Whatever your opinion on tight, bright lycra, some cycling looks are better than others. However, lying on the ground because you have been hit by a car is not a good look.
What you wear when riding your bicycle can decrease or increase the chances of having an accident. Here are five cycling looks that you may want to avoid:
- Black clothing: A little bit of color goes a long way when it comes to bicycle safety. Black clothes are cool. Getting knocked off your bike because someone did not see you is not so cool. Black reduces your chance of being seen, especially in low light, bad weather or at night.
- Headphones: You need to use all your senses to stay safe when cycling. So this is not the best time to have music pumping through your headphones. You need to be able to hear things around you.
- Flares: Apart from being out of fashion, flares, or any other wide ankled trousers are more likely to get trapped in the chainring, which could cause you to fall. If you fall off or falter into the path of a car, you will wish you had gone for the skinny jeans instead.
- A peaked cycling cap: There is nothing wrong with wanting to look like the riders in the Tour de France by wearing a little peaked cap, but even they don’t wear them anymore. Not when they are riding at least. They all wear helmets because they want to increase their chances of surviving an accident. Helmets protect your head; trendy peaked caps do not.
- A mobile phone in your helmet: Just because Italians slot their cellphones into their helmet while whizzing around on their scooters does not mean that it is a good idea. If you are chatting to someone on your phone while you are cycling, your attention is not on the road.
By thinking about what you wear while on your bike, you can improve your chances of motorists seeing you, and lessen the chances of an accident.
