Kalamazoo Bicycle Club
Pedal Press

July 2015 President's Letter

KalTour Blockbuster!

Found: One black bike shoe cleat cover at the Briar Patch SAG stop at KalTour, June 28, 2015.

That one lost item is pretty much the sum total of all the things that went wrong at KalTour. Although the approximately 300 riders who registered strained the resources and logistics at the event, everything held up wonderfully. Director Mike Krischer's meticulous, year-long planning paid off - even to the extent of the lovely, nearly windless day he dialed up in an otherwise rainy stretch of weather.

Having lost our sandwich supplier, Great Harvest Bakery, after last year's KalTour, due to that store's closing, Mike was able to secure a more-than-adequate replacement in the form of Water Street Coffee Joint. Though several wags wondered when the coffee was going to be served, WSCJ's sandwiches were amply-sized, delicious and unique. How often do you get sun-dried tomatoes and pesto in the course of a bike tour?

The Briar Patch, where I mostly stood around while the Kalamazoo Valley AMBUCS work crew busily staffed the SAG stop, was a beehive of activity. Yet the AMBUCS volunteers never flagged, and were unstintingly cheery and helpful. Half of the proceeds from KalTour's registration fees, after expenses, go to support the AMBUCS mission of providing AmTryke therapeutic tricycles to individuals who are unable to operate a traditional bicycle. Thank you to the AMBUCS volunteers, who not only brought prodigious man-and-womanpower to the task, but also their laughter, sunny attitude, and outlook.

Thanks also go to the many KBC members who pitched in, many forgoing their opportunity to ride in the tour in order that others might have a great cycling experience. I received many compliments about how friendly and competent everyone was - which is something that did not completely surprise me to hear. Our club is known for that; a trait for which we should all be proud - and a tradition we should continue to uphold.

Make no mistake about it; putting on this tour is a huge, huge deal. From mapping the routes to organizing the painting of the road markings; from ordering the food and supplies to the bustle of getting everything where it needs to be in a timely manner; from managing the volunteer corps to dealing with money and registrations, it is hard to believe it comes off every year using only volunteer help. Although many contribute to KalTour's success, director Mike Krischer has for some time shouldered sole responsibility for the event's implementation. When you see Mike next, let him know how much you appreciate what he does. He truly is one in a million.

BTR Race up Next

Although it will be hard to top the flush of excitement brought on by KalTour, the next item on the local biking calendar is the Miller Energy Criterium at the BTR Park on July 11, 2015. The races take place at WMU's BTR business park at the corner of Parkview and Drake Road, and it is worth your time to come and check it out. KBC is a Platinum sponsor of the event. Many KBC members will not only race but are also deeply involved in its running and operation.

If you ever wondered what bike racing is all about, the BTR Crit is an ideal opportunity to view at close range some of the best cyclists in the region. Speed, power, fluidity and tactics are on full display in the beautiful setting of the business park. If nothing else, you can take the family for a walk around the campus while stealing glances at the racers whipping by. Did I mention that there is no admission charge? Heck of a deal!

Guest Speaker at July KBC Monthly Meeting

We will welcome a guest speaker at the next KBC monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00 P.M. at the YMCA on Maple Street. Lynee Wells, Principal and Urban Planner at Williams and Works in Grand Rapids, is the project manager and planning consultant working with Comstock Township on an update to its community Master Plan. The plan will be used by Township officials as they make decisions related to land use, recreation, and economic development. To quote Ms. Wells, "With the new Kalamazoo Valley River Trail and other local and county recreation amenities in the Township, we thought that the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club might have important insight for us as we gather data and develop a vision for the community."

So this is an opportunity for us not only to learn about what is on the drawing board in terms of local cycling infrastructure planning, but also is a chance for us to have a say in what that infrastructure turns out to be. I look forward to seeing you there.

Zolton Cohen, KBC President

The Ride to South Haven

The Ride to South Haven will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2015, starting at 8:00 A.M. from the southwest corner of the KVCC parking lot on O Avenue near the tennis courts. Never seen Lake Michigan before? Well, now's your chance! Never eaten a sub before? Well, now's your chance! Never bought a snack at a convenience store before? Well, now's your chance! Never ridden a bicycle before? Well, maybe you shouldn't be doing this ride.

