Bicycle Safety Checks

Routine maintenance is performed on a regular basis for signs of damage and general wear and tear. However, before renting a Tulsa Townie bicycle, it is the rider’s responsibility to perform an overall safety check before riding a specific bike. Make sure to look over the bicycles and check for overall appearance before riding.

Bicycle Riding Safety

Riding a bicycle and driving an automobile are very similar. Individuals must be cautious of pedestrians, other vehicles and other bike riders to insure safety. Please review the general safety tips below to insure you are following the necessary safety precautions when operating a bicycle.

Always wear a helmet. Research shows that by wearing a helmet you can decrease the risk of head injury if involved in an accident by up to 60 percent.

Make yourself visible. Visibility is a key element in safety when riding a bicycle, especially when riding at night. Be sure to wear brightly colored clothing during the day and light colored clothing at night. Tulsa Townies bicycles are equipped with reflectors to enhance visibility at dusk. Tulsa Townies bicycles are not equipped with headlights for night riding and should not be ridden after dark.

Dress for the weather. Remember to dress appropriately in case of inclement weather or temperature variations. Try wearing several layers of clothing so you may adapt accordingly.

Drink lots of water. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself on a regular basis. Riders may choose to carry water bottles with them or frequent the park’s water fountains.

Obey Traffic Signs and Signals. Riders are encouraged to ride on designated bicycle sidewalks or trails. If it is necessary to ride on the road, remember to ride on the correct side of the road – traveling with traffic just as you would in a car.

Use Hand Signals. Hand signals tell motorists and pedestrians what you intend to do. Using signals is not only a courtesy, it is as a matter of obeying the law and ensuring self-protection.

Be Ready to Brake at Any Time. It is important to remember to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Pay attention to pedestrians and other bike riders to avoid collision or accidents and make sure you know how to use the brake-locking feature on the bicycle. Allow extra distance for stopping in the rain, since breaks are less efficient when wet.

A cycling helmet is the most important piece of equipment that every cyclist should own. The majority of cycling fatalities occur due to head injuries. A helmet helps to protect ones head if the cyclist should happen to crash. There are many different styles of helmets to choose from including mountain bike helmets, road bike helmets and BMX helmets.

Instructions

1. Decide which style of helmet to purchase. Most cycling manufacturers classify their helmets as road, mountain, BMX/downhill, BMX/skate, youth/kids or racing style.
2. Determine your budget. Helmets can cost anywhere between $25 and $200.
3. Purchase a certified helmet. Look for a CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) or ASTM (American National Standards Institute) or Snell Memorial Foundation sticker inside the helmet.
4. Properly fit the helmet. The helmet should sit level on ones head and should not be tipped forward or backward. The helmet should fit snuggly, but not be uncomfortably tight. If the helmet slides all over the place, choose a smaller helmet.
5. A good quality helmet will have an adjustable chin strap and pads which can be attached to the inside of the helmet to fine tune the fit. Better quality helmets have an adjustable ring at the back of the helmet, which can be made tighter or looser as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• BMX helmets are meant for stunt riding. They are heavier, and have fewer vent holes than other types of helmets. Many BMX riders decide to go with a full face helmet, which looks similar to, but is lighter, than a motorcycle helmet.
• Mountain bike helmets are lighter and have more vent holes than a BMX helmet. Most mountain bike helmets have a removable visor attached to the front.
• Road bike helmets are the lightest and most ventilated of all the bike helmets.
• Specialty helmets, such as the teardrop shaped helmets worn by time trials racers, are also available.
• Helmets should be discarded and replaced with a new one anytime they are involved in a crash. Hairline cracks may be present, which are not visible to the naked eye. These hairline cracks could compromise the integrity and effectiveness of the helmet.
• Although a good variety of helmets can be found online, a helmet really needs to be tried on in order to ensure that it fits correctly.

Drew wants to know which is the best material for frame building, Carbon, Alloy, Titanium or Steel. We look at the pros and cons of all the different materials and what our choice would be, although if you are a regular reader you probably already know what that is!

Question: I’m having some confusion over what frame material is preferable for a good quality road-bike. The ideal price for the frame would be in the $1500-2000 range but I’ve seen newer steel, carbon and titanium frames at this price; aside from test-riding, are there any suggestions that come to mind for specific frames/manufacturers? Also, do you know anything about the newer steel tubing (S3, Reynold 900-series) and whether those are a good option?

Thank you.

Hi Drew,
This question keeps coming up and will reoccur until the end of time, I’m sure.
OK we will run through the materials.

