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7.0 Safety
Between all of us here at ICE, we’ve ridden thousands of miles on trikes, and we’ve all developed good road
sense. The following safety considerations are for your benefit; please give them serious consideration:
•
We recommend always wearing an approved cycling helmet. Get the best you can afford. If you’ve got
cheap head, get a cheap helmet!
•
We highly recommend the use of ‘clipless’ pedals. Shimano’s SPD system is a good choice, and there are
many SPD compatible shoes and pedals on the market. Most cycling shoes will come with the necessary
fittings to allow cleats to be fitted, and the only other thing that you’ll need is a set of pedals. Pedals are
available with cleat bindings on one side and a standard platform on the other (allowing you to go for a quick
spin without having to change into your cycling shoes). For those that have not experienced clipless pedals,
they have a small binding mechanism built into the pedal, which locks onto a cleat fastened to the bottom of
the shoe. It works in a similar fashion to a ski boot binding. To lock your foot in, you hook the cleat into the
binding and push. To remove your foot, you twist your heel sideways and the binding releases the cleat.
Once you are clipped in, you will not need to put your feet down until you want to get off; being clipped in is
comfortable, lets your legs relax when you are not pedaling, and allows power to be transferred more
effectively to the pedals.
•
Check your trike before each ride. In particular, check the tyres and brakes to ensure they are in good
working order.
•
If you are riding at night, make sure you have a legal white headlight and a red taillight. We recommend
using both non-flashing and flashing LED taillights in tandem. The flashing light is very noticeable at a great
distance, and the non-flashing light is better for other road users to judge your distance from them with.
•
Use your rear view mirror, but don’t rely on it. You must also turn your head to check behind you before
turning or changing lanes.
•
Be careful of carrying too much speed into corners. The immense stability of the trike is not absolute, and
sharp high speed cornering may cause you to lift the inside wheel, or even roll over. As you ride more, you
will gradually learn what the limits of the trike are.
•
Be careful of downhill speeds. It is very easy to reach speeds in excess of 40 mph (60kph) when going
downhill. Although you may feel in perfect control, be wary of and allow for road hazards and other road
users doing stupid things.
•
The drum brake hubs and disc brakes rotors can get hot after long descents. You can burn yourself on the
hot surfaces.
•
The usual practice is to brake evenly using both hands. You can brake at the maximum rate with the front
brakes only. The trike is designed not to brake-steer if you brake only one side (a safety feature necessary if
you are braking and signaling a turn at the same time), but violent, single sided braking can cause the trike
pull slightly to the braked side.
•
Use your flag. Most road users haven’t ever seen anything like your trike, and will give you much more
attention and room on the road than they would a standard upright bike. Nevertheless, using the flag will
help to ensure you’ve been seen, especially in heavy traffic. You are low, and reversing cars may not be able
to see you. Ride defensively, as if others can’t see you.
•
Consider bright visible clothes. They make good sense regardless of what you are riding.
•
You might consider fitting a horn. The ‘AirZound’ is a lightweight air horn, charged with your bicycle pump,
and it is LOUD! It is available from most good bike shops.
•
Although you are far more noticeable than any other cycle, motorists will almost always underestimate the
speed of an approaching trike. They just don’t seem to understand how fast you can be traveling. Be wary
of cars which assume you are ‘slow’ and pull out in front of you with little warning. Also be wary of cars
overtaking you close to a junction. They will often misjudge the space they have to get in front of you, and
are rarely certain of what to do once they’ve realized their mistake.
•
Like any other cycle, try not to ride close to parked cars. Drivers can fling open a door or pull out suddenly.
•
Don’t ride close to the edge of the road. Rubbish tends to collect there and your tyre is at a greater risk of
picking up a puncture. Although a trike is only a little wider than the handlebars of an upright bike, it is seen
as being very wide by other road users. If you move out a little into the road, it is less likely that drivers will
try to force their way past. Likewise, pay attention to timid drivers that refuse to overtake you (because you
are so wide!) Pulling to the side to let the queue pass will earn you the respect of other road users.
Summary of Contents for TRICE 'Q'
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