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Safety at High Speeds
Are bikes safe at high speeds? This, of course, depends
on many factors such as the condition of the bike, the experience
of the rider and the environment in which you are riding.
If the brakes are not working properly, the spokes are loose
or the frame is out of alignment, then you should not ride
at high speeds. In fact, you should not ride at all until
the bike is put back in to condition. You should evaluate
your bike and your experience before you attempt to ride
too fast. Safety is the absolute first consideration.
You must remember that when you are riding at high speeds
that there are real dangers involved. You should watch farther
ahead and anticipate dangers that could develop. You need
to realize that road hazards come upon you much quicker
and it takes much longer to come to a stop. There will be
an increased danger from motor vehicles and in making tight
turns, particularly when the riding surface is wet. Braking
distances increase rapidly with speed and the brakes on
a bike are not as good as those on a car. So if you are
following a car, stay a safe distance behind it and increase
that distance as your speed increases. When you are going
downhill at a high speed, you can lose control if you hit
a hole, a patch of ice, gravel, or a slick section of road.
Be very careful.
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