Mountain Bike Fun!

For the first time buyer, the choice of a mountain bike might be daunting. Mountain bikes are not your everyday bikes and are especially designed for cycling on difficult terrain. You can use these types of bikes to navigate hilly areas, steep declines, rocky mountain and any other sort of unpaved road. Here are a few important things you should know about mountain bikes.

• Mountain bikes are very different from regular use cycles and racing cycles. They are built to withstand the jerks and pressure of use on uneven terrain. You should ensure that the model you are looking at is a genuine mountain bike. If you use regular bikes on hilly terrain the results could be disastrous.

• You can also choose your bike according to the type of terrain it is best suited for. Varieties like the cross country bike have little suspension and a light frame. All-mountain bikes are generally heavier and feature more suspension. You could also choose from free ride or down hill bikes that differ from each other in terms of weight and strength. Both types are basically used for racing on inclines.

• You will have to check the frame of your mountain bike to ascertain its critical angles. The critical angles of the bike include the angle of its head tube and the seat tube. These are to be measured as the distance from the horizontal axis. The angles make a lot of difference to the rider’s position on the bike and the bike’s characteristics. As a rule of thumb, steeper angles are helpful for pedaling uphill and better handling. Angles tending towards zero give higher speed and more stability on downhill courses.

• You will have to check the type of suspension on your mountain bike. This could be fully rigid, hard – tail, soft-tail or dual suspension. The suspension essentially protects the bike and the rider from the shocks of a rough terrain. This is one of the most important parts of the bike. There are many new variants in the mountain bike market offering buyers different types of suspension, but most hard-core bikers routinely prefer a hard-tail frame.

• The final check on your mountain bike should be its brakes. They may be standard V-brakes or the newer disc brakes. Disc brakes are generally preferred over older versions because they give the rider more power under a variety of conditions. Disc brakes are also easier to maintain and last longer than conventional brakes.



By: Paul Kramer

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Full Suspension Mountain Bikes have made great advancements in the last couple of years. Because of these advancements, the bikes can be ridden in more places. These types of bikes are good for Downhill Mountain biking or riding through rough terrain.

Because these types of bikes are used for this purpose, they can be expensive. However, with the durability and comfort associated with this type of bike, it can be deemed well worth the extra cost in order to travel over rough terrain, plus they are manufactured to suit men, women and children of all ages.

The reason these are called full suspension is that they have suspension integrated into the front fork and the rear of the mountain bike frame. This is done so they can deal with the difficult terrain of mountain riding. The suspension also gives the person the ability to ride longer and harder. A suspension bike means that the bike absorbs the bounces and bumps – an obvious benefit over the body absorbing the bouncing instead.

Women, men and children will enjoy the ride more with these additional features. These features will give greater control over the bike as you ride through the rockiest areas. There are some drawbacks to this type of bike, however. Because of the additional features, these types of bikes are heavier. For people doing a lot of uphill riding or racing this can be a big deal.

Mountain bikes need to be maintained on a more regular basis; therefore, this can be an additional cost to consider. But hey, considering the type of terrain that these bikes are subjected to, it is not at all surprising. If you are looking for durability and comfort, then these are the types of Mountain Bike to own.

They are also strong and can stand up to most riding punishments that can be done to them. Most of these bikes have the ability to have the rear tire or other parts replaced. Having this ability to replace parts so easily means that maintenance and repair can be facilitated without the need to purchase a new bike.

This is a great feature when mountain riding, because it is easy to trash the rear of the bike if you crash. Another great feature is the number of speeds available. They now have up to 27 speeds and this is an excellent feature for women. They also give women a slender bike frame and wider seats, allowing for more support.

When you get ready to purchase a bike there are some things to remember. The most important thing to know is how you intend to use the bike. This will tell you what kind to buy and what features will be needed. There are many manufacturers of these types of bike, and as such the prices vary considerably. However, many standard Full Suspension Bikes can now be bought at quite reasonable costs due to their increased popularity.

If a lightweight material for the frame is chosen, then the bike will cost more. They have regular tires and tubeless tires. The tubeless do better on the harder terrains. There are handlebars that detach and rear assemblies that can also be detached.

An avid rider will want to know the entire specifications and extras they require before they decide to buy. Fortunately, a lot of information is available on the net, including Videos, which helps the rider to determine the best type of bike for them.

As a rough guide, bikes for boys come in a 24-inch style and are made with easy to change gears and brakes. Similarly, womans bikes come with a saddle seat, twist grips and easy to shift gears, often with a lighter frame making maneuvering easier.

