ROAD BIKING

101April 29, 2012www.bikehoco.org

A special thanks to HEALTHY HOWARD

GOALS & PRINCIPLES

THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES

• It’s Supposed to Be Fun• It’s Supposed to Be Safe• The Best Bike Is the OneYou Ride (aka Comfort)

TODAY’S TOPICS• Resources• Equipment• Safety• Riding Technique

SHAMELESS PLUGSaka Resources

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS (LBS)

• Use Them• Patronize Them• Buy Stuff• Repairs• Advice• Rides

LOCAL CLUBS/GROUPS• APL Cycling Club• Baltimore Bicycling Club/Glenelg

Gang• HoCo Cyclists• Mid-Maryland Triathlon Club• The Morning Ride• Regional Clubs/Rides

• Baltimore Bicycling Club• Potomac Pedalers Touring Club• Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club

• Last But Not Least: BAHC

BEST BIKE• The One You Ride

WHAT KIND OF RIDING WILL YOU DO?

• Racing• Recreation• Touring• Commuting• Haul Stuff• Off-Road

BUYING A BIKEBIKE FIT• Saddle Height• Reach (Fore & Aft)• Get Help From a Pro

EQUIPMENTCOMFORT• You Will Not Ride an

Uncomfortable Bike

• Most Uncomfortable Bikes Do Not Fit

• Riding Can Be Sweaty

SAFETY• Be Visible

FUEL & FLUIDS• You Need Both Food &

Fluids To Go Far

THE BICYCLE• It’s Been Around For A

Long Time

• It’s A Simple Machine

• Two Triangles

• It’s A Very Efficient Machine

SADDLE

DRIVE TRAIN

TOP TUBE

SEAT TUBE FORK

SEAT POST

WHEEL +

TIRE)

BRAKES + SHIFTERS

HANDLEBAR

Hoods

STEM

DRIVE TRAINIT MAKES YOU GO

PEDAL

CRANK

CASSETTECHAIN

REARDERAILER

CHAINRINGS

PEDAL

CASSETTE

REARDERAILER

CHAINRINGS

CRANK

SHIFTINGYOU AREN’T A GORILLACADENCE (aka RPMs)• Match Book Theory• Burn Slow, Not Fast Matches• Pushing Harder On Pedals

But Slower• Lighter But Faster• Shift Workload From Legs to

Lungs• Especially When Climbing !• Easier Acceleration

TOO FAST, TOO SLOW

• 80-90 rpm

• Bouncing on saddle Too Fast

• Breathless Too Fast (or Really Hard Hill)

• Burning Quads Too Slow (or Really Hard Hill)

SHIFT OUT = HARDERSHIFT IN = EASIER

BIG REAR = EASIER BIG FRONT = HARDER

PLATFORM PEDAL

TOE CLIPS

WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE “CLIPLESS”

SPD PEDAL

LOOK PEDAL

SADDLES

1892

COMFORT

• SOFTER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

• WHAT FITS ME MAY NOT FIT YOU

SIT ON SIT BONES

• WOMEN AREN’T MEN

SHAMELESS LBS PLUG

• TRY OUT SADDLES

FASTER = NARROWER & FIRMER

• MORE FORWARD, LESS WEIGHT ON SIT BONES

• LESS INTERFERENCE FROM SIDES

HOW YOU RIDECASUAL = WIDER &

SOFTER (MAYBE)

• MORE UPRIGHT, MORE WEIGHT ON SIT BONES

• SLOWER CADENCE

SADDLE HEIGHT

HEEL ON PEDAL

SLIGHT BEND IN

KNEE

FROM THE TOPYOUR HEAD IS AN EGGSHELL THAT GETS HOT

PROTECTION & VENTILATION

ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!!

CLOTHINGTOPS BOTTOMS

COMFORT

• WICKING FABRICS ARE GOOD

UTILITY

• POCKETS ARE GOOD

SAFETY

• BE VISIBLE

• COLORS NOT FOUND IN NATURE

SHORTS

• TIGHT IS GOOD

• PADDING IS GOOD

• CHAFING IS BAD

• SEAMS ARE BAD

TIGHTS & KNICKERS

• KEEP YOUR KNEES WARM

YOU DON'T NEED LYCRA

IT’S OK TO BE CASUAL

POCKETS ARE GOOD

NO, IT’S NOT A DIAPER

SHOESSHOES

• TRANSMIT POWER TO PEDALS

• PROTECT FEET

POWER TRANSMISSION

• HARD PLATFORM

• STIFF SOLE IS BETTER

• CLIPPING IN IS GOOD

TYPES

• ROAD BIKE

• MOUNTAIN BIKE

• CASUAL

MOUNTAINROAD

Hard Sole, Flat Bottom Hard Sole, Walkable

CASUAL

GLOVES & OTHER GEAR

WHAT’S IN THE BAG

PATCH KIT

TIRE IRON

MULTI-TOOL

PUMP

TUBE (PRESTA VALVE)

SCHRADER VALVE

ABC QUICK CHECKA – AIR & TIRES

• Air Pressure

• Tire Condition

• Spokes

• Wheel True

B – BRAKES

• Do They Work?