The ride will be the usual 102 miles route that goes through Lawrence both to and from at other speeds, the more the merrier, unless it's 95 degrees, in which case, misery loves company.

So, let's do this! (So, sue me, Home Depot.)

Rick Whaley, Ride to South Haven Ride Leader

Miller Energy Criterium Call for Volunteers

It takes a lot of time, money, and effort to put on a state championship race. Please consider helping out the effort by volunteering a bit of your time on Saturday, July 11, 2015.

I need some help in the following areas:

• Traffic directing at entrance.
• Registration A.M. and P.M. shifts
• Lead Motorcycle at various shifts throughout the day.

Please go to www.btrcrit.com, sign up on the volunteer page. Your support will ensure that we can keep bringing great events like this to the area for years to come!

Jon Ballema, Miller Energy Criterium Race Director

Mid-Year Safety Reminder

The summer solstice has arrived and the riding season is in full gear. As sweeper for this year's KalTour Family ride, I'm writing this reminder to give you some pointers to pass along if you get the opportunity to mentor less experienced riders of any age.

Things to teach less experienced riders include:

• Ride as far to the right as safe and practical. (It's safer and it helps share the road.)
• Ride no more than two abreast. (And single file to share the road with motorists when traffic is heavy.)
• Ride in a straight line, predictably. (Wobbling around is unsafe for everyone.)
• Learn how to signal your intentions, especially at intersections and when slowing down.
• Help others in your group by calling out "on your left" (when passing others), "car back" (when cars are overtaking your group), and by pointing out road hazards (such as fallen branches and potholes).
• Don't ride too close to the doors of parked cars. (You might run into a door if someone opens one unexpectedly.)
• Make sure your bike is adjusted to fit and work: brakes work, shifters working, seat at the proper height, etc. (It's safer, you'll climb hills more easily, and you won't be as tired.)
• Get a mirror and use it, so you can keep your eyes on the road more easily when checking behind you.
• Give a friendly wave to motorists and other bicyclists who offer you courtesies to make our community even more bicycle friendly

... and many others.

You may not get the chance to serve as a ride mentor, but to the extent you can, if you pass your knowledge on to others, the better off those riders (and our community) will be!

Paul Selden, Director of Road Safety

KalTour 2015 in Pictures

The following photos were taken by Zolton Cohen at the KalTour on June 28, 2015 for KBC's viewing pleasure with captions by the Pedal Press Editor .

Registering for the Ride Included Water Bottle and Key Chain Swag

Mike Krischer, KalTour Director

Valerie Litznerski Is Ready to Ride .....

..... And So Are 12 Other Riders .....

..... And They Just Keep Coming.

Jim Kindle with Jamie Clark, the Man behind Team Clark Logic

The Calm before the Storm at the Briar Patch .....

And Here's Part of the Storm with Tom Noverr at the Head of the Line

Team Clark Logic Race Report

There's so much to say about June. Here's a sampling from the team.

Lumberjack 100 Race Recap from Jake Grevenstuk

The LJ 100, located at the Big M trails near Manistee, is a Rick Plite (Barry-Roubaix, Kisscross) venture in its 11th year. It is 90% single track. It has beautiful scenery and the trails were in good shape. Tyler Weston and I decided last fall to give it a go after hearing how much fun Joe and Ray have had at this event in the past. Of course, we're all cyclists here, so "fun" is usually a deep dive into masochism. Regardless of skill level, category, or power output, we all try to push ourselves past where we've been before; out of the comfort zone and into the abyss of the unknown.

The first lap was traffic congestion and sorting out who shouldn't have started up so close to the front, but that kept me from going out too fast. Sounds weird to say, but the 2 hour and 40 minutes went by pretty quickly. A time usually reserved for a whole mountain bike race, and I just had to do that 2 more times. Tyler clicked off a brisk 2:28 first lap.

After bottle changes and a little chow, it was off on the second lap. I rode most of this lap with the women's winner, who kindly let me zone out on her rear tire. At roughly 3000 feet of climbing per lap, I had to pay the piper on the last climb of the 2nd lap. Walking up a hill is slower, but I figured it was insurance for finishing. My singlespeed is pretty dang efficient at getting the power to the ground, but I didn't want to cook my quads this soon. Tyler had another strong second lap and was aiming to break the 8 hour mark for his inaugural LJ experience. If you've been out on a Wednesday night lately, you know he's been electric lately. With that motoX background, the guy has wicked bike skills!

