for 3 sets of 15 reps) and pull-ups to make sure your upper-body is ready for the Big Move.
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APRIL: Preparation is key to success!
The Big Move Cancer Ride committee is asking riders to start gearing up for this year’s event, which will take place on Sept. 12th.
If you are planning on riding the 50K or 100K route, proper gear is required. Not only for speed on the roads, but for safety and comfort as well. When choosing a bicycle for the Big Move, any style will do. If performance and speed is your goal, consider a road bicycle. Although they are not mandatory by any means, these bikes use narrow, high-pressure tires to decrease rolling resistance, making for an easier, faster ride.
Inexperienced or nervous riders, however, may want to stick with a traditional mountain or hybrid bicycle for an upright posture allowing for more control.
Quality is important when it comes to bicycles. You’ll want a bike that can handle the long trek with little or no maintenance. If possible, purchase a bike from a bike shop rather than a department store. If service on your bike is required, it is easier for the experts to repair a bike shop bike. Bike shop employees are also trained to measure and fit you to a bike and helmet to optimize performance and comfort. Helmets are mandatory for all Big Move participants.
Beginner riders, or those who are interested in preparing and conditioning themselves for the Big Move, can take part in training rides on Thursday’s at 6 p.m. from Rockway Community Centre, Lincoln, Ont. beginning May 20th.