Mountain Bike Fun!

One of you biggest investments when considering taking on an adventure race is your mountain bike. Generally, the boat for the paddle section will either be provided for you by the race organizers or you will rent it. The gear for the trekking and navigating sections is minimal, and many races do not even include a climbing section anymore, so save the bulk of your budget for your bike.

With that said, you still don’t want to break the bank. Here in Colorado it’s not unusual to see a car valued in the hundreds of dollars hauling on its roof a bike worth thousands. Sure you can get a mountain bike with full suspension, the absolute lightest components and all the bells and whistles but remember, little Timmy is going to need braces someday.

By the way, unless you are taking on an urban assault, it is pretty much guaranteed that portions of the bike section will be on dirt roads, trails, rocks and other surfaces which will launch a road bike into a formal protest, so let’s look at the two types of mountain bikes you will want to consider, hard tails and full suspension bikes.

Hard Tails

Hard tail is lingo amongst mountain bikers for a bike which only has shocks on the front forks, thus a “hard tail.” Generally, a hard tail is both lighter and cheaper than a full suspension mountain bike. The shocks on the front end are designed to absorb some of the impact and bumps on the front tire while allowing for some added comfort and control.

Full or Dual Suspension

Full suspension means a mountain bike which has shocks on both the front forks and on the rear of the bike. Further comfort and control, especially downhill, comes for a higher price and added weight. As this is being written, some full suspension bikes are catching up to hard tails weight wise, but you’ll pay a premium to shed the weight looking at over $2000.00 at a minimum.

Recommendation:

The good news is that most entry level bikes these days come with adequate components and will get you through your first training session and race. If you’re a beginner or on a budget, I would recommend going with a hard tail in order to save money, keep the weight of the bike down and ease your maintenance requirements.

When it came time for me to decide on my first bike I bought a 2003 Jamis Durango for $350.00. It got me through my first race with flying colors and, with a couple of component upgrades, I still use the bike today, most recently in my first 24 hour mountain bike race.



By: Taylor Pensoneau


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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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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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Launch video for Blessingbourne Estate mountain bikes trails in Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland

Mountain biking is an adventurous sport especially when the bike you use has a prefer pair of wheels. To get this perfect pair of wheels, the wheelsets should be a combination of durable rims and tubeless tires and a perfect traction. Choosing these important features when settling for a mountain bike is mandatory to ensure a safe sporting experience.

Follow these simple guidelines and find your bike wheelsets

1. The rims form the bike’s main component as this is what the entire bike rests on. Hence it should be strong and durable. The two metals that are used for making rims are steel and aluminum. When selecting rims for mountain bikes you should not compromise on quality even if you should pay a bit more. Quality rims will have many ******* that are hidden within them. These help to hold the spokes in place and connect them firmly to the rim.

2. Since your bike is a mountain bike surely the traction should be extremely high. Make sure you choose the best traction that would allow you easy running over rough and rocky terrain as this is the point that grips the wheel to the pavement while riding. It is easy to identify the best traction for your bike. Look at the tread pattern on the tires. The more treads the higher traction, lesser treads low traction.

This is only a small piece of information from my very limited knowledge of the sport. You can learn more about it with the help of internet. There are thousands of blogs and how to articles that will help you to choose a good wheelset which matches your taste and the terrain where you are practicing. Any kind of sport is dangerous if it is not done with the help of the right gears.

Mountain biking is not only an adventurous sport it could be dangerous too if your bike is not sturdy enough to take the impact. The wheels play the most vital part in the bikes hence the wheelsets should be of the right proportion to allow a steady and hassle free running over the mountain terrain which is most of the time rough and rocky. An attractive mountain bike on a sturdy pair of wheels makes all the difference! I also do a lot of online shopping for picking my favorite wheelsets and from my experience it is always cheap to grab it at an online store where they will have discounts.



By: Jimmy Jenkins Ray


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There are nine different kinds of mountain biking, each offering its own unique type of thrill or enjoyment. BMX biking is on small, nimble bikes with 20 inch wheels. These bikes are used for jumping and are usually used at a skate park, or in an area that has dirt mounds to jump off. Their small size and and short wheel base makes them perfect for performing biking stunts and tricks.