Alloy is great, cheap and responsive, but to make it better it should be mated with a set of carbon forks and if money allowing, carbon chain stays or/and seat stays. If you look back even as little as five years ago you will see nearly all race frames where built like this.

Titanium if built properly it will last for ever, it’s said if a titanium frame doesn’t break in the first month then it never will. It’s light and stiff, but expensive, again if matched to carbon front and rear ends makes for a very nice ride without much harshness. Many people say titanium/carbon mix is the top choice for the road, but I’ve also spoken to riders who have found titanium feeling dead, not giving a lively ride, so maybe it’s not so good, especially at the price.

As you will have realized if you have read some, or hopefully all, of our articles, is that we prefer carbon frames. Carbon is comfortable, handles well in most conditions and looks good. You can pick up carbon frames at a reasonable price, but you get what you pay for, there are different processes and qualities to consider. At the moment carbon is most riders’ choice and we go along with that.

Steel was the only choice of frame materials not that long ago, it was heavy but, usually reliable, stiff for many years and could be any color you wanted, now though you don’t see much of it around. The new steels you mention are very light, this lightness is achieved by making the walls of the tubes thinner where it is not needed and also with the mix of metals used to make the tubes. This all makes it more difficult to braze the tubes together, temperatures have to be watched very carefully or the steel can become brittle and weak. Only an expert can use these materials, so this can be expensive.

This is our opinion, based on our experience and experience of the many riders we have spoken to about their bikes. The trouble is that if you ask ten cyclists about frames/bikes you will get ten different thoughts.

You ask what we would recommend, when it comes to carbon our choices are Time, Specialized or Giant, there are so many to pick from its very hard. We also like to look of Trek’s new Madone and the Ridley range, Look and BMC are also innovators in the art of carbon frame manufacture. There also many small producers of artisan carbon frames, these are very pricey and you should think very carefully before spending that kind of money. Be careful of small producers of carbon frames who couldn’t possibly afford to set up a frame production, they are probably importing from Taiwan or China. Many good frames come from the far east, but the bigger importers will have a very strict quality control, will have had their own designers draw the plans, would make sure that no corners would be cut and would not pass on to the customer any badly made or any frames with defects.

Well that’s our thoughts and choices on frame materials and manufacturers, stick to a known brands with a guarantee back up. With a famous brand you may be paying for the name, but you are also paying for their experience and manufacturing know how. The top brands can’t afford any breakages as word soon spreads through the trade and among the rider customer. Talk to your co-riders and team mates, as much in put as you can get should help you in your decision, or worse confuse you even more. We have said before on Bike Cycling Reviews that choosing a new frame or bike is one of the nicest and the worst position to be in both at the same time. In the end you need to like what you are looking at, design and color can sometimes be the deciding factor as we may never know the exact production methods in manufacture. Good luck and let us know what you decide or if you need more help.

Before you can select the right bike for your needs, you should ask yourself the following questions.

Where Will You Be Riding?

You’ll need to consider the type of riding you’ll be doing and the types of surfaces you’ll be traversing. Some bikes are made specifically for speedy travel on paved roads, some are built for rugged terrain, and others are versatile enough to handle multiple surfaces. It’s important to know how you’ll be using your bike in order to determine which bicycle type is right for you.

When most of your biking involves shorter trips on paved roads—such as when you’re commuting to work, running errands, or exercising—road bikes and hybrids offer excellent options. If you’re riding for light recreation or leisure, you could also consider an old-style cruiser or a decked-out comfort bike. However, the great thing about road riding is that any kind of bike can be used on paved surfaces under reasonable conditions.

If you plan to go off-road riding, you’ll need a bike that can absorb the shock of the rougher landscape. While hybrids can handle bumpier terrain, serious off-road riding over towpaths, farmland, and rocky trails requires a good mountain bike with wider tires and front- or dual-suspension.

For longer, cross-country journeys, touring bikes provide the best option. By attaching some side panniers, you’ll have space to carry any gear you need.

How Often Will You Ride?

You should also consider how often you plan on riding your bike. Will you be biking every day, once a week, or just occasionally with friends and family? If you plan on riding your bike frequently, you’ll be better served by purchasing a higher level bike. More expensive bikes don’t just cost more, they are more refined, more durable, and are generally lighter in weight. However, if you’ll only be riding occasionally, a more basic bike may be good enough. Just like any activity that you participate in frequently—whether professionally or recreationally—the more you ride, the more you’ll realize the value in subtle differences in the fit and function of more expensive equipment.

Do You Have Any Health Concerns?

Your level of fitness can also be an important consideration. Your body shape, size, and overall health can influence the type of biking you do, as well as the type of bike you’ll need.

