Cycling is one of the healthiest activities that has a rich profusion of benefits. However, you should always take all the necessary precautions when going out on the road. With the cold winds coming your way, there will be multiple challenges like decreased visibility, slippery roads, and an increased strain on the body as you fight through the cold weather, but with the right precautions, nothing should stop you from fulfilling your interests.
Here we have compiled a list of Safety tips for cycling, which help you look after yourself on the roads when the going gets cold!
Change Your Style Accordingly
You’ll mostly see signs saying “reduce speed”, which is important to prevent any mishap, but a smarter way is to adopt a different way of riding. Give yourself all the time to adjust to the changing road conditions.
For instance, you will have to increase the use of rear brakes on a slippery road. Most cyclists typically make use of the front brakes, but if the surface isn’t ideal, you’ll have to use both the brakes equally. You should also make sure your body weight is distributed equally. This will help keep the bike stable when you experience skidding or bumps. In addition to this, you should also pick a line or area of the road that has a very little leftover slick of leaves.
Ride According To The Conditions
Cycles and motorbikes are the most vulnerable to serious accidents, as compared to any other vehicle on the road. There are many instances when bikers hurt themselves without anyone else’s involvement because they do not ride according to the conditions. Therefore, it’s highly important that you see the weather and the surface you’re on, and let this weather dictate how fast you should go. If the roads are hilly, or slippery due to precipitation, you cannot expect the same level of friction and grip you get in summer days, even if you have good strong tyres.
Customise Your Bike According To Winters
When you’re preparing your cycle for the cold weather, the first and foremost steps you need to take is changing the tyres. You can find yourself a pair of tyres that have rubber surfaces that offer better grips. These strong grip tyres usually have adhesive compounds that help prevent slips and falls when riding on watery surfaces. These strong tyres are also very least likely to get punctured, so you won’t have to stand by the road-side waiting for help when it’s freezing. The only catch these tyres have is a slow speed, but then again, you don’t have to increase speed when it’s snowy.
Other than the tyres, you should always put mudguards on the bike. These mudguards play a vital role in keeping your lower garments and the bike itself clean.
Clean Your Bike Regularly
If you frequently commute through the bike, you must incorporate the practice of cleaning your vehicle daily. This cleaning will prolong the life of your asset and it will work smoothly.
As winters are approaching, there’s a high probability of your cycle components to fail. You can suffer from brake cables breaking, hubs failing, and other parts picking up rust and corrosion.
Moreover, you should also form a habit of checking your tyres before every cycling session to check if there’s any debris. The more debris that settles in the grooves of your tyres, the more the likelihood of punctures. Seat, bolts, and cable entry and exit points should also be cleaned regularly to ensure they remain free from corrosion.
All these above-mentioned safety tips will ensure that your cycling session remains free from any mishaps. However, there are only certain things you can take care of, while for other factors like someone else’s negligence, you can only hope and pray it never happens. If someone bumps into your cycle and causes you injuries, you can always exercise your legal right by claiming monetary compensation. Get in touch with a professional personal injury solicitor to get things underway.