The 3rd lap had us both digging into the bag of courage. The lap's halfway point hosted an aid station that took an eternity to get to. Though we rode separately all day, we both spent a few minutes here getting our bearings a little straighter. Ty lost his fuel bottle somewhere in that eternity to the aid station and was reeling from the effects. I was getting a little delirious and rubbed a few trees that snapped me out of some odd reverie.

Making it to the halfway mark made the next incremental distances that much more doable. Sometimes it was that tree up the trail, or to the top of the next roller, then it was the 3/4 lap sign, then 5 miles, 4 miles, 3 miles, push it! Walk a hill, 2 miles, shut up legs, 1 mile, pedal dammit, descend, and FINISH! A fine day to ride a bike in the woods has come to an end! Tyler snagged a 7:56ish time and I managed an 8:11ish time. No podiums this day, just the satisfaction of going deep into the abyss and finding a way to get it done! Team Clark Logic representing at the Lumberjack 100, 2015.

Zeeland Cat 3/4 Race Recap from Jon Ballema and Joe Thomas

The guys did a great job in the beginning at keeping things at bay and not letting anyone get too off the front in the first 15 minutes. Then, Jon saw that Joe was on the front and just starting to slow a touch, so he drilled it hard and tried to get a break started. Jon rode off the front for about a lap and then was reeled back in. After about 35 minutes and 7 laps to go Jon found himself in a golden opportunity. He was about 8 guys back and the pack slowed just before a turn. Boom ... time to attack. So he hit it hard and stayed off for another lap or so before again getting pulled back. It was pretty clear at this point that breakaways were not going to be successful at this race so it was time to rally for the sprint.

With 3 laps to go Joe and Andy Louwaert were near the front and it was apparent that things could go bad pretty quick if they got swarmed. So Jon got on the front and led the field for 2 of the last 3 laps going just fast enough to keep anyone from passing. With one lap to go, Jon was overtaken and Joe took over. There was an early attack, so Joe was going faster than he preferred. But he managed to chase it down and lead Andy safely around the course. On the second to last corner a couple guys cut in on the inside and that's when Andy jumped on. Andy fought hard against some super strong Cat 3 guys who are excellent sprinters and came out 5th overall and 1st in cat 4! After that we packed up our ridiculous amount of gear for a 45 minute criterium and drove to Founders to eat and drink away Andy's prize money. Though as Andy said ..."This is our prize money."

Cat 3/4 sprint finish - Final Lap

National 24 Hour Challenge Recap from Ryan Heidenfeld

I had a business trip to Connecticut from Monday through Wednesday. When I returned to work on Thursday, my intention was to get out on time and spin a little. This didn't happen. I figured that I would have some time on Friday to loosen up but that didn't end up happening either.

Lots of preparation went into the planning of my race. Going into this one, I wanted to really make sure that my nutrition was right and that I kept up on my hydration. I met with my daughter, Xanthi, prior to the race to discuss what I needed from my crew. She was tasked to track my intake of calories and fluids. She did an awesome job at that!

Race day came and the weather couldn't be better. Val Litznerski and our friend Kelsey, from Iowa, left my house and stopped at Starbucks for some morning caffeine and calories.

Getting to the race, we quickly set-up our home-base that we had already marked off the prior day. I spoke with a few fellow ultra-cyclists that I only see at events. It's always great to see these people. They are like family.

The race started out on a big loop of 122 miles at 8:00 A.M. There are 3 checkpoints on this loop. The pace was spirited and averaged around 22+ mph for this loop. I planned to have my family exchange water bottles at the 70 mile mark but I arrived too soon. I had finished my drink mix and just poured the remainder of my water on my back in anticipation of fresh bottles. Disappointed, I headed out of the check point and stopped to relieve myself. In doing so, I left a big gap and had to catch back up time trial style. I was wondering if this energy expenditure was really going to be worthwhile. When I finally reached the lead group, the effort was reduced dramatically, and I knew I had done the right thing.

So, now I had no water to drink after this effort. I was able to squeeze enough out of my water bottle to wet my mouth. My hope was that my family would be at the 95 mile check point. After getting to the 95 mile mark and realizing that I still didn't have water, I begged someone else's crew for a bottle in exchange for an empty. Someone was gracious enough to give me an ice cold bottle of the nastiest drink I have ever tasted. I was grateful for this.

