PeteHski

Pre-ride check sounds fine to me? It's pre-flight that sounds stupid in this context, lol

rowerek

1. use common sense
2. stay alert
3. ride defensively
4. have fun

tkamd73 

Yeah, just pre ride check, does sound better, although I have flown, or more correctly been airborne for short distances, on a few of my bikes. Not good.
cheers, Tim

PeteHski

My bike related flights were not great either!

rsbob 

Make sure all your USB charged devices have a good amount of charge or are topped off before heading out. Good idea to check tire pressure too.

obrentharris 

Try to hit the squirrels. They know how to avoid a predator who's headed straight for them.

Where there's one deer running across the road in front of you, there's likely to be another.

Keep your mouth shut and zip up your jersey when riding past an orchard with bee boxes.

Don't wear dark glasses at dawn or dusk; too hard to tell the skunks from the house cats.

Those flies that torture you on long slow climbs have a maximum speed that is just above the speed at which you are riding.

Brent

rumrunn6

not a cycling rule necessarily but something I have to remind myself to do. listen to my intuition. meaning: if something feels wrong or dangerous, don't do it anyway. seems like common sense. but also seems like I lack that, or I'm too much of a risk taker. which is ironic, because I often tell my kids "it's never a mistake, to make a safe decision"

rsbob 

You are so right. When I was single track mtbing when I approached a questionable drop, or too tight a turn on a ledge or a dangerous stunt, I would get off the bike and walk it around. Mountain biking is a sport, for those that aren’t familiar, where you have to attack obstacles and go in fully committed. To hesitate can lead to a crash. When I approached a dicey situation, intuition would tell me to ‘do the safest thing’ (a quote from my high school ancient history teacher, Mr. Gates) and walk it.

Road biking is similar but different. Intuition tells you not to take a corner too hot, or to trust a driver, but you don’t push through loose gravel or over small logs or though small creeks.

10 Wheels

Eye Contact does NOT Work.
Watch The Front Tires on a Vehicle.

rumrunn6

it's a tricky balance between confidence & bravery vs being sensible. since I also off-road, over sand, near the ocean, Sister often advised me: "don't take any UN-necessary risks". it's still a judgement call, but it has helped me stay out of the ocean, w/ the truck ... hehe

rsbob 

If you have to remove and replace the rear wheel on the road and don’t carry hand wipes or gloves and you get greasy, wipe your hands on your black cycling shorts. Remember to wash them separately (the shorts and your hands

Daniel4

Taking the lane annoys drivers but you won't get side swiped or get caught riding through all the hazards at the edge.

A driver that honks at you sees you.

When riding straight through and you see a motorist trying to turn into your path, keep your finger on your horn.

Carry a wire hook in your tool kit for when the chain falls off the sprocket.

Polaris OBark

Rule 5

steelbikeguy

If you have grassy shoulders along the road, you can wipe your hands on the grass and remove at least half of the chain lube that way. I think I had to watch a friend do this before I started doing it.
I carry little alcohol wipes to clean out minor injuries, and have used them for cleaning chain crud off the hands. The actual injuries are few and far between, and sometimes the alcohol wipes dry out before getting used... so no harm in using them for chain crud.

Steve in Peoria

Jughed

It's not worth fighting traffic or expecting drivers to change. People don't like or respect cyclists.
Riding on bike paths has risks - dogs, kids, unpredictable riders - but you won't get hit by a dump truck.

RB1-luvr

I look over my shoulder when a car is approaching from behind. I read somewhere that when the motorist knows you know they're there, it results in a safer situation. True or not I've been doing it for decades.

GamblerGORD53

Whatever the League of American Bicycle BOZOS says, I DON'T do it.

79pmooney

+1 I had full eye contact with a woman as she waited at a stop sign to enter the main street. (50 years ago.) She pulled out anyway. That scenario has happened again from time to time. I now "look" at drivers but don't pay attention or value their response.

79pmooney

Yup. I look for the grass or non-stinging leaves. If, no, the shorts. (I raced BITD when black shorts were required and the word was they were black for exactly that reason. The post flat tire or chain incident rider with black shorts was a better promo for the sport than the rider in (previously) white shorts.

And related tip - spit makes a decent wash to loosen dirt and oil.

terrymorse 

Yep. You've described my only bike-car collision to date, exactly (except the driver was male).

He got out the car, ran over to my crumpled body, and shouted, "Where did you come from?!"

jack forman

1. The Squirrel will always dart back after crossing the road. 2. no matter how visibly you are dressed the drivers of cars will not see you. 3. Run front and rear flashing lights at all times. 4. always carry an emergency tool bag with replacement parts. 5.do not worry about having too much water or snacks, you can't have too much. 6. Aim to have fun, knowing that every driver of a car passing you envies not being you.

CAT7RDR

Look far enough down the road and the periphery so that you can anticipate hazards.
In recent months I have had close encounters with Mule Deer and Coyotes.

terrymorse 

That's what tree squirrels do. They're the ones with the bushy tails. Tiny little monsters.



Tree squirrel - an evil little maniac

The ground squirrels (less showy tail), on the other hand, will make a beeline towards its nearest burrow. Even if that means running right into your path.



Ground squirrel - slightly less evil, more predictable

t2p

“ take care of your knees - you will need them when you get older “

t2p

truer words rarely spoken