Bicycle Bikes

Archive for December, 2009

Tire pressure is a very important facet of riding any kind of bike, including Mountain Bikes. By learning how to set the tire pressure, you can give yourself more control and help to make the ride down the mountain smoother. If the tire pressure is too low, then you will find that it is much harder to cycle and it can increase the chance of a flat, too. Tire pressure that is too high can make your ride very bumpy and out of control, as well.

Tire pressure can vary from person to person, because it is dependent upon the personal preference of the bicycler, the tire’s condition, and the terrain that you will be riding on. The tire pressure can be easily modified simply by using a high quality pump on the tires. A tire pressure gauge is also an essential part of keeping your tires at the optimum pressure.

The manufacturer of the tire will have a recommended tire pressure for your particular tires and this is where you can start. You can then adjust the tire pressure as needed from there. It is best to use the same tire pressure gauge and pump when you check your tires, because you may get different readings depending upon the tire pressure gauge that you choose.

A good rule of thumb is to start with a higher tire pressure for your bike. This means that you want to be around 40-50 psi (3-3.5 bar), and then lower the tire pressure a little at a time to find which tire pressure is best for your particular bike, terrain, and yourself. If you are a little heavier, then you will want to use a higher tire pressure for sure.

Taking a test bike ride is the best way to check the tire pressure. You will want to notice how the tire behaves, how it rides on the terrain, how it slides down the mountain, and how it hooks in the corners. If you have too much tire pressure, then drop it in increments of 5 psi in both tires. If the bike gains grip and is more stable at this tire pressure, then you will want to keep it at this standard pressure. If not, then you will continue dropping the tire pressure in small increments and redoing the test until your bike rides the way you want and need it to.

If you want to determine the lowest possible tire pressure, then gradually decrease the tire pressure until you see how it feels when you ride on almost flat tires. This will help you to learn how it feels so that you can keep your tubes from getting damaged.

If your mountain bike tires are tubeless, then you will want to stay with a lower tire pressure. The advised tire pressure for tubeless tires is between 30 and 40 psi. This is because tubeless tires experience fewer pinch flats and even rim contact occasionally is okay. This is why you can ride on tires with a much lower tire pressure than normal. If the tire pressure is too low, you will find that if you are cornering hard that the tire will roll under the rim.

Another thing that you need to be on the lookout for is rolling resistance. The increased rolling resistance will take more effort, but it will offer you greater control and better traction to allow you to climb easier. For racers who race cross-country, they would rather have a more efficient bike versus greater control, so you have to take into consideration what kind of biking that you will be doing.

Using your hand to squeeze the tire will help you determine what the right tire pressure feels like so that you do not have to rely so much on the tire pressure gauge.

Alastair Hamilton
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/the-importance-of-tire-pressure-in-mountain-bikes-101015.html

So, you want to get fit, experience the joys of the great outdoors and have a few thrills and spills along the way? Sounds like you need to get out there and buy yourself a mountain bike. But with full suspension, hardtail and a myriad of mountain bike models from a huge variety of quality manufacturers, what type of mountain bike is right for you? Here we offer a few simple tips that may just help you decide.

Firstly, is it a mountain bike you are really after? A mountain bike is great if you want to ride off the road and get into the great outdoors. If you will mainly be riding along the road or pathways, then perhaps you need to look elsewhere. But for now, we’ll assume that a mountain bike is what you’re after. So, the first decision you will have to make is whether you want a mountain bike with, or without, suspension.

If you want a bike that will provide a smooth ride when you’re travelling up and down on rugged, rocky trails, then you might consider a full suspension bike. A hardtail bike on the other hand has no rear suspension and may or may not have front suspension forks. Hardtail bikes generally weigh less than full suspension bikes and are usually cheaper. Hardtails are often a better choice for beginners. Another advantage worth pointing out is that you will use less energy when you’re pedalling on a Hardtail. This is because on a full suspension bike, when you push down on the pedal, some of your force is lost when the rear suspension compresses. If you’re not sure which way to go, ask your local bike dealer and test ride both a hardtail and full suspension bike.

You’ve now decided that you want either a hardtail or full suspension bike. Now, how much are you willing to spend? Mountain Bikes are available from a wide variety of manufacturers each with many different models that may range in price from a few hundred dollars up to thousands of dollars. If you’re a beginner, you may be better buying a cheaper bike to start with. You can always upgrade later. However, this will depend on your intentions. If you want to get involved with your local club and compete in some races, then you’ll probably want to spend more money. Again, discuss this with the local bike dealer or speak to your local mountain biking club.

If you have friends into mountain bike riding, then naturally, speak to them and ask their opinion. One word of warning: when you buy a bike, try to avoid buying one from one of the larger department stores. If you do you’ll probably be disappointed because they’re usually of dubious quality with cheaper components such as brakes and gears. And one thing you don’t want is a mountain bike that won’t change gears properly. It will quickly turn you off mountain bike riding forever! And we don’t want that now, do we?

