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BicycleSafe Article - see link above - "Ten ways you can get hit by cars - with pictures - and meaningful ways to avoid them. Not your typical lame Bike Safety page" The above link takes you to BicycleSafe.com and a very good must- read safety article. Go now! See it! But do come back  |
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Articles with information on bikes, bicycling, power assist conversions and safetyVideo - Electric Bike Home Conversion: by Waynebw More related bike conversion YouTube videos HERE ← article 1 - Bicycle Safety TipsBy Elizabeth AllenIt's simple! Follow the "rules of the road". With few exceptions, when operating a bicycle on the streets and highways you must comply with the motor vehicle traffic regulations of your state and locality. Yes, you have all the rights of a motor vehicle driver, but you also have the same responsibilities they do. That means you must drive on the right side of a two way street, except when overtaking or passing. You must obey traffic lights and signs. At uncontrolled intersections, remember the vehicle on the left yields the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. Where bike paths or lanes are available, use them. When traveling with a group, it is best to ride single file and never more than two abreast. Signals are important. Turning right? Extend your right hand and arm in a horizontal position straight from and level with your shoulder beyond the right side of your bicycle. Turning left? Extend your left arm straight and level to the left side of your bike. For slowing down or stopping, extend your arm downward to your side. By following the regulations applicable to motor vehicles (which the law requires you to do, like it or not), you make it less likely a motor vehicle driver will misunderstand what you are doing and where you are going. Such misunderstandings cause accidents. Wear a helmet! Because head injuries are ordinarily the most serious type of injury in bicycle accidents, always wear a helmet when cycling. Your helmet should meet U.S. government safety standards. Check for the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) sticker. Make sure your helmet fits securely and is level on your head. The straps should be fastened snugly. Worn improperly, your helmet will not protect you as it is designed to do. And how old is your helmet anyway? You may need to replace it if it's more than 20 years old or if it lacks the CPSC (or ASTM or Snell) label. If the helmet foam is cracked, if the helmet doesn't fit correctly or if the helmet has been banged up in a crash, replace it. Visibility is key! If a motor vehicle driver can't see you, he won't take steps to avoid hitting you. Wear light colored clothing that stands out such as yellow or white. Tie a reflector strap around your pant leg or wear a jacket or shoes furnished with reflector tape. Attach a lamp to the front of your bicycle for use at night, during twilight hours, or in bad weather. A tail light is a good idea as well. Check your equipment before you ride! Are your brakes in good repair and are they correctly adjusted? You don't want to ride a bike with worn brake pads or faulty cables. Are your tires properly inflated and in good condition? It is always a good idea to oil your chain regularly and ensure it is in good working order. Make certain your bicycle seat, handlebars, and wheels aren't loose, that they fit tightly. These are just a few tips for safer cycling. Use your common sense and always remain alert to your surroundings and nearby vehicles. Bicycling is great exercise and a wonderful hobby. Just make sure you remember the safety rules while you enjoy the ride. About the Author: Elizabeth M. Allen, of the law firm Allen, Allen, Allen and Allen, has been a personal injury attorney engaged in the practice of personal injury law for over 30 years. Allen and Allen has been protecting the rights of injured victims in Virginia and throughout the Mid-Atlantic for nearly a century. They can be found online at: http://www.allenandallen.com. Source: www.isnare.com Permanent Link: isnare.com video - ABC - Quick Check Bike Safety by CyclistLorax More bike safety YouTube videos HERE ← article 2 The Electric BicycleBy John RamseySustainable technologies, those that walk gently on the earth, are gaining acceptance these days, prominent among them being the electric bike, a simple transportation alternative that is now viable, reliable and just plain fun. An electric bike rider can travel along in whisper quiet serenity cruising with the wind, or against it, even while going uphill. Remember as a kid all the places you could go on a bike, and you were able to go and see places you never saw before even in your own neighborhood? Since an electric bike can be ridden with or without power, they are also a great way to exercise at your own pace. More than anything, electric bikes are fun. Imagine the feeling of riding along