Now that the price of gasoline is rising higher than a Fourth of July skyrocket, alternate forms of transportation have become more attractive than ever.
Many children ride bicycles, as they have for decades past. With the rising cost of gasoline, however, newbie adult cyclists are on the streets in greater numbers than ever before.
They are dusting off their old bikes in the garage and wondering why the tires are so flat and the parts are squeaking so much. Children are no longer the solitary cyclists. Adults are now using pedal power both for health, and to save a little money.
Since I have been riding a bike since the age of 9 and fairly steadily ever since, I offer a few handy tips to guide newbie cyclists onto the roads now more expensively traveled.
You are to be considered a newbie if you haven’t ridden a bicycle at least three times a year. If your bike has been hung up on a wall or from a rafter in the garage and is rusty and dusty, yes, you are a newbie. Times and riding conditions have changed.
If your bike’s wheels turn without squeaks, and the caliper or coaster brakes work, that is half the battle. Are the tires still filled tightly? Or are they flat? Have they been resting on a hard surface for too long? Then it is likely that when they are filled, they will be slightly flattened on a section, and will give a little thump with every turn of the wheel on the pavement.
Depending on the flatness, this can range from the only mildly annoying to the totally unendurable. There is only one solution. Buy new tires and put them on or take your bike to a bike shop, such as Morello’s Bike Village, at 8827 Ogden Ave. in Brookfield.
Let them take care of the whole business. This will cost you for parts and labor, but at least it will be done right. While you are at the shop, why not have a general checkup made? Who knows? You might have a loose brake cable ready to fail you at a very crucial time.
Let’s say that your bike is still in working order, maybe a little rusty on the chain. To get the kinks out of it, grease is best, but don’t strain your bacon fat just yet. I mean the axle kind of grease.
Failing to obtain grease, use some good oil and also apply it to the moving parts around the hubs of the wheels, the parts closest to the center. By good oil, I mean something not too thick.
Purists will say that a thin, silicone type of oil is best. It may be so, but it is also not the cheapest. I have used various kinds of oil on my bikes, including 3-in-1, WD-40 (that I really approve of) and even, a few times when I was absolutely desperate, drops of Crisco.
By the way, once the oil is applied and the wheels are rolling freely, make certain that no oil remains on the metal rim of the wheels. If so, wipe it off thoroughly, until the rim is no longer slippery under your fingers. An oily rim is an invitation to disaster when you try to apply your brakes. A bit of oil will help your pedals to spin more freely, too.
It wouldn’t hurt any to make sure all your bolts are tight-on the wheels, the brakes, the saddle. An ounce of prevention, right?
Again, make certain that your tires are pumped up (not overpumped) and try out a short spin on the sidewalk. Make sure nobody is on the walk near you. Trying the bike out on the street may lead to danger. Ride up and down the block, getting used to balancing on your bike again. Try out your brakes half a dozen times.
Got your balance? Getting the hang of it all again? Then take to the streets. Watch out for loose twigs and stones, and always be ready for a car to appear out of nowhere, whether from a driveway, from around a corner or just pulling out from a parking space.
Obey stop signs. In fact, even if you have no stop sign, don’t rely on cars going by in front of you to stop for their signs. They might not see you or do a rolling stop and consider this good enough. Look way down the streets when you’re crossing them or turning corners.
Bring a good bike lock with you, too, if you’re planning on stopping anywhere. Many swear by the Kryptonite locks, but they are expensive and have limitations, unless you buy a Kryptonite chain to go with them.
The chainless locks are useless when trying to lock bikes next to a tree or anything larger than, say, a big fist. A good, strong, plastic-covered, multi-twisted wire “chain” should be used with a strong lock, whether combination or key-type. Lock the frame or the wheels, but be sure your bike doesn’t have lever-lock wheels that can come right off for anyone. I usually chain the rear wheel, and also at least once around the frame.
Always ride on the right, with the traffic. Riding into the traffic can be dangerous and downright worrying when you see cars coming at you only a few feet away.
Ride a bike as if you are driving a car. Obey traffic laws and remember that you no longer have the luxury of being behind a bumper and engine in case of a collision. Think of yourself as a naked cyclist. Well, not that naked. And try to get that image out of your head, or else you’ll have an accident.
Anyone will agree that riding in a sudden rainstorm is no fun, and not only will you get wet, but so will your tires, and that means your brakes will not work, because the water will make the rims slippery to the point of uselessness. Go slow, and if a situation develops, clamp down on both brakes with a death grip. Hopefully, it will help enough.
If you haven’t been out on a bike in years, then take it easy. Don’t push your leg muscles to go fast at first. Set the gear shift so you don’t have to pedal so hard. Ride a few blocks, or six or eight, whatever you think you can manage. But remember that you have to ride back again, too. You may feel some pains the day after from using muscles you haven’t used in a while. These aches will pass.
Buy and mount a small bike basket in front of the handlebars, and you can bring home things from stores, or carry your lock in it. Over time, you, too, will be cruising the streets of the suburbs, letting the miles rack up behind you, enjoying that healthy feeling of satisfaction in your body, and also saving gas money.
