Road Hazards to Avoid: Safety Tips from Your Bike Shop in Naples, FL

Biking offers enjoyment, exercise and entertainment. Unfortunately, it can also result in injury. As you travel the trails and open roadways, you’ll encounter many potential hazards. If you’re not careful while you ride, you may hurt yourself, your bike or both. Wearing bike helmets in Naples, FL is a good start, but it’s not enough. Use the following tips from your bike shop in Naples, FL to avoid road hazards and keep your cycling safe:

• Eyes on the prize: It might be tempting to watch your wheels, the trail or a digital display on your bike. Quick glances are okay, but don’t take your eyes off where you’re going for more than a quick second. Keep your head up and your eyes forward as you ride. If you don’t watch where you’re going, you’ll end up in trouble.
• Head in the game: Pedaling for miles can become a bit hypnotic. It’s easy to daydream or get lost in music. Remain alert. Keep your focus on where you’re riding and what’s going on around you. This will help you avoid riding into unsafe conditions, such as into traffic or off the road. Even if you’re wearing a bike helmet in Naples, FL, these situations can prove disastrous.
• Mechanics in top shape: Don’t neglect the maintenance of your bicycle. Riding with worn brake pads, low tires, frayed cables or other damaged parts is unsafe. It can cause further damage to your bike, result in injury and create a frustrating situation that leaves you stranded far from home. Take your bike to a bike shop in Naples, FL as soon as you notice a problem, and bring it in each year for an inspection and tune-up to maintain optimal performance.
• No potholes in your path: Remain alert for potholes and avoid them as if they were glass. Don’t try to grin and bear it as you clunk through them. The pothole can bend your wheels, and the bits of rubble in and around them can puncture your tires. Check for traffic, then ride around the pothole.
• Reduced speed for rails: Slow down as you approach railroad tracks. These present rough terrain, and crossing them can be harsh on your bike. If you crash into the rail, it can pinch your tire and cause a flat. Reduce your speed, rise slightly off the saddle and use your arms and legs as shock absorbers. If the tracks are at a diagonal to the road, alter your trajectory to cross the tracks at a right angle. This will prevent the wheel from twisting out from under you.
• March on metal: If you encounter a wet steel bridge, walk your bike across. Keep in mind that riding on wet metal is like riding on ice. Take extra care if you ride over other metal in the road, such as manhole covers. Remain completely upright to avoid slipping on the wet surface.

Partner with the Pros

To keep your bicycle in top shape, partner with the pros at Big Momma’s Bicycles. As your trusted local bike shop in Naples, FL, we offer in-depth knowledge of all things bicycles. We can provide additional safety advice and complete maintenance and repairs to keep you riding safely all year long. Stop in today or reach out to us with any questions!

Categorised in: Bike Helmet, Bike Shop