TORONTO - As gas prices surge across the country, some motorists may be eyeballing their two-wheelers for more than just recreational fun.
With analysts predicting national average gasoline prices will top $1.40 a litre this summer, leaving the car at home in favour of cycling to work or to run errands could become an increasingly appealing alternative for those seeking to alleviate pump pain.
But before you dust off the bike in the garage or shell out for a new one, experts say cyclists should ensure they're properly equipped to ride and that safety is a consistent, top-of-mind priority.
A critical tool in the safety arsenal: a helmet.
Currently, five provinces - British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick - have adopted bike helmet legislation.
Suzanne Robillard of the Canada Safety Council said there have been significant declines in injury rates in provinces that have made helmet use mandatory, with a 45 per cent reduction in bicycle-related head injuries, compared to a 27 per cent reduction in jurisdictions that haven't adopted legislation.
Barb Wentworth, a bicycle safety planner for the City of Toronto, said when it comes to ensuring a proper fit, riders should make sure the helmet fits snugly on the head but doesn't pinch.
"What you do is you put your helmet on straight across your forehead and you should have two finger widths between your eyebrows and the level of the helmet," said Wentworth, who is also a national examiner for CAN-BIKE, a national cycling education program offering courses to adults and children.
Next step: take your fingers and make a 'V' shape with them, placing them under your ears so that the two straps come down, and a little glide goes underneath your ear.
The straps should come down smoothly and clasp right under your ear, and you should be able to slide one finger under the chinstrap when it's done up.
Wentworth said many people make the mistake of wearing the helmet as a bonnet on the back of the head - a faux pas because it gives you no protection for your forehead.
Robillard said if you are in a collision and your helmet has sustained impact, you should always replace it - even if there are no visible damages.
"It may not be obvious if there's a defect now or a crack or some sort of a stress was caused to it," she said from Ottawa. "It may not protect you as well the second time."
Now you've made sure your helmet is the right fit, but what about your wheels?
When sizing up a new model, users should be able to comfortably straddle their bike with clearance. But while some parents may think of purchasing a larger bike their child can grow into, it poses a real safety hazard because they should be able to sit comfortably on it from the get-go, Wentworth said.
Lowering the seat to the level where a child can sit on it and put their feet on the ground is easiest when they learn how to ride.
"Once they learn how to balance and stop and start and go, then you want to start raising the seat because you need to have the seat height at an appropriate level so that you don't get muscle strain," Wentworth said.
Even if you haven't used it in a while, both Robillard and Wentworth agree bikes should be taken for a tune-up.
