Have you ever been bumped by another cyclist and lost your balance? How about being drafted and not knowing it? How many times have you come too close to crashing on the bike? Often, we just flat out get into the zone and become less aware of our surroundings. Here are a few recommendations for safe training on the road.
- Helmets Save Lives. Always, always wear a helmet! Tighten your chin-strap. Make sure it is seated snugly atop your head, with limited side-to-side shifting. We’ve all seen the occasional seasoned riders without helmets, or riders with a helmet that just isn’t fastened properly. Don’t do it! Helmets are designed with one key factor in mind, saving lives. Treat yours with this same mindset.
- Listen Up! Expect plenty of noise and chatter on the road from other cyclists, or passing drivers. You don’t want to be scared off your saddle when a car goes zipping by and honks its horn.
- Communicate! A crucial piece of advice to offer to all cyclists, is to communicate. We’ve all heard the typical “on your left”, or the less typical “on your right!” Be loud! Factors such as road noise, or wind can often drown out communication.
- Passing Other Riders. Be sure to give a loud “on your left” to make sure other riders hear you coming. Double, even triple check before entering on-coming traffic. Maintain or increase your speed while passing other riders until you are about 3 – 6 bike lengths ahead. Never decrease your speed after passing another cyclist until you are certain that you are a safe distance ahead. It happens far too often that cyclists pass a group of riders at 26mph, only to cut in front and decrease to 18mph. Keep moving!
- Ride Sans Music. Do not listen to music. Riders listening to music are more likely to be startled by simple things such as fast moving cars and passing riders. They may even miss out on emergency vehicles, or other riders. Music totally negates any communication efforts. The only safe place to ride with music is in spinning class.
- Rules of the Road. Respect the rules of the road! Some roads have designated bike lanes. Use them, and for your safety, stay in them. Pay attention to the lane restrictions. Some say to ride only ‘two riders wide maximum’. If you ride three-wide, obviously you are putting yourself and others at risk. In some communities, you may also be breaking the local laws. Some cities don’t have any bike lanes. If you’re riding in an area that is not designated, just know that you are riding at high risk.
- Ride with Caution. You can’t trust that a driver isn’t texting and swerving while driving, or that a driver will look both ways before turning or coming out of a driveway. We live in a dangerous world, with so many distractions for drivers. Always ride with caution.
Finally, one last piece of advice specifically for triathletes. Your training rides are usually spent riding for hours in aero. Give yourself some useful breaks, especially when passing people. Pop up off your aero bars onto your breaks and pass with caution. Its safe to resume aero after you pass.
If you have any other hints, tips, or recommendations for this article, feel free to comment below. We’d love to hear some feedback!
Keep improving your technique and time and be on the look-out for great deals on triathlon gear at Kona Square!
Be sure to join our Facebook and Twitter pages for up to date listings and blog articles!