Posted by Art on May 12, 2009 in
Biking
While buying a bike is not on the equivalent level of commitment as, say, getting married, it is still a decision that warrants some thought. especially if you are considering buying a bike for the first time, it can seem as if your options are practically endless.
Your first decision comes in determining what type of bike you are after. Are you going around town, or are you trail riding? Do you want to ride fast, or do you want smoothness and comfort? There are essentially four main styles of bikes to choose from, and your selection should really depend on what you expect your main type of riding to be.
Ask yourself what kind of riding will you be doing? There are different types of bicycles that are designed for the kinds of riding people do.For long-distance rides, road and tour bikes are built for comfort. Racing bicycles are lightweight and designedfor speed more than comfort. Mountain or trail bikes have sturdy frames and wide tires for all-terrain biking. In addition there are intermediate designs, such as hybrid bicycles thatunite features of road and mountain bicycles. Which one you choose depends on your individual interests.
Usually bicycle riding is either mountain biking or road biking, mountain biking being the most challenging. Mountain biking is done on terrain and mountain trails where there are no trails. For general fitness purposes I ride only on roads and smooth, maintained trails. The fact is, to benefit from biking, you do not need mountains, you can do it anyplace. Even if you live in the flatlands and travel long distances to ski country you can keep in top ski condition by adding road biking to your exercise routine.
There is practically no limit to how much money you can spend on a new bike. To keep your spending under control, figure out what price range you are willing to pay for your new bike and try to just look at bikes within that price range. A recommendation when buying a bike is not to buy it from a mass-merchant store such as Wal-Mart or Costco. People tend to get disappointed. Support your local bike shop and get a better product and much better service. Another choose could be to search on-line. Schwinn bicycles have been around for many years and are a well-known, reputable company. A Schwinn Cruiser bicycles for example, in my opinion, are still one of the more comfortable bikes to cruise around on, especially the beach. Try sitting on a Schwinn Sierra bike, it is one of the most comfortable bicycles I have experienced. But, in the end, the choose is yours. You decide what is best for you
Bicycles have been a popular means of recreation and transportation for over a century. Today, with gasoline price increases and rising concern about the environmental impact if burning fossil fuels, more and more people are turning to bicycles as an substitute to driving. If you’ve decided to join the ranks of those who are pedaling their way to physical fitness, it helps to know how to buy the right bicycle for you.
Like numerous adults in America, you probably learned how to ride a bike as a child. It’s a common childhood activity in the majority of suburban neighborhoods. Kids still get together and ride around on their bikes. Even in todays world, kids still bicycle to their local store, to the part, to school and to their friend’s houses. When the bicycle is your only way to get somewhere, you tend to ride it a lot.
Tags: Bicycle, bike, Biking, Mountain bicycle, Mountain Biking, Racing Bicycle, Schwinn
Posted by Art on May 12, 2009 in
Biking
fox mountain bike forks
While rendering you a better choice, and professional guidance, bike shop personnel will assist you in getting fitted to a proper size cycle. You might simply obtain the bicycle either too big or even too small, which will decrease your enjoyment, so follow the hints below, and you will have the right match for your bike.
Stand over height
When you check the fit on your own, the first thing you’ll wish to check is the inseam space, otherwise referred to as stand over height. You’ll want to have plenty of room in between yourself and the top bar as you come to a stop. There should be about 4 – 6 inches of space from the top of your inseam to the top of that tube.
Leg and feet attitude
There’s a useful formula for ascertaining the leg positioning while riding a mountain bike because when biking, the ground aways varies, raising you off your seat constantly, sometimes just a little bit, and sometimes totally off. Thus, you’ll have to sit the saddle a bit less than you would on any other type of cycle. Be sure you take the slightly lower seat positioning under consideration when you inspect the size of the frame.
Seating position
Another thing you’ll want to inspect is the rider position layout (the length in between the saddle and the cycle’s handlebars). When the proper leg length has been determined, be sure your handlebar is one to two inches under the length of your saddle. You should never keep your handlebars higher than the seat, unless there is some type of upper torso problem.
Dual suspension cycles
With the suspension existing at both ends, you’ll need your weight to be more in the middle of your bicycle so that your mass is allocated evenly between both the front as well as rear suspension units, thus permitting both the front and rear suspension to work as one. This can be accomplished quite easily through utilizing either a higher or shorter stem to increase the handlebar elevation, that would in turn move the upper torso up and the weight in the direction of the rear. The increase in height must be no greater than 2 inches, and then the lowering in reach shouldn’t be more than two inches.
