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Can-Bike
Manitoba's only Accredited Safe Cycling Program
Learn Skills, Gain Confidence and Competence, Prevent Spills, Increase Your Safety in TrafficAbout CAN-BIKE:
The CAN-BIKE safe cycling skills program is the standard for bicycle education across Canada. CAN-BIKE Courses teach riding skills, traffic analysis skills, and collision avoidance techniques. They also provide the basics on safe equipment, and a basic bike inspection. Regardless of your experience, CAN-BIKE will make your cycling more effective, and give you a greater sense of confidence and control in traffic. Visit http://www.canbike.net/cca_pages
Can-Bike defensive cycling courses are for you Whether you bike for fun, to work, together, in all weather, day or night or for your health we have a course just for you in an area near you! Can-Bike defensive cycling courses, for young cyclists and adults, offered by the Manitoba Cycling Association and the Canadian Cycling association will boost your skills, safety and cycling pleasure. Join the two-wheeled revolution. You can help set the pace for safe cycling in Manitoba. Learn form the Best! All instructors are fully accredited, knowledgeable about the Highway Traffic Act and have advanced cycling skills.A series of 10 CAN-BIKE cycling tips.
The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is pleased to launch a series of ten cycling tips aiming at promoting the CAN-BIKE program across Canada for the 2007 cycling season.CAN-BIKE Tip #1
Lane position on any urban street. Practically speaking…
Highway Traffic Acts across Canada tell cyclists to ride as far to the right as is practical. Those words are hard to interpret by the road using public. Some motorists feel cyclists should not be in the line of traffic and some cyclists interpret the law as meaning to ride on the sidewalk – but sidewalk cycling is illegal in most parts of Canada.
What it should mean is to ride far enough out from the curb that you can maintain a straight line and avoid debris, potholes and service covers. Drivers must leave a safety cushion space between their car and the cyclist so there is no chance of collision. This safety cushion is for the cyclist to manoeuvre in while cycling through traffic.
Cyclists are part of traffic and have all the rights and responsibilities that motorists have. Cyclists need room to manoeuvre in traffic and motorists need to provide that room by not crowding cyclists and compromising their safety. When motorists and cyclists are considerate of the space each type of user requires on the roadway, conflict is reduced and everyone is much safer.
CAN-BIKE Tip #2:
Warm up the bike before every ride
Bikes are fairly easy to maintain but still require your attention to ensure a safe journey. Tires release air, chains need oil, bells and brakes need to work, and handlebars need tightening. The basics!
The ABC Quick Check is an easy way to remember what parts of the bike need your TLC before every ride. It takes less than a minute.
A – is for air. Check everything to do with your tires and wheels and air pressure. The valve must be straight out of the rim, not at an angle.
B – is for brakes, bars and bell. The brake pads must be straight and grip the rim effectively. The handle bars must be straight and tight. The bell must work.
C – is for chain & crank. Chains need to be lubricated & the pedals (cranks) need to spin freely.
Quick – is for quick release. Levers must be installed correctly and tight.
Throw in a ‘D’ for Drop: lift the bike a few inches from the ground and drop it. If something falls off…you might need more than a minute. Try your breaks as you ride off.
If your bike passes the ABC Quick Check, get riding. If something doesn’t seem right or you suspect something is losing its grip, visit your neighbourhood bike service centre. ABC Quick Check is a smart way to keep your bike in good shape and you safe. Get into the habit!CAN-BIKE Tip #3
Attention Cyclists: Sidewalks are dangerous places to ride
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Recent stats show that many car-bike collisions involve a cyclist riding off sidewalks and into roadways.
Although some Canadian communities allow children’s bikes (24 inch wheels or smaller) on the sidewalk, the intention was to allow only small children to ride on the sidewalk.
Sidewalks are for pedestrians. They are not safe havens for cyclists. Sidewalks are congested with pedestrians, strollers, wheel chairs, pets, senior citizens, doorways, planters, and entire families of unpredictable window shoppers.
