A helmet should be one of the first things that come to mind when you think about
bike safety. Serious head injuries are always a possibility if you ever fall from
your bike while riding, so it is highly recommended that you wear a helmet whenever
you ride.
Many riders ignore bike helmet safety recommendations because they view them as
an inconvenience, or they just don’t think that wearing one is cool. If you are
opposed to wearing a helmet because you think it’s lame, then you should check out
some of the cool designs available. Some helmet designs make you feel like you are
wearing art on your head.
If you are one of those bike riders who feel that wearing a helmet is an inconvenience,
then we would like to point out a few of the statistics from the CDC website. The CDC reports that "each year over 600,000
people are treated in emergency departments (EDs) for bicycle-related injuries and
824 die from this type of injury." The CDC also points out that head injury
is the most common cause of death and serious disability in bicycle-related crashes.
Wearing a bike helmet can greatly reduce the risk of serious head injuries.
Like all products manufactured for the purpose of safety, bike helmets are not able
to prevent one hundred percent of all head injuries, but this fact should not discourage
you from getting and wearing a bike helmet. It is a relatively inexpensive piece
of equipment and they are readily available at brick and mortar stores like Wal-Mart
or online at stores like Amazon. Basically, a helmet is a smart investment in your
safety and should be bought and worn by all bike riders.
But don’t stop there. Being totally equipped when you're away on just about any
kind of biking adventure is important. A good general rule is: the greater the distance
away from the general public you plan to be, the more safety gear you should bring
along. There are some key things you should also do no matter what your biking skill
level is.
Make sure that you’re armed with a well-supplied first aid kit. Kits made especially
for biking are built to slip inside a mini storage pack underneath the seat or saddle.
A properly supplied first aid kit should contain antiseptic, pain reliever, band-aids,
tweezers, tensor bandages, and moleskin.
Another important thing would be to get a tool kit that is especially made for bikes.
There are many options out there depending on the kind of bicycle you own and the
tools you'd like it to carry. The most standard tool kit needs to include the necessary
tools required to fix a flat tire and should sit easily below your saddle or perhaps
in your saddlebag. Some other gadgets to take into consideration are an Allan key
or small wrench, a tire gauge, a chain breaker, a Swiss army knife, and some strong
tape.
It’s also strongly suggested to carry an extra bicycle chain. More experienced riders
are familiar with just how easy it is to break their chain. A busted chain is many
times an easy fix, however, you shouldn't take the chance of being stuck without
a spare.
Last but not least, you should carry a light and a portable bike air pump. These
types of pumps can be found in many styles and sizes and they can be bought especially
to go with your bicycle. The majority are made to attach underneath the saddle,
and most come with repair kits.
Most of these tools and equipment are made to be light, and can easily be secured
on your bicycle. You should never travel a long distance without having any of them,
since being equipped with all of the proper accessories will make accidents and
problems much less stressful.