Bicycle Safety During a Race

Bike races are exciting, fast-paced, and just plain fun. When you’re racing, though, it’s important that you keep yourself safe because a crash or injury can ruin the thrill of the competition. At Cyclist at Law, we’d like to share some of the top tips for bicycle safety.

1.Get Your Gear On

First of all, wear a helmet. This is one of the most elementary rules of bicycle safety, but it’s also one of the most important and is worth repeating. When you race, you travel at very high speeds, and if you should happen to crash at those speeds, you need to protect your head. Be sure that you have other safety equipment such as reflective clothing and cycling gloves.

2.Remember Others

Secondly, keep the other riders in mind. Many people are used to riding alone or with just one or two other people, but a bicycle race can throw you into the same lane as dozens or hundreds of other cyclists. Keep a decent amount of space between you and the other riders, and bear in mind that what you do will affect them. Also, although it is a competition, do not get aggressive towards others.

3.No Sudden Moves

Avoid abrupt movement or changes in speed or direction. Other cyclists will assume that you’ll stay at roughly the same position, and if you move suddenly, they might run into you. Be sure to communicate clearly with hand signals or verbal statements if you are going to be changing something.

4.Stay Alert

Pay attention to your surroundings. It can be very easy to get wrapped up in the competition and forget to watch the road. Alternatively, you might be too busy watching the road and fail to notice another cyclist slowing down. Try to keep track of what’s going on around you.

These bicycle safety tips should help protect you from some of the most common mistakes made in a race. However, you can’t control the other riders, and if something does happen to go wrong, contact Cyclist at Law at 800-887-6188.