The Joys of Night Riding

Routes

I prefer that roads are open. While in the day, tree-lined roads provide shelter from the wind, there is rarely more than a gentle breeze in summer nights. The unobstructed view of sky and moon-bathed field makes the ride pleasant and picturesque, especially in comparison with the dark shadow that surrounds the road and mounting the roadside near the trees, obstructing the moonlight. Of course, when travelling in the day, or a beacon on a moonless night, a tree-lined road becomes as good as anyone.

Taking a break from writing this article about 2 hours, I rode for over an hour and found only a few cars on two major roads. The meeting of high-speed traffic on a narrow two-lane road, when you do not know if they can see you to change lanes, is a real pain once you get into the slot to walk alone and undisturbed. Therefore, I suggest sticking to secondary roads (at speeds that are lower, and driving in the middle of the road instead of right behind you), which are just as well paved, have a better hills, and pleasant Moonlit fields.

Car Headlights

I separated from my helmet visor to walk on the roads, because it seems to me tuck it blocked my vision when my head down to keep out the wind. However, the headlights of cars are really blind, especially the redneck hitches in puppy crusher that the use of high beams, unless you can block out - and his hands not only of court to block out the lights. The good news is that while the angle, can block the headlights with the small lip on the front in the hull. You may have to adjust the straps, but it should be covering the front to get started. Just tilt your head down, looking at the same time, until the light is slightly outside their field of vision.

Early Warning System

The great thing about riding at night is that you never have to worry about what behind you. Not only because it almost never is, but because the car can determine the type of approach, distance, and if that happens with enough space - all for the future.

The first idea that comes from handlebars. Publicity and lines of white light is placed in the tube, indicating that a car is behind you. Be aware of the position of the moon, but that was mainly looking for his handlebar lights, which are very noticably brighter, even when the car is a hundred meters away.

Watch the way for any height, shadows moving. The tar macadam road, sometimes there are dark stripes running along the road, especially when there are as seam in the middle of the road, so you'll have to take note of the location of these, and to see movement. If you are unsure whether the "shadow" is actually a dark banda, try drifting to the left or right and see if darkness moves.

As the car approaches, "puddles" of darkness appear in depressions in the road, like bands crossing the road. These dark spots and lines are very subjective to the hills, however. Begin to pay a lot of attention for the movement of its shadow over today because the car is near. After seeing a few cars pass, the size and type that shortens the shadow will tell you exactly where and how fast the car is in motion. More importantly, see that the shadow rate slips to the right. If the car is close, and the shadow is still almost in front of you, the average pass beside the road, or another point in the lane with his hand.

Lighting

Do not tell anyone, but I do not use a beacon. I love my night vision is the way, thank you very much, without lights or vehicles that a large bright patch in front of my bike for that mess. But then, I walk only when there is bright moonlight.

If there is no good moonlight, you must use a beacon. (If you wonder if the lighting is good, take a look at the current moon phase on the right.) Otherwise, you can not see well enough to travel quickly, safely or comfortably. You always second-guess the roadside, thinking that the road becomes when and not vice versa, and occasionally having to travel without any visual stimuli at all useful when there are trees on both sides of the road, or when the headlights of cars are in sight. After the moonlight, or in his absence, a beacon of its own, solve these irritations.

Rear Blinker

Despite the rear collisions constitute less than 5% of all collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles, that does not stop you from being paranoid about it when, after half an hour without seeing a car, a transport truck comes barreling behind your some two lane main road. Since there is no real rider uses reflectors, installed in place of rear-face LED Blinker, available for less than $ 15, which is mounted on the back seat.

The psychological effect is mainly in two ways. First, it puts my mind at ease, which tends to worry about putting my life in the hands of the mouth of respite driving up behind me, even though the rear collisions are rare, like the Accidents are the airlines. The second effect is on the driver of the car behind me. Besides being less likely to drive through me, the cars seem to give me more leeway to happen when I Blinker. Go figure.

