road biking 101 april 29, 2012 a special thanks to healthy howard
TRANSCRIPT
ROAD BIKING
101April 29, 2012www.bikehoco.org
A special thanks to HEALTHY HOWARD
GOALS & PRINCIPLES
THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES
• It’s Supposed to Be Fun• It’s Supposed to Be Safe• The Best Bike Is the OneYou Ride (aka Comfort)
TODAY’S TOPICS• Resources• Equipment• Safety• Riding Technique
SHAMELESS PLUGSaka Resources
LOCAL BIKE SHOPS (LBS)
• Use Them• Patronize Them• Buy Stuff• Repairs• Advice• Rides
LOCAL CLUBS/GROUPS• APL Cycling Club• Baltimore Bicycling Club/Glenelg
Gang• HoCo Cyclists• Mid-Maryland Triathlon Club• The Morning Ride• Regional Clubs/Rides
• Baltimore Bicycling Club• Potomac Pedalers Touring Club• Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club
• Last But Not Least: BAHC
BEST BIKE• The One You Ride
WHAT KIND OF RIDING WILL YOU DO?
• Racing• Recreation• Touring• Commuting• Haul Stuff• Off-Road
BUYING A BIKEBIKE FIT• Saddle Height• Reach (Fore & Aft)• Get Help From a Pro
EQUIPMENTCOMFORT• You Will Not Ride an
Uncomfortable Bike
• Most Uncomfortable Bikes Do Not Fit
• Riding Can Be Sweaty
SAFETY• Be Visible
FUEL & FLUIDS• You Need Both Food &
Fluids To Go Far
THE BICYCLE• It’s Been Around For A
Long Time
• It’s A Simple Machine
• Two Triangles
• It’s A Very Efficient Machine
SADDLE
DRIVE TRAIN
TOP TUBE
SEAT TUBE FORK
SEAT POST
WHEEL +
TIRE)
BRAKES + SHIFTERS
HANDLEBAR
Hoods
STEM
DRIVE TRAINIT MAKES YOU GO
PEDAL
CRANK
CASSETTECHAIN
REARDERAILER
CHAINRINGS
PEDAL
CASSETTE
REARDERAILER
CHAINRINGS
CRANK
SHIFTINGYOU AREN’T A GORILLACADENCE (aka RPMs)• Match Book Theory• Burn Slow, Not Fast Matches• Pushing Harder On Pedals
But Slower• Lighter But Faster• Shift Workload From Legs to
Lungs• Especially When Climbing !• Easier Acceleration
TOO FAST, TOO SLOW
• 80-90 rpm
• Bouncing on saddle Too Fast
• Breathless Too Fast (or Really Hard Hill)
• Burning Quads Too Slow (or Really Hard Hill)
SHIFT OUT = HARDERSHIFT IN = EASIER
BIG REAR = EASIER BIG FRONT = HARDER
PLATFORM PEDAL
TOE CLIPS
WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE “CLIPLESS”
SPD PEDAL
LOOK PEDAL
SADDLES
1892
COMFORT
• SOFTER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER
• WHAT FITS ME MAY NOT FIT YOU
SIT ON SIT BONES
• WOMEN AREN’T MEN
SHAMELESS LBS PLUG
• TRY OUT SADDLES
FASTER = NARROWER & FIRMER
• MORE FORWARD, LESS WEIGHT ON SIT BONES
• LESS INTERFERENCE FROM SIDES
HOW YOU RIDECASUAL = WIDER &
SOFTER (MAYBE)
• MORE UPRIGHT, MORE WEIGHT ON SIT BONES
• SLOWER CADENCE
SADDLE HEIGHT
HEEL ON PEDAL
SLIGHT BEND IN
KNEE
FROM THE TOPYOUR HEAD IS AN EGGSHELL THAT GETS HOT
PROTECTION & VENTILATION
ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!!
CLOTHINGTOPS BOTTOMS
COMFORT
• WICKING FABRICS ARE GOOD
UTILITY
• POCKETS ARE GOOD
SAFETY
• BE VISIBLE
• COLORS NOT FOUND IN NATURE
SHORTS
• TIGHT IS GOOD
• PADDING IS GOOD
• CHAFING IS BAD
• SEAMS ARE BAD
TIGHTS & KNICKERS
• KEEP YOUR KNEES WARM
YOU DON'T NEED LYCRA
IT’S OK TO BE CASUAL
POCKETS ARE GOOD
NO, IT’S NOT A DIAPER
SHOESSHOES
• TRANSMIT POWER TO PEDALS
• PROTECT FEET
POWER TRANSMISSION
• HARD PLATFORM
• STIFF SOLE IS BETTER
• CLIPPING IN IS GOOD
TYPES
• ROAD BIKE
• MOUNTAIN BIKE
• CASUAL
MOUNTAINROAD
Hard Sole, Flat Bottom Hard Sole, Walkable
CASUAL
GLOVES & OTHER GEAR
WHAT’S IN THE BAG
PATCH KIT
TIRE IRON
MULTI-TOOL
PUMP
TUBE (PRESTA VALVE)
SCHRADER VALVE
ABC QUICK CHECKA – AIR & TIRES
• Air Pressure
• Tire Condition
• Spokes
• Wheel True
B – BRAKES
• Do They Work?