Road traffic is more predictable. CAN-BIKE improves assertiveness and traffic analysis skills required to ride on the road. Rules of the road, risk management, handling skills, decision making are all part of the experience. Choose to improve your skills.CAN-BIKE Tip #4
Please Don’t Squeeze. Collisions with trucks are often fatal. Here’s what you should do:
ALERT
For drivers of trucks, buses, vans, SUV’s and motor homes: Your vehicle takes up the full width of a lane so it is not safe to share the lane with a cyclist. You must change lanes to safely pass a cyclist or stay behind. Never attempt to overtake a cyclist in the same lane. Remember: cyclists may ride faster than you think. Check blind spots often and avoid cutting off a cyclist on a turn. Please don’t squeeze. Leave room to breathe.
For cyclists: Large vehicles take up the full width of a lane so it is not safe to try and share the lane with them. Stay well behind large vehicles and never squeeze through between the vehicle and the curb. Large vehicles have HUGE blind spots. The driver may not see you, and they will not hear your bell, so always stop or slow down to stay well behind a vehicle when it is turning right. Please don’t squeeze. Leave room to breathe.
CAN-BIKE Tip #5
The Door Prize. The door prize injures hundreds of cyclists each year.
First Prize: Congratulations, you just injured a cyclist by opening your door into traffic.
Other Prizes: Fines and Demerit points and a quite possibly a court case!
What to do:
Drivers/Passengers: Look back over your shoulder before you open your car door, every time – Cyclists ride faster than most people think! Don’t leave your door open in traffic.
Cyclists: Ride out from parked cars and maintain a straight path visible to motorists. Watch for drivers or passengers when cars are parked or stopped and be prepared to take evasive action. Moderate your speed in street parking areas.
CAN-BIKE Tip #6
Road snakes and other urban challenges
Tar filled cracks on the road can make cycling snaky! For cyclists, ‘road snakes’ are similar to riding through sand; it slows the bike and can divert the wheels. Ride over all road snakes at a 90 degree angle to avoid catching or skidding your wheels. This also applies to curbs, potholes and rail tracks.
Road snakes and other urban challenges are less predictable than tracks. If you spot one in time reduce your speed and check the scene around you. Change lanes if possible, or else reduce speed, stop pedalling and grip handle bars tightly, relax your arms and rise from your seat a little to increase control over the bike while you ride over the obstacle.
Drivers: Be alert to road conditions and considerate of two-wheeled road users. Stay a safe distance behind cyclists and pass with at least one-meter of space.CAN-BIKE Tip #7
Going…going, gone! When one lane disappears, use the other one
Highway Traffic Acts across Canada tell all vehicle users to occupy any part of a lane when safety warrants it. Bikes are vehicles too. In the event of parked vehicles, construction, snow banks, etc. If the lane is obstructed and there is not enough room to share the lane while passing the obstruction, take the whole lane to prevent vehicles from passing too close.
1. Look well ahead when you ride and pre-plan your position on the road.
2. Shoulder check first to make sure there is room and then signal before taking the lane.
3. Shoulder check again to make sure the drivers behind you respect your intention.
4. Take the centre of the lane and ride in a straight line.
5. Repeat 2 & 3 and return to the right most side of the lane when the obstruction is passed.
Maintain room to manoeuvre between your bike and the passing vehicle. Do not rely on the motorist’s judgement. Use your own. Let others behind you know what you are doing. Communicate with eye contact and hand signals. And even a wave of thanks.
Drivers: Be alert to road conditions and considerate of two-wheeled road users. Stay a safe distance behind cyclists and pass only when safe to do so – do not pass too close to cyclists.
CAN-BIKE Tip #8
Right Riding
A heart-stopping moment. I turn my car into a one-way street and almost collide with a cyclist coming straight at me. I slam on the brakes to avoid a cyclist riding into the fender of my car. Why don’t cyclists see the danger in riding against traffic? I don’t want to hurt anyone – especially my neighbours children!
