Most bicycle riders who are hit by cars are hit because the driver wasn't paying attention, or speaking on their cell phones.
Me? Whenever I ride, I'm wearing neon day glow colors on my jersey so that I can easily be seen, as well as have a light that flashes the most annoying pattern possible to make sure I'm seen at night as well.
And...............MOST bicycle riders I know always have identification on them, either in the form of ID carried in their wallet, or in the form of a Ride Smart bracelet (sold on the internet and in bike stores), that has all your vital info if something happens.
I know. I've been riding bicycles since around 1988. Currently riding a 1997 Lemond Zurich with Mavic Cosmic aero rims, and a Campagnolo Chorus group with ergo power shifters, Speedplay pedals and a Selle Italia titanium seat.
ABS a question.....why do all you bikers out for your daily ride wear clothes like you are riding in the Tour de France?....im just wondering,im not being a smartass....
Good question, and no, you're not being a smartass for asking it. I've been asked about it many other times before.
The reason is that the clothing that the riders use is specifically designed for long distance riding. The shorts (be they regular or bib type), in addition to compressing your muscles from the lycra, making them more efficient, but they also have a pad sewn into the crotch to make it more comfortable while sitting in the saddle.
The jerseys are usually made in bright colors (lots of them are from the actual teams), and they are either long or short sleeved, with technical fabric that wicks away sweat, and there are 3 pockets sewn into the back bottom of the jersey for storing stuff like powerbars and your wallet, because lycra shorts don't have pockets (usually, but you can buy certain brands that do).
The clicking that you hear from the bike rider walking down the street is because of their shoes. They are generally made out of leather, with carbon fiber soles for stiffness (provides more power transfer to the pedals), and there are cleats mounted into the bottom forward part of the shoe that allows clipless pedals to be used. Again, fixing your feet firmly to the pedals results in better power transfer, because you can not only provide power on the down stroke, but you can also get power on the upstroke by pulling your feet up. A good cyclist has a smooth, very round pace while spinning the pedals.
And then finally, the helmet, because pavement is hard at anything over 10 mph. Some people also wear fingerless gloves with padding in the palms, but it's not required if you have padded handlebar tape.
If you ride in street clothes? You can get things that bunch and creep up your crack because they are loose, your junk won't necessarily stay in place like it does with lycra shorts, and street shoes are decidedly inefficient when it comes to riding.
If you're just riding from point A to point B, and using the bike for transportation, you don't need all the gear, but if you ride more than 5 miles for fitness and health, it is much more comfortable (and faster) if you have the proper gear.
Bottom line, it makes you more efficient. I know this was a long explaination, but, now you know all the reasons.
One of the very first purchases I made back in the late 80's after buying my first bike was the shorts, jersey, shoes and helmet, and those were all bought on the same day as I bought my bike for the reasons mentioned.
