Traffic safety is of the utmost importance in any metropolitan area, and bicycle safety is one facet that is many times taken for granted. Do not assume a new bicycle is automatically safe to ride.

Dave Baer, owner of Baer Wheels at 3030 N. High St., said bicycles purchased at large retailers that do not specialize in bicycles are generally poorly put together.

“That is one of the biggest things that make bikes unsafe,” he said. “You get what you pay for.”

Specialty retailers are more reliable and tend to have higher quality bicycles.

Matt Perkins, manager of BikeSource at 4840 Sawmill Road, expressed similar attitudes toward mass merchant bicycles. He recommends having a specialty shop assemble bicycles that are purchased elsewhere.

“You have to remember that the person assembling your bike was likely the same kid stocking shelves the week before,” he said.

Baer said he understands people are on a budget and cannot always afford higher-end bicycles. That is why it is a good idea to bring the bicycle into a specialty shop to have it looked over, he said.

Some of the biggest problems Baer has seen on bicycles tend to be brakes and loose bolts – especially loose handlebars. Safety checks are offered at a number of retailers for around $20.

“We basically make sure it is safe to ride. We check the brakes and tighten bolts among other things,” Baer said.

Bicycles purchased at BikeSource receive three years of free adjustments.

“The more maintenance and service a bike gets, the less money spent on parts,” Perkins said.

General maintenance on bicycles, new and old, is something people can do at home. This includes making sure tires are properly pumped, the chain meets the gears, moving parts are lubricated and bolts are tight.

Tune-ups and overhauls are offered to keep older bicycles performing like new.

“That’s where we adjust everything on a bike. It’s a little more comprehensive,” Baer said.

Safety equipment is equally as important as a mechanically sound bicycle.

Understanding the rules and regulations of bicycle safety is also important. The Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio Department of Transportation received a grant last year to publish “Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts.”

The catalog essentially dissects the Ohio Revised Code to make it understandable to people, said Ashley Ellis, spokesperson for the ODPS. We do a lot of public education and awareness of bicycle safety.

“I have known people to be pulled over in various cities for infractions,” Baer said.

Ohio law requires every bicycle must be equipped with an audible device that can be heard up to 100 feet. If riding at night, a front white headlight and a red blinking taillight must be on the bike.

“I know a guy who got pulled over for speeding in a 25 mph zone. He was cited for lack of a rear flashing light and a front white light,” noted Dave Tippery, a Baer Wheels employee.

The bicycle safety booklet also guides riders on how to operate a bicycle safely and confidently. The ODPS has other brochures regarding bicycle safety available online, at libraries and specialty bicycle shops.

Baer said, “Operation is an issue. To operate them safely, you have to operate them defensively. In any city, when you’re in a car, you do not see bicyclists.

“Drive defensively because you are on a bike. You have more to lose if you get into an accident.”