11 basic biking tips

Hi guys and girls, as a first blog entry here are some cycling tips I put up together. This should be really useful for beginner cyclists. Comments welcome. I am ready to amend the article and add additional points, so please feel free to comment

1.) Buying the right bike: Tip number one is to buy the right bike. A bike that suits your body structure. As a rule of the thumb there should be a distance of 1 to 2 inches between your
groin and the top frame tube when you stand flatfooted on a straddled bike. I have seen some bikes in the market that come with many comfort mechanisms in place. Like for instance the ones that come with gel-filled saddles. These are great especially for women riders. Avoid going for bikes that come with aerodynamic handlebars

2.) Before you leave home: Before
you leave home to ride your new bike, make sure to do some basic checks to the bike. Like for instance, adjusting the handlebars, saddle, wheels, gears, and brakes to
match your size and riding ability. Finally ensure that the bicycle has properly inflated tires.

3.) Safety gear: I have a few pals who coudn't care less about safety gear. This is wrong. No matter how carefully your drive
there is always a chance that you could get yourself injured because of someone
else’s fault. So make it a point to protect yourself with a proper helmet and other saftety gear like elbow pads.

4.) Braking right: Braking right can save you from
many accidents. The right way to do this is to apply the brake with your hands
at the end of the levers. In case of emergency breaks at high speeds, try and
shift your rear towards the very back of the saddle. This will help shift your
weight towards to back of the bike so you don’t flip over the handlebars.

5.) Wear the right clothing: Make yourself visible to other
commuters by wearing bright colored clothes. When cycling in the night consider
wearing reflective clothing.

6.) Fit your bike with headlights: If or not you plan on biking in the
evenings is a different issue. Just make sure that you fit your bike with
proper headlights and rear strobe type lights.

7.) Music and cycling don’t go hand
in hand: Try and
avoid wearing headphones while cycling. Headphones can block street sounds
which can interfere with your riding.

8.) Give the right signals: Make use of hand signals and if
possible direct eye to eye contact with other commuters to tell them of your
intentions. Be especially careful when you make a turn or pull into an
intersection

9.) Don’t ride side by side with
other cyclists:
Riding side by side with other cyclists can block traffic and is not advisable.
So make it a point to avoid this.

10.) Frequently alter your body
position: I read this
tip on a website and it really works. Changing your body and hand positions
frequently while riding helps you ease pressure on your muscles.

11.) Keep your bike in good riding
condition: Know
your bike and get regular inspections done. For instance, if your brakes make a
scraping noise, this indicates that you need to sand the metal from the brake
pads or replace them.

Please feel free to comment and suggest more tips and I will add them to the article. Thanks!