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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 1
Bike
Sense
THE WISCONSIN BICYCLE OPERATOR’S MANUAL
A GUIDE TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD, BICYCLE HANDLING,
TRAFFIC SKILLS AND THE ENJOYMENT OF BICYCLING LIFE
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 2 ALWAYS Wear a properly fitted helmet Do a safety check on your bike before riding Obey all traffic laws Be visible Be predictable Be alert This booklet is published by Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin 106 E. Doty St., Ste 400 P.O. Box 1224 Madison WI, 53701-1224 608-251-4456 info@bfw.org www.bfw.org This manual condenses and paraphrases language in the Wisconsin State Statutes. It also provides safe- ty advice not included in
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 3 Why bicycle? 5 Contents Equipment 6 Visibility 13 Bicycling & traffic skills 15 Who can you contact? 27 Public Transit 29 Crashes 30 Avoiding Crashes 32 Wisconsin Bicycle Laws 33 Bicycle security 35 Trail Ettiquette 37 Two-Minute Bike Check 38 Bicycling Resources & Advocacy 39 3
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 4 Forward Bicycling for transportation, recreation and fitness has seen enor- mous growth in recent years. People everywhere are rediscovering the joys of bicycling; how much fun it is, how practical it is, and how good it is for their health and well-being. However, with the increase in bicycling there has also been an increase in conflicts with other road users. Many of these conflicts stem from confusion about how bicyclists
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 5 Why Bicycle? Bicycling is fun. People bicycle for many reasons. Riding your bicycle allows you to feel active and energetic, to improve your fitness, and to enjoy the surroundings of the natural environment. Bicycling provides the inde- pendence of using only your own power, free from the constraints of motor vehicles. Wisconsin has an extensive system of both on- and off-road facilities for all abilities. Paved rural roads, m
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 6 Equipment To ride your bicycle safely and efficiently it is important to have all equipment operating smoothly and properly. Your Bike What to consider when buying a bike: What type of bike to buy depends on a number of factors. The best advice is, “Talk to your local bike shop staff.” They will help you pick out a bike that suits your riding style, budget, and bicycling goals. Just as there is no perfect pair of shoes or c
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 7 Will I be carrying things? Commuters and bicyclists carrying gear while traveling should buy a bike that can accommodate a rack and added weight. How devoted a cyclist do I want to be? Is this bike going to be used every day, or only a few times a year? How important is quality, dura- bility and speed? Is riding position important? Consider back, shoulder, neck or knee problems when deciding riding position. How far do I want
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 8 road or street riding, a one-inch to three-inch space is safest. If your bike has no top tube or a slanted top tube, ask your bicycle store’s staff to size you. Frame Length: If, when you ride, you feel overly stretched or have pain in your neck, shoulders, or back, your frame might be too long. Try moving the seat and handlebars closer together. Also, some peo- ple, including many women, have torsos shorter than what most bi
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 9 Sit on your bike and push one pedal all the way down. With the heel of your foot on the pedal, your knee should be slightly bent and your leg almost straight. If your hips rock from side to side when you pedal, your seat’s too high. Don’t raise your seat so high that less than two inches of your seat post extends into the frame . Handlebars: After you’ve set your seat height, set your handlebars so you feel comfortable. Some
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 10 All traditional bicycle brakes work less effectively when they are wet. Aluminum rims have much better braking performance than steel rims in wet conditions. It is dangerous to have only one brake in working order. Make sure both front and rear brakes work properly and have regular maintenance performed by a bicycle mechanic. Lights and reflectors After dark, all bicyclists are required by Wisconsin State law to have a front
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 11 Panniers (saddle bags) Panniers allow you to comfortably and safely carry a load while keep- ing your hands on the handlebars and, by keeping your center of gravity low, they increase stability. These bicycle-mounted packs also keep the weight off your bottom, reducing ‘saddle sores’ and back pain. DO NOT hang grocery bags or carry loose loads on your han- dlebars as they can upset the control of your bicycle and prevent you
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 12 B = Brakes. Squeeze your brake levers hard to be sure the brakes are wrong working and the levers don’t reach all the way to the handlebars. C = Chain. Don’t ride with a dry chain. Lube your chain on a regular basis to reduce wear and rust and make pedaling easier. Quick = Quick releases. Take a look to be certain the quick releases on your wheels and brakes are closed and tight. Helmets right Studies have shown that in the e
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 13 Visibility As a narrow vehicle, bicyclists can be less visible to motorists. It is therefore extremely important for bicyclists to use every means possible to make themselves conspicuous. Position yourself where motorists are looking The Wisconsin State law requires bicyclists to keep to the right, but that does not mean hugging the curb. You should be at least three feet away from the curb or parked cars. This will reduce
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:47 PM Page 14 Wear brightly colored clothing Wear brightly colored clothing such as neon green, yellow and orange, and/or wear a safety vest, day or night. Turn on your lights Turn on your lights, front and rear, whenever visibility is reduced. Aim your rear light to the traffic behind you and aim your front light on an angle for vehicles to see you and for you to be able to see the road. You need to BE SEEN, and be able to see the road,
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:48 PM Page 15 Bicycling & Traffic Skills Always make hand signals well in advance of any turn to increase communication with other road users. Practice stopping as quickly as possible to get a feel for how much distance is needed at different speeds and under different conditions. Consider registration in an approved bicycling course taught by certi- NO fied bicycling instructors, such as those offered by Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, t
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:48 PM Page 17 Check ahead and shift into a lower gear well in advance of hills. Use a gear that gives you a fast comfortable pedal rotation speed (cadence) of around 70-90 revolutions per minute. Change gears often to maintain this average cadence. Pedaling in a gear that is too high can damage your knees and tire you out on a long ride. Turning Practice turning to give yourself a feel for how sharply, and at what speeds, you can turn comf
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:48 PM Page 18 user to be going the wrong way and won’t be looking for you. Riding the wrong way makes it difficult to avoid other road users and obsta- cles; it forces you out into traffic if you need to swerve. You can’t see road signs or make proper turns. And finally, the “closing speed” between you and another road user makes a collision more dangerous. How far to the right should you ride? The law requires bicyclists to ride as close
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:48 PM Page 19 If you are uncomfortable in the center of the lane, consider taking an alternative route. It is important to bicycle within your confidence limits and comfort when dealing with heavy or high-speed traffic. See the Wisconsin Bicycle Laws in the appendix. 346.80(2)(a) lists conditions when it is not practicable to ride far right. Road surface hazards Keep an eye on the road well ahead of you to see if there are pot- holes, gra
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BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:48 PM Page 20 your destination: right third if you are turning right, center if you are going straight, and left third if you are turning left. If you cannot make it across traffic to position yourself in the correct lane, you have the choice to use the crosswalk as a pedestrian instead. If there is a straight-through bike lane, use it only if you are going straight ahead. Watch for vehicles turning across your path either coming toward
