Posts Tagged ‘Gears’

Basic Mountain Biking Skills Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Taking the first stride is always the hardest thing to do so I have compiled the basic mountain biking skills you should possess to get you started. For some, these are very obvious; for beginners, these are very helpful.

Brake better, go faster
Every sports car has 2 things in common: large engine and high-performance brakes. This way, even if it runs fast, it can slow down quickly. No sports car is eligible to run at high speed without having good set brakes. This should also be your principle when riding a mountain bike. If you want to improve your speed, invest on good set of brakes.

The Gear Factor
If you know how to drive a car, then you know how important it is to drive on the right gear. The same thing applies on a mountain bike. Low gears are easier to pedal, but slow on acceleration. High gears are much harder but will give you abrupt acceleration. Low gears will help you climb stiff hills. High gears will drive you fast on level terrain. Do not start on high gears. Start low and gradually increase as you gain speed.

The Instant Turn
If you are about to hit a tree, a car or a large rock, you have to learn how to make a quick turn. To turn sharply to the left, steer sharply to the right. This will make your body lean to the left. Then make a hard left turn, steering into the lean and away from your obstacle. While this takes some practice, it can be very useful on emergency situations. Ease up on the rear brake if your rear tire begins to skid. Ease up on the front brake if your rear tire lifts off the ground.

Slowing Down
Riding fast lessens your reaction time significantly. So if you need to slow down to avoid something in front of you, do the following procedures: Shift your body weight as far back as possible, lower your body as low as you can, and squeeze front and rear brakes evenly. Avoid hitting the brake hard if your body is not properly aligned with your bike or if you are making a turn.

I think I’m falling
Yeah, yeah… It may sound so cheesy but the fact is, there is nothing cheesy when your face is about to crash on the rocks and you are about to experience wipe-out of a lifetime. Aside from learning how to ride the bike, the second, most important things you should learn is how to take the fall. The key is alertness. Anticipate all the possible scenarios that can happen on the trail. While the best thing to do when you know you are about to fall is to slow down by braking, make sure that you have an escape route in case your brake fails. Do not go flying up into the air while sticking your arm to protect your fall. Instead, tuck your body and plan your fall – choose where to land best. Do not keep your eyes off the trail. Do not stiffen your muscles.

Practice is said to make one perfect. But in the case of crashing, there is no better way to make the perfect fall than by keeping in control at all times even if you are about to fall 30 feet down the cliff.

Dorine Tiller Author Advocate for good Heath, Weight Management, Exercise and inner peace www.takecontrolofyourwellness.com

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Downhill Mountain Biking – A Dangerous Sport For The Strong Hearted Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Mountain biking is a thrilling and exciting sport and downhill mountain biking is one such activity which is extremely dangerous and can be life threatening. Downhill Biking enthusiasts who have experienced this activity are well aware of the dangers it involves as well as the joy and high it offers. They also know that safety gears and precautions are the best shields while embarking on a downhill mountain biking course.

The sport of Mountain biking began as an ordinary sport where people living in geographic locations suitable for such races took up this as their pastime and later as their passion. However over the years, this sport has generated a huge fan following and despite of the major challenges and dangers that the sport poses, bikers are not ready to quit. Today this sport is termed as an extreme sport and for justifiable reasons. Mountain biking gives bikers the adrenaline high that they desire and which they experience while doing difficult stunts and races.

Mountain biking – a sport similar to snow skiing

Those who are aware and have experienced the thrill of snow skiing on icy slopes will have a little idea about the excitement of mountain biking. Downhill mountain biking is a popular form of mountain biking activity where the biker rides downhill on his mountain bike. On his way down, the biker gets constantly airborne and has to balance himself and the bike while trailing down the rough trails. However the thought of this high is enough to excite the biker to participate in such extreme downhill races.

Mountain Biking is a dangerous sport.

Those who presume downhill mountain biking to be as easy as biking on normal paved roads or riding in cross country biking are completely ignorant. Downhill biking involves high stress levels and the biker has to constantly keep control using his bikes rear and front suspension while simultaneously trying to balance himself and the bike. Bikes used for downhill mountain biking have sturdy frames and are thus heavier with the weights of such bikes ranging from eighty to hundred kilos.

Bikers aiming to participate in downhill mountain biking have to make themselves mentally and physically prepared to face the hardships associated with this activity. This is mainly because the biker has to start the race from the top of the hill and his physical energy is not required to pedal downhill but to maintain his body and bike’s balance on the tricky slope. This is physically demanding and its important that all safety gears and precautions are taken much in advance.

Bikers who have experienced the thrill and high of downhill mountain biking are always game to participate and care less for the risks involved. Downhill mountain biking is dangerous as the downhill trails are difficult, dangerous and the bike can jump almost to forty feet while coming downhill. Difficult trails excite downhill bikers and nothing can stop their eagerness to try such trails, not even the risk of injury or fatalities. However such bikers know the importance of using safety gears like helmet, elbow and knee pads, body suits etc. since these can ensure atleast some amount of safety against fatal falls.

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Mountain biking on adventure tour: Guide and tips Saturday, November 21st, 2009

People who love sports usually can’t resist mountain biking. The sport is considered to be most adventurous and also provides an amazing back country experience. The tour is enjoyable especially if you have taken good experience in bike riding.

If you have already had a pedaling experience on an exercise bike, you would enjoy your tour. It is time to carry some maps and go ahead with your challenging expedition. The outdoor game will get you acquainted with the nature and also help you stay fit and also in good shape. You would simply love racing down the mountain. It may seem to be a dangerous game but the thrill would allure towards it to experience more.