Tryout ride
When you’ve taken all of these steps into account, go out to test drive the bicycle, ensuring you wear a helmet, even if you are just going to be testing for a brief period of time. Make certain the wheels are inflated to the proper psi, and that the store has adapted the bike for you adequately. You must get an employee to watch your body position and ride height while biking, to decide if any further changes need to be made. Ride the bike around for a while to get used to its control along with fresh equipment however make sure to start off slowly, giving this bicycle some time to present its personality. After a few minutes, you might realize that there’s something which is not functioning correctly or simply does not feel right in general. If this happens, go back to the shop and have the issue fixed before dismissing that bicycle.
The more you use a bicycle, the simpler it will be to discern the difference in the ride types, but keep in mind, it could take months and possibly years to appreciate the way in which a bicycle handles. Talk to people that ride, and ask them if they ride the bikes they sell as this way, you’ll absorb more information regarding the bikes you enjoy!
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Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking
tires for mountain bike
You’ll soon learn the price of a mountain bike frame is proportionate to its material, as well as the treatment the substance has been given. Today, there’s 5 variations of material employed in bikes – high tensile steel, chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and of course carbon fiber. Extended diameters, heat treating, as well as butting are tubing substance treatments which may raise the price of the frame as well.
High tensile steel
Here is a highly robust metal which is used in lower priced mountain bikes. This offers a high carbon count that renders it more pliable than chromoly steel, therefore addtional compounds are needed to make it sturdy enough for bike frames, which will in turn make it that much heavier. Relatively inexpensive to produce, you will find this material within trail bikes, city bicycles, and actually basic mountain bicycles. There’s some bikes that come with a seat tube made from chromoly, though the remainder made from high tensile steel.
Chromoly steel
Short for steel alloy, chromoly is best known for its dominant ingredients, chromium and molybdenum, this is probably the most refined framing substance, providing well over 100 years of good service. Depending on the form of heat treating and butting, you’ll be able to find this material within bicycles priced as low as four hundred dollars and even up to 1,500 and beyond. The chromoly steel substance renders great durability and a compliant ride characteristic.
Aluminum
For the last fifteen years, aluminum has been refined in basically a method identical to chromoly. There have been various alloys created, and heat treating, oversizing, and butting. With dual suspension system bicylcles, aluminum is the desired material as it’s the stiffest and most cost effective. Aluminum is tougher than the material chromoly, and therefore it’ll crack before chromoly, however, this depends on the amount you cycle and how much abuse you give the cycle frame. The benefit of using aluminum is the fact that the overall frame is very lightweight and very stiff throughout.
Titanium
While it is a bit exotic, costs for the metal have decreased during the last few years but frames composed of titanium are still costly as it requires more time to weld the tubes to their frame. Titanium is considered an alloy, commonly mixed with minuscule amounts of vanadium and aluminum to provide it greater weldability and ride aspects. More compliant than chromoly, it provides better fatigue as well as corrosion features.
The substance which you choose for the bike, all depends on the location in which you’ll ride and what style you utilize. Virtually all materials would serve you for years, provided you take care of your bike and make sure treat the frame with some respect.
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Tags: Mountain Bike Frames
Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking A mountain bike is the one thing you’ll need prior to going biking in the mountains, although these bikes have numerous parts, that will be handled next:
1. Bottom bracket – This joins to the bike’s crank set on the physical structure of a bike.
2. Brake cable – This cable joins the brake lever to the brake component.
3. Brake lever – The lever on the bike’s handlebar to operate the brakes using the left side responsible for the front most brake and the right hand side lever is the rear brake.
4. Chain – The circle-shaped collection of links which move power from the chain ring to the sprockets.
5. Chain ring – The notched rings which attach to the crank to secure the chain.
6. Crank – The lever that extends from the bottom bracket to the foot pedal, moving the energy to the chain rings.
7. Derailleur – This is the gearing component for transporting the chain from one cog to another.
8. Down tube – The part of the body which extends downward from the bike’s stem all the way to the bottom bracket.
9. Front shock absorber – A shock on the front fork.
10. Handlebar – The long bar connected to the bike’s stem with grips at the end.
11. Headset – The device in front of the bike frame which links the front-most fork to the stem and handlebars.
12. Hub – The central section of the wheel which the spokes are connected with.
13. Idler pulley – The base pulley which is part of the rear derailleur which gives the spring rigitiy to to maintain the chain’s tightness.
