Bike riding's easy, right? You learned when you were six, and as they say, you never forget. It is easy, and as you get ready to ride again this year, remember these basics:

First, if going on a serious ride, drink regularly to replenish fluid lost by perspiration, and drink before you get thirsty. Down a 21-ounce (regular sized) water bottle an hour before you ride, another bottle for each hour of the ride, and a final bottle within an hour of your return.

Always ride with traffic, never into traffic. Why? Riding with traffic reduces the speed differential between you and moving traffic, thus reducing the impact in an accident. Bikes, as vehicles, are expected to obey all the common traffic regulations that cars do.

In the city, watch for opening car doors when riding past parked cars. Drivers not watching for bicycles can surprise you with a sudden car door in your path, causing you to dart out into traffic or take a door in the face.

When riding in suburban areas, watch for hidden driveways. This should become second nature. A great many bikers are injured from drivers not watching for bikes, so you have to be doubly careful.

When cornering, keep the pedal on the inside of the bend at the top of its stroke. Lean the bike into the curve and your body out.

When riding down steep hills, sit back in your seat, or lift off the seat and put your weight over the rear tire. The further back and lower you can get, the steeper the incline you can handle. Teach yourself to know without thinking which is the rear and which is the front brake. While some recommend using the rear brake when slowing downhill, the most effective way to slow down is to use both brakes simultaneously. Using only one brake can lock the wheels, and may send you head-over-heels.

When riding uphill, don't lean over the handlebars. Stay on the seat and shift into an easy gear, or stand up while keeping your weight over the pedals. Try to keep some weight over the rear tire or that tire will spin out, giving you less traction on the ground. Keep your weight distributed evenly to prevent either wheelies or loss of traction. If you shift to a lower gear with high pedal revolutions before you hit the hill, you will maintain momentum.

Helpful links:

League of American Bicyclists
The National Center for Biking and Walking
Bicycle Helmut Safety Institute