Last month, the Turn at the Front column talked about common bicycle mechanical failures. Mike Khaw mentioned some safety issues related to those failures that are worth noting.

The second most common mechanical failure mentioned in that column is a broken cable. When that happens with externally routed cables, don’t try to ride to a bike shop while holding onto your broken cable. One slip and it may easily get all tangled up in your bike, bringing it to a screeching halt and throwing you off the bike! Find a way to safely secure the broken cable to the bike before riding to help.

Similarly for flat tires, don’t try to ride on them to the bike store, especially with a flat front tire. The moment you attempt a turn, the tire will tend to roll, sending you sprawling onto the pavement. You need to either fix the flat and pump up the tire, or get a car ride to the bike store to get it fixed.