14. Nipple – A threaded repository which connects the spoke to the wheel.
15. Foot Pedal – The platform on which to pedal upon, it connects to the bike’s crank.
16. Back shock – The cushion of the back wheel for dual suspension system style bikes.
17. Rim – The metal ring that holds the bike’s wheel spokes uopn the interior and the tire on the exterior.
18. Saddle – Where you sit.
19. Seat post – Offers support for the seat.
20. Skewer – The metal pole which goes through the hub, attaching the wheel to the dropouts on it’s frame.
21. Spindle – The loose spinning axle which the crank arms attach to, it is also a part of the bottom bracket.
22. Spokes – The thick wires that connect the hub to the wheel rim.
23. Stem – A part that attaches the bike’s handlebar to the steering column.
24. Wheel hub – The middle of the tire which the spokes are linked with.
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Tags: Mountain Bike
Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking
Step It Up Jam
Freestyle is a discipline of MTB which replicates that of FMX. A biker will ride at high speed either on the flat, or on a drop in ramp for an instant hit of speed. Unlike other events where bikers are timed, dirt jump is built on a points system for the tricks conducted on the run.
Dirt Jumping Bikes
Freestyle frames feature a different geometry than that of a normal MTB Frame. A dirt jump frame is generally made of much stronger and often heavier material for them to stand up to the amount of abuse they are put through.
Jumps
Doubles – Also know as a gap, this is where two separate earth works are setup and the rider will jump a gap between the 2 conducting a trick. These are the most well known and are often seen at sporting sports such as gravity Games.
Tabletops – These jumps are setup where there is a slope at the beginning and end of a jump with a flat top in between. This is a bit similar to the double but with the middle filled in which makes the jumps more suited for inexperienced riders who might not make the transition between gap jumps.
Ski – Setup similar to standard ski jumps where the name is borrowed from, these are lengthy ramps generally setup on downhill sections of freeride trails where the slope can act as a landing.
Roller Jumps – Normally located at the beginning of a course, these jumps are intended to give the rider extra speed.
Whoops – Intended for a rider to manual over them, rhythms are usually situated together in numbers of three or more and are small round humps like very large speed bumps.
Spine Jumps – Much like spines at a skate park, spine jumps are constructed of a single earth work with no tabletop or gap in-between. Spine jumps are especially great for pulling big air tricks.
Berm – This is a curved wall ride which is raised from the trail. Regularly found on the edges of jump or downhill tracks to enable a rider to turn without losing too much speed.
Hip Jump – Hip Jump are designed to encourage the rider jump at an angle. Again this is another way to encourage the biker to turn without losing momentum but also shows the technicality of the rider to choose lines through the trail.
Tags: Bmx, dirt jump, extreme sports, Mountain Bike, mtb
Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking
mountain bike cycling shorts
Riding around on a bike with the proper amount of pressure in your tires can cause a huge difference as to the amount of control you exert over your bicycle. Making the tire pressure too high would cause poor contact on the ground and also make your bicycle harder to handle. Then again, setting the tire pressure too low will make the tires erratic and additionally make them susceptible to pinch flats.
The proper volume of pressure in a mountain bike would alter with every rider and tire setup to tire setup. The conditions of your trail as well as the sort of surface you are on would also greatly affect the pressure you should be using in the tires. The trick here is to find out precisely which mountain bike tire pressure works for you and your configuration during normal conditions. After doing this, you can figure out how to change the tire pressure for various tracks and types of surface as needed.
You must start by buying a reliable pressure gauge or a foot pump with a good pressure gauge. After that, employ that gauge or foot pump anytime you’re making adjustments. A gauge may be incorrect, so if you change around you can make it a lot harder. You must start with a higher pressure of around forty to fifty psi however if you have a tubeless variant, you should begin lower, 30 – 40 psi. The more mass you have, the greater pressure you should begin with, consequently use that pressure for a while and get a grasp for the way the tires take corners as well as loose dirt.
Drop your tire pressure by five psi in each tire and feel out how this new setup rides and how this measures up to your last setting. You will probably observe some improvement in the way it handles, and if you do not, drop it’s pressure by about 5 psi because ideally, you need to seek the lowest pressure you can ride with and not sacrifice any pinch flat resistivity. A pinch flat occurs when your tire passes over an object then compresses to the point in which the tire as well as it’s tube get pinched in between the object and the rim.
Using tubeless tire systems, you could run much less air pressure, as you do not need to fret about obtaining pinch flats. If you begin to damage the rims, expel air out periodically, or touch the tire roll beneath the wheen rim through hard cornering, because you’ve left your pressure too low. When you’ve found that perfect configuration for the tire pressure, work out what the tire feels like as you squeeze it with your bare hands. When you know what the tires feel like you will always be able to get the proper pressure – with any pump.
