Biking is a great and fun way to get exercise, explore the outdoors, and help the environment. However, biking is only as fun as it is safe. Below, you’ll find tips to remain safe while biking.
- Always wear a helmet
To reduce your risk of injury, you should always wear a helmet while biking. Should you get into a collision or crash while biking, wearing a helmet will greatly reduce the likelihood that you suffer severe injury.
- Keep regular maintenance of your bike
Bikes must be maintained to ensure their durability while on the road. As Bike at Illinois recommends, one should begin by checking the air level of the tires and use the breaks before proceeding to check your bike’s chain. Should you run into trouble with your bike, you can always visit The Campus Bike Center at 51 E Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL, where they can teach you how to fix your bicycle. Furthermore, you should also be sure to lock your bicycle properly. To properly secure your bike with two locks, at least one of which should be a secure U-Lock. Should your bike be stolen, be sure to report the theft to the University of Illinois Police Department at (217) 351-4545 and report it stolen on your 529 Garage bicycle profile.
- Learn the rules of the road
When biking on the road, it’s important to understand traffic laws, which affect not only cars, but bikes. For example, you should ride only in the direction of traffic, doing otherwise may result in a moving violation. Furthermore, pay attention to all signals and signs. Even though bike riding is different from driving car, both bikes and cars are responsible for following signs and signals. Furthermore, make sure you know how to use hand signals to indicate turns and lane changes. For more tips about how to bike while on the road, check out Bike at Illinois’s Rules of the Road page.
- Check out Bike at Illinois’s bike safety classes
Bike at Illinois offers students, faculty, and staff opportunities to learn safety strategies that allow one to navigate the road safely. Classes range from “Traffic Skills 101” to “Smart Cycling” to classes geared toward children such as “Bicycling Skills 123 Youth”. Send us an email at bike@illinois.edu to learn about more attending classes to improve your safety while biking.
Remember that safety and biking go hand in hand. Therefore, one should always follow the rules of the road while biking, lock their bike with a secure U-Lock, and register their bike with Bike at Illinois. Learn more at the Bike at Illinois website (bike.illinois.edu), and if you have questions, comments, or suggestions please send an email to bike@illinois.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay connected.
By Alex Gallardo
