Signal That Turn! Biking San Leandro Safely

Bicycles of all shapes, colors and sizes took over the streets of San Leandro Sunday.

The second annual Bike San Leandro festival, organized by the , attracted more than 100 riders. The event featured a short family street ride with three police motorcycle escorts and, for experienced riders, a 13-mile mountain bike ride around Lake Chabot led by Vice Mayor Michael Gregory. All riders received gift bags with Ghirardelli Chocolate, coupons and a voucher for Carrot Cash.

The East Bay Bike Coalition, with funding from Measure B, hosted a Family Cycling workshop after the ride to share safety tips with parents and kids.

Here are suggestions for safer cycling from the coalition:

Bike Helmet Fitting

To check the fit of a helmet, check these: 

Eyes—The rider should be able to look up toward his or her forehead and see the edge of the helmet. This ensures that the helmet is down on the forehead enough to protect the face.

Ears—The straps of the helmet should fit snugly in a "Y" on either side of the ear, joining below the ear.

Mouth—The strap should buckle below the jaw, securely enough to prevent the helmet from sliding around but loosely enough to be comfortable.

Once you have the helmet fitting just right, store it by hanging it from the clasp part of the strap. This helps to keep adjustable parts in place.

Bike Frame Fitting

Parents may be tempted to buy a bike that's a little too big for their child, with the idea that they’ll grow into it. But this can make it harder for the child to control the bike, increasing the risk of an accident. It can also decrease your child’s comfort and feeling of safety on the bike, making him less eager to ride.

If you need to keep costs down, look for a used bike that fit just right.

The child should be able to stand flat-footed over the bike, one leg on each side of the crossbar, with the bar just a few inches below the crotch.

To test the seat height, have the rider sit on the bike with one foot on the ground and the other foot on a pedal at the lowest point of rotation. The leg should be almost straight, with just a little bend in the knee.

New riders may have a hard time getting on and off a seat this high, so it’s OK to start out with the seat a little lower, and then move it up as the rider becomes more comfortable.

ABC Check

This simple acronym reminds riders to check the essentials every time before they head out on a ride:

Air—Check that the tires are firm. Most floor pumps come with gauges so you can check the tire pressure yourself, measured in pounds per square inch, or psi. The recommended psi for your particular tire should be printed on the side of the tire. It is normal for tires to lose a little air over time, so they’ll need occasional topping off.

Brakes—Squeeze the brake levers and make sure the brakes are functioning. A good rule to remember is the "rule of thumb." You should be able to hold your thumb between your brake lever and your handlebar without it getting pinched. If the brake lever goes in too far, it’s time to get the brake pads changed, or the cables adjusted.

Chain, cassette and crank—Make sure the chain is lubricated with chain oil, but that it is clear of excess lube and dirt. Bike chain lube is available at any bike or sports supply store. The cassette is the series of spiked rings the chain moves up and down on multi-geared bikes, and this should also be clean to ensure smooth shifting. The crank is the bar that holds the pedals to the bike frame, and this should be firm, with no wiggle room.

On the Road

Your best bet for safety while on the road is to be predictable and visible. This means following traffic rules: stopping at stop signs, using hand signals to communicate your next move, making eye contact with drivers to be sure that they see you. Visibility includes wearing bright-colored, even reflective, clothing and using lights at night.

Riders in the workshop also learned and reviewed the universal hand signals (see photos), as well as the right-of-way rules. Cars must give right-of-way to bikes, but bike riders must yield to pedestrians.

San Leandro residents Cynthia and Alex Atkinson watched as their 7-year-old son rode drills in the workshop. They said the most important things they saw him learning were the hand signals, as well as seeing other kids riding safely and taking it seriously.

Bike Committee Meeting

Plans for an intercity greenway belt will be discussed Tuesday at the at City Hall, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Alameda County Transportation Committee will participate. Community members are welcome to attend.