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Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking
best mountain bike helmets
If you do not bike during the winter months, you have likely spent the winter months upon the couch eating potato chips and viewing TV. Before you know it, springtime will arrive and a new time of mountain biking will start. Even though you may not be in the best of shape, these hints will ensure that the bicycle is.
Before you take the bike on the road, inspect the wear and tear on your parts and adjust them if needed. Start out with your chain since if you have not changed it for over a year, it’s time to do that. Eventually, each part in the chain will become worn out, decreasing its length. As that occurs, the chain cannot conform to the cog as well as the teeth of the chain ring, so it wears those teeth out to fit the profile of your chain. If you can restore your chain before it stretches too much you’ll save yourself from having to fix expensive cogs and chain rings.
Now, inspect your bearing surfaces which include your bottom bracket, hubs, and lastly the headset. Each of those must rotate without a problem with no play in the workings but, prior to checking the bottom most bracket, make certain each cranking arm is snugged tightly. Next, hold on to the crank arm (not the pedal) and move it back and forth. If you notice any clicking or if your crank arm stops, the bottom most bracket needs to be adjusted – now carry out the exact same operation with the hubs. Remove the wheels from your bicycle, rotate the hub axles, then feel for any play or stoppage, and if there is any play, you must make an adjustment. To inspect the bike’s headset, start off by putting the freshly altered wheels back on the bike.
Following that, grab the front brake and rock the handlebars to and fro because there shouldn’t be any play. If you lift the front end up, the fork must turn very effortlessly but if it seems rigid, it must be either fixed or exchanged. When your inspecting, check the condition of the cables and housing as these should be devoid of rust, and their hose mustn’t be fractured or even kinked. If you see anything like that you ought to replace the offending device, because if you don’t, your shifting and even braking will become slow.
Finally, you ought to inspect your brakes as many will have ridges or index markings which will let you know if these need to be replaced. Pads which are worn out will can be detrimental to the safety and braking efficiency. Once you’ve gotten the minor maintenance out of the way, it is about time to head out for a ride, and with the mountain bike in better condition than ever, all you have to work on now is having some enjoyment!
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Tags: bell mountain bike helmets, best mountain bike helmets, cheap mountain bike helmets, mountain bike helmets
Posted by Art on May 6, 2009 in
Biking It can frequently be a tad difficult and time consuming when you acquire your introductory mountain bike. Following, you will see a few hints and items to be aware of before you put down the money to acquire a mountain bike.
Determining the price: There isn’t really a set limit on the amount of money one could expend purchasing a brand new mountain bike so to aid in keeping your expenditure under control, you should determine what your price range is and what you are prepared to pay for a new mountain bike. When you buy, you shouldn’t obtain from mass merchant stores like Wal-Mart, so you should rather support your nearby bicycle stockist and recieve a greater bicycle, and a more decent service.
Finding your style: All mountain bikes are designed with several varying styles as well as terrain variations in mind, therefore you will have to figure out what type of biking you will be doing the most. Smooth biking, racing, mountain riding, or downhill is something you must determine. Ensure the bike you select meshes with your preferred style and not the style of the sale’s staff.
Complete suspension system or none: If you’re able to cover it, a full suspension mountain bike is definitely worth buying. A hard tail, lacking a rear suspension system, is a lot lighter overall and pedal more efficiently, but full suspension systems provide greater comfort and generally better command of the bike. You’ll want to make this choice based upon your personal price range, riding style, and the type of ground you’ll be riding on the most.
Locating your favorites: Comparing and Contrasting bikes per part is almost not doable, as there are far too many possible combinations. The better method to to do this with is locating a could parts which are the most essential to you and making sure that the rest or the least amount come within your price range – start with the fork and then examine the wheels and power trains.
Sales and seasons: During the year, the prices of bikes may change quite a bit as spring through summer is the primary purchasing season. If you can hold out until the right price drops, normally during the fall and winter seasons, you’ll be able to conserve a few hundred dollars, plus many shops may additionally provide bargains or additional parts if you purchase from their store.
Determining a decent dealer: Locating a good bike stockist has more bearing on the purchase than finding a good deal therefore look for a dealer which cares more about selling you a great bicycle than selling you a high priced model. A decent seller would maintain a clean repair shop and provide the impression that you can really confide in them.