Cycling provides a low-impact way to stay in shape, and is particularly good for older people, pregnant women, and those recovering from injury. However, back country routes, hilly terrain, and long distances can present quite the challenge to the inexperienced rider. Biking through your neighborhood is not the same as taking a cross-country trek or negotiating off-road twists and turns. Unprepared riders often find themselves faced with sore muscles, blisters, and nausea. And if they don’t carry enough water, they may also struggle with dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Before you choose a bike, make sure your health is up to par for what you intend to do, and don’t rush into advanced biking too fast. By gradually improving your skills over time, you can work towards loftier bike riding goals without getting in over your head.

What Is Your Budget?

Finally, you’ll want to consider your budget. Bicycle price come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and styles. And as you might expect, the higher the quality of bike you purchase, the more it will cost. Setting a budget in advance will help you narrow your bicycle search.

If you’re new to MTB, or a road rider looking for the thrills of hitting the dirt and going off-road, it’s handy to know what to look for when it comes to finding the right mountain bike. So check out our top tips on how to find the perfect ride to get trail-ready.

1. Get the right size

First up, everything else is secondary to the right frame size. But don’t rely on stated size – while many companies are switching to small, medium and large instead of increasingly inaccurate numbers, (seat tubes have been shrinking even as frames get longer), there’s no standardised idea of what, for instance, constitutes large. One brand’s large can match another’s medium.

Instead, you’ll want to ensure that your bike is the right fit for you. Look for (and contrast) the reach (distance from the saddle to the bars) and stack (distance from center of crank to mid-head tube) measurements, and don’t be afraid to go longer than with a road bike. A long front triangle puts the axle further ahead, letting you weight it (for grip) without risking going straight over the bars at the first impact. It also helps with climbing by keeping your front wheel planted.

Just don’t go so long there’s no standover clearance. You only need a couple of centimeters. A short seat tube gives good standover and the greatest room for maneuver, but make sure you can still get full pedalling height without overextending the seatpost. Note that 29ers have taller fronts, and that riding position can be significantly tweaked with alternative stems, bars and seatposts.

2. Choose a wheel size

Diameters have settled to an easy, binary choice of 27.5in (650b, aggressive trail and downhill) or 29in (XC and trail). However, wide-rimmed Plus sizes and the recent trend towards 29in downhill wheels are muddying the waters.

While strong, stiff and light(ish) 29ers will undoubtedly become more common in the next few years – along with suitable tires and frames – for now the choice remains largely the same: favor bigger hoops for big miles, or smaller, stronger ones for smashing trails. Plus sizes can really pay off on hardtails, but they’re sensitive to tire pressure and there’s some question over whether they’re really here to stay.

3. Choose hardtail or full-suss

The rear shock, bearings, linkage and extra manufacturing complication of full suspension all cost money. Consequently, you’re likely to get a better parts spec on a hardtail over a full-suss bike at the same price. You’ll have less maintenance and fewer things to go wrong, too.

On the other hand, full-suss bikes are now more advanced than ever, so their advantages can still outweigh their disadvantages. There’s no need to dismiss either, but forget needing to ‘learn’ on a hardtail before getting ‘a big bike’ – it’s a myth. Really, this one is preference. 

4. Don’t obsess about weight

Weight is important, but off-road, strength is marginally more important. Flimsy has no place when random rocks, roots and ruts can grab at you from all angles – steering accuracy, cornering and confidence all suffer, dragging your speed down with it. It’s better to carry a few extra pounds and keep your bike out of the hedge. And out of the workshop, too.

5. Beware the flashy trinkets

Don’t be fooled by a nice rear mech (derailleur): it’s common for these to be up-specced to help sell the bike. A quality mech is important, but so too are the shifters and cranksets – even the chainrings aren’t too far behind. Be aware that lower spec components are heavier, more rudimentary and not worth paying a premium for, so factor in your plan for future upgrades.

6. Choose suspension quality, not quantity

Check the reviews of the forks and shocks (on full suss) on the bike you’re looking at, and use the manufacturer’s site to get the exact models. Note that OE (original equipment) units can be a different (often lower) spec than similar-looking aftermarket ones. Quality damping and a decent air spring will do far more for you than any amount of extra travel.

7. Look for futureproof design

Check for current/popular axle diameters and spacing, plus headset, bottom bracket and even seatpost diameters – you’ll struggle to get the increasingly popular dropper post (for changing saddle height on-the-fly) in the smallest diameter, for instance. Internal routing for ‘stealth’ droppers is also desirable, though what internal gear cabling/brake hosing gains in looks it can lose in noise and ease of maintenance.

