A few tips about cycling for the beginner!

Hazards of the Road

Every venture out on the road with your road bike requires the utmost in safety precutions. These precautions require being alert for road hazards and anticipating any traffic problems that might occur on the road with your bike. If a problem can be anticipated and course of action thought out ahead of time, there most likely won't be any problem on the road for you.

Move with the traffic - not aganst it - as far to the righthand side of the road as possible. Remember, your Road Bike is a vehicle which has all the right, privileges and responsibilities that a automobilies do.

PARKED CARS AND TRAFFIC

Sooner or later you'll come to a parked car and have to negotiate around it. The firt thing you must establish is that the car is stationary. A good habit to practice is looking into the rear windows of parked cars as you approach them. If someone is seated in the driver's seat, proceed with caution. Many a Road Bike cyclist has been hurt by a car door suddenly opening in the front of him or her.

Learn to look back over your left shoulder to check for approaching traffic. This is especially important if you're riding between parked cars, and traffic is moving in your same direction.

Also learn to recognize the sound of approching traffic however, don't over-depend on it. Purchase and install a rear-view mirror on your Road Bike handlebars until you become accustomed to looking over your shoulder. Use the traffic sound as a signal to look behind you or into your rear-view mirror.

Our ears aren't acute enough to tell us what's coming, how close it is and the rate it's approaching. There are too many automobile making to many sounds. Their sounds tend to blend together. Thats why it is good practice to be alert and avoid veering out to the left after a car has passed.