HEALTIL

Trail Blazing

Safety is important when participating in
the increasingly popular sport of mountain biking.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

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t doesn't matter how cold or
how dark it is outside. Danny
Klein rides his bike year-
round, day and night.
The 29-year-old bike store
manager from White Lake Town-
ship has a lighting system on his
bike for evening rides, and if it is
cold he dresses in layers.
"Riding is a thrill. It produces
such an endorphic rush," said Mr.
Klein, who is a participant in on-
and off-road bike races.
Although Mr. Klein has been
riding for much of his adult life,
the popularity of mountain bik-
ing has skyrocketed only recent-
ly. Trails are becoming so
congested that some of the most
avid bikers will not reveal their
favorite riding spots.
Mountain biking offers a good
cardiovascular workout for rid-
ers of any level. Wise bikers, how-
ever, should adhere to certain
safety precautions.
Doctors and avid riders agree
that a helmet is the single most
important piece of equipment. It
can save a biker from a serious
head injury.
"A helmet is necessary if you
value your life," said Tim Costel-
nick, the director of the Cardio-
vascular Fitness Center at Sinai
Hospital.
Added Mr. Klein, "I always
ride with a helmet. I've seen too
many people get hurt without
one. If, for some reason, I'm not
wearing a helmet, it reminds me
of the feeling I get driving in a car

Last summer, when Mr. Klein
rode in Colorado, he set the timer
on his watch to go off every 15
minutes as a reminder that he
should drink. He said he was so
taken with the scenery that he
needed a reminder.
There is a tremendous differ-
ence between riding in Colorado
in the summer and biking in
Michigan in the winter. For
those, like Mr. Klein, who ride
even in the coldest months of the
year, Mr. Costelnick suggests
dressing in layers and watching
out for dangerous wind-chill fac-
tors.
Biking, like other sports,
should be built up gradually. Mr.
Costelnick suggests first-time rid-
ers spend 15 or 20 minutes rid-

ing on a flat surface and build up
time, distance and terrain diffi-
culty.
A good way to tell if you are
overdoing it is by performing a
quick breath test. While riding,
if you cannot carry on a small
conversation because of shortness
of breath then "you're probably
overdoing it," according to Mr.
Costelnick.
For those interested in watch-
ing muscle mass increase and
counting calories burned, the
good news is mountain biking
strengthens quadriceps and
hamstrings. The number of calo-
ries burned varies, but averages
between 600 and 1,000 an hour.
A bike trip to Colorado or oth-
er high-altitude states requires

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when I realize I'm not wearing
a seat belt. I feel naked."
Biking gloves and sunglasses
are a good idea for any rider. Eat-
ing and drinking are also crucial.
A quick water break every 15
minutes helps prevent dehydra-
tion. Experts also suggest bring-
ing an energy bar or snack on
longer bike trips.

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