What to wear
Remember to wear the right clothing when out cycling tips to get the most out of your experience.
Choosing the right helmet
A helmet should be comfortable to wear, light and highly visible whilst not make your head too hot. Wearing a poor fitting or loose helmet is as bad as wearing no helmet at all so it is important you choose a helmet that fits correctly - neither too tight or too loose. It is a good idea to make children aware that cycle helmets do not make them invulnerable; they are only designed to withstand low speed impacts.
Make sure that your helmet can be adjusted easily to allow for a good fit - ensuring that your helmet has a long, strong strap to keep it on your head in the event of an accident. A good helmet should also meet an approved safety standard e.g. BS, ANSI or SNELL.
IMPORTANT: NEVER USE A DAMAGED HELMET OR ONE WHICH HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT
Hints and tips
- Wear a cycle helmet.
- Wear bright coloured or fluorescent clothing to help increase your visibility to other road users and pedestrians.
- Remember to dress according to the weather. Wearing layers is advisable so that clothing can be removed or added as needed.
- Wear sun block when cycling in the summer, even when cloudy,
the sun may be stronger than you think.
Dos and Don'ts
DO:
- Wear fluorescent material during the day.
- Wear reflective material at night and in dull/bad weather conditions.
- Tie back long hair as it can blow over your face and stop
you seeing properly.
- Wear layers of clothing and ensure you are protected from the weather.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- Put the hood up on a hooded jacket - looking behind you is an essential part of safe cycling and when wearing a hooded top you are in danger of only being able to see the inside of the hood when you turn your head.
- Wear long scarves or leave your shoelaces untied - they can get caught in the wheels.
- Wear smooth-soled shoes - they can slip off the pedals.