North America has some of the best locations for mountain biking. If you have already decided to go for mountain biking, you should follow certain tips in order to make sure that you remain safe during the whole journey. You need to get into the game with caution.

a) You should always carry good reliable and accurate location maps so as to avoid confusion. Maps prove to be a good source of relief and help during any kind of inconvenience and confusion during the journey.
b) It is extremely important to check the fuel tank and air pressure in your car tyres. Also check if the clutch plates, brakes, gears, engines are working well and arranged in good order.
c) A valid license will let you enjoy the trip. It is a proof of your valuable experience in this field.
d) There are certain essential skills you require to possess. You need to get familiar with “technical single track” if you are keen on riding. This kind of a tour is usually meant for experience holding mountain bikers who possess the skills to handle things such as light turns, obstacle –strewn paths, stream crossings and rock ledges.
e) Your bikes should possess a good low-gear ratio like the 22×3 or bottom gear such as 24×28. Make sure that your rental bike is equipped with front suspension. Some of these bikes come with full-suspensions and shocks in front and rear that can assist you in your rugged ride so that you can ride with comfort and safety.
f) Don’t forget to carry at least two sets of bike clothing such as padded bike shorts and some synthetic or wool jerseys with good quality gloves and helmet.

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Essential Mountain Biking Safety Tips Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Every outdoors sport needs a lot of attention as far as safety is concerned. One perfect moment could unexpectedly go wrong. Mountain biking is considerably one of the most fun yet dangerous outdoor sports. That is why; it is but vital for any mountain biking enthusiast to know the basic mountain biking safety tips.

Number one on the list of mountain biking safety tips, is to have the proper gears; from the helmet down to the other safety equipment gears. Make sure that your gears are all in very good condition to prevent unforeseen events along the way. Using the right equipments for the right terrains is also important. There are certain types of bikes for specific terrains, that is why you should be careful with these matters. Another mountain biking safety tips that you should be wary about is keeping yourself familiar with the trails. Do not push yourself into going into trails that you are not quite familiar with. Instead, if you intend to do this, at least go with someone who has been with that trail before. Your speed is also important. Maintain your speed at an average level so you can easily adjust, come unexpected obstacles or sudden trail changes and conditions.

The final and the most important mountain biking safety tips you have to be aware about is to ride in control. Do not let your bike take control over you. This is a common mistake among mountain bikers. They tend to get too complacent with the trails, not minding that they must be the ones who should take control with their bikes, as far as speed is concerned. Ride in control. This is one good way in preventing crashes; otherwise it might lead you to injuries and unforeseen events. If you are not quite sure about certain trails, why do you have to push yourself? Why not walk in sections where you are not quite confident about? And on blind corners, be sure to slow down. That way, you will not have to worry as to what and who might be around your corners. Another thing is for you to start small before you go big. Start with the smaller and easier terrains at lower or average speeds before you jump to bigger stunts and obstacles.

Mountain biking is enjoyable but at the same time dangerous. Because of the thrill it brings us, we sometimes tend to push ourselves to the limits. That is just normal for avid thrill seekers and enthusiasts. But bear in mind that there is just one fine line from pushing your limits safely or pushing it recklessly. Either way, mountain biking safety tips is a major thing you must be vigilant about.

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Mountain Biking Is A Sport To Some Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Regular bikes compared to mountain bikes may have a smoother ride and are slower and heavier but are great for riding on the street. You can find information about mountain biking online or in magazines; they are geared toward beginners or professionals. Mountain biking is not really thought of as exercising but it is a great way to burn many calories.

If your interested are off-road you will need bike that can handle the terrain so you will need some big treads and a good suspension to handle the bumps and holes so get a good mountain bike, if you are just riding for fun then a regular bike will do. There are so many different styles of mountain bikes so when you are looking to purchase one make sure it fits the terrain you will be taking it on and make sure it fits your riding style. If you are going to be rough on your bike and plan on going through gravel, dirt and jumping off hills you definitely need a mountain bike.

The chassis on a mountain bike is sometimes referred to as the skeleton, this is a term that refers to the fork, frame and suspension and is looked at as one unit. Mountain bikes are equipped with knobby tires, large number of gears and handle bars that are wider; they also include shocks and a much stronger suspension. You can choose from many different suspensions on your bike, make sure the suspension you choose is going to fit the type of cycling you intend for it. These used to be the most common kind of mountain bike but they are rapidly being replaced by the more comfortable models which feature some sort of suspension system. They have had front suspension on bikes for a while now; the rear suspensions have just come into the market place, it took longer because of all of the design complexities.

Of course, there are many other things to consider when purchasing a mountain bike, but for the beginner, it’s best to just narrow it down to how much you want to spend and what kind of suspension you’re going to want.

If you want to ride your mountain bikes look for trails that are suited for mountain bikes. If you don’t have any trails or jumps, you can build them.

When you first try the toe clip style of pedal you might want to spend some time getting use to it, it will take some practice. Getting a feel for your pedals while first sitting on your bike, keep one foot on the ground and practice moving your foot away from the pedal.

If you have clip less foot pedals or toe clips, you will want to practice this quite a bit. Turn your bike upside down, move the pedals and shift gears. The pedals can also use a regular application of lubricant.

The purchase of your helmet should be at least as important as buying your bike. About 90 percent of the people riding can reduce head trauma just by wearing a helmet. Cost shouldn’t be a factor as a good helmet can be acquired for around $25-$45.

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