Spring is here and with it the start of this year’s cycling season. It is slowly but surely warming up and the first warm rays of the sun attract keen and recreational cyclists. Whether you are just going for a short ride on a bike path in the city or you dare to go for a longer trip, it is necessary to respect some basic rules. The first is to have the bike inspected after winter, ideally to have it serviced. But that’s not all. Do you know how to prepare a “bike trip”, what is the mandatory equipment and what is worth having with you?
1. The helmet is the base
Although in the Czech Republic, the bicycle helmet is compulsory for children under 18, even adults should not underestimate its usefulness. And why? According to data from the Transport Research Center, of 43 cyclists killed in 2021, 31 did not have a helmet. Statistics also show that the helmet is underestimated mainly by the older generation, people over 55 years old. “A lot of times these are people who haven’t needed a helmet in their entire life and don’t feel the need to buy one at a later age. We’ve targeted them, for example, with a pre-Christmas campaign where we appealed to children and grandchildren to buy them a helmet under a tree,” he says. initiator of the Cycling only with a helmet campaign: “It has been proven that a suitable helmet can prevent up to 80% of serious head injuries to cyclists”, adds Eva Svobodová of the insurance company UNIQA.
2. Be seen
See and be seen. Reflective items are not expensive and in stores, whether in a regular pharmacy, stationery, bicycle service or at the gas station, they are usually available in the form of various reflectors, pendants, stickers, tapes . For small children, it is recommended to equip them with a fluorescent vest with reflective strips. This increases visibility not only in the dark, but also in the light.
3. Mandatory equipment also applies to cyclists
Just as car gear is mandatory, police in the Czech Republic require cyclists to have mandatory bicycle gear. Do you know what belongs to him?
• red rear reflector
• white front reflector
• independent brakes
• orange reflectors on the wheel spokes
• orange reflectors on both sides of the pedals
Also, for safe riding, the bike should not have sharp handlebar edges to avoid injury in the event of a fall. Recommended equipment, especially when driving in low visibility, includes a headlight with a white light, which should be adjusted so as not to dazzle in the opposite direction, and a red taillight. It is also worth having effective mudguards, a chain cover, a bell and a bicycle lock. When locking the wheel, secure it to a sturdy object behind the frame and the front wheel at the same time. The pump, or even the set to glue the pierced soul, is not completely out of the question.
4. Pay smart
You know, on the day trip, but even shorter afternoon rides, you walk around the snack bar and taste like ice cream or you’re hungry and a hot dog stings to replenish your energy. What is the most convenient and quickest option than searching for change in your pockets and bags on your bike? Pay by mobile phone or smartwatch. If you don’t have a card in your mobile yet, try to think about it. You will certainly appreciate it not only when traveling.
“Payments by mobile device or smart watch are a safe and fast form of payment, when it is not necessary to have a plastic payment card at all. Each card has its own special virtual number, which does not is associated only with your phone or your watch. You then confirm the payment by PIN code, fingerprint or face scan, no one else will pay with your device”, describes Jakub Komenda, head of digital banking at the MONETA group.
5. The cyclist can also cause damage
Do you have liability insurance? Even if you’ve been driving for many years without an accident, that doesn’t mean you can’t find yourself in a sticky situation. The insurance company UNIQA records hundreds of cases every year where a cyclist himself causes property damage or injuries to someone else while riding. “We have seen a collision of a dog, a collision of two vehicles due to the darting of a cyclist when overtaking or a collision of two cyclists in a bend with a serious injury. » may be covered by liability insurance. At the same time, incidents show that accident insurance can also pay off.
6. Download the Amazing Places app
When it comes to ideas of where to go on a trip, many of us often search the internet for a beautiful destination. It can be even easier with the Amazing Places mobile app. It is currently one of the most popular online programs in our country: almost a year after its launch, it has already installed more than 160,000 users. The basic idea of the application and the origin also of a Facebook group is the mutual sharing of travel and photographic experiences. In addition to places of interest, you can now also find places in the app where you pay by card or, for example, the way to the nearest ATM. All this thanks to the cooperation with MONETA Money Bank. “The purpose of our cooperation is to provide users of this application with a comprehensive interactive overview of national tourist places where you can pay online, and at the same time to display the position of the nearest ATM to where is where the user is right now. We believe the new feature will appreciate,” said MONETA Group spokeswoman Zuzana Filipová.
And why was this new feature added to the app? “You would be surprised, but discovering on the Internet just at one place where you can pay by card is almost a superhuman act even in 2022. I am very happy that together with Moneta we have managed to create this useful innovation in our application, this which will make traveling through the Czech Republic more enjoyable,” confirmed the founder of the Amazing Places app, Kristýna Audi Turynová.
Final Note: Forget Alcohol
Every cyclist is an actor in road traffic, one of the most vulnerable, so it is good to remember that the rules also apply to you. The most important thing is that the cyclist should not ride the bike under the influence of alcohol, narcotics and psychotropic substances. Additionally, they cannot make phone calls or write text messages while driving and must be fully engaged in driving.