The final effect, of course, is that it adds back the same weight and air resistance that had removed to obtain a racing bike without reflectors little plastic everywhere. Oh well.

Ground

Empty roads offer substantial freedom to travel to any part of them you please. Choose the darkest regions running along a worn road, which is usually the result of smooth asphalt or oil, both offer much lower rolling resistance. On the other hand, avoid dark patches, which are often potholes, dead animals, and the like.

In addition, the moonlight, street lamps, headlamps and rapprochement will make some parts of the road bright. These strips are soft and have the least resistance.

Where to Grasp the Handlebars

Hills

When climbing in less than a sprint, if you're not pulling on the handlebars, use the tops or drops, stay away from the aero bars and hoods. In a long plod, where nothing remains of its approach to drive, do not hesitate to sit in the wind using the tops, because it does not significantly impact velocity - almost all efforts is the fight against gravity, not fighting wind. (For more information on this effect, see your Pacing Climbs.)

Sprint

If you start throwing in more power bars, go to the bottom. If you're Sprint up a hill, the bells are great. Stay away from doubling the top and back of the drops, and to an extent where the top pulling his bar. The importance of access without effort apart, his arms work more efficiently and powerfully when expanded.

Cruising

If you are mounting quickly, or against a headwind, joining the aero bars or drops. If riding hard, put his head down and really jamb hands under section curve. You'll wind outside and the balance of his weight.

A strong glue, or the lack of any trouble, makes the best position to change the ends of the drops, bells, or the curve behind the hoods. These positions are the most comfortable for long distances, or walks of no more than moderate intensity.

Avoid the flat section of the handlebars when cruising, but not entirely. In a very long journey, I have a way of beating the drops until they are exhausted my arms and am obliged to use the flat section, after having "exhausted" all positions lower. If I had rested my arms tired before switching to the flat section - or even the hoods - sometimes during the trip departure, I would have had greater fraction of the global total spent in assembling the most efficient tuck it.

In general, however, you only want to use the flat section if you are riding a hill in particular, not haste, travelling very slowly, or are trying to communicate to the other posts on a break.

Burping

For BURP, go to A and tilt his head back. Do not even bother trying to get the air when you eat out in the drops. Not only is there no hurry, but everything that is going to do is give you heartburn without complying with anything. In general there is no need to sit BURP.

By the way, swallowing air in an attempt to make it easier burping does not work. You will swallow more air than you subsequently expelled, making the problem worse. If you tend to swallow air when drinking from a bottle of water, try sucking in the nipple and filling up your whole mouth, instead of squirting a bit in his mouth and swallow water with a breath of air, again and again . If you drink anything carbonated, the best bet is to get half a dozen solid burps before reaching back to his bicycle.

Tips On Buying A Bike

Once you know which type bike you want, make sure the bike you select fits you properly. There’s essentially two ways to accomplish a good fit. If you want a perfect fit, for about $50, have a quality bicycle shop calculate your bike size using a computerized program called the Fit Kit. They’ll take various measurements such as, length of your legs, torso and arms then give you a printout of your measurements and which frame height and length best suits your body.

The second best way to get a good bike fit is to follow these guidelines:

Frame Height. Straddle the bike. You should have one to two inches of clearance between the top bar of the bike and your crotch, three to four inches if you’re going to be riding on off-road terrain. If you want to be a little more exact, measure your inseam, straddle the bike, pick it up until the top bar touches your crotch, then measure the distance between the bottom of the tires and ground.

Frame Lengths. Be sure when you sit on the bike you can comfortably reach the handlebars. If the handlebars are too far away you won’t have adequate control, if they’re too close you’ll be uncomfortable and tire easily.

Seat and Handlebar Adjustment. A quality bike shop will make the necessary adjustments for you to fine tune the fit of the bike. A critical adjustment is seat height. Your knee should have a 25-30 degree bend when the ball of your foot is on the pedal at its lowest position. The handlebars should be one inch lower than, or the same height as, the seat. Check to be sure you can comfortably reach the brakes and that the width of the handlebars are approximately the width of your shoulders.