Leaving the check point with Colin Johnson (one of the strongest ultra-cyclists that I know), we got caught at an intersection just behind the group that we were with. We worked together for a few miles, but I wasn't able to contribute at his level so I told him to catch the group without me.

I finished the big loop and refueled to head out on the 24 mile mid loop by myself. By myself is where I spent almost the rest of the race. After 5 mid-loops, it was 8:00 P.M. and I had around 241 miles. I felt that this was a good place to be so that I could still fade and achieve significant mileage.

The hydration/food stops were quick and efficient. All times in and out were tracked as well as calorie intake and water intake. My daughter was awesome!

The night loop opened (7.6 miles) and I was happy to only have a few hills to deal with in comparison to the many rollers and one long grinder on the mid-loop. I passed Val a few times when I was returning and she was leaving. Finally, we were at the stop at the same time and I rolled out with her. This was a relief because I really needed a change in pace (mentally more than physically) and some company. We devised a plan where I would pull during the loop until we got to the "hills" and then she would pace that section. We then alternated faster paced loops with slower ones. This worked well and I don't remember how many loops we rode together. This was really the first time Val and I ever worked together at a race. All of those hours training together paid off. We know each other's rhythm very well.

After hitting the 400 mile mark, the rest of the laps were bonus laps. My goal was to crack 400 miles. With 32 minutes left, I got back to the start with 417 miles and was done... OH NO... I had people from several different teams, my family. and volunteers yelling at me to finish the race that I had plenty of time for another lap. So, 424.3 miles it was.

I finished 1st in my age group (of 18) and 8th overall out of the approximately 235 riders who started. Next time... my goal is 500 miles!

Val finished 1st in her age group with 407.9 miles and set a new course record for that age group which been in place since 1987.

Jon Ballema

June Monthly Meeting Minutes

Present: Michael Krischer, David Riggs, Paul Selden, Doug Wales, Tom Keizer, Monica Tory, Jonathan Evans, David Jones, John Olbrot, Rick Whaley, Craig Freeman, Doug Kirk, Mike Mock, Luanne St. Peter, Mike Boersma, and Teri Olbrot.

Welcome and Announcements: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M.

Officer Reports: John Olbrot reported that since the May meeting of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club, the KBC had income of $1478.86, expenses of $80.98, a checking account balance of $8608.58, and a certificate of deposit balance of $11, 147.65.

Committee Reports: Paul Selden reported that KVCC will not provide a police presence at 9th Street for the KalTour, but that the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department might. (Editor's Note - KCSD did not provide a police presence at 9th Street for the KalTour.) Paul reported that Bike Week went well and that movie night was the high point. Paul also reported that the City of Kalamazoo non-motorized plan will have a 2nd round of activity in August 2015.

KalTour Report: Mike Krischer reported that there were no problems with road commissions or law enforcement authorities with regards to KalTour. Water Street Coffee Joint will be catering sandwiches. Mike also designated nights for road painting.

BTR Race Update: The KBC sanctioned race team has a new major sponsor: Team Clark Logic. On race day, July 11, volunteers are needed. Contact Jon Ballema at www.btrcrit.com for more information.

Ride Leader Sanctioning: Craig Freeman, Jonathan Evans, Monica Tory, Teri Olbrot, and Luanne St. Peter were sanctioned as ride leaders.

Old Business: Mike Mock reported on the bike rodeo in Three Rivers. He indicated that it was a learning experience largely due to the conflicts with other activities the day of the rodeo.

New business: KBC hats: More information about KBC hats will be presented at the July meeting. The KVRT pop up bike lane downtown was also discussed.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:39 P.M.

Mike Boersma, KBC Secretary

Statistics

Active Subscriptions:
264

New members:

Douglas Dodd · Kevin Dodd · Tristan Greathouse · Katherine Maxey · Cherie Seitz · Tom Stoner · MK Tribbie

Expiring memberships:

Ryan Boldt · Benjamin Carter · Greg Dehaan · Emily (Sheppy) Douma · Richard Gershon Family · Terry Horwath · Lani Kittredge · Lee Anne Latchaw · Jerry Neubauer · Scott Powers · Barry Roelofs · Mark Stackhouse · Brian Vanderberg · David Warwick · Jeffrey Williams · Richard Wolthuis

Renewed memberships:

Tomme Maile · Tom George Family · Barbara Overlander-Afton · Kate Rizor

David Jones, KBC Database Manager

Editor's Letter - The Cyclist and the Pea

It began with a flat tire.

