Wear the right stuff

Cycling is a great way to get around but it can be very dangerous. Even if you are being really careful, drivers of other vehicles might not be paying attention; they might be on the phone, eating or drinking or being distracted by passengers and could veer into your path. To protect yourself from serious injury in a crash make sure that you:

• Wear a cycle helmet whenever you are on your bike – these come in all kinds of cool colours but make sure you get one with a British Kitemark or with EC safety standard number EN1078.
• Wear sensible clothes so you don’t get hurt if you fall off your bike. Jeans and cargo pants look great and offer good protection for your legs. Wear a long sleeved top to protect your arms.
• Stick your high visibility top on over your clothing. You can buy lightweight ones that don’t make you feel hot and can fold up to fit in a pocket, or you can go for a really bright full jacket.
• If cycling in the dark wear bright ankle and arm straps and get some reflective stickers for your rucksack if you have one.
• Tuck flapping trouser legs in and tie any loose strings to prevent them from getting caught in the spokes of your bike.
• And don’t forget cycle gloves – you need to look the part and they will protect your hands if you fall!