Take a Test Ride. Just like purchasing a car, this is where the rubber meets the road. You should feel comfortable and in control. Your elbows should be relaxed with a slight bend and squeezing the brake levers should be easily accomplished. Slide your rear back off the saddle, stand up on the pedals, flex and round your back, and move your hands to various positions on the handlebars to assure you can move around on the bike easily while it’s in motion.

Accessorize Once you select the bike to purchase, you’ll want to get some accessories to go with it. Most important is a helmet. You may also want to consider a tire pump, tube repair kit, pressure gauge, seat pack, water bottle and cage and a lock. The bicycle shop can help you select these and install them on your bike. Depending on how much you spend on your bike, you may be able to convince the salesperson to throw in some of the accessories at no charge.
Enjoy the ride.


References:"How to Buy the Perfect Bike", Fitness, October, 1996 p.76Buying a Bike: Rec.Bicycles FAQ Part 2/5 at http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet-faqs/html/bicycles-faq/part2/faq.html A Bike That Fits at http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/2737/fit.htm

How to Improve Handling Skills

Bike handling skills also have to be developed over a period of time. Those who learned to ride as children have an enormous advantage over late learners. Riding in a straight line is an important first skill; motor vehicles often pass with just a foot or two of clearance, and motorists often honk at cyclists that they see swerving. Other important skills are gear shifting, mounting and dismounting the bike in various ways (especially at a traffic light or stop sign), avoiding stones, holes, or glass on the road, looking back while cycling straight ahead, turning sharply and suddenly, climbing while standing, descending rapidly, and avoiding the bites of dogs or kicking back at them to keep them away. Before riding in much traffic, a cyclist should be comfortable with the bike, even under emergency conditions. As children, we used to play lot of games or perform tricks that were actually bike-handling training rides. An adult learner can do the same thing. A large empty parking lot is an excellent place to practice. Try to maintain a straight line along a painted line, both looking ahead and to the rear, and to swerve to avoid some colored paper cut-outs prepared ahead of time. Practice almost stopping without putting a foot on the ground and then starting again. Practice mounting and dismounting under different conditions, including on slopes. Glancing back while riding straight ahead is difficult to learn, so many will want to get a rear-view mirror. Mirrors are sold which attach to the bike frame, the handbars, the glasses, and the bike helmet.

How to Obtain Cycling Strength

Strength is built up through exercise. Those who spend time walking, hiking, jogging, skating, cross-country skiing, or playing any sport that requires constant running should have a good base to build on. Nonetheless, muscles will have to adapt to very different strength and energy requirements, and the legs will have to learn new behavior.

For short periods of time, while sprinting through an intersection or climbing a short, steep hill, the legs will be burning energy at a furious pace, while the lungs won't have even had enough time to start breathing hard. At the beginning of the sprint and at the crest of the hill, the legs will be moving slowly, applying great pressure to the pedals, while near the end of the sprint and at the bottom of the hill, the legs will be spinning rapidly, applying much less force to the pedals but just as much energy. Spinning is a whole new ballgame and might be said to mark the difference between a bike rider and a cyclist. It's a light and rapid application of power that results in less fatigue, once the cyclist adapts to it.

Adapting to long-distance riding takes even more changes, as the body has to learn how to conserve and expend its energy wisely. Those who have not been active in an aerobic sport that uses the legs will need to build up more slowly because the body is going to have to make even greater changes. The body has the amazing ability to transform itself, but the process takes time. Those who are overweight are going to require even more time and some caution. And those with heart trouble are going to have to be especially watchful.

A simple way in which to build up is to ride some distance that is comfortable but not too far at a speed that is fast but not too hard. Breathing so hard that talking is impossible or having to stop and gasp for breath are both signs that the exercise was too difficult. On the other hand, never having to breathe hard is a sign that the exercise is too light, at least after the first couple of weeks. It's necessary to put some effort into cycling, but never so much that it becomes a strain or painful.

