Archives for April 2018

As you get ready to head out for a bike ride, you need to make sure that you have the proper safety equipment. One of the most important pieces of gear you need is a good helmet. But how do you find the right one?

Know this data going in. A helmet can reduce the chances of a major head injury by up to 50% and a major injury to the head, face and neck by up to 33%. If you already have a helmet you love and think your okay, remember that the protective liner of the helmet can degrade after several years. Just because it was perfect five years ago doesn’t mean that it is up to the task of helping you today. So why wouldn’t you want to make sure that you and your kids have the best helmet possible?

When picking out a helmet, you want to make sure that the helmet has been tested for ventilation, fit, adjustments, use, and other features. The big need for any helmet are successful impact trials. If your helmet has been in one accident, then it is time to replace the helmet. The protective foam liner in the helmet was designed to protect your head in a single crash. If the helmet has been used once, then you need a new helmet. All good helmets have been through impact trials to see what kinds of stresses the head will experience in a crash. You want to find a helmet that has a superior crash rating for your safety.

A great new technology in helmet design is the use of the Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS). MIPS is a thin liner present in the helmet outside of the padding that allows the padding to slide on the head letting the helmet move and better distribute the force of the accident. If the helmet remained in a single place, the padding would help, but the force of the accident could still be transferred to the head and neck creating a debilitating injury. MIPS’ ability to slide transfers this impact force even more resulting in better chances of escaping an accident without a major injury. MIPS helmets cost on average $20 more than helmets without MIPS, but the technology could be beneficial in helping prevent additional injuries like concussions.

The other major factor in finding the right helmet is proper fit. If the helmet doesn’t stay in place during a crash, then what is the point of even wearing the helmet, right? The perfect helmet will fit snug and need minor adjustment with each subsequent use. For children, the last thing you want to do is buy a helmet that is too large expecting the child will grow into it. The helmet will do nothing in the event of an accident.

Go to a bike store and don’t be shy about trying on several different helmets. Find the right fit and style for you. Remember, the right helmet will fit snug and partially compress the foam padding inside before the straps are snapped in place. You want the helmet that fits snug without being uncomfortable, then use sizing pads to finish the fitting. Finally, check using a mirror that the straps go under and slightly forward of each earlobe.

The right helmet is not only a question of style, but safety as well. When you have the perfect helmet, you can be assured that you will have a better chance to survive an accident without major injury.

Riding a bicycle is probably the simplest thing a person will ever do in this earth. Cycling is mostly learnt during childhood and people say you never forget how to ride once you get the whole concept of riding the bicycle. In the past a bicycle was mostly used by little children in the neighborhood to play and have fun with but now with the population issues and fuel conservation, adults are beginning to appreciate the childhood learnt art. Safety however is becoming a thing of concern especially now when the use of bicycle is not only for the hood but has spread to motorist roads. Here are some tips which should keep you safe out there when you decide to cycle on the road.

Never go out with a bicycle without a helmet
Just like a motorcycle the risk of head injury is more prevalent in case of an accident/collision than when you are inside a car. A bicycle is no difference and therefore the use of a helmet every time you go out to cycle is very important. A helmet will help you in case you have a collision or experience a fall during riding by protecting your head against head injuries.

Equip your bicycle with a loud horn
Riding a bicycle is not only about your protection against yourself but also against going into collision with pedestrians. But then the bicycle is invented in such a way that when a pedestrian is not keen will not hear you coming. Therefore to help them realize your presence behind them, you can buy a loud horn which will warn the pedestrians on the incoming bicycle. The horn will also act as a warning for motorists on the road something that will help prevent many collisions.

Consider important gadgets for your bicycle
A bicycle is also like a car. You want to customize it according to your preference by fixing music systems and cool rims. A bicycle will not require a music system but will need rims which are designated to protecting you. Instead of the normal bicycle rims, consider putting led boosted rims to act as reflectors on the road especially at night. Apart from the rims, consider a bicycle mirror so as to help you make decisions when riding on the road. To boost the safety of cycling there are so many things which you can do to your bicycle to make it safer to you and other road users.

Safety on the road starts with your efforts. Some go out with bicycles at night without the lighting and this compromises their safety. The motorists will most probably not see the bicycle if there is poor/no lighting and you will end up causing an accident. When riding a bicycle on the road, remember you are not on the playground but you are in a place full of moving automotive vehicles and with improper decision making you will end up causing catastrophes.

Since the discovery of bicycle, more and more people increasingly prefer it as their method of travelling. Riding a bicycle is one of the best childhood memories any person in the modern civilization can never forget. Cycling is also a form of sport in this new world and is increasingly becoming famous in the world today. However cycling is being hindered by the collisions which occur in the roads between motorists and cyclists and this is becoming a death cause of people in the world. There are some gadgets which are used when cycling to protect you from any danger posed in the road or are aimed at preventing an accident from happening. Here are some of the new cool gadgets you need to know about.

A Bicycle Airbag Helmet
When an accident occurs, the cyclist is often in danger of head injury and of course motorists have their airbags which protect them in case an accident occurs. The helmets will only protect your head in a small way but then they won’t act as shock absorbers and this may risk an internal injury. The new airbag helmet is aimed at protecting the cyclists head when a collision occurs. You will just wear airbag on your neck and when an impact hits you it will inflate to protect your head.

Lumigrid Mapping System
It may seem as a very complicated thing to have for your bicycle but with the increased use of the same, the lumigrids will become very useful. When riding your bicycle there is a chance that you will come across an uneven road and this sometimes will take away your control for the bike for a bit. Lumigrids spread across the road mapping it for you to see when the road is uneven.

A Bicycle Mirror for Safety
Riding a bicycle is very enjoyable when you are comfortable but when you are on the road the comfort is taken away when you keep looking behind you. This is where the relevance of the bicycle mirror comes in. the bicycle mirror will keep you informed on what is happening behind you and you can also use them to check if the road behind is clear before diverting.

Revolight System for Bicycle Wheels
Riding the bicycle during the day is one thing but when it comes to riding at night then a new challenge arises. Insufficient lighting and poor visibility is actually the main cause of bicycle vehicle collisions. Away from the traditional reflector jacket, the revolight system acts by lighting both wheel of the bicycle and this will inform motorists of the presence of the bicycle on the road. If you want to graduate from the traditional reflector jackets then this is a good choice.

Riding a bicycle in this century is a very good idea especially if you want to save fuel and conserve the environment. The cycling sport has also been gaining popularity over time and with such increased use of the bicycle then people are in dire need of bicycle safety gadgets. The mentioned gadgets are just a few of the bicycle safety gadgets available in the market.