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rider hold the bicycle upright when it’s stopped. Keep your feet safe
by keeping them on the foot pegs at all times.
Place your hands on the rider’s hips. This is the best way to hold on
to the rider, and it keeps you in touch with the rider’s movements.
Keep your weight centered over the bicycle. Try not to move around any
more than is necessary, particularly when the bicycle is stopped or
moving slowly, as it affects the balance of the bicycle.
Bicycles turn by leaning (banking like an airplane), not by steering
like a car. Don’t be alarmed when the bicycle leans over to go around
a corner. To position yourself perfectly for a turn, just look over
the rider’s shoulder in the direction of the turn. (If the bicycle is
turning right, look over the rider’s right shoulder; if it is turning
left, look over the rider’s left shoulder.) You don’t have to do
anything else; looking naturally over the rider’s inside shoulder will
naturally put your weight right where it belongs in a turn. Keep your
body in line with the rider’s body to prevent the bicycle from leaning
more than the rider intends. Never lean out of a turn; you could cause
an accident that way.
When the rider puts on the brakes, it causes a forward weight
transfer. If the rider is forced to break hard, this forward weight
transfer is very apparent; you will be forced against the rider and
you will start to slide forward on the Companion Bike Seat. In the
event that this occurs, try to keep back, away from the rider. Resist
sliding forward by pressing your feet against the foot pegs, using
your thigh muscles to control your position on the seat. If you slide
forward, you may force the rider forward, potentially reducing the
rider’s control over the bicycle.
You can be an active participant in the ride by staying alert and
being prepared. Help the rider look for potential danger, and be
prepared to hang on and hold yourself back if you anticipate a need
for sudden braking. Likewise, if the rider is forced to swerve the
bicycle to avoid a hazard in the road, you need to be prepared for the
sudden lean and change of direction.
As a rider, when you are carrying a passenger on your bike using your
Companion Bike Seat, you’ll need to make some adjustments to your
riding. A passenger’s extra weight will substantially affect your
bicycle’s handling characteristics. To help compensate for this
difference, remember the following tips:
•Allow more time and space than you normally would
•Be cautious when turning corners
•Brake sooner than normal when carrying a passenger
•The heavier the passenger, the longer it will take to turn, slow
down, or speed up
•Always adhere to speed limits and local traffic and biking laws,
with or without a passenger on your Companion Bike Seat