• Too Loose?

C – CHAIN

• Chain Clean?

• Crank Tight?

• Cassette Smooth?

OPEN

CLOSED

QUICK RELEASE

QUICK RELEASE

OPEN

OPEN

CLOSED

SAFETY ON THE ROAD

Be AWARE• Know What’s Around You

Be VISIBLE• Be Seen By All

Be PREDICTABLE• Keep Your Line

THINK Like A CAR• What Would You Do In A

Car?

COMMUNICATE• With Cars & Riders

FIVE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF RIDING SAFELY

BICYCLES ARE VEHICLESFOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD

Ride With Traffic

Ride as Near to the Right Side of the Road as Practicable and Safe• Use shoulder only if it is both safe and practicable• That means not in gutter if it’s not safe or not

practicable

Obey the Rules of the Road• Stop at stop signs• Signal turns• Stay off the sidewalks if you can

RIDE WITH TRAFFIC

BE VISIBLE !!

SAFE & PRACTICABLEStay Right

Stay Straight

But

Stay Out Of The Gutter

DO NOT GET SQUEEZEDTHE SQUEEZE OUT TAKE THE LANE

ASSUME YOU ARE INVISIBLE

GETTING DOORED

INVISIBLE

INVISIBLE

DON’T HIDE

NO

YES

KEEP OPTIONS OPEN

BE AWARE

TURNING

MAKE EYE CONTACT

SIGNAL

GOING STRAIGHT

Bike Lane Danger !

RIGHT TURNS

RIGHT ON RED

Parked Car

LEAVE ROOM

TO PASS & TURN

BEST

POSITION b. ONLY IF CAR TURNING RIGHT!

HERE

NOT HERE

RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE

LEFT TURNBASIC LEFT

TURN POSITION

MOVE

LEFT

IN

STEPS

LEFT TURN FROM LEFT

SIDE OF LANE

LOOK

BACK

BEFORE

CROSSING

LANE

RAILROAD TRACKS

CROSS TRACKS PERPENDICULAR

TRAFFIC CIRCLE

THINK

LIKE

A

CAR

RAMPS

TURN ONLY IF TURNING

STAY STRAIGHT TO GO STRAIGHT

RIDING WITH OTHERS

BECAUSE IT’S HARD TO TALK WHILE SWIMMING

CAR BACK!

CAR PASSING!

COMMUNICATEHAND SIGNALS• Turns

• Stopping

• Move Over

• Hazards

VERBAL WARNINGS• Slowing

• Cars

• Road Hazards

• Potholes

• Grates

• Runners

NAVIGATIONHOW DO WE KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING?

CUE SHEETS

• Turn By Turn Directions

MAPPING SERVICES

• Map My Ride

• Bikely

• Google Maps

MILE TURN NOTE

0.0 R COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR

0.1 R[TL] COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR

1.5 L ROBERT FULTON DR

1.9 L[TL] LEE DEFOREST DR

2.6 R[TL] ROBERT FULTON DR

3.1 L[T] COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR

3.7 R HEALTH DEPT

R = RIGHT

L = LEFT

S = STRAIGHT

TL = TRAFFIC LIGHT

PACELINE

• Save Energy• Go Fast• Have Fun

SHARE THE ROAD

BICYCLES ARE VEHICLES

• Respect Is Earned

• Promote Awareness

REPORT INCIDENTS

• Ho Co Police Want to Know

• 911

• Tag Number, Vehicle Description

• File a Report

THREEFEETIT’STHELAW

ONE FINAL SHAMELESS PLUGBAHC organizes the bicycling community, bringing together those Howard Countians and others who are interested in bicycling and in promoting bicycling.

BAHC seeks to be a point of contact and information for addressing local Howard County bicycling related concerns with government and private business by maintaining a continuous dialog with appropriate officials and business owners.

Bicycle Transportation Advocacy

Bicycle Safety Advocacy

Bicycling Safety Education

Legislative Education

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