at a respectable sight seeing pace, usually up to 20mph, where hills are no longer a strain and stopping for fuel is a thing of the past. A built in solar panel on some ebikes aids in the charging process as long as they are out in the sunshine. A good ebike should travel from 20 to 40 miles on a fully charged battery, depending of course, on terrain and the amount of assist. A 4 to 8 hour charge from a regular electrical plugin will fill the tank and have you ready to go again, or you can carry a second battery for double the distance. An electric bike is an exceptionally convenient form of transportation especially for commutes, errands around town or the neighborhood. Some ebikes can be quite sophisticated, but basically they are simple to maintain with very little to break down or go wrong. Although it won't carry two kids and the family dog it will, with the added side baskets, carry two big bags of groceries or whatever else you want to load. An electric bike can easily carry a child-seat or tow a child trailer. An electric bike can save you stress and time too by eliminating the aggravation of looking for a parking space or waiting for the bus (and often is faster than the bus) and of course traffic problems can be easily avoided. And, as for that exercise, you will actually look forward to getting on your ebike. You can do some straight pedaling if you feel the need for heavy breathing, or you can pace yourself with the adjustable motor assist. It will make you feel good without the ache. An electric bike can also be cheaper than a gym membership, car insurance, or car payments. Owning an electric bike can enable the astute individual to use a car significantly less or eliminate it altogether. Ebikes, if charged from your local friendly utility, still costs only pennies a day, and there is always the optional carry along or stay at home solar chargers that get their energy directly from the sun. Recharging is easy, just plug it in! All chargers with ebikes are smart chargers allowing you to recharge at anytime and the unit will turn off automatically. You can recharge the battery at any discharge level. Built in LED's on many ebikes measures and shows the discharge rate and power availability. Recently established US law regards electric bicycles with fully functioning pedals, no more than 750 watts motor output and 20 mph top speed as "bicycles", meaning that no operators license or mandatory insurance coverage is required. Ebikes entail a modest initial investment, anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand depending on options, but operating costs are equivalent to getting 500 miles per gallon or more with the fossil fuel machine. Other than the built in onboard battery, ebikes look and feel like a regular bicycle. The drive mechanism can be located in the front or rear wheel hub, or sometimes as a friction drive on the rear tire (the least desireable configuration). The power, when activated by a switch on the handlebar (called power-on-demand), or in response to your pedaling (ped-elec), gives you an immediate, nearly silent push. When you release the switch (or stop pedaling), the motor coasts or "freewheels" like a regular bike. For most ebikes, standard bicycle hand brakes and gearing round out the controls. Some interesting power control variations and new transmission designs are beginning to emerge which should increase overall ease and efficiency even more. The battery is something to take into consideration, however, particularly when buying new, by either getting a spare, or investing in the latest battery technology which provides for extended power reserves. Electric bikes come in many configurations and styles, and maintaining them is usually simple and straightforward, most servicing falling within the purview of a bicycle mechanic. Every day, more and more electric powered vehicles, from e-skateboards to e-scooters and even e-motorcycles, are finding their way to market. Fuel price increases along with an emerging ecological and health consciousness, is fostering a new look at alternative forms of transportation. Soon, ever growing numbers of people will accept and even embrace ebikes as a necessary and integral part of daily life. Furthermore, as society ages and just going to the store becomes a regular outing, tricycle ebikes will become a great assisted living tool enabling the elderly to travel back and forth with comfort and ease. An electric bike is high utility, low impact, economical transportation. Our choices have an impact on the future. An electric bike is a healthy step in the right direction. About the Author: John Ramsey is a former writer, journalist, classic car collector and renewale energy systems designer. He now rides an Ebike and is currently webmaster of several Internet marketing sites including http://www.MyEbikes.com Source: www.isnare.com Permanent Link: www.isnare.com article 3 - coming soon |
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