The mens bike starts at 21 inches and can go up to 27 inches as standard. They can choose larger suspension, different forks, and different metals for the frame. This allows for a more diverse terrain for them to ride on.

When needing to change the tires this can be done on any model by using the no-tool closure system. Removal can be done quickly and anywhere.



By: Alan Williamson


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Whether you are an avid cycler or a seasoned mountain biker, the GMC Topkick Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike is the bike to have. It is an ideal choice for both rough city riding and trail riding. Its 26-inch full-suspension aluminum MTB frame is extra strong; it features a floating beam suspension design combined with a 65mm travel Zoom CH-386 suspension fork with elastomer/spring technology. This excellent suspension system allows a steady and smooth performance even on the toughest of terrains.

The GMC Topkick Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike features a 3 speed Falcon MF 31 T front derailleur and a 7 speed Shimano RD-TZ30GS SIS rear derailleur. This derailleur system makes up 21 speeds and the rear derailleur shifts smoothly with no jump clicks thanks to the Microshift push shifters. The bike is equipped with a set of strong aluminum wheel with 26 x 1.5 inch V-shaped alloy black rims, complete with a pair of Kenda black with yellow band 700 x 25C tires. It also features front and rear Promax disc brakes for smooth braking in any circumstance. Disc brakes are more superior compared to the usual rim brakes especially on unfavorable track condition.

Like any other GMC bikes, the GMC Topkick Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike is exceptionally sturdy, rugged, and comfortable for a long ride. It does not only offer superb performance, but it is also stylishly designed. Despite the superior features it has to offer, this mountain bike is surprisingly affordable. A brand new Topkick bike will only cost you somewhere around $450; note that prices vary between retailers. This is a good bargain, considering that other mountain bikes that feature similar Promax braking system can cost you more than $1000.

Despite all of its high-end features, the GMC Topkick Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike also has its share of drawbacks. The handle bar of this mountain bike cannot be adjusted without additional stem extender. The rear suspension system makes it difficult to buy accessories such as rear tray. As for the tires, the tire treads are a bit too rough to be used on regular city streets. This indicates that this bike is one of the types which are not really suitable for light riding. Weighing at 36 pounds, this bike is not exactly lightweight as well. If you are an inexperienced rider, you will likely face difficulty in controlling the bike especially when crossing across rough terrains. This bike is more recommended for professional mountain bikers.



By: Jp Chen Sun Jo


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scottcountry asked:

Riding the 7 Stanes Mountain Bike trails accompanied by two trail dogs wearing the latest Ruff Wear Dog Trail Packs. These backpacks for dogs carry essential hydration with room for biking accessories, clothing, food and first aid equipment. With grab handles to assist dogs over obstacles, the Ruff Wear Back Packs are ideal for hunting, shooting, dog training, running, walking, expeditions or biking. Start your trail dog adventure at www.scottcountry.co.uk

If you like riding on dirt paths, unpaved surfaces, trekking or hiking, then a mountain bike is all you need. Unlike the ordinary bicycles, these ones are quite “hard core” in nature. They perform well in rough places and can handle more strain. One of their key characteristics is their tires. They are actually more wider, knobbier and absorbs shock well. Generally, this bikes are classified into four types i.e fully Rigid, hard Tail, Soft Tail and Dual/ full Suspension.

Full suspension have a suspension fork in the rear and the front while fully rigid do not have nay suspension. Hard tail on the other hand has a suspension fork in the front while soft tail, has very less suspension in the rear and its frame has a flex in the rear, rather than the pivot.

Mountain bikes are superbly designed and their features are even better now than before. The modern ones today have 21, 24 or 27 speeds and are normally fitted with 3 gears in the front while the rear has 7, 8, or 9. They also have disc brakes that makes stopping easier.

With the growing of mountain biking as a sport, Mountain bikes are rising in demand together with accessories that accompany them. Nevertheless, we ought to be careful when buying this accessories. In fact, you’ll notice that most of this equipment like helmets, knee and elbow caps etc are meant for our safety and they’re important to acquire before we go out riding. Some of the commonly known manufactures of this bile include; Arrow Racing, Dagger, Dart, Full Dynamix, Airborne cycles and Alpine design MTBs.



By: Peter Gitundu

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If you take part in mountain biking, especially the extreme kind, then it is inevitable at some point that you will have a crash. You can see mountain bike crashes on DVDs around the world, some are lucky as they have the right safety equipment, whilst others are not. Stunt crashes can be fascinating to watch, but the real life ones can be horrific and they can cause serious injury.

