Long summer days are idyllic for taking bike rides.

But, whether you're riding in town, out in the country, on training wheels or on a bicycle built for two, there are safety guidelines you should follow and laws by which you should abide.

Safety Guidelines

Just like your car tires, you have to make sure your bike tires are properly inflated. Dan Ulwelling, owner of Rydjor's Bike Shop in Austin, says the tires "usually say on the sidewall what they should be inflated to. It kinda goes with size and quality. They range from 25 to 100 pounds per square inch, though the most of the bikes we currently sell, have an average of 65."

Though you may have to squint and look hard to find the number if your bike tires are older, it's important because "you do want to keep them inflated to their optimal level," to avoid accidents.

Whether you're purchasing a bike or pulling yours out of the garage after the winter (or after many winters), you also need to make sure it's still the right height.

Ulwelling says the general rule with men is "as you stand over the top tube, you should have one to three inches of clearance."

Women also should follow the same rule using a men's bike and then finding the equivalent in a women's bike because the top tube is at a different angle on women's bikes.

According to Ulwelling, in order to pedal with the most ease, the seat on a bike should be high enough that "you shouldn't be able to sit and touch the ground very well." However, he adds, if someone isn't comfortable with that, then it's perfectly acceptable to lower the bike seat until you can touch the ground better.

Also, it's important to make sure everything on your bicycle is properly working. Depending on how often you ride your bike, you should have it tuned up at least once a year, Ulwelling says.

"Sometimes people do not realize that your bike will gradually get out of adjustment and then you adjust to it. If it doesn't shift very well to a certain gear, then you don't shift to that gear. If one of the brakes doesn't work very well, you don't use that brake," he says. "Yearly maintenance is a thing that's good for people. You'd be surprised at how much of a difference it can make."

In addition to making sure your bike is working properly, you should make sure you have the proper equipment. A bike helmet is vital equipment for any rider and Ulwelling says "it should come down onto your forehead to some degree and the "V" of the two straps should be at the bottom of the ear lobe, where you would have an earring, and then you should adjust it under the chin. It should fit so that it's comfortable, but not too tight or too loose."

Bicycle Laws

Naturally, bike laws must be followed in order to be the safest you can be while riding a bicycle and Minnesota has many.

Minnesota statutes say bike riders must follow all traffic laws applicable to drivers of other vehicles, such as stopping at red lights and stop signs.

Bikes can only be used to carry the number of people it was designed for, though baby seats can be attached for small children .

In Minnesota, anyone riding a bicycle on the road must ride as close to the right-hand side of the road as possible except when passing another vehicle, when making a left turn or to avoid fixed or moving objects.

Bikers must always ride in the same direction as traffic and those riding on a roadway or sidewalk should ride more than two across, unless on a laned road, where they should ride single file.

If riding on a sidewalk, or across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, Minnesota law says the biker should yield to pedestrians and should give an audible signal before passing a pedestrian.

If you choose to ride your bike at night, you must have a lamp which can be seen from 500 feet and a red reflector on the back.

You must also make sure you have at least one working brake and that you don't have to reach above shoulder level to reach the handlebars. Your bicycle also must not be too big so that you can't stop it, support it with one foot and then restart in a safe manner.

According to state statutes, an arm signal to turn right or left must be given continuously during the last 100 feet before the turn, unless the arm is needed to control the bike. You must also signal if you are stopped and waiting to turn.

No matter where you travel or how often you pull your bike out of the garage, Ulwelling says you should always make sure your bike is safe, you wear a helmet and obey the rules of the road so you can enjoy your bike ride wherever you are.

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com