A mountain bike will need maintenance to make sure that it is at its peak performance. One of the ways to do this is to lube the bike before you go on a ride make sure that things go smoothly. It is suggested that you do this the day before so that everything is fully lubed and smooth and ready for you in the morning.
1. The chain
Apply a generous amount of mountain bike lube to your chain as you move the pedals around backwards. It also helps to find a spot to steady your hand such as the frame while you move the pedals around and around. Make sure you watch out for the cranks and chain rings as they move around.
2. Front Deraileur
On the front defaileur, lube the pivots. Use a spot of lube everywhere you can see movement when
you move the shift lever.
3. Rear deraileur
Just like the front deraileur, lube the pivots.
4. Pedals
There are some types of clipless pedals that will need to have the release mechanism lubed. You should only lube this mechanism if you have this type of pedal.
5. Everything into motion
Pedal around, shift your gears, and bounce your bike around. If you hear anything squeak, there's a moving part there are it should be lubed immediately.
6. Wipe it all clean
Once you've lubed everything and wiped it all around, simply wipe it all back off. Use a rag to wipe away all the lube you used, including all the lube off the chain. Wiping it away will leave the lube in between the parts but clean it away from everywhere it isn't needed. This will keep your bike from collecting dirt while you ride.
Maintenance is important so make sure that you take out some time from your day to make sure that something you spent a lot of money on is in great working conditions.
Thursday 27 February 2014
Thursday 20 February 2014
Accessories That You'll Need For Mountain Biking
One of the most confusing things that you'll have to deal with after buying a bike is what accessories are you going to need for you and your bike. There are numerous things out there and most you won't really need but you might be distracted by them. Here are some essentials that you should look for first....
There are several mountain biking accessories and related products that you can purchase. Although
the sales staff will try to sell you anything they can, the real question for those on a budget isn't what's cool, but what accessories you need to make your rides more safe and enjoyable. By starting
with these accessories, you'll be just fine when you hit the trails.
Bike helmet
The bike helmet is the most important mountain biking accessory that you can buy. No one should ever be on a bike without a helmet. There have been many people who have experienced serious head injury, when it could have prevented by wearing a helmet. All mountain bike helmets are comfortable and stylish and everyone who rides on the trails wears one.
Mountain bike gloves
No matter what season you ride in, your hands can take a beating. Beginners will normally keep a death grip on the handle bars, which can be very brutal for their hands. When you crash, your hands will be the first thing to hit the ground - and everyone crashes at some point. Mountain bike gloves are a must have accessory, as they will take the beating for you.
Mountain bike shorts
After the first few mountain bike rides you take, you'll notice that your rear end will be quite uncomfortable. Even though your body will adjust, bike shorts are great to have as they will help keep it at a bare minimum. You can get shorts that are very comfortable, making them a great addition to your mountain bike ride.
Mountain bike shoes
Depending on the type of pedals you have and the type of riding you do, you'll want to pick your mountain bike shoes accordingly. If your bike has clipless type pedals, you'll want to get shoes to accept the special cleat for your pedals. Good mountain bike shoes are durable, comfortable, and also a stiff sole for better efficiency when pedaling. Also, you should make sure to get the right shoe for the terrain you'll be riding in as well.
Eye protection
If you get something in your eye, you can run off the trail in a matter of seconds. Sunglasses or clear lensed glasses can help keep your eyes safe from debris, as well as protect them from the wind. When you buy your glasses, make sure they are non-breakable.
Hydration system
Bringing a water bottle or hydration backpack with you is always a great idea. It's very easy to get dehydrated so you should always bring water with you and drink it on the trail to ensure that your body stays properly hydrated at all times.
Trail repair kit
It's easy to get stuck in the woods or on the trail if you don't bring the proper repair kit for your bike. To be on the safe side, bring a multi-tool designed for bike repair, tire levers, and a patch kit for fixing flat tires.
These tips should help clear your vision on what equipment to get for your ride and keep spending down to a minimum on things you don't.
There are several mountain biking accessories and related products that you can purchase. Although
the sales staff will try to sell you anything they can, the real question for those on a budget isn't what's cool, but what accessories you need to make your rides more safe and enjoyable. By starting
with these accessories, you'll be just fine when you hit the trails.