The potential injuries that can occur with mountain bike crashes are endless. Many bikers have been impaled on their bikes handlebars, they have broken their arm after falling off and some have even been paralyzed after a bad fall. So the injuries that you can sustain are quite severe. Crashes don’t just occur when you take part in extreme mountain biking. They can also occur when you take part in casual riding too. However obviously there is more of a risk involved with extreme downhill riding where jumps and tricks are involved.

Protecting Yourself against Crashes

The only way to truly protect yourself against a crash is to ensure that you have the correct safety equipment. You cannot always predict a crash when you are out riding on your mountain bike, but if you wear the appropriate safety equipment then you can at least protect yourself from serious injury. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or an expert rider, you will have a crash at some point. So what protection should you have to keep you as safe as possible?

When you hit the ground after a fall, usually the first things to get hurt are your hands. Many people do not think to protect their hands whilst they are out riding and unfortunately that can cause problems if you do fall off the bike. The wrists ad our fingers are most sensitive to injury after a fall and it only takes a minor knock for them to get seriously injured. So wearing gloves is definitely a good idea as if you do fall off, the skin will be kept in place because of the gloves.

Essentially however the most important safety equipment you will need is a helmet. You should never go anywhere without your helmet, even if you are just going on a leisurely ride along a field! Anything can happen and the accident may not be your fault but if you fall and hit your head you could potentially suffer a serious injury. The way that helmets are designed these days makes them extremely comfortable to wear. They really can make the difference between life and death and so if there’s one piece of safety equipment you will not go without, make sure that it is the helmet.

Overall the helmet, gloves and eye protection are generally the only safety equipment you need when out cycling. You will definitely suffer from at least one crash on your bike so it is always better to be prepared for the inevitable.



By: Alison Addy

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In the market for a new mountain bike? Don’t type in your credit card details just yet. A new mountain bike is a substantial purchase, and a little bit of research and thought can make the whole ordeal both easier and more satisfying. This guide will help you find the right mountain bike for the right price.

What Kind of Bike is Right For You?

Mountain bikes come in a number of different styles and makes, depending on the type of terrain you plan on taking on. One bike might be best suited to a rough-terrain, downhill ride, while another bike is optimal road or light off-road riding.

In your search for a new bike, be sure and take into account the terrain you’ll be riding on. Some of the cheaper models are just fine for light conditions, but if you plan on taking on some really adventurous rides, it’s definitely worth it to shell out a few extra dollars.

Another thing to take into account is that mountain bikes, like road bikes, generally come in a Men’s and Women’s style. The difference is not just aesthetic: men and women have different body builds, and riding the wrong style of bike can either impede your ability, or worse, end up hurting you.

Also, make sure and look at the suspension that comes with the bike. In mountain biking, a good suspension can mean the difference between a smooth, enjoyable ride and an utterly disastrous one. Optimally, we recommend a full- or dual-suspension, preferably an adjustable one, for serious riding, though a front- or rear-only suspension is fine for road and simple-trail riding. Understand your options and find out which is best for you: full suspension or front suspension.

Set a Price Range

Like any other specialized product, mountain bikes come in a wide spectrum of prices. Frankly, you could spend anywhere from $100 to over $4,000 on a new mountain bike. Consider your budget and set a realistic maximum price for your new bike.

If you’re looking to save a few dollars (and who isn’t?), we highly recommend checking online, especially for used bikes. You can find a used machine for a fraction of the price, and if you’re thorough in your shopping, you can find one that is in perfect or near-perfect condition.

Specialized Components

There are a number of components to look at for your new bicycle. Besides the all-important suspension, it’s a good idea to look at breaks, frame composition, gear-shifters, and other options.

For example, rim brakes are generally cheaper than disc brakes, but offer less control. For easy riding, rim brakes are just fine, but if you’re going on tough downhill rides, you’ll definitely want the added punch of high-quality disc brakes.

Tires are also crucial. Wide tires (1.5-2 Inches) are ideal for rough terrain, because they give you maximum control. Thinner tires are much better suited to road and light off-road situations (much like the super-thin tires seen on quality road bikes) because they allow for higher speed, but will cause problems when the terrain changes.



By: David A Carter

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bdumoit123 asked:

Trail riding at Jack Brooks Park in Hitchcock.

With all the bicycle lubricants on the market today, are you having trouble deciding which type to use on your mountain bike chain? Should you buy a drip or aerosol? Should you use a wet, dry, or wax lube? The following are some suggestions for choosing the right type of bike lube for your bicycle chain.

Drip vs. Aerosol Bike Lube

Bicycle lubricants come in either a drip or aerosol application. I recommend the drip application because it is easier to get the lube directly on the necessary parts of the bicycle chain. The spray lube gets on other parts of the bicycle, which just collects more dust and grime while riding.