A cross country mountain bike is perfect for riding on hills and through uneven terrain. It’s an easier sport than BMX biking, but most cross country bikers like to travel long distances, as a cross country runner would do. This keeps these bikers as fit as cross country runners as well.

Cyclo cross biking is a combination of road biking and mountain biking. The sport involves a course that covers both on and off road sections. The course may contain water crossings and other obstacles as well.

Dirt jumping is a kind of mountain biking that is done on large man made mounds of dirt. While they are aerial in the middle of the jump, the biker will attempt to perform tricks and spins in the air. The mounds are placed relatively close together, so the biker builds up more speed and height on each subsequent jump.

Downhill mountain biking is just that: a race to bike down a hill as fast as possible. This is a a very strenuous but thrilling sport, since travelling downhill on mountain bikes at high speeds over uneven terrain is very difficult and dangerous.

Free mountain biking means the biker hugs the contours of the mountain to find the best route to the bottom. This is a very popular sport since each biker has his own style to express and it is fun to watch the various ways they do so.

Single speed mountain biking uses the simplistic approach to mountain biking. The bikes are designed with only one speed and very few moving parts, yielding an ultra light bike that relies solely on the strength of the biker, rather than a mechanical advantage.

Street or urban mountain bikes are used in the city, almost like a skateboard. Urban mountain bikers use railings, ledges and other features of the urban landscape to perform their tricks such as “stalls” and “grinds”.

Trail mountain biking uses a very low framed bike with small wheels. This allows the biker to jump the bike over obstacles. This is a difficult sport, requiring a good sense of balance and a high degree of concentration.



By: Alison Addy

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A mountain bike’s's frame is the core component of the mountain bicycle. It is is attached to all the bike’s parts, such as the seating, suspension system, forks, handlebars, brakes, and tires. The frame comes in various sizes and types, which usually influence its complete performance, as well as the type of riding it best supports.

Mountain biking, as a sport, has increased in appreciation over the past few years, particularly with the upsurge of action sports or ‘extreme sports.’ It in addition has enjoyed the sponsorship of environmentally-concerned people, who use such bikes not only for the sport, but also as a method to travel in the outdoors and in the town.

As more makers compete for shares in the trail cycling market, they are occupied with the constant development of bike technology, including the materials used in building the bikes. Mountain biking technology has increased by jumps and bounds since the pioneers first assembled mountain bicycles, and has resulted in bikes that are very light-weight yet highly durable. Again, striking a balance between these 2 aspects depends heavily on the sort of mountain bicycle riding you would like to do, and on what terrain.

The 1st mountain bikes were made of steel alloys. Carbon steel metal compounds are still utilized in making beginner-level mountain bikes, and some fans still prefer these kinds. The heaviness of these steel alloys is not always a drawback to the rider, as they provide natural shock assimilation ( thanks to the material itself ), and a superb proportion of strength vs weight, only overreached by expensive titanium metal. Also, bike frames made of steel alloy can be simply repaired, even by the rider himself.

Alpha, Columbus, Easton Aluminum, and Reynolds are just some of the bike firms that manufacture aluminum alloy frames. These reasonably-priced frames are designed for light weight and corrosion resistance, making these convenient to maintain. Aluminum is also used as it is highly malleable, and can be turned into frames of different shapes. These are also sturdy, and their raised levels of rigidity highly impact the success of integrated full suspension systems. Aluminum alloy frames are available at low cost since the material is naturally abundant.

Composite materials like Kevlar (the same material used for bulletproof vests) and carbon fiber are the hottest composites used to make trail bicycle frames. These materials are also made use of for other parts of the bike, as they are intensely light-weight and very robust. However bike frames made with Kevlar and carbon fiber are exceedingly difficult to fix when damaged.

Titanium, the best and most costly material for bike frames, offers the light weight of carbon fiber with strength that may surpass that of the toughest steel alloy frames. It’s also the most corrosion-resistant material for bike frames. Expectedly, all these benefits come with an astronomical price ticket.



By: Darren W Chow

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Video featuring vintage mountain bikes from the collection of First Flight Bikes and the Museum of Mountain Bike Art Technology