Bicycling is not only one of the best exercises for keeping in shape, but it is also a great way to spend some time outdoors. A bike ride along a nature trail, at a park, or around a lake can be an invigorating experience. But if bike safety is not followed, serious accidents and injuries can occur. Knowing the rules of the road, proper bike maintenance, and basic safety tips can help make bike riding fun for all.

Bicycling for Exercise

Bicycling is great exercise for cardiovascular fitness. It assists in weight reduction, helps to prevent health risks like heart attacks, strengthens upper leg muscles, and helps keep the body in good shape.

Bicycling is considered better than jogging because there is less strain and jolts on the joints. A new road also means new challenges, which keeps biking for exercise from becoming monotonous.

Following a few safety tips can prevent injuries. Always wear a helmet that fits properly: neither too tight, nor too loose. It should have a sticker of approval from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Helmets help protect riders from head trauma if they fall off the bike or are involved in an accident.

Make sure the bike is the right height. When standing over a road bike, there should be one to two inches between the person and the top bar. There should be three to four inches for a mountain bike. The seat should be level and at the same height as the handle bars.

Wear fluorescent or neon colored clothing while riding to be more visible to other drivers. Reflective tape and markings and reflectors attached to the bike and wheel spokes also make riders more visible at night. Many states have laws that require bikes to have white lights on the front and red reflectors at the back.

Avoid listening to music while riding to be able to hear traffic and emergency vehicles.

Bicycle Maintenance

Routine maintenance should keep a bike working properly. Brakes should be tested and tires inspected to ensure they are adequately inflated and have enough tread. Lights and reflectors should function properly to make the bicycle easier for other drivers to see in the dark. Broken or loose parts should be removed or repaired. A bike shop can provide routine, professional tune-ups.

It is recommended that riders learn their state's bicycle laws governing the roads. A bicycle is considered a vehicle, so rules must be followed when riding on the road. Never ride on a major thoroughfare unless authorized by signs. Always keep to the right side of the road and move with the flow of traffic. Obey all traffic signals and signs.

When pedestrians are in a crosswalk, bike riders must stop and wait. A person riding on a minor road must yield to oncoming traffic from a major road. Hand signaling is important to let other drivers anticipate your direction, as is checking over your shoulder for any traffic before making a turn. Ride in a straight line and never zigzag through cars. Watch out for road hazards like pot holes, dogs, gravel, broken glass, stones, or puddles while riding to prevent a fall.

Leave a few feet between you and the curb to avoid collisions with parked cars, cars pulling out suddenly, or doors opening in your path.

• Bike trails are paths meant for non-motorized vehicles, joggers, hikers, and horses.

• Be respectful to all trail users, regardless of their mode of transport

• Look behind before changing direction

• Give an audible warning before passing anyone

• Keep to the right and never block the path

• Use lights while riding in the dark

• Stay on the path and avoid riding through vegetation or rocky terrain

• Be prepared for emergencies by carrying water and a first aid kit

Parents need to educate their children on bicycle safety. Each year, close to 300,000 kids are rushed to the emergency room due to bike injuries, and around 10,000 of those children are admitted to the hospital.

Children should always wear a bike helmet, have reflectors attached to their frame and wheels to make them more visible, and a bell or horn attached to the handlebars to signal vehicles and pedestrians. Make sure nothing loose can get caught in the bike chain, like wide pants, backpack straps, or shoelaces. Wear sneakers and not flip-flops or sandals when cycling.

Kids should be taught when it is safer to ride on the sidewalk compared to the road and vice versa, as well as proper riding etiquette. Hand signals to gesture to drivers should be taught. Children should never ride across a crosswalk; instead they should walk their bikes across.

If a child is riding on the same bike as an adult, check to make sure the child carrier seat is securely attached to the bike. A spoke guard will prevent the child’s legs from being injured by the spokes. The child should also wear a helmet for safety.

Ride Safe

Whether bicycling for fun, exercise, or competition, following a few simple rules and tips can make it safer without taking away from the enjoyment. Having the proper clothing, equipment, and know-how, and being aware of one's surroundings, goes a long way in preventing injuries and keeps young and old on the road.