• Too Loose?
C – CHAIN
• Chain Clean?
• Crank Tight?
• Cassette Smooth?
OPEN
CLOSED
QUICK RELEASE
QUICK RELEASE
OPEN
OPEN
CLOSED
SAFETY ON THE ROAD
Be AWARE• Know What’s Around You
Be VISIBLE• Be Seen By All
Be PREDICTABLE• Keep Your Line
THINK Like A CAR• What Would You Do In A
Car?
COMMUNICATE• With Cars & Riders
FIVE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF RIDING SAFELY
BICYCLES ARE VEHICLESFOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD
Ride With Traffic
Ride as Near to the Right Side of the Road as Practicable and Safe• Use shoulder only if it is both safe and practicable• That means not in gutter if it’s not safe or not
practicable
Obey the Rules of the Road• Stop at stop signs• Signal turns• Stay off the sidewalks if you can
RIDE WITH TRAFFIC
BE VISIBLE !!
SAFE & PRACTICABLEStay Right
Stay Straight
But
Stay Out Of The Gutter
DO NOT GET SQUEEZEDTHE SQUEEZE OUT TAKE THE LANE
ASSUME YOU ARE INVISIBLE
GETTING DOORED
INVISIBLE
INVISIBLE
DON’T HIDE
NO
YES
KEEP OPTIONS OPEN
BE AWARE
TURNING
MAKE EYE CONTACT
SIGNAL
GOING STRAIGHT
Bike Lane Danger !
RIGHT TURNS
RIGHT ON RED
Parked Car
LEAVE ROOM
TO PASS & TURN
BEST
POSITION b. ONLY IF CAR TURNING RIGHT!
HERE
NOT HERE
RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE
LEFT TURNBASIC LEFT
TURN POSITION
MOVE
LEFT
IN
STEPS
LEFT TURN FROM LEFT
SIDE OF LANE
LOOK
BACK
BEFORE
CROSSING
LANE
RAILROAD TRACKS
CROSS TRACKS PERPENDICULAR
TRAFFIC CIRCLE
THINK
LIKE
A
CAR
RAMPS
TURN ONLY IF TURNING
STAY STRAIGHT TO GO STRAIGHT
RIDING WITH OTHERS
BECAUSE IT’S HARD TO TALK WHILE SWIMMING
CAR BACK!
CAR PASSING!
COMMUNICATEHAND SIGNALS• Turns
• Stopping
• Move Over
• Hazards
VERBAL WARNINGS• Slowing
• Cars
• Road Hazards
• Potholes
• Grates
• Runners
NAVIGATIONHOW DO WE KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING?
CUE SHEETS
• Turn By Turn Directions
MAPPING SERVICES
• Map My Ride
• Bikely
• Google Maps
MILE TURN NOTE
0.0 R COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR
0.1 R[TL] COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR
1.5 L ROBERT FULTON DR
1.9 L[TL] LEE DEFOREST DR
2.6 R[TL] ROBERT FULTON DR
3.1 L[T] COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR
3.7 R HEALTH DEPT
R = RIGHT
L = LEFT
S = STRAIGHT
TL = TRAFFIC LIGHT
PACELINE
• Save Energy• Go Fast• Have Fun
SHARE THE ROAD
BICYCLES ARE VEHICLES
• Respect Is Earned
• Promote Awareness
REPORT INCIDENTS
• Ho Co Police Want to Know
• 911
• Tag Number, Vehicle Description
• File a Report
THREEFEETIT’STHELAW
ONE FINAL SHAMELESS PLUGBAHC organizes the bicycling community, bringing together those Howard Countians and others who are interested in bicycling and in promoting bicycling.
BAHC seeks to be a point of contact and information for addressing local Howard County bicycling related concerns with government and private business by maintaining a continuous dialog with appropriate officials and business owners.
Bicycle Transportation Advocacy
Bicycle Safety Advocacy
Bicycling Safety Education
Legislative Education
WWW.BIKEHOCO.ORG