Questions tagged [safety]
Riding safely, safety equipment, and safe places to ride.
536 questions
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Banged frame: Is it still safe to use?
My girlfriend's bicycle was vandalized by a neighbour. It seems like they banged it with a hammer or something right in the middle of the frame. Is this still safe to use?
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Roadbike with aluminium wheels in mountains. Is it safe?
I'm planning my upcoming trip to ride real mountains in Spain on my road bike. So far I used Mavic Ksyrium aluminum wheels but mostly on flat areas.
I'm not confident with going downhill on this ...
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4
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2
answers
203
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How do I determine what types of maintainence I need to perform?
I just got a new bike and I want to make sure I’m able to keep it up properly. I am entirely new to this.
Edit: thank you all for your responses, I’ll keep these all in mind and I’m adding them to my ...
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In cycling friendly cities, how do near-sighted cyclists who need glasses manage to bike to work or school in the rain?
In cycling friendly cities, how do near-sighted cyclists who need glasses manage to bike to work or school in the rain?
When I say cycling friendly cities, I'm referring to cities such as Utrecht, ...
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4
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Can road bumps excite frame eigen frequencies?
During my last bike holiday I have happened to ride downwhill on roads which had transversal stripes to mark the approaching of a turn.
The stripes were made with road paint, and were slightly higher ...
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3
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2
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297
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Third eye helmet mounter mirror swivels too much
I've got a "third eye" type bike mirror attached to my helmet. It has two points of articulation: one near where it mounts to the helmet, which controls how far it swings up, and the other near the ...
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6
answers
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Can I run a red light at a T junction?
I was wondering if I was on a bike could I run a red light if it is impossible for me to get hit by a car? (Unless the car drives into the bike lane). I made a quick picture on paint to try and show ...
1
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Would the airzound bike horn cause hearing damage even if used well under the duration limit? [closed]
Would the airzound bike horn cause hearing damage even if used well under the duration limit?
The Airzound is 115 dB which means according to the NIOSH standard, the duration limit is 28 seconds ...
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3
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Safety guidelines when using MTB clipless pedals on a road bike
Yesterday, I went for a ride and my legs felt really great (hadn't been cycling for about 2 weeks) so when I was climbing on a hill, I decided to go on a full blown sprint and unfortunately... somehow ...
user38723
2
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2
answers
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My friend wants to sell a second hand helmet, I strongly dissagree, am I correct?
My friend has recently purchased a new bike. The guy who sold it to him was clearly giving up the sport, so he gave to said friend his helmet as well (MET parachute for MTB).
As my friend already had ...
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Are full carbon forks less prone to failing from hidden defects than those with alloy steerers?
Are full carbon forks less prone to failing from hidden defects than those with alloy steerers?
Even though the mechanics couldn't find problems with Richard Stanton's bike, his fork failed ...
- 1,053
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2
answers
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Bent front wheel
I own a 27.5" mountain bike and its front wheel is a little bent. Not too badly, but it is noticeable when riding or spinning the wheel. It probably wobbles about 1/4" or so. I have disc brakes, so it ...
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OK to ride with a slightly bent mech hanger?
My rear derailleur took a knock from a fall, and the entire shifting range moved inwards by about one sprocket width. I suspect, but am not sure, that the mech hanger got slightly bent (could be ...
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Best rear view mirror to purchase? [duplicate]
I have seen a lot of different types of Rear View mirrors. Ideas on which mounting/type is most used and why? ie: sunglass frame mounted, helmet mounting, handle bar mounting, or others. I ride both ...
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Clipless pedals (safety release)
Is there a safety feature in any brand of clipless pedals which allows the mechanism to release in the event of an accident? For example, being hit by a car in traffic while commuting, I would hope ...
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Is it a problem to have tires of different width?
I received a new tire for my bike. I believe this is a "Hybrid bike" in English and looks more or less like that
image courtesy of Wikimedia
I use it to commute, 50% on bike paths and 50% on easy ...
