Products for a safer bike ride
Bike riding is one of the pleasures of a nice day, and riding safely is paramount to enjoying a day on two wheels.
Aside from obeying the rules of the road and keeping their bikes properly maintained, cyclists should invest in a few extra pieces of gear to keep pedaling safely. But which gear to buy? We sought out a little expert advice.
Helmets. One of the most important pieces a cyclist can buy is a helmet. Learn to use it. Always.
“Sometimes people will pick or choose whether they need one depending on the type of bike ride itself — whether it’s long or short or where they go. It’s important to get across that helmets make sense for every cycling situation,” said Chris London, community relations manager at Performance Bikes, a nationwide retailer.
London and Lou Mazzante, digital director of Bicycling.com, said nearly all helmets sold in the U.S. are certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“The important thing on that is to realize, when you’re spending more money for a helmet, you’re not necessarily getting a safer helmet. What more money buys you is typically a better fit, less weight, more ventilation,” Mazzante said.
London said there are three main styles of helmets: road helmets, mountain-biking helmets and multi-use helmets. The road helmets generally are the lightest in weight and have the most ventilation, he said. Mountain-bike helmets usually have a removable visor in the front and come down a little further in the back of the head. Multi-use helmets are the economical ones, he added.
Both London and Mazzante said a properly fitting helmet should sit level on the rider’s head, with the rim coming about a finger’s width above the eyebrows. Helmets aren’t meant to be worn at a tilt like a bonnet, because that doesn’t give protection to the forehead. Helmet chin straps should form a Y over the ear and buckle under the chin.
“It should fit snug against the chin. If you open your mouth when you yawn, you should feel the helmet tighten against the top of your head,” Mazzante said.
Higher-end helmets will have some sort of fit system inside, so the wearer can make small adjustments to increase or decrease the tension inside, London and Mazzante said. To test whether a helmet fits correctly, wear it and bend over. If the helmet stays on, it fits properly, they said.
Buying a helmet is best done in person, as different brands have different fits, Mazzante said.
These same principles apply to children’s helmets, the two experts said. London said it can be difficult to get children to wear helmets, but he said having the parent try on one first helps, as does having the child hold the helmet and get used to the feel.
Children’s helmet prices are usually under $45, London said, and multi-use helmets are between $40 and $50. Nicer mountainbike helmets start around $75, and road helmets start around $90, he added.
There are two reasons to replace a helmet, London said. The first is if the helmet has been in an accident, and the second is if the helmet has had more than five years of use. Sun and sweat can break down the protective properties of a helmet, he said.
Bells, lights. Bike bells and lights also make cycling safer. Most bikes have bells as standard equipment, and Mazzante finds them superior to horns, since bells are usually situated next to handgrips and can be operated by a thumb so the rider’s hands never leave the handlebar.
The more visible a bicyclist is, the less likely he or she is to get hit by a car. Front and back lights are important for riders, especially for those riding at night, and most municipalities have laws requiring battery-operated lights. London and Mazzante said many LED lights take AA or AAA batteries, or are rechargeable on a computer via USB port.