Because I sometimes like to sleep even more than I like to ride (and you call yourself a dedicated cyclist, you lazy bum), I passed on doing an early morning Memorial Day group ride and started my own solo ride about an hour later. By almost sheer coincidence, I met the aforementioned group of riders about 20 miles into my own ride (based on the wind direction, I had a reasonably good idea of the route that they would be riding), so I joined them. About a half mile later, my rear tire went flat, giving me the opportunity to have an audience while replacing the tube and giving my audience the opportunity to take a perhaps unwanted rest. While fixing the flat, one of the other riders noticed that there was a small area of the tire where the tread was showing, a rather obvious sign of impending tire doom, and a good reason for why I got the flat. So, after completing the ride, I replaced both tires; the other tire being well worn as well.

A couple days later, towards the end of the Wednesday night ride, as I moved out of the slipstream of a rider and prepared to pass him, I felt a slight, almost shimmying motion that seemed to have occurred in the vicinity of my rear tire. It was a strange but fleeting sensation. I mentioned this to another rider following the ride and he thought that there may be a problem with the hub of my rear wheel.

Since I was also having problems with some mysterious bicycle creaking noises, I concluded that I could either give my bike an exorcism or take it to a bike shop to have them look at it. I chose the latter. They found no problem with the hub and fixed the creaking, which was largely due to a seat that had loosened slightly. One of the mechanics mentioned that the strange sensation could have been caused by the new tires; new tires having a slightly raised strip of rubber around the center of the tire. In the past, I have occasionally noticed this sort of new tire phenomena, so this sounded like a reasonable explanation. I just had to ride on the tires for a little while and the problem would be solved.

Except that it wasn't. During the next few rides, every now and then I'd still notice that something still wasn't quite right. During the middle of a subsequent Monday night ride, it felt like my rear tire had suddenly gotten squishy, so I slowed down, got to the back of the pack, stopped, and checked the tire. It was fine. And this brief and ultimately unwarranted break also gave me the opportunity to give myself some aerobic exercise by eventually chasing down my fellow group of riders who had cycled off into the distance.

In the past, I had experienced this squishy sort of sensation when my seat post has dropped during a ride, so after the ride was over, I checked my seat height. It had not changed. And then it occurred to me that that my problem could be due to the opposite effect; that my seat was too high. Early in the cycling season, I was having some front knee pain, so I raised my seat about an eighth of an inch, and then raised it another eighth of an inch, to alleviate it. That took care of the pain, but could have also affected the handing of my bike. So, I lowered the seat an eighth of an inch and that didn't work.

By now, it was time for the National 24-Hour Challenge, my almost annual beat-my-head-against-a-wall ride, and I had something else to think about besides my usual thoughts of the breaking the elusive 300 mile barrier, heat exhaustion, and failure. And "How did it go this year," you're probably not asking, but I'm compelled to tell you anyway. ((Trigger warning: The following two paragraphs will describe activities that could induce anxiety (Trigger warning within trigger warning: The following remainder of this sentence could induce feelings of reduced self-esteem due to the potentially pejorative interpretation of the description of those persons for whom the initial trigger warning is intended) for those of a squeamish and/or delicate nature.)

I thought that the race was going pretty well while riding the big 122 mile loop. I was making it a point to drink liquids, avoiding the lukewarm rubbery tasting hose water at the rest stops, while stopping at convenience stores for water and Gatorade. I also only started noticing the heat just a little bit towards the end of the loop, when the temperature hit 80 degrees. However, when I got off my bicycle at the end of the big loop, I immediately began feeling lightheaded, a sign that is never good. I got through the first 24 mile intermediate loop reasonably well, but during what has become the-second-intermediate-loop-of-broken-dreams, the wheels came off again this year, but at least only figuratively speaking. When I attempt to coast uphill, that's another bad sign. In addition to fatigue, at least partially due to a poor previous night's sleep, I also lost my appetite and ability to drink fluids. At least I wasn't nauseous, so I decided to cut my losses, make this a 12 hour 170 mile ride, go home, get a good night's sleep, and at least break my string of 5 National 24-Hour Challenges that involved dry heaving.

