Fitness is life-lengthening but cycling on the public highway does carry some risk, says Jason Eastwood from Primera Sports
Cars, trucks and buses will hurt and deserve some respect, so what can you do to reduce that risk when at the end of the cycle path and onto the open roads?
Firstly, not a legal requirement but a necessary one, wear a helmet.
Take it from someone who has landed on their head and survived to throw the remains of an expanded polystyrene shell into the bin. These start at £29.99 for a Specialized Align at Primera Sports.
Next is the clothing and although it maybe slimming, black is not cool. More than 3000 cyclist are seriously injured or killed on our roads each year so be seen by wearing visible fluorescent and reflective materials.
Gloves will cushion and protect your hands and, to finish off the ensemble, a pair of cycling glasses to shield the eyes from bugs and dust.
Look like a pro and ride like a pro. It’s illegal to run red lights and dangerous to dive in and out of traffic.
Approaching junctions and on roundabouts look for that eye contact before continuing and try to hold your line on the road giving motorists confidence to pass safely.
Road injury figures from ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)
Primera-sports.com
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