Elite Mountain Bikes For Amateur And Professional Mountain Bike Racers

The joy of the mountain bike is that they come with so many gears that, if you shift into the lowest one, you can ride up a mountain with no problem. It may take you all day, but you can do it.

It’s been a long time since the “10-speed” bike was the ne plus ultra of biking sophistication when it came to gears. These days, especially in mountain bikes, you can get anything up to 27 speeds.

What are all these gears in aid of? Quite simply, they allow you to pedal at the same cadence – regardless of whether you’re going uphill, downhill, or cross country.

However, the main reason why mountain bikes have so many gears is to assist you in climbing up those mountains!

The main thing to remember when shifting is that you must always shift while pedaling, otherwise you’ll strip the gears.

Front Derailleur
The gears are divided into two parts. There are three chain rings in the front, which are controlled by the left hand gear shifter. That’s why there are 3 numbers to choose from on that gear shifter – to choose which of three front rings your chain will rest on. The “derailleur” attached to the gear shifter moves the chain from one ring to another.

When the chain is on the smallest of these three chain rings (1), pedaling will be very easy. This is called the granny gear. The second chain ring is for level, off road riding (2), and the third, or largest chain ring, is good for riding on pavement.

So if you want to use just those three gears, you can certainly do so. But, using the right hand shifter, you can take advantage of the increments of gears available to you.

Rear Derailleur
The back chain ring is a cog set featuring seven, eight or nine cogs, depending on how many “speeds” you have (21, 24 or 27). Each cog is of a different size, and again, the smaller size cogs will enable you to pedal very, very easily – but not go very fast, while the larger size cogs will allow you to go further with each downward stroke of the pedal.

The best thing to do is to practice, practice, practice. Take your bike to a parking lot or somewhere where you don’t have to worry about people, and shift from one gear to another, getting used to each one and how easy or difficult it is to pedal while in that gear.

People new to biking might be rather wary of shifting gears. Shifting always was a bit problematic during the “old days” – when one only had a pair of center mounted levels to work with, but now gear shifters – the twist type – are so easy to use that there is no reason to be afraid of shifting. Again, as long as you’re pedaling while you shift, you won’t hurt the gears.

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Alastair Hamilton is the author of many articles on subjects like bicycles and published at www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about mountain bike reviews at his website.

When it comes to mountain bikes you can’t just choose any old bike. It needs to be rugged and dependable but it also needs to be lightweight and easy to handle. When it comes to buying bikes online or offline you always want to make sure you are getting the best deal possible. I don’t care if a bike is $3000. If I can get it elsewhere for the same bike and a thousand dollars less, then what choice do you think I’m going to make?!? Obviously I would pick the cheaper priced one.

One thing you might really consider looking is online. I know this doesn’t sound like the most obvious choice – but it should be! Not only can you find a ton of different brand name bikes but you can get your hands on that discount I was talking about above. In a lot of cases you don’t even have to pay for shipping and handling! So that is definitely something you should think about when buying a new or used bike! Let’s have a look at three of the most popular mountain and riding bikes available to someone such as yourself!

This bike brand includes “styles” such as; Rush Mountain Bike Lefty Crossmax XT SRAM, Mountain Bike / Shimano XT / Headshock, and 2007 Capo 54cm Single Speed Fixed Track Bike. Sites online that sell bikes will most likely sell bike equipment as well!

K2 Lithium. The components on the K2 Lithium 4.0 are a great mix. The selection is both reliable and lightweight. While the Manitou Black fork isn’t my favorite fork in the world, it performed well, and for this price range you can’t ask for much more. The Swinger rear shock makes for an efficient ride and the Hayes HFX-9 hydraulic brakes never faltered.

The K2 Lithium 4.0 is really set up as a lightweight, long travel cross country bike. That said, it feels comfortable from the get go and has a great natural feeling ride. The only change we made to the setup was a shorter stem when things got steep and/or technical, a little more rise in the bars might help here as well. As it is, the bike is set up great for epic cross country rides and all mountain cruising.

Marin Pioneer Trail Bike has a hard-tail aluminum frame transfers your energy efficiently to cover ground quickly. Aluminum frame is lightweight, a plus when climbing hills and when lifting the bike on or off your bike rack. Spinner Grind OS 2 fork offers a beefy 100mm travel to absorb shock and smooth out your ride.

Shimano Altus shifters, C-050 front and Altus rear derailleurs move the chain responsively through all 21 gear combinations. Truvativ X-Flow 3.0 crankset with triple chainrings powers the efficient 7-speed, 14-28 cassette; this bike is ready for climbing hard and rolling fast. # Kenda 26×1.95 inch tires provide sure grip, whether crossing mud, climbing a dusty trail or jetting over to your favorite cafe!