Tryout ride: You must test out as many bikes as you possibly can within your price range and riding preferences, using this method you’ll discover that certain bikes will feel right, and others will not. The more mountain bikes you can test drive, the better you’ll comprehend what works and what doesn’t.
Carrying out the research: Merchandise critical reviews and bike critiques are a few of the best methods to discover about a mountain bikes reliability and overall functioning. You should invariably view what other bike owners and critiques think about a cycle prior to making that selection.
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Tags: buying a mountain bike
Posted by Art on May 4, 2009 in
Biking It is very important to wear proper road cycling apparel. Anyone that has had experience in road cycling should realize that the right road cycling clothing can prove to be as important as training to cycle as well as buying the right kind of equipment with which to do the cycling. Whether you cycle for fun or competitively or you happen to be an avid cyclist, there should be no doubts of the importance of wearing the right kind of road cycling apparel. Whichever kind of cycling you do (casual, competitive, or otherwise) it will still benefit you to pick your road cycling apparel with utmost care.
Santini Is Well Known
Names such as Santini are well known for making great road cycling apparel and their European styles as too semi-customized clothing items are really a cut above those of their competitors. You will also be required to pick from different items of road cycling clothing including long sleeve jerseys and proper fitting cycling shorts or even bib shorts and of course cycling jackets. If you pick your road cycling apparel from Santini then you are assured of smoother lines that will improve your mobility while the European designs will make you look better and also aid in your overall riding experience.
Comfort as well as safety are of course overriding considerations whenchoosing your road cycling apparel. The right apparel will be anything that hugs your body as well as enabling you to move easily, while clothing that is loose and which hamper your mobility will be the wrong choice. The fact of the matter is that if you wear road cycling apparel that does not conform to the shape and size of your body you will then run the risk that the clothes might get stuck in the bike s mechanism or the clothes might get snagged on bushes and branches leading to mishaps.
Your road cycling apparel must always allow for smooth and easy movement. In addition they should reduce if not totally eliminate the chance of irritating the skin which if it occurs will make riding very uncomfortable or even impossible. So, when choosing your road cycling apparel bear in mind not to cut corners and to also research your options well and buy only clothes that will enhance safety and mobility.
Cycling bikes are a great way to become mobile though of course the modern versions are a far cry to the ones that were first introduced to the public sometime in the nineteenth century and in Europe. Nevertheless, in this day and age of automated modes of transportation these bikes offer an excellent and eco-friendly alternative to the gas guzzling modes of transport and are well worth a second look.
Tags: cycling clothing, road cycling apparel, santini, santini cycle clothing
Posted by Art on May 3, 2009 in
Biking Before you go out and contact a bicycle dealer in order to purchase your bicycle there are a number of factors that need to be addressed. Most important is the fact that you must be certain about the type of riding that you wish to do. Next, you have to look at your expertise level vis-a-vis your riding skills and then you have to be sure about your attitude toward biking. You have to know, well before you approach a bicycle dealer, as to why you wish to ride a bicycle and also whether you wish to ride for fun, casually or very seriously.
Where You Choose to Do Your Riding?
You can start searching for a suitable bicycle dealer when you have decided on a few factors such as knowing where you will be riding, whether it is on the street or on a bike trail or off the road. You also need to know the frequency with which you plan on riding your bicycle.
It makes good sense to look for a bicycle dealer that is located close to where you live and who also enjoys a good reputation. Checking out the National Bicycle Dealers Association can be of great help in locating a good bicycle dealer. Many of the top bicycle dealers actually belong to this association and what they will do is display their membership to them with stickers on their shop windows. So, you can look for such stickers!
Next, you can discuss with the bicycle dealer your precise needs and then you can ask them to recommend suitable bicycles. You should also ensure that you feel comfortable in dealing with the bicycle dealer and in addition you should judge the dealer according to the service they provide and by the level of service that their staff offers.
A good bicycle dealer will stock most of the popular brands and types of bicycles that should include mountain bikes, road bikes, hybrid bikes, cruisers and comfort bikes as well as recumbent and tandems as to electric assist bicycles. Finally, makes sure not to be swayed too much by the bicycle dealer s talk and instead ensure that you only buy what you feel comfortable with and which suits your needs and riding abilities.
It also pays to learn how to buy a good comfort bicycle. The right choice will ensure that you enjoy your time in the bicycle seat and of course you will be comfortable and in addition will get to ride the bicycle without stressing your body too much.
For more articles please check out www.cyclegearworld.com
Tags: bicycle dealer, bicycle shops, Bike Dealers, cycle shops