Statistics show that young riders are more apt to be injured because of riding against the traffic flow. Some cyclists illegally ride the wrong way on one way streets to avoid nearby high traffic streets. Often one-way streets are designed as a traffic control devices to keep auto traffic out of neighbourhoods. Cyclists may not understand that they are out of the driver’s field of vision when they choose to ride against traffic.
Canadian cyclists face fines of $80 to $100 for cycling against traffic. Advise children to keep their bike-chain-side of the bike next to the curb and they will find themselves safely riding on the right.
CAN-BIKE Tip #9
The four most effective ways to steal a bike
Steal an unlocked bike.
Break the lock.
Break what the bike is locked to.
Steal parts of the bike that are unlocked.
Losing a bike through theft can be a painful and expensive experience. There are no full-proof methods to secure bikes but here are some bike lock basics.
The four most effective ways to keep your bike from being stolen.
Always lock your bike. Half of all bikes stolen are stolen from home.
Use a good lock. Buy two of the best locks you can afford. Having two different kinds of locks increases safety.
Secure your bike frame and your back wheel. (two locks!)
Do not lock your bike to a chain link fence or a wooden porch.
Register your bike. When the police hear about numerous bike thefts in a neighbourhood they know that there is an organized bike thief in the area and can help stop the operation.
Kids Can-Bike Festival:A playground based event for children 8 to 13 years of age. The main purpose is to introduce key bike handling skills to children who are beginning to ride independently, and to introduce the idea of further training that deals with traffic decision-making on the road.
The course consists of six stations:-proper helmet adjustment
-bicycle check
-straight line riding
-shoulder checking
-signaling
-brakingThis community-based program takes between 75 - 90 minutes to complete and can accommodate 8 children per instructor. To host a Festival in your community, contact the Manitoba Cycling Association or Manitoba Public Insurance.
Kids Can-Bike Course:
An on-road training course designed to develop good road position and lawful bicycle operation, good planning and decision-making skills. The course is for children 9-13 years of age only, as younger children do not have the physical and mental skills to consistently ride safety on the road without adult supervision.
The course covers:-rules of the road
-the bicycle's place in traffic
-safety equipment
-bike handling skills
-on-road training in small groups on residential streets
-this 10 hour course can be taught to 8 children by one instructorCycling Sense:
An introductory course for cyclists who would like to get a firm grip on the basics. Learn what it takes to really enjoy cycling. This six-hour course is open to cyclists aged 10 and up.
Can-Bike I:
A basic course for occasional cyclists who usually ride on residential streets or bike paths. Learn street survival skills and build confidence in low traffic neighborhoods.
The course covers:-proper steering, signaling, braking, gear changing
-bike safety inspections
-defensive cycling techniques
-how to avoid collisions
-recognizing road hazards
-decision making in traffic
-Twelve hours of instruction are divided between the classroom and on-road riding with light to medium - traffic. Adult course (age 14 and up)
-You must be able to ride a bikeCan-Bike II:
An advanced course in defensive cycling for commuters and recreational cyclists who already ride in traffic. Boost your cycling skills in any traffic, road or weather conditions.
The course covers:-safety in heavy traffic
-threshold braking, push steer instant turn
-roadside repairs - changing tires, adjusting brakes, gears and derailleurs
-your rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Highway Traffic Act.
-The 18 - 21 hour course is divided equally between the classroom and outdoors on your bike. Adult course (age 16 and up) with experience riding in traffic. CAN-BIKE I is not a pre-requisiteRequirements for all courses:
-a bicycle in good working condition at all sessions
-an approved bicycle helmet (CSA, ANSI, SNELL or ASTM)
-lock, basic bike tools, water bottle
-rain gear and sun screen
-lunch or lunch moneyTo register for a course, obtain information on course schedules, or to host a course, contact: Manitoba Cycling Association 200 Main Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4M2 Phone: (204) 925-5686 or email info@cycling.mb.ca