James Sanford
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/get-up-and-get-into-mountain-biking-heres-some-tips-to-get-you-started-111041.html

When you’re going to try a new sport, you don’t want to rush out and spend a lot of money on brand new equipment until you know whether or not you’ll continue with the activity. If you’re going to take up biking – mountain biking, touring, racing, whatever – there’s quite a bit of gear that you can get at second hand which will serve your purpose.

You do have to be careful about the bicycle itself, however. In biking it is all about the bike. If you buy one that is a poor fit, it will spoil your ride and you’ll be tempted to give up the sport without giving it a fair chance.

Once you’ve found you enjoy bike riding, however, you’ll want to expand your horizons. The best way to do this is to get a bike rack for your car, so that you can go exploring your entire state – or even further afield!

You may wonder why you should buy a bike rack when you can just as easily stick your bike into the back of your car whenever you want to go somewhere. Well, you’ll soon find that it’s a hassle to try to fit your bike into the cramped trunk of your car. You’ll probably have to take off one of the wheels, you might scratch the bike as you’re trying to get it in or out of that confined space, and then you’ve got to put the wheel on again. If you’ve got an SUV you can put the bike in the back with greater ease – where dirt and oil from the wheels can damage your upholstery, and where the bike can rattle about making irritating noises.

No, the bike rack is the way to go. There are two main designs: the type that goes on the roof of the car or SUV, and the type that is attached to the rear of the car.

Find A Discount Bike Rack

Once you’ve decided on which kind of bike rack you want – and you have to give consideration to the safety of the roof rack over the rear mount, and whether or not you will have the strength to lift the bike up onto the roof by yourself – you’ll want to get the best bike rack you can in your price range.

Now, here’s where common sense comes in. Lots of people buy tons of equipment for a new sport, try it and decide they don’t like, and so have a ton of equipment, with little use, to sell or give away. You can pick up quite a few good deals this way.

Keep an eye out for advertisements in your local paper. There’s also plenty of sites on the Internet that offer discount and new bike racks for sale.

Being a savvy shopper is simply a matter of using common sense. Do research to know what you want, and compare prices so you know you’ll be getting a good deal on the bike rack of your choice. The internet is an excellent source of information in this regard. There’ll be product reviews, message boards where people chat about the various types of equipment – including bike racks, and shopping malls where you can compare prices.

If you’re an impulse buyer….you’ve got to learn to curb that tendency! You’ll be a lot happier if you wait a few days, do your research, compare your items, to ensure that you get the best car bike rack your money can buy at the price you want to spend.

Alastair Hamilton
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/discount-bike-racks-your-key-to-safe-journeys-87459.html

Choosing the customize your mountain bike can help you add some personality to your bike. It will give you the opportunity to make your bike the one that you will love for many years to come.

Bicycling has become quite popular as a sport and for fun over the last decade. This popularity has increased the demand for custom bikes for both kinds of riders. Custom bikes will cost more money than a mass-produced bike, but it comes with great benefits over the mass-produced varieties, which makes it well worth the additional money. The custom bikes are made to fit the measurements of your body and your particular style of riding, which can offer you additional control, speed, and comfort. If you do not have an “average” build, then you will find that a customized bike will give you the opportunity to have a bike that fits you-whether you are tall or short or skinny or large.

Your personal riding style and body type are very important things that the custom bike manufacturer will take into consideration. There are other items that they take into consideration, too, however. One of the things that they consider is the type of biking that you are going to be doing. If you are just going to be riding it for fun with your children, then you would have different needs than someone who is going to be downhill racing and training. The time length of your ride and how much you are going to be riding is another thing that most bicycling customizers consider. By knowing the things that they may have questions about, you will be better prepared to help the bike manufacturer to make a bike that will perfect for you and your needs.

A custom bike will offer you the chance to make your bike into one that expresses your personality visually. You can have your racing or mountain bike made with your choice of colors and components to help it express your originality. The more stylish bicycling choices, like low riders, choppers, and cruisers, offer you a larger window to make it into a very strong visual statement about you. These types of bikes give you the flexibility of decorating, stretching, or compacting the frame to help make it into the unusual personality touch that you want and desire. You will find that this is an excellent way to make the bike match both your lifestyle and your tastes.

It should be simple for you to locate a custom bike manufacturer, because they have become more and more popular. You can even look on websites to help you get ideas of the different options and styles that you can choose from to customize your bike. The websites also offer easy-to-follow instructions to help you to measure yourself to order a customized bike for yourself. This is a wonderful idea if you cannot locate a store to order a customized bike. Use the websites as an informational source to help you determine how you want to customize your bike so that it meets your desires and your dreams!

Alastair Hamilton
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/custom-mountain-bikes-for-you-108947.html