Essential Safety Checklist For Beginner Cyclists In 2021

Riding a bike is arguably one of the best methods of transport, combining efficiency, exercise, affordability, and eco-friendliness. It truly is a rewarding experience and can be incredibly fun and enjoyable. However, there are mistakes that can be made and some of those can be fatal. As with almost everything there are safety measures that you should follow to reduce your risk of accidents which could ruin the entire experience. Keep your cycling safe with this checklist.

Headwear
Easily, the most important part of this activity is protecting your head. There are countless incidents where people have hit their heads when falling from their bikes, whether that’s a fault on their part or on someone else’s. Spend some time figuring out the best helmet for you. Any helmet can help but choosing a specific helmet for your type of cycling will improve that protection even further. There are helmets for mountain biking, general road cycling helmets, as well as full-face helmets for extreme sport biking.

Repair Kit
There’s not much worse than experiencing a bike fault when you’re riding in the middle of nowhere. That’s why it’s always worth having a repair kit at hand, and we mean something more substantial than a bike pump! Bring along spare parts for things that commonly break like wheel tubes and spokes, and don’t forget to pack a multitool along with spare nuts, bolts, and washers. After you’ve repaired your bike and have made it safely back, don’t forget to take it along to your nearest bike shop so that a professional can take a look over it and fix it up properly if required.

Insurance
Insurance cover for your bike is a very important thing to have. We all know that bikes can be costly, and repairs aren’t cheap either. Not only that, if you have your bike stolen, it can be a huge impact emotionally too. It’s essential to find a bike insurance company that truly understands the importance of our bikes and how much they can mean to us, like Velosurance. If your bike is stolen, Velosurance won’t devalue your bike and will help you replace it, but not only that, they can provide you with health cover for injuries during cycling, as well as liability protection for accidents and many other things. Whoever you choose for your bike insurance, just make sure you don’t go out without cover—you’re better safe than sorry!

Appropriate Shoes
When it comes to our clothing, you’ll want to make sure that you’re comfortable as well as have good grip and control over your bike. Wearing appropriate shoes is a very important part of this. You can generally get by by wearing trainers and other lightweight shoes with good grip, however, if you’re tackling tough trails, for example, it may be worth investing in some quality cycling cleats that can hook onto your pedals to avoid slips and ultimately reduce the risk of accidents. Whatever you decide, just be sure not to wear anything like walking boots or sandals as they’re not going to be comfortable, and this greatly increases your chances of injury.

Gloves
These are great ideas for numerous reasons. Firstly, you’re going to increase your grip on the handlebars which is perfect when riding in wetter weather or even hot weather which can make your palms sweat. Next, if you fall from your bike, the chances are you’re going to put your hands out to protect yourself. Reinforced and padded gloves are great in preventing extensive damage to your hands in the event of a tumble, so be sure to grab some for your next ride. As well as this, if you’re riding in colder conditions, your hands will lose blood flow much faster than other extremities. Keep them warm and keep them from going numb, which would reduce their dexterity when steering.

High-Visibility
When riding at night, or in murky conditions such as fog and rain, it’s imperative you do everything in your power for other cyclists as well as pedestrians and drivers to see you before it’s too late. High-visibility clothing with reflective strips and bright colors is the best choice here. As well as this clothing, you can get high-visibility attachments for your bike which can help others better identify that you’re a cyclist. Combine this with the correct lights on your bike and you’ll be ready to ride no matter the weather or the time of day.

Safety Glasses
Cyclists don’t wear sunglasses for aesthetic purposes. They are really designed for safety, as they both protect your eyes from the glare of the sun and dazzling lights, as well as from the rain, allowing them to keep their eyes focused on the trail or road. Not only do they keep the rain out of your eyes, but they also keep your eyes safe from sand, dust, and grit that can be thrown up from roads and dirt tracks.