8
YOU-RIDE KILIMANJARO
2. Before Riding
3. Safety
If your bicycle has
toeclips
or
clipless pedals
, practice getting in and out of
the pedals.
If your bike has
suspension
, familiarize yourself with how the suspension
responds to brake application and rider weight shifts.
Practice
shifting the gears
(see Section 7.4).
Remember to never move the shifter while pedaling backward, nor pedal backwards
after having moved the shifter. This could jam the chain and cause serious
damage to the bicycle and may cause you to lose control and fall.
3.1 Basics
1.
Always do the Mechanical Safety Check (Section 2.C) before you get on a bike.
2.
Be thoroughly familiar with the controls of your bicycle: brakes (Section 7.3); pedals
(Section 4.1); shifting (Section 7.4)
3.
Be careful to keep body parts and other objects away from the sharp teeth of
chainings; the moving chain; the turning pedals and cranks; and the spinning wheels
of your electric bicycle.
4. Always wear:
• Shoes that will stay on your feet and will grip the pedals. Never ride barefoot or
while wearing sandals.
• Bright, visible clothing that is not so loose that it can be tangled in the bicycle or
snagged by objects at the side of the road or trail.
• Protective eyewear, to protect against airborne dirt, dust and bugs (tinted when the
sun is bright, clear when it’s not).
5.
Ride at a speed appropriate for conditions. Increased speed means higher risk.
3.2 Riding Safety
1.
Observe all local bicycle laws and regulations. Observe regulations about licensing
of bicycles, riding on sidewalks, laws regulating bike path and trail use, and so on.
2.
You are sharing the road or the path with others: motorists, pedestrians and other
cyclists. Respect their rights.
3.
Ride defensively. Always assume that others do not see you.
4.
Look ahead, and be ready to avoid:
• Vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or your lane ahead of you, or coming
up behind you.