Article Source: http://5star-articles.com

This Author is a huge fan of cannondale bikes

The type of tires you use on your bike depends on its usage. Mountain bikes can be ridden on many different terrains and for different activities. You need different skills as well as different tires for many of these. If you pick the right mountain bike tires they will help your riding and make it safer.
Tires either come with a standard inner tube to keep them inflated or they are tubeless, so the question to answer is which one do you go for?
Most tubeless tires have a tough sidewall that locks into a sealed-bed rim. This kind of tires are hardy enough for rough terrain so they are good for downhill riding but they are expensive.
The benefits of an airtight seal and a durable, low pressure performance are outweighed by the cost. They also require a clean rim and tire to fit them, and a big pump to inflate them.
If a tire has to be replaced on a trail clean conditions are usually unavailable. Even with a CO2 cartridge pump you’ll probably have to use an inner tube to get you home, where you can the repair the tire. Although large holes can mean the tire has to be written off, even though small holes can often be fixed.
Tubeless tires are heavier as well, so if you need to get quick start times and riding speeds go for a lighter tire. Tires with inner tubes are lighter and offer more flexibility. They are also available in more treads and design styles, so getting the right tire might be easier.
You can get kits to convert tires from an inner tube to tubeless. These work by combining a latex-based filler liquid with a rubber rim strip that seals the inside of the tire and rim. You might have to top up the filler occasionally but it still costs less than buying a tubeless tire.
You will still get most of the benefits of a tubeless tire but with a much wider choice of treads and rims, and with only the cost of the kit and latex-based filler to pay for. They are lighter as well, but you might still get the same repair issues while on a trail.
Whichever sort of tires you use it is really important to replace them regularly. A blow out could cause injury on a trail or cost you a competition. By making the right choices and with regular maintenance your tires will help your riding massively.

Article Source: http://www.articledirectorylive.com

Get more information on mountain bike tires and tips about mountain bike maintenance here.

Mountain bike cycling is probably the most accessible sort of cycling available, and definitely the most exciting by far. It is superb for fitness and it takes you away from traffic and all the usual daily stresses of life.
Mountain bike cycling is mainly done off-road, in the countryside, on paths and trails, including tough technical trails for experienced mountain bike riders. If you are new to mountain bike cycling don’t attempt any difficult trails until you have gained some skills and experience.
To improve your riding skills the best thing you can do is practice a lot. It can be helpful sometimes to watch more experienced riders to pick up tips, or even watch DVDs but the most helpful thing is definitely practice.
To get practicing you are going to need a mountain bike, so choosing one is your first job. There are lots of designs of mountain bike available and they all vary in price. If you are just starting the best thing to do is get a less expensive bike until you know where you like to ride the most.
Once you have your bike you’ll need to get some suitable clothes to wear to ride it. Mountan bikers usually go for a fairly casual look, such as baggy shorts. You can get specialist mountain bike shorts that look like ordinary shorts but they have a padded lining for comfort on a bike.
There are several items that are essential to wear when mountain bike cycling, at all times, whatever the weather or trail. These are gloves, glasses and a helmet. They are safety equipment to protect you from flying debris, such as stones and mud, low hanging and prickly branches, and falls.
You will most likely have a few minor falls, as these are just part of the fun of mountain bike cycling. But if you are wearing the appropriate safety equipment you should only get bruises and grazes.
When you’ve got all the appropriate gear you’ll have to think of where to go mountain bike cycling. There are plenty of guides to local areas available from bike shops, book shops or on the internet, and you can get really good local information from Visitor Information Centres locally. There are even some allocated mountain bike centres run by the Forestry Commission with marked bike trails for different abilities.
When you have all the correct gear and information you will be ready to go mountain bike cycling, but some basic knowledge of mountain bike maintenance would also be a big advantage to keep you safe and help you to push yourself to the limit. The most important thing of all is to really enjoy the adrenaline rush.

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Get more information on mountain bike brands, mountain bike cycling safety, clothing and shoes before you get started.

Mountain biking is without a doubt one of the most exciting forms of recreation suitable for all ages, sizes and abilities. It’s a wonderful way to exercise, explore outdoors, and have loads of fun. All that is needed is a fitting mountain bike, a bit of enthusiasm and, of course, the helmet.
If you’re going to do mountain biking, you should know what sort, so you can choose the appropriate bike. There are 4 main categories and they include cross country, downhill/freeride, all-mountain, and trials.
Each style of mountain biking has a corresponding type of mountain bike. Each type of mountain bike is designed for different kinds of terrain and obstacles and has its own pros and cons. So you should be clear about your riding preferences.
Downhill/Freeride bikes are designed to take huge drops and hits while speeding down hills on rough terrain. They are very durable and heavy, they have full suspension and a limited selection of gears, sometimes only 7-9. They don’t perform very well uphill, but have no competition down.
All-mountain bikes are a blend between cross country and freeride/downhill bikes. They have full-suspension with medium travel, a full gear set and somewhat heavier frame than cross country bikes. They’re suitable for climbing and descending on a variety of terrains.
If you’re looking for light and all-round efficient mountain bike, consider Cross-Country. These bikes are most suitable for the average mountain biker, who doesn’t go in the extremes. They are light, they offer full selection of gears (generally 27) and will do great for climbing up hills as going down.
Generally light and strong, trial mountain bikes require a great degree of skill. Usually they have no suspension and offer only one gear. Not suitable for weekend riders.
After you decide what you wanna do with your bike, it’s time to go buy it. But how to choose, there are so many brands? Well, brands are not that important. I myself am a fan of Iron Horse bicycles, but that’s just me. When buying a mountain bike you should concentrate on the quality of the components.
That’s it. Now put on your helmet and enjoy the ride.

Article Source: http://www.articledirectorylive.com

Alex Preston is a mountain biker and photographer. He likes to ride his Ironhorse bicycle, which is currently Iron Horse Yakuza Aniki.