Gary Fisher 2004 gary fisher bicycles Manuel D’Utilisation
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CHAPTER ONE
Guide to Safe On-and-Off Road Operation
DURING EVERY RIDE: RIDE SAFELY
Wear a helmet.
An unprotected head is highly susceptible to
injury, even from the slightest contact, but wearing
a helmet that meets CPSC or CE safety testing
standards (Figure 1.16) may help prevent injury.
Eye protection and appropriate cycling clothes are
also recommended.
Helmets should be removed when not riding
the bicycle. If the helmet is caught or stuck on or
between objects, the wearer could choke.
Know and observe local bicycle riding laws.
Most state and local areas have specific laws for cyclists, and
you should follow them. Local cycling clubs or your state’s
Department of Transportation (or equivalent) should be able
to supply this information to you. A few of the more important
rules of riding include the following:
• Use proper hand signals.
• Ride single file when riding with other cyclists.
• Ride on the correct side of the road; never go against traffic.
• Ride defensively; expect the unexpected. A cyclist is hard to
• Ride single file when riding with other cyclists.
• Ride on the correct side of the road; never go against traffic.
• Ride defensively; expect the unexpected. A cyclist is hard to
see, and many drivers simply are not trained to recognize
the rights and special considerations of a bicycle rider.
Do not use unsafe riding practices.
Many cycling accidents could be avoided by using common
sense. Here are a few examples:
•
Do not ride ‘no hands’
; the slightest road or trail
imperfection could initiate a wheel shimmy, or cause the
front wheel to turn unexpectedly.
•
Do not ride with loose objects attached to the
handlebars, or any other part of the bicycle.
They
could get caught in the wheel spokes, cause the handlebars
to turn unexpectedly, or in other ways cause loss of control.
•
Do not ride while intoxicated, or while using medica-
tions which might make you drowsy.
Bicycles require
good coordination to ride in control, and riders must be alert
for hazards.
•
Do not ‘ride double’
. Standard bicycles are not designed to
carry the additional load of a second rider. Also, extra weight
makes a bicycle much harder to balance, steer and stop.
Figure 1.16 Bicycle helmet
During Every Ride: Ride Safely