// MANUAL
d. Riding at Dawn, at Dusk or at Night
(See also Section 2.E). Most car/bicycle accidents happen at night where an overtaking car hits
a bike. (An overtaking car is one that comes up from behind and passes the cyclist on the left.)
These overtaking accidents can be very serious.
What can you do? First, you should keep your youngster from riding at dawn, dusk or at night.
It requires special skills and equipment. Few children have either. Secondly, make sure your
child understands that if he/she gets caught out at dusk or after dark on a bike, the thing to do
is to call you for a ride home. One suggestion is to have your child carry a cell phone, and as an
added precaution, tape a phone number to the bike so that, in an emergency, an adult will be
able to call home.
e. Following the Leader
There is increased risk of car/bike collision if children are following each other, because if the
rst one does something dangerous, those following may do it too.
What can you do? Teach your child to always assess the trac situa-tion for him/herself.
When a group is riding around, each cyclist should stop for stop signs; each cyclist should
look to the rear before making left turns; and so on. One way to get the message across is to
play a game with the child similar to ‘Simon Says’. In this game, however, the emphasis should
not be on doing what ‘Simon Says’, but rather have the child make a decision based on the
situation. The child should learn to ignore what ‘Simon Says’. Children need to learn to think for
themselves to ride safely.
SUMMARY: Teach your child early - the earlier the better. Learning skills such as looking
and avoiding hazards takes time. Be prepared to repeat lessons until your child unders-
tands what you’re trying to get across. Be patient. Your efforts will be rewarded, knowing
that your child is aware of safe riding skills.
APPENDIX B
INTENDED USE OF YOUR BICYCLE
WARNING: Understand your bike and its intended use. Choosing the wrong bicycle
for your purpose can be hazardous. Using your bike the wrong way is dangerous.
No one type of bicycle is suited for all purposes. Your retailer can help you pick the “right tool
for the job” and help you understand its limitations. There are many types of bicycles and
many variations within each type. There are many types of mountain, road, racing, hybrid,
touring, cyclocross and tandem bicycles. There are also bicycles that mix features. For
example, there are road/racing bikes with triple cranks. These bikes have the low gearing of
a touring bike, the quick handling of a racing bike, but are not well suited for carrying heavy
loads on a tour. For that purpose, you want a touring bike. Within each of type of bicycle, one
can optimize for certain purposes. Visit your bicycle shop and nd someone with expertise
in the area that interests you. Do your own homework. Seemingly small changes such as the
choice of tires can improve or diminish the performance of a bicycle for a certain purpose. On
the following pages, we generally outline the intended uses of various types of bikes. Industry
usage conditions are generalized and evolving. Consult PROPAIN about how you intend to
use your bike.
PROPAIN BICYCLES ARE DESIGNED AND TESTED FOR A MAXIMUM RIDER WEIGHT (INCLUN-
DING BAGGAGE) OF 264LBS/120KG. ALL PROPAIN KIDS BICYCLES HAVING 20” WHEEL SIZE
ARE DESIGNED AND TESTED FOR A MAXIMUM RIDER WEIGHT (INCLUNDING BAGGAGE) OF
88LBS/40KG. ALL PROPAIN JUVENILE BICYCLES HAVING 24” OR 26” WHEEL SIZE ARE DESIG-
NED AND TESTED FOR A MAXIMUM RIDER WEIGHT (INCLUNDING BAGGAGE) OF 176LBS/80KG.
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