Bike helmet
The bike helmet is the most important mountain biking accessory that you can buy. No one should ever be on a bike without a helmet. There have been many people who have experienced serious head injury, when it could have prevented by wearing a helmet. All mountain bike helmets are comfortable and stylish and everyone who rides on the trails wears one.
Mountain bike gloves
No matter what season you ride in, your hands can take a beating. Beginners will normally keep a death grip on the handle bars, which can be very brutal for their hands. When you crash, your hands will be the first thing to hit the ground - and everyone crashes at some point. Mountain bike gloves are a must have accessory, as they will take the beating for you.
Mountain bike shorts
After the first few mountain bike rides you take, you'll notice that your rear end will be quite uncomfortable. Even though your body will adjust, bike shorts are great to have as they will help keep it at a bare minimum. You can get shorts that are very comfortable, making them a great addition to your mountain bike ride.
Mountain bike shoes
Depending on the type of pedals you have and the type of riding you do, you'll want to pick your mountain bike shoes accordingly. If your bike has clipless type pedals, you'll want to get shoes to accept the special cleat for your pedals. Good mountain bike shoes are durable, comfortable, and also a stiff sole for better efficiency when pedaling. Also, you should make sure to get the right shoe for the terrain you'll be riding in as well.
Eye protection
If you get something in your eye, you can run off the trail in a matter of seconds. Sunglasses or clear lensed glasses can help keep your eyes safe from debris, as well as protect them from the wind. When you buy your glasses, make sure they are non-breakable.
Hydration system
Bringing a water bottle or hydration backpack with you is always a great idea. It's very easy to get dehydrated so you should always bring water with you and drink it on the trail to ensure that your body stays properly hydrated at all times.
Trail repair kit
It's easy to get stuck in the woods or on the trail if you don't bring the proper repair kit for your bike. To be on the safe side, bring a multi-tool designed for bike repair, tire levers, and a patch kit for fixing flat tires.
These tips should help clear your vision on what equipment to get for your ride and keep spending down to a minimum on things you don't.
Thursday 13 February 2014
How The Gears Of Your Bike Work
With the evolution of the sports and activity mountain bikes have developed and become more fancy in their design. Today we can see bikes having as many as 27 different gears to help aid the rider with their challenge of getting up and down a mountain. Some of you might actually be interested in how the gears work and if so keep reading on...
The idea behind all these gears is to allow the rider to crank the pedals at a constant pace no matter what kind of slope the bike is on. You can understand this better by picturing a bike with just a single gear. Each time you rotate the pedals one turn, the rear wheel would rotate one turn as well (1:1 gear ratio).
If the rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then with 1:1 gearing, one full twist on the pedals would result in the wheel covering 81.6 inches of ground. If you are pedaling at a speed of 50 RPM, this means that the bike can cover over 340 feet of ground per minute. This is only 3.8 MPH, which is the equivalence of walking speed. This is ideal for climbing a steep hill, although bad for ground or going downhill.
To go faster you'll need a different ratio. To ride downhill at 25 MPH with a 50 RPM cadence at the
pedals, you'll need a 5.6:1 gear ratio. A bike with a lot of gears will give you a large number of increments between a 1:1 gear ratio and a 6.5:1 gear ratio so that you can always pedal at 50 RPM,
no matter how fast you are actually going.
On a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the gear ratios are so close to each other that you can't notice any difference between them.
With actual use, bike riders tend to choose a front sprocket suitable for the slope they are riding on
and stick with it, although the front sprocket can be difficult to shift under heavy load. It's much
easier to shit between the gears on the rear.
If you are cranking up a hill, it's best to choose the smallest sprocket on the front then shift between the nine gears available on the rear. The more speeds you have on the back sprocket, the bigger advantage you'll have.
All in all, gears are very important to mountain bikes as they dictate your overall speed. Without gears you wouldn't be able to build speed nor would you be able to pound pedals. The gears will move the pedals and help you build up speed.
There are all types of gears available in mountain bikes, all of which will help you build up a lot of momentum if you use them the right way.
Hopefully that has satisfied any questions or thoughts you had about the gears of a mountain bike
The idea behind all these gears is to allow the rider to crank the pedals at a constant pace no matter what kind of slope the bike is on. You can understand this better by picturing a bike with just a single gear. Each time you rotate the pedals one turn, the rear wheel would rotate one turn as well (1:1 gear ratio).
