Dartmouth resident Bernie Giroux has been biking for more than 60 years, so he’s not shy about voicing safety tips for pedaling around Dartmouth. Here are Giroux’s top nine tips.

#1. Wear a helmet.

Giroux said he sees too many people without a helmet both when he’s on his morning rides and while driving around town. “You can fall while riding. You can fall while standing still,” said Giroux. He said that he once fell over his bike while stopped, and the bike twisted in just the right way that the wheel came up and hit him in the kidney. “I had to go to the hospital,” he said.

#2. Ride single file.

Dartmouth roads can be narrow and windy, said Giroux. “There is no room for oncoming traffic to maneuver,” he said, which can put cyclists at risk. If a driver is speeding or distracted, being in the road can be doubly dangerous.

#3. Follow the rules of the road.

“Ride on the righthand side, with the traffic,” said Giroux. Runners, however, should move against traffic, he said. “If there is a bike lane, use it, and stay inside the lines.”

#4. Inspect your vehicle.

Like a car, your bike should be able to pass some basic checkpoints. “Do not ride more than twice without checking your tire pressure,” said Giroux. An underinflated tire wears out faster, while an overinflated tire could blow up, he explained.

Also be sure that your seat is at the proper height. “If you are sitting too low on your saddle, you will be working way too hard pedaling,” said Giroux. He said when your leg is extended and the pedal is closest to the ground, your knee should be very slightly bent. This position takes maximum effort, but also gives you the most power, said Giroux.

For help, Giroux suggests visiting the experts at Scottee's Westport Bicycle (1125 State Road, Westport), or Yesteryear Cyclery (330 Hathaway Road, New Bedford).

#5. Wear biking gloves.

“Nothing is worse than skinned hands and knuckles,” said Giroux, explaining that falling over at 40 miles per hour will result in torn skin.

#6. Avoid headphones.

“You need to hear the traffic around you. You cannot be lost in Beethoven’s Fifth,” said Giroux, who listens to classical and jazz music when he’s not on two wheels.

#7. Wear bright clothing.

“This is especially important near sunset and in the early morning,” said Giroux. Riders in dark clothing can get lost in the shadows from overhanging trees—think Russells Mills Road—and roadside houses, he explained.

#8. Invest in lighting.

While bikes come with reflectors in the front, behind the seat, and on the wheels, wearing a light is a worthwhile precaution, said Giroux. “The new LED’s are fantastic, and you should make yourself seen in both directions—front and rear,” he said.

#9. Hydrate.

The danger of dehydrating in the summer months goes without saying, but it hits a nerve for Giroux. “I see people riding in this heat, and I cringe if I don’t see a water bottle.”