The daily distance should be increased on a weekly basis, but by no more than half. Ten miles per day is a good target for those interested in health alone. It will take some people a long time to build up to ten miles a day, while others will find themselves able to ride ten miles on the very first day. For weight reduction, fifteen miles a day or more would be recommended (recent studies found that those losing weight burned 2,800 kCal in exercise each week). Those interested in long rides or a bicycle trip should gradually increase the weekend distances while trying to ride ten miles or more daily during the week.

Cycling nearly every day is important physically and psychologically, but don't worry about missing a few days, either on a regular basis or due to bad weather or an illness. To help with finding time to ride, cycling can be used to travel to work or to run errands. If cycling is not possible for long periods due to the weather, walking or other exercises should be substituted.

Requirements for Safe Cycling

Four elements are required to ride a bike safely in traffic: strength, bike handling skill, experience, and knowledge. The knowledge necessary can be learned from the traffic code and from advice from other cyclists, including what I have written here, books and other web pages on cycling in traffic, and personal contact with other riders, if possible. Strength, bike handling skills, and experience will all have to be acquired more slowly and while bicycling. I suggest riding on side streets and country roads with light traffic until comfortable in all three areas. Riding off-road can help with bike handling skills and strength; however, the requirements for cycling on the street and in the dirt are extremely different. Riding on bike paths will probably not be helpful at all.

Bicycle Traffic Safety

Bicycle traffic accidents, also called cycling accidents, pedalcycle accidents, bicycle crashes, pedalcycle crashes, and bike-car collisions, can be avoided through understanding why they occur.

There are many people who think that bicycling is especially dangerous, not recognizing that cyclists travel more miles per fatality than pedestrians and more hours per fatality than passenger vehicle users.

However, saying that cycling is fairly safe on the average does not mean that individuals shouldn't make efforts to make their own cycling more safe. We see a vast difference in the safety of selected groups of cyclists; for instance, children have 720 accidents per million hours while a group of British cyclists averaged just 66 accidents in the same amount of cycling time.

We also see strong differences between individuals. Some have frequent, serious falls and/or collisions, and others have few accidents or none. In my 100,000 miles of cycling, I have fallen off of my bike six times, resulting in skin abrasion twice and no visits to the doctor. All of my own accidents, by the way, were due to my own stupidity and could have been easily avoided.

One choice a bicyclist can make is to be fatalistic about the matter and to decide that some cyclists are lucky and others are not, and another choice is to work to prevent future falls and collisions. However, the decision to try to be careful in itself is not safe enough. Many fatalities and injuries occur among those who were trying to be careful, but who weren't following the correct procedures. For example, cyclists who ride on the sidewalk, on wrong side of the road, and at the extreme edge of the pavement are all fearfully trying to prevent injuries, but the methods they employ greatly increase their chances of getting struck by cars.

Analysis of bicycling accidents and of cyclist fatalities demonstrate that cyclists are most safe when they operate their bicycles as vehicles. Motorists scan the highway in front of them and on either side watching for other vehicles. They do not watch as carefully for pedestrians, and they do not anticipate fast-moving bicycles traveling on sidewalks, crosswalks, and shoulders, especially when traveling in the opposite direction from the rest of the traffic.

For this reason, bicycle traffic laws are almost the same as those for motor vehicles. All state laws either define bicycles as vehicles or give cyclists the rights and responsibilities of vehicle operators. Unfortunately, police do not enforce these laws, probably on the principle that only the cyclist is likely to be injured. In fact, in some areas, cyclists are encouraged to ride on sidewalks where they are less safe or to use bikelanes which violate the rules of normal traffic behavior.

The advice I provide in my articles is based on my own experience in traveling by bicycle and on accident analyses that I have read. For those needing more basic advice, John Allen and Wayne Pein both have safety handbooks online (see the right-hand column).