Man's story reminds us to wear a helmet

On Sept. 16, I had the pleasure of volunteering as a support rider on the McHenry County Conservation District's annual Pedal for the Prairie.

My assignment was to patrol the 50-kilometer route with a few members of the McHenry County Bicycle Club. This year, I ended up pairing with Rennie Ballagh, a fascinating rider from Richmond, Ill.

While we thankfully didn't find anyone needing help along the route, Rennie's endless supply of stories kept getting more amazing as we cruised along at a quick pace.

The past year or two have been rough on Rennie, but you'd never know it based on his strength and attitude. I'm still stunned by the story he told me of how a wrongly prescribed medication caused his heart to stop in the middle of a ride.

He crashed so violently that the pavement impact miraculously started his heart beating again!

He almost certainly wouldn't have survived, though, had he not been wearing a helmet. Even with it, he fractured his skull, bruised his brain and suffered various other breaks and dislocations.

But rather than dwell on the misfortune of what had happened, Rennie uses the story to prompt helmetless riders to think twice about the choices they make.

It seems like nothing can bring him down, and did I mention that he's 80 years old! You'd be hard-pressed to find many people half his age that are stronger riders, and I doubt if any can match his charisma. Thanks for the ride, Rennie.

You can ride 355: There's a rare opportunity coming up Nov. 11 for anyone who loves to ride a bike.

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation offers a one-time, car-free bicycle ride on the new South Extension of I-355 before it opens to car traffic.

Thousands of cyclists are expected to enjoy more than three hours of riding on a 20-mile loop fully supported with rest stops and plenty of volunteers.

This fundraising event will help raise money for the construction of a multi-use trail alongside the new extension. Learn more at www.rollthetollway.org.

Use proper technique: I frequently see people riding with the arch of their foot positioned directly over the pedal. A much more efficient way to pedal is to move back so that the ball of the foot is contacting the pedal. This adjustment allows more muscle groups to help out with the pedaling, particularly the calves.

Using either clipless pedals or toe clips is a great way to ensure that your feet stay in the proper position while also allowing you to pull up with your opposite pedaling leg.

I also see some riders sitting so low on their bike that their knees are almost hitting their stomachs.

Ideally, when your pedal is at its lowest point and the ball of your foot is on the pedal, there should be just a slight bend in the knee. If the seat is raised too high, your hips will rock up and down. If it's too low, as is common, your knees will be stressed.

Make sure not to raise the seat post above the maximum line marked on the post. If more height is needed, your bike frame is probably too small.