8. Keep some budget back

You will benefit from a dedicated trail helmet, with its greater coverage, stronger construction and decent peak. You may also want a backpack, plus glasses for warding off flying crud. Then there are sticky shoes for flat pedals, or mountain bike specific shoes, cleats and clipless pedals.

You may also want new tires to suit your terrain, or simply because OE tires may use harder, cheaper compounds and/or heavier steel beads than their aftermarket namesakes. You may also want to tune your gearing, and almost certainly to customise the shape and size of your cockpit.

On the upside, this all still counts as upgrading your bike!

We all hear people talking about their “first clipped in ride” or “first clipped in fall” and some might think what are the benefits of using clipless pedals or wonder where to start…..so we aim to help using this article! Below is the different kinds of pedals and cleats you can find on the market today, with handy tips on setting them up and how they benefit your cycling!

Standard or Flat Pedals

These usually come on the bike as standard, more so on mtb bikes or hybrids. They are as the name suggests standard flat pedals for use with any footwear. Some are plastic some are metal depending on cost and their intended use. They come in various sizes and colours. These sorts of pedals are popular with people who have maybe tried clipless pedals and not liked it or simply don’t like the idea of being clipped into the pedal. They do have the downside of not being able to use a full pedal stroke when cycling, so only about a 1/4 of the pedal stroke produces forward momentum.  

Clipless pedals replace the toe clips of the past where a riders shoes would be “clipped in” at the toe end of the pedal and sometimes had straps for the rear of the shoe, these were ok but difficult to disengage and were not the greatest if you had an accident especially if you had straps on too.

Shimano SPD Pedals & Cleats

 Popular with MTB and off road riders these have the benefit of being able to use more of the pedal stroke than a standard flat pedal, as with practice you are able to push, “scrape” (pulling the foot along the bottom of the pedal stroke – kind of like wiping dog muck off your shoe) and pull the pedal back up meaning you are using more of the pedal stroke and producing more forward momentum, this is more so noticeable on hills where the pulling up motion produces more power to get up the climb. These also come in all shapes and sizes the ones pictured above are for dual use so they can be used with normal flat shoes or can be used with MTB cleated specific shoes simply by flipping the pedal arround.

Shimano PD-M520 Pedals

The ones above are for MTB cleated specific shoes only as they have no other platform for the foot/shoe to push against other than the cleat in the shoe itself.  There are also double sided cleated pedals, double sided cleat only pedals and come in all sorts of styles to suit the rider.  Finding the one that suits you best can be tricky, but once you have found the one that is right for you its alot better than riding on standard flat pedals.

Shimano SPD MTB Cleats

The cleats for SPD pedals are small and metal and fit into the underside of the shoe with allen keys to secure them in one place. They are designed not to come out of the cleat mechanism whist in normal pedal motion and disengaging the cleat from the pedal is usually done by a side to side motion – simply moving the foot from the ankle in a twist like motion disengages the cleat and your foot is free from the pedal. People often worry that in an event of an accident that the foot would remain stuck to the pedal, having had an accident myself on a clipped in ride and doing lots of research into them before buying them, the cleats will not remain clipped into the pedal in the event of an accident, any movement other than the normal forward to back motion of the pedal stroke leads to the cleat disengaging and the foot becoming free.

The shoes for SPD pedals are usually designed with off roading in mind, but some do come in more commuter friendly styles enabling the daily commuter to ride clipped in and still walk around the workplace safely as the cleat is in the underside of the shoe and the shoe sole is higher than the cleat meaning it’s just like walking in a normal pair of shoes. They do have the drawback for some of not being comfortable on long rides due to the style and fitting and sometimes the narrowness of the cleat and pedal on some styles can create pressure points in the underside of the foot leading to pain and discomfort so if looking for a set up for longer days in the saddle these may not be for you. 

Shimano SPD SL Pedals & Cleats

Usually used by road riders as they are not really suitable for use off road due to the nature of the protruding cleat.  The cleats come in 3 variations of the same style, but vary on the amount of float they offer – float being side to side movement before the cleat disengages.

Yellow cleats offer the most float at 6 degrees and are the best ones to have if you are a beginner or have issues with your knees or hips due to the fact they allow the most movement in the ankle and knees when in use. They are fastened to the bottom of the shoe with 3 allen key bolts and are adjustable in forward/back and angle they are on the shoe.

Blue Cleats are the same as yellow but only offer 2 degrees of float. They are said to offer most a good balance between comfort and efficiency but should be avoided if you have issues with knees and hips for the reasons detailed above.