Types of Bike Lube

There are several different types of bike lubes on the market. It is important to choose the right kind of bicycle lubricant to match the conditions you ride in. The following gives you an idea of which types of bike lubes are best for certain riding conditions:

Wet lubes: This type of lube goes on wet and stays wet. This lube is great for riding in wet, muddy, or winter riding conditions or if you will be doing many stream crossings.

Advantages: This type of bicycle lubricant does not wash off when it gets wet and you do usually not have to apply it as often as the dry or wax lubricants if you ride in wet conditions.

Disadvantages: Wet lubes can be messy if you ride in certain types of conditions. For example, you will get an oily black residue on your mountain bike chain if you ride in dry dusty conditions. It is also more difficult to clean the chain than is the case with other lubes.

Dry lubes:This bicycle lubricant goes on wet and then dries. Dry lubes are great for riding in dry dusty conditions.

Advantages: Dry lubricants prevent dirt from sticking to the chain and do not get as messy as wet lubes. The key to using a dry bicycle lubricant is to put it on several hours before you ride so it dries and does not collect dirt when riding.

Disadvantages: Dry bike lubes Wash off and have to be reapplied if you are doing lots of stream crossings or riding in wetter conditions.

Wax lubes: Leaves a wax coating on the bicycle chain. Another option for dry conditions

Advantages: A wax coating causes the dirt to flake off the chain so it does not have to be cleaned as frequently. This is a good alternative if you are meticulous about keeping your chain clean and if your chain does not get wet often.

Disadvantages: Wax lube has to be applied more frequently than oil lubes and does not work well in wet or muddy conditions. There is some controversy as to whether wax lubes are as good for your bicycle chain as oil lubes because the wax is not believed to get in between the necessary moving parts as well as oil lubes.

Important Tips:

There are many different brands of bicycle lubricants on the market. Some riders like to use their own concoctions or products on the market that are not specifically made for bicycle chains. If you decide to do this, do some research to make sure they will not damage your chain. WB40, for example, is not a good lubricant for your bike chain.

It is important that you have a clean mountain bike chain before you apply bicycle lube to it. If it is dirty, the lube will work the dirt into the moving parts of the chain, which accelerates chain wear.



By: Mary Blomquist

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Over the course of the past few decades the bicycle has gone through several developments and one of them in particular is the introduction of what has become known as the mountain bike. Just what is it in particular that separates this relatively newer type of bicycle from other types of more conventional bicycles that are available on the market? The most basic answer to that question is that this particular type of bicycle is configured to be ridden off-road; off paved roads in more rugged terrain such as dirt trails, rocky paths, steep inclines and riverbeds, etc.

So whilst other types of bicycles tend to have low profile tread patterns on their tires for better traction on paved services, a mountain bike will always have a heavier tread on their tires that’s typically referred to as “knobby tread”. They also tend to have smaller wheels that allow the rider to more readily reach the ground with his or her feet for better control in rougher terrain.

Front end suspension is another common feature on this type of bicycle and it allows for better shock absorption. However, in more recent years, both front and back suspension has become more popular for even better shock absorption and control.

Another feature of this specialised bike is a wide padded seat for maximum comfort during the jarring rides. Then while multiple gears are an optional feature on bicycles that are designed for road use, they’re a must-have feature option when riding off roads. The reason here is the abruptly changing terrain that can go quickly from a level riding surface to a steep upgrade. So in general a quality mountain bike will have between 5 to 10 gears, but in more recent times some manufacturers have begun to produce models that feature up to 30 gears.

Frames that are manufactured from metal and metal alloys are also a relatively new adaptation. Due to the higher cost of the metal itself and also the added labour that goes into forming and welding them, this alone can considerably run up the cost.

Disc brakes are yet one more specialised feature that today’s serious off-road rider can opt for. Disc brakes allow for faster stops and also require less hand-grip tension when stopping.

Competitive Mountain biking as a spectator sport has become increasingly popular since its advent in the 70s and this alone has had a profound effect on the development of bikes that the competitors use. Ever increasing amounts of money and lucrative manufacturing endorsement deals means that far more is at stake for the competitor than just the glory of winning.

The companies that produce mountain bikes have responded in kind by designing specific types of bicycles with features that are tailored for the different categories of competitions. There are bikes that are built specifically for cross-country riding, downhill trail racing and trick riding; where each contestant is judged on his or her skills and showmanship while performing stunts.

All this has come at a cost though, whilst in the early years a rider could expect to spend hundreds of dollars on a top quality high-performance bicycle, today it’s not uncommon to find models with price tags that run into thousands of dollars.



By: Perry Gates


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