Summer is the time of year for sports, outdoor exercise, and adventures. Finding yourself on an adventure is part of the fun of e-bikes. With their long-range, pedal-assist technology, and high-powered batteries, you can travel to many more areas than on a traditional bike and in less time. You may even find that you can ride into the jungle or heavily wooded areas. Perhaps you can take your bike on vacation to a national forest or mountain range. Wherever you go, there are certain safe riding tips you’ll want to remember for riding in heavily wooded areas or jungles.
Many people get severely injured by riding recklessly or without protection. Additionally, simple routine maintenance of your e-bike should not be overlooked when you are gearing up for an adventure. A lack of awareness and preparation is the root cause of many accidents. Today’s post will detail 5 safety tips for riding your electric bike in the jungle or woods.
1. Check Your Tire Pressure Before Riding
A simple tip to improve your riding experience and reduce the risk of a ride in the woods is to check your tire pressure before setting off on your journey. Different tires and brands require different amounts of tire pressure. You should be able to read the recommended tire pressure right on the sidewall of the tire itself. Once you find the ideal pressure range, follow these easy instructions for pumping air into the tires of your electric bike.
Make sure you don’t have any sharp objects or rocks embedded in the grooves of your tire either. These objects can get hit while you are out on the trail and further damage the rubber and may even result in a flat tire. For example, fat tires are common to all Himiway e-bike models and have a lot of surface area that may collect sharp objects. These fat tires are one of the main benefits to Himiway bikes as they allow for excellent traction and comfort while riding.
2. Always Wear a Helmet
In any jungle or heavily wooded area, you are sure to encounter roots, rocks, and challenging terrain of all kinds. For this reason, you should always wear a helmet while riding on these trails. A 2019 article published in Brain Inquiry notes that most injuries to the head could have been avoided if the cyclist had been wearing a helmet. Helmets may be uncomfortable in the humidity or temperature of a jungle, but they are meant to save your life, not be perfectly comfy. Some helmets, such as this helmet from Himiway, also come with insect netting to ensure all those bugs from the forest don’t make their way into your helmet! Look for an ultralight helmet with airflow to increase the comfort of your helmet in warm, muggy conditions. Not only will the helmet protect your head in case of an accident, but it will also protect your skin from harsh sun rays in any tropical regions where you may be adventuring.
3. Ride Slowly on Rugged Trails
Riding slowly on rugged or unfamiliar trails is a great way to decrease the risk of injury while on your e-bike. Tight turns, tree branches, and crevices from rainwater are all common on jungle trails. If you are speeding through a new trail, you may not have the reaction time necessary to avoid an obstacle.
In addition, the tires, gears, and metal components of your electric bike will be jostled and knocked around frequently on a rugged trail. Going slower reduces the level of impact to you and your bike and may avoid a costly repair down the road.
4. Don’t Step on the Pedal When Going Downhill
When you are riding your e-bike downhill, whether on a jungle trail, dirt road, or steep city street, it is advised that you do not pedal at the same time. The throttle will be providing power, gravity will be moving you along, and pedaling will only increase the speed to unsafe levels. You do not know what surprises await you and a high speed of travel makes it nearly impossible to steer out of the way of anything blocking your path.
5. Raise Your Center of Gravity While Riding on Bumpy Roads
Our final safe riding tip is to raise your center of gravity while riding on bumpy roads or trails. Leaving the paved roads behind you in search of new adventures is exhilarating. But bumpy roads provide a new challenge and need a new way of riding to cope with them. To handle bumpy roads, it is helpful to keep your eyes ahead of the tire, where it is pointed, to anticipate bumps and uneven ground. Once you approach the uneven ground, slightly raise your body by crouching just over your seat to absorb the impact.
When you are cornering or descending, you will want to return to a lower center of gravity to maintain control of yourself and your bike. In general, you will want to keep your hand grip tight and your body loose and flexible, not tense, as the bumps will jostle you around and drain your energy quickly if you are too constricted.
To recap our tips for riding in the jungle and woods, check your tire pressure before or after riding, always wear a helmet to protect your most important body part, ride slowly on rugged or unfamiliar trails, skip the pedaling while riding downhill, and raise your center of gravity while riding on bumpy roads to absorb the impact. With these safe riding tips, you will be better equipped for any jungle trails or wooded areas that you want to ride. Be sure to read some of our related articles such as How to Choose Cycling Hydration Packs to stay hydrated in the jungle. And become familiar with additional ways to control your speed on those rugged trails by Getting to Know 3 Different Bike Speeds. Be safe and happy riding.
