Tips Archive:

Hot Tip of the Month- August 2003: "Handlebar Do’s and Don’ts"
The handlebars on most bikes see a lot of action. This area of the bike MUST be addressed. First off, it’s a good idea at the end of the day, after the last class, to either remove the bars from the bike OR to raise the handlebar to its highest position. This allows the bars AND the inside of the bike frame to dry out. If you do this, it is important to instruct both the students AND ALL the instructors to properly re-install the bars the following day to avoid injury. On older bikes, the plastic coating sometimes becomes damaged or torn. This usually happens when the pop pin is pulled out and the handlebar “drops” to its lowest point. When ever ,there is a visible tear in the coating, it should be trimmed off with a razor knife. This will slow down the tearing away of the coating in the damaged area. Finally, the handlebars should be sprayed and wiped with a disinfectant after each class. If you don’t have a dedicated person in your facility to do this, ask your instructors to engage the help of participants after each class.