Posted by Art on Sep 10, 2010 in
Biking
I just finished reading an article about favorite spots when riding a mens mountain bike and I started wondering what makes a location a top spot to ride? Sure there are recommendations from other riders that say that is a great spot to mountain bike, but is it really more than that?
Recommendations definitively go a long way in picking a place that is a favorite spot. That’s the way Facebook and other social media sites use their ability to provide users with sites and information that is hot and trending. By voting with the like button, you are telling other people you like it and then they check it out and if they like it, they do the same and before you know it, whatever it was that you voted on is now a popular thing on the internet. So definitely recommendations are important, I get that.
As I’ve been thinking about this, a nagging question keeps popping up telling me that there has got to be more to this. The article I read talked about the location, the style of the land, elevation drops, scenery, etc. So these criteria are the reason that the mountain bike location was chosen. So, just the recommendation isn’t the only item to look at because the recommendation came from the criteria you used to base on your opinion.
It’s true suggestions from other people get you to try out or evaluate the place, but to me, it’s the other conditions that gets somebody to determine if that location is going to be a top spot for them. For example, if you like a desert surrounding, then yes, maybe Moab, UT would get a favorite spot for you. But what if you like a lot of trees and creeks running through your trails? Well then, Moab would not be a favorite spot for you.
Somebody recommending a place highly get the mountain bike trail on the map as a potential favorite spot, but it’s the different surroundings of the trail that makes it a favorite spot for you. If it matches your background and where you like to ride then it can be a favorite spot for you too, but if these criteria don’t match what you like, then it wouldn’t be a favorite spot for you.
Tags: favorite riding locations, Mens Mountain Bikes, Mountain Bikes, top riding locations
Posted by Art on Jul 30, 2009 in
Biking
From the 1970′s onwards mountain biking has grown in popularity, which resulted in a number of companies making mens mountain bikes. There are numerous styles of mountain bikes suited to different types of cycling, so before you select a bike you must decide on which type you favour.
Mens mountain bikes are manufactured using high-tech lightweight materials. They have technical gear systems, advanced suspension and brakes. Mountain bikes can generally be categorised into four main styles, depending on their suspension.
These are Fully Rigid, a frame with a rigid fork and either fixed rear suspension, or no suspension. Hard Tail, which is a frame with only front suspension. Soft Tail, that is a frame with rear suspension activated by the flex of the frame rather than pivots. And Dual or Full suspension, a front suspension fork and rear suspension with a rear shock.
There are loads of different categories of mountain bikes on the market as well. They include Trail Bikes, Freeride bikes, Cross Country (XC), and All Mountain (AM) bikes.
Cross Country (XC) mountain bikes are usually lightweight and only have a small amount of front and/or rear suspension. They are aimed at using on ascents and have fast turning capabilities.
Trail bikes are a mixture of an All Mountain and a Cross Country bike. They are excellent all-round bikes for covereing each aspect of mountain biking.
All Mountain bikes provide a good level of suspension. They are aimed at climbing mild to moderate ascents and descending steep downhills. These bikes are ideal for any level of cyclist, whether adult or child.
Freeride Bikes are similar to downhill bikes. They are built to focus on strength rather than weight. They have excellent suspension and are usually built using strong, durable materials. They are extremely good for riding technically downhill.
Which mountain bike you choose to invest in boils down mainly to your personal style of riding. You have to decide how you prefer to spend time riding your bike. Do you want to ride up big mountains, descend fast, technical downhills, perfrom stunts, ride gentle trails or have a go all round? There are lots of mens mountain bikes on the market covering all activities but it’s up to you to decide which one feels the best that is within your price range.
Tags: Mens Mountain Bikes