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3
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Precautions when riding in long-term low visibility
Heavy fog or a narrow, overgrown and winding trail, can reduce visibility to 3 meters. Those conditions can continue for hours, and the safest approach 'don't go' cannot be always taken.
I find that ...
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How to tell when to change steel front fork?
I am riding a Dawes made sometime before 1974 and have read in a Swedish report (http://vti.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:694821/FULLTEXT01.pdf) that front fork failure is a not uncommon cause of ...
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6
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Why do only downhill mountain bikers wear full face helmets?
A lot of cyclists are concerned about safety and having the proper equipment, but I have never seen a cyclist riding in the city with a full-face helmet, nor have I seen a full-face helmet marketed ...
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5
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5
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620
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Bike or e-bike/trike good for the rain
My aging mom is looking to start biking to work as a way to stay healthy. But as an aging women she needs certain things so that she feels safe and comfortable riding a bike about 15 minutes each way.
...
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2
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3
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It is dangerous to bike with 5/36 spokes broken?
I've got an old bike (not a sport bike, just an old fashioned granny bike).
The chain was super loose so I have to tighten it, the tires are fine. The rear wheel, although reasonable aligned for how ...
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4
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4k
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Coded gesture for "I am looking for a place to stop"
When going downhill on mountain roads with no dedicated cycle path, it happens quite often that the cyclist becomes the head of a train of vehicles, as the winding road does not allow an easy and safe ...
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2
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How necessary are barrel adjusters?
In the process of getting the slack out of my rear brake cable, the "cap" on the insulated part of the cable pulled out of the barrel adjuster. While monkeying around trying to get that part of the ...
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3
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Effect of helmets and other impressions of the bike rider on driver behaviour?
Are there any studies on the effect of helmets and/or other impressions of the bike rider, on driver behaviour?
Has anyone collected their own data on things like this?
Has anyone noticed any other ...
user20209
1
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3
answers
263
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How should I approach safe cycling? [closed]
I have interest in biking to and from work, but have heard some horror stories from cyclists at work.
Short of asking coworkers on safe cycling practices, where should I go for a more authoritative ...
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1
answer
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Why would a salty damp road be slipperier than the same road just damp?
I came off this morning* on a road I ride every day, in all weather conditions. Last night was frosty so the road was salted/gritted, but there was no visible frost nearby, it had warmed up from the ...
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8
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7
answers
452
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Are there any major outstanding recalls of bicycle parts?
Sometimes bike companies don't get things right.
Are there any major recalls people should know about? Where can people find information on recalls?
There is one answer which has places to find ...
8
votes
2
answers
427
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Can I ride side by side with another cyclist in Switzerland?
When I ride on the road with someone (in the country), I try to ride on his side, and then when a car comes, I pull back in. This way, we can talk and have more fun during the trip.
Sometimes, I don'...
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Wheel spoke reflector Flectr
Winter is comming, days become shorter, need extra visibility for darker times.
Have somebody used Flectr zero reflector (https://shop.flectr.bike/collections/reflective-products)?
Is it worth the ...
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608
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Is it safe to attach a flashlight to a helmet?
Everything I've found online discussing this has focused on the benefits and dangers of attaching a metal mount to the helmet, on which a flashlight would be attached.
I'm using a soft mount (...
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4
answers
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Max weight of child, for rear bike seats - why is it always (seemingly) 22kg?
I had a rear child's bike seat on my old bike (which was stolen, boo hoo). It was a Yepp Maxi and was the kind that sits on a rack, rather than being mounted to the seat post.
The maximum weight ...
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2
answers
512
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Hearing the outside world through headphones
Wearing headphones to listen to music whilst cycling can be dangerous.
SO
What if whilst listening to music with headphones, we could utilise the headphone's or even the smartphone's mic to fade in ...
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1
answer
228
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Can I remove the clutch system from bike helmet?
I recently bought a Kali Chakra Plus helmet for my bike. This is the link with the specs.
It has the inner clutch system made from plastic in order to adjust the fit which is plastic and onto which ...
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3
votes
1
answer
2k
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On recumbent trikes, vs road bikes which is safer down hill?