 Red cleats have 0 degrees of float and should only be used by people who have both experience of riding in cleats and have made sure that they are going to work for them due to the fact they keep the foot in a rigid position, they do offer the most efficient pedal strokes and loose no power but for anyone with any muscular or skeletal issues in the lower body will suffer using these.

The pedals for Spd SL come in all shapes, sizes and materials from steel to carbon wide to thin – all depending on preference of the rider. Personally I have Shimano 105 5800 Carbon SPD-SL due to the fact they have a comfortable platform to use, they are wider than some models and lightweight – but not at a premium cost to the bank balance! Again riders should try different types until they find the one they like beg/borrow of friends to see what theirs feel like to make sure you are getting what you want before splashing the cash on what look good but might not be practical, speaking from experience I had a cheap steel pair which were relatively thin, caused pressure points on my feet meaning I was in pain after about an hour or so and this severely affects your ride, as one of my favorite sayings is “comfort over style” – a phrase I stick by when it comes to by bike as not being comfortable on the bike is a bigger determinant to the performance on it that an extra few grams on the heavier items or less aerodynamic items!

 The SPD SL works much the same way as the SPD in the sense of twisting the foot to the side will disengage the cleat and allow the foot to release, to engage it simply put the toe into the pedal and push the heel down as pedaling. Much in the same way as the SPD the difference in performance is noticeable once used to using them.

 SPD SL shoes are not like SPD shoes and are much more difficult to walk around in off the bike, also not advised to do so unless you have cleat covers due to the damage it causes to the cleat.  They come in different styles, colours and materials to suit the rider, some have carbon soles that can be molded in the oven for added fit and comfort. Fit is vital in the shoe because it is your main contact point and movement point whist on the bike so be sure to do your research before hand, if possible try  a friends pair on see what the fit feels like,  visit a LBS to try a few pairs on then make a decision, things like Hot Foot, Cramp, Pain in the arch etc etc can all be avoided by a good fitting shoe.

On top of the ones listed above there is also Look clipless pedals and speedplay pedals. Look invented the clipless pedal in the early 80’s and Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault aka The Badger were the first riders to test them in the pro peloton.

Speedplay Pedals and Cleats

 Speedplay pedal and cleats are different from the traditional setup of the pedal does not contain all the workings to make it clip in and out, on speedplays this is all in the cleat attached to the shoe. Used by pretty much the whole pro peloton now they are some benefits and drawbacks for you amature rider.   Benefits include them being lightweight some are made from Titanium which is stronger and lighter than steel, and can offer small gains in performance if used and set up right and they offer the greatest float adjustment of any cleat being from 15 degrees down to zero, and the double sided pedal that saves that awkward second or two looking for the right side of the pedal!

The downsides are they are not for everyone, and they can be hard to “dial in” the float that is right for you can take some fiddling about. The cleat also needs to be serviced much more frequently, and is very large on the bottom of the shoe which means if you are a commuter they are not the best option given that damage to the cleat would make cycling home very difficult.

Most standard road and mtb shoes will take speedplay cleats, if not adapters are available to purchase and cleat covers to protect them at the cafe stop are also available!

Look Keo & Look Classic Cleat & Pedal

Look offer a broad range of pedals and cleats on the market ranging from a standard pedal and cleat operation not that dissimilar to Shimano’s, and the Look Keo Blade Pedals offering various resistances to the pedal for engaging and disengaging, they also offer a MTB version for offroading.

Look systems are also said to be a lot easier to engage and disengage than Shimano systems, and offer a lot more flexibility to “dial in” the comfort zone for the rider, and are reported to offer the widest platform pedals increasing comfort and performance. They work in the same way as other clipless systems in that a turn of the foot from the ankle releases the mechanism and the foot from the pedal.

The cleats themselves operate the same way but are smaller than Shimano’s and closer to the shoe which can make walking easier but also have cleat covers to protect the cleat when walking. Look cleats and pedals will work will all road and MTB shoes as they attach to the shoe in the same way as other brands.

So there we have it the main pedal and cleat systems available on the market today. There are of course many variations within this but we wanted to keep it simple! We advise getting professional advice on fitting cleats as if they are not fitted correctly or in the right position needed for you they can cause issues or even damage to the lower body especially in the knees. If a bike fit is not an option for you there are plenty of articles on it online but also videos on youtube our favorite is bellow as it offers the best advice and has the added bonus of being from GCN our second favorite cycling advice guys – besides Bike Bible of course!

We hope we have not missed anything out – but if we have let us know in the contact us section on the website and we will be sure to put it right!