If the rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then with 1:1 gearing, one full twist on the pedals would result in the wheel covering 81.6 inches of ground. If you are pedaling at a speed of 50 RPM, this means that the bike can cover over 340 feet of ground per minute. This is only 3.8 MPH, which is the equivalence of walking speed. This is ideal for climbing a steep hill, although bad for ground or going downhill.
To go faster you'll need a different ratio. To ride downhill at 25 MPH with a 50 RPM cadence at the
pedals, you'll need a 5.6:1 gear ratio. A bike with a lot of gears will give you a large number of increments between a 1:1 gear ratio and a 6.5:1 gear ratio so that you can always pedal at 50 RPM,
no matter how fast you are actually going.
On a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the gear ratios are so close to each other that you can't notice any difference between them.
With actual use, bike riders tend to choose a front sprocket suitable for the slope they are riding on
and stick with it, although the front sprocket can be difficult to shift under heavy load. It's much
easier to shit between the gears on the rear.
If you are cranking up a hill, it's best to choose the smallest sprocket on the front then shift between the nine gears available on the rear. The more speeds you have on the back sprocket, the bigger advantage you'll have.
All in all, gears are very important to mountain bikes as they dictate your overall speed. Without gears you wouldn't be able to build speed nor would you be able to pound pedals. The gears will move the pedals and help you build up speed.
There are all types of gears available in mountain bikes, all of which will help you build up a lot of momentum if you use them the right way.
Hopefully that has satisfied any questions or thoughts you had about the gears of a mountain bike
Thursday 6 February 2014
What Is Cross Country Mountain Biking?
Cross country is the main choice of mountain biking when starting out. This involves as its suggested going long distances up and down mountains. This is different to downhill riders who take lifts to the top of mountains most times just to feel the rush of going downhill, cross country on the other hand enjoys the journey up the mountain instead of just down.
Just as cross country riders are a different breed, the bikes they ride are as well. The cross country
bike is completely different in many ways from other types of mountain riding bikes. The premise for cross country riders is speed. Everything about their bikes revolve with the idea of making the
bikes faster and faster.
Bikes used in cross country mountain biking can be fully rigid frame, hardtails, or even full suspension frames. Through the years, the cross over to full suspension has become very popular.
The weight difference between free ride bikes and cross country bikes are considerable. You'll be
extremely hard pressed to find a bike that weighs more than 24 pounds, and even that weight can be
heavy. Free ride bikes weigh close to 40 pounds, which makes the difference in weight pretty close.
If you've never tried cross country mountain biking, you'll probably find it to be a break from the
ordinary. Even though this type of biking involves trails, it's normally the type of terrain that beginners wouldn't want to ride. Involving hills and rough terrain, cross country biking offers
quite the rush.
For mountain bikers everywhere, cross country is the way to go. It offers you a new assortment of
bikes, new areas to bike, and a new twist to mountain biking as you know it. If you've been looking for a mountain biking rush, cross country mountain biking is what you need to be experiencing.
Just as cross country riders are a different breed, the bikes they ride are as well. The cross country
bike is completely different in many ways from other types of mountain riding bikes. The premise for cross country riders is speed. Everything about their bikes revolve with the idea of making the
bikes faster and faster.
Bikes used in cross country mountain biking can be fully rigid frame, hardtails, or even full suspension frames. Through the years, the cross over to full suspension has become very popular.
The weight difference between free ride bikes and cross country bikes are considerable. You'll be
extremely hard pressed to find a bike that weighs more than 24 pounds, and even that weight can be
heavy. Free ride bikes weigh close to 40 pounds, which makes the difference in weight pretty close.
If you've never tried cross country mountain biking, you'll probably find it to be a break from the
ordinary. Even though this type of biking involves trails, it's normally the type of terrain that beginners wouldn't want to ride. Involving hills and rough terrain, cross country biking offers
quite the rush.
For mountain bikers everywhere, cross country is the way to go. It offers you a new assortment of
bikes, new areas to bike, and a new twist to mountain biking as you know it. If you've been looking for a mountain biking rush, cross country mountain biking is what you need to be experiencing.
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