Tadpole, vs delta have different tipping modes. Does the three wheel configuration give a false sense of stability? Are rocks on the road more or less of a risk on a Tadpole vs Delta vs Road/Mountain ...
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2
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Top speed for Cannondale Bad Boy
I have a 2015 Cannondale Bad Boy 3. I'm planning on making a trip tomorrow that goes across a very long, fairly steep road (It's almost completely straight).
I've had the bike for about six months, ...
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1
vote
1
answer
679
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Lighted ankle straps
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about a recent study that concluded that motion-based lighting is the most effective technique for drawing motorists' attention. I believe the recommended ...
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2
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is bicycle helmet actually safe? [closed]
The bicycle helmets are almost just made by styrofoam and many people use it instead of motorcycle helmet with full protect and plastic,metal parts.the truck can easily crush it and almost helmet are ...
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0
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1
answer
778
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Panniers on front suspension forks [duplicate]
I currently have four panniers (two front, two rear) on my touring bike and plan to purchase a new touring bike which comes with front suspension forks. Is it possible and if so, safe to add front ...
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3
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Are children's helmets with styling less safe?
In a couple well received answers to a recent question it is suggested that sliding on the road is an important consideration for helmets.
A number of children's helmets now are available with spikes ...
user30065
0
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1
answer
105
views
Only rear cross lever on bullhorns
I'm newbie.
I have bullhorns with two TT levers.
For safety, I'm considering installing cross lever(s).
I'd like to install only the rear-wheel cross lever since:
Setup will be less clumsy
When my ...
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1
answer
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Who has the right of way crossing a shared pedestrian crosswalk / bike path? (USA)
I pass this intersection (and others like it) at least twice per day on my way to work and I'm still a little unsure who should stop for whom. The little yellow star indicates the "bike path", which ...
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1
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Brake levers for bullhorn on single speed - tt/cross or both?
I'm newbie.
I need advice regarding brake levers for bullhorn on a single speed.
I ride both flat and bullhorn ends.
Do I need both TT levers and cross levers?
What do you use?
Bonus questions:
...
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7
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1
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My handlebar and My front tube are no longer one. Might I have died?
So, I have this problem [problem].
This happened today while I was putting it in a car to store overnight, but clearly I have to fix this.
Could someone please tell me: what exactly qent wrong ...
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6
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1
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Child sleeping in bike trailer
My husband and I like to take our 3.5 year old daughter for bike rides and she rides in a trailer. But the problem is that she is sitting idly on a calm, mostly smooth ride on a bike path surrounded ...
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4
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Which is safer: country road vs highway?
Asking the park ranger about my planned itinerary, her answer was to take, instead, a 4-lane divided highway with wide shoulder, the argument being that it would be safer than using 2-lane/little-or-...
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4
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We offer our riders shared helmets. What sanitizing spray or barrier product can we provide alongside the helmets?
We are lucky enough to have four shared bikes at work, which are available for any employee to ride.
Due to New Zealand's compulsory helmet laws, we must provide some shared helmets. Some people don'...
- 131k
1
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2
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When I pedal they keep shifting forward randomly but not moving the bike forward [duplicate]
When I try to pedal fast or hard or just put any sort of pressure to move the pedals foward they seem to give out, randomly jerking forward and not making the bike wheel move.
https://drive.google....
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1
answer
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Hydraulic Disc Brakes Not Locking Up
So as the title says my disc brakes are not locking up. They are gripping but not locking. My older brakes were leaking and i changed them with Shimano Deore BL-M596. I have searched online and found ...
- 31
1
vote
2
answers
67
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cross country upgrades [closed]
Well I am planning to ride to California from Indiana. I was wondering if there are any cost effective bicycle upgrages that may help increase the endurance of the bicycle and or the overall speed.
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8
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4
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Motorists misjudge bicycle speed
This question is probably a little too location-specific but I hope it attracts some good answers
Okay, here we go...
Most cities in India do not have dedicated paths/lanes for bicycles
We are ...
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