However, while driving home, I drank some water, which did not sit well in my stomach. Upon arriving home, I took a shower and went to bed at 9:50 P.M. Whereupon, I rolled onto my stomach, thinking that "This might not be such a good idea," and at 10:00 P.M., I fled from bedroom to bathroom to dry heave. Make that 6 in a row. Ah, the end of a perfect day and yet another failed National 24-Hour Challenge. So, I guess I still didn't eat and drink enough and even 80 degree weather is just too hot for me when attempting to ride very long distances. But on the plus side, I didn't notice any problems with my bicycle while riding.

With some unexpected time on my hands the afternoon after the finish of the race (I had hoped to be sleeping after pulling a cycling all-nighter), I rotated the tires, thinking that maybe the problem was with the tire that I had put on the rear wheel. The next day during the Monday night ride, while riding uphill, it felt like the tire had slipped and I thought that it might be rubbing against the brake, so, once again, I stopped to check this out. It was not rubbing. And this brief and ultimately unwarranted break also gave me the opportunity to give myself some aerobic exercise by attempting to chase down my fellow group of riders who had cycled off into the distance. This time I didn't catch them.

After the ride, I checked the skewer of the rear wheel to make sure that it wasn't broken (it wasn't), put the rear wheel back on, making sure that the wheel was on tight, and lowered the seat another eighth of an inch. And the next couple of rides, I still occasionally noticed that things were not quite right.

So, I went to the bike shop again, and they couldn't find anything. Whereupon, I grabbed the mechanic's t-shirt in both fists, looked him in the eye beseechingly, and wailed "You've got to believe me! I'm not insane! I know that there is something wrong with this bicycle!" Then, I released my grip and sank to my knees, sobbing. Then, the shop employees got me back on my feet, and with my arms draped around their shoulders, they escorted the emotionally spent body of their Customer-of-the-Month out the door.

.

Okay, so I exaggerated a little bit. At this point, I really didn't expect them to find anything, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them look at my bike again to make sure that I hadn't missed something. And I do know that I'm sensitive to minor adjustments to this bicycle. So, now I'm just figuring that whatever it is that changed, I'll eventually get used to it as the new normal.

And until then, if you've got a bed that need to be checked for lumps, just give me a call.

Rick Whaley, KBC Newsletter Editor

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Shop Notes

Alfred E. Bike

320 East Michigan, Kalamazoo, (269) 349-9423
www.aebike.com

Billy's Bike Shop

63 East Battle Creek Street, Galesburg, (269) 665–5202
www.billysbikeshop.com

Breakaway Bicycles

185 Romence at Westnedge, Portage, (269) 324–5555,
www.breakawaybicycles.com

Custer Cyclery

104 North Augusta, Augusta, (269) 731–3492
www.custercyclery.com

Gazelle Sports

214 South Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, (269) 342–5996,
www.Gazellesports.com
Downtown Kalamazoo Sidewalk Sales are July 23-25! Visit Gazelle Sports to check out THOUSANDS of shoes 30-70% off and apparel 25-50% off! You can also shop at www.GazelleSports.com!

Kzoo Swift

445 Forest St, Kalamazoo, (269) 929-8053.
www.kzooswift.com

Pedal

611 W Michigan Avenue, Kalamazo, (269) 56–PEDAL
info@pedalbicycle.com and www.pedalbicycle.com

Team Active

22 W Michigan, Battle Creek, 1–800–841–9494
www.teamactive.com

Village Cyclery

US 131 in Schoolcraft, 679–4242
www.villagecyclery.com

Zoo City Cycle & Sports

4328 South Westnedge, Kalamazoo (269) 552–3000
www.zoocitycycle.com

Bicycling Safety Disclaimer

Important: Riding a bicycle is an inherently dangerous activity. There are risks of injury or death. You could ride over something and fall, or get hit by an automobile or strike or be struck by another bicyclist. There are many other dangers to bicycling as well.

While nothing can eliminate all risks associating with bicycle riding, to minimize the danger, make sure you and your bicycle are in good riding condition. Know the rules of the road and also of the group you're riding with, and ride in a manner consistent with the protocols of that group. Always wear a bike helmet, use bike lights if riding in the dawn, dusk or dark, and consider purchasing and riding with additional safety equipment such as reflectors and rear view mirrors.