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May 22, 2009

DH MTB: a Brief History

Filed under: Specialized Bikes — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:21 pm

Roam

Downhill MTB is a discipline of MTB in which mountain bike riders either for enjoyment, or timed against the clock, ride down a course of varying difficulty against other riders.  The format of a DH mountain bike event follows a similar setup to that of skiing.

History

The 1st ever DH event that was held was won by Alan Bonds and it took place on the now well known Repack Road named because hub bearings would overheat and brake the grease down during races.  This was back in 1976 and DH has changed a lot since that date.  Downhill Events now regularly take place across the world on a regular basis particularly in the mountain regions of nations similar to the United Kingdom or in the summertime at disused ski resorts in countries such as France and Italy.  These are by no means the only countries though, and the DH World Cup is one of mountain bikes most popular events each yearly.

DH Bikes

Despite the obvious changes in this style of mountain bike riding, there are a number of massive differences in the bikes and equipment utilised by the riders.  A downhill MTB Frame will be far more specialised that the normal hardtail mountain bike frame you or I used, and will usually have a much more rugged and durable full suspension mountain bike frame.  The reason for this is the more extreme terrain that a DH MTB will be ridden down.  The trade off of having a full suspension bike, which is built to a much better standard than a normal MTB is the weight.  Whilst a standard MTB would be under thirty pounds in weight, downhill bikes can to go over forty pounds.  This above average weight is now however being reduced~coming down~reducing~.  Other major changes in the bike can include the use of disc brakes, a high travel suspension fork (five-fix inches)  and different frame shape.

Pads & Protection

Extra Protection is definitely required when racing in the world of downhill…. just view a few of events and you will soon understand that falls, crashes and injuries are common place and a certain drawback this sport offers.  Body armour, full face mask helmets like the ones used in motocross are required otherwise you will not be allowed on the course or to compete.

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May 19, 2009

The top five for a cyclist

These top five are not just for the bike but for the owner too when out and about riding. Get those bike pedals ready because here they come.

5.
Energy bar or energy gel.
These are great for before and after events as the put all the carbohydrates your body has lost or is about to lose straight back in making you feel a lot better. There is even a gel that can help build muscles up taking around seven days to work. Of course the gel can also be used on the move.

4. Of course it had to be in the top five, the bike helmet
No professional cyclist can go anywhere without one of these. Only really in the top five simply because it is simply vital to own one.Of course it cannot be forgotten just how many different helmets there are with some even made for hot or cold weather.

3.The mini bicycle computer
Having this is what really makes you a proffessonal cyclist in my opinion. These are so easily attached to the bike and can really help out during a training session.

  • Current Speed
  • Odometer
  • Trip Distance
  • Elapsed time
  • 12/24hr clock
  • Average Speed
  • Pacer
  • Maximum Speed
  • Dual Wheel
  • Temperature
  • Cadence

2. Wheels
At number two simply because I love to change the wheels on my bike. There are thousands of designs to use ranging from the plain wheels that come with every bike or various other ones like zipp wheels.

1.    At number one is the most important thing you need on a long riding trip. There is a reason why I haven't kept mentioning whats at number one and that is simply because it is a boring one.
Water bottle is at number one purely because out of all the things you do not want to be dehydrated when out riding.

Well there you have it, the top five things to take with you and use when using a racing bike.

Bikes shops Sussex is a perfect example, have fun!

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May 14, 2009

Fold Up Bikes - Practical and Cool

Filed under: Specialized Bikes — Tags: — admin @ 6:47 am

For those of you who would like to be able to cycle to work, or anywhere you want to get to, without the worry of where to leave your bike safely, or for people who wish to have a mode of exercise and transport that is easy to store at home, then fold up bikes could be the solution.

If part of your commute every day is on a train or a bus a folding bike is a perfect solution. As train companies continually reduce the number of bikes allowed on trains a fold up bike gets around this issue. Fold up bikes are getting lighter all the time and the folding action is getting easier. You can also store a folding bike neatly under your desk once you get to work.

Fold up bikes aren’t totally suitable for long distance journeys or touring but if you’re only pedalling a short way they are ideal. Most modern fold up bikes are now also geared and have a comfortable cycling position. They can be quickly and easily folded when you reach your destination or get on public transport. They also eliminate storage problems that normal bikes have as they can be easily stored in a small flat or house without a garage or a shed.

As the summer approaches with warmer days and lighter evenings, our thoughts quickly turn to the outdoors and ways to spend as much time outside as possible. Lots of us also start to worry about our summer bodies so exercise becomes a priority in preparation.

Cycling is a great way to exercise outdoors, as well as being very useful but enivronmentally friendly transport. However thoughts of cycling everywhere are often prevented by thoughts of where to leave your bike safely on arrival. This is how fold up bikes have an advantage over conventional non-folding bikes.

Storing folding bikes isn’t an issue as you can just fold them up easily and take them indoors with you. Fold up bike riders never have to worry about getting a suitable spot to leave their bike outdoors or about the safety of leaving it unwatched. All they have to do instead is fold their bike up and take it with them, with no storage or security worries at all.

Makers of fold up bikes have recently started to combat the tag of “uncool” that has previously been given to the product as well. So there are new designs coming out all the time, made by most of the top brands.

Since their initial design fold up bikes have come a very long way and now use innovative and funky designs, and trendy colours alongside their original practical usage and storage advantages. Fold up bikes are now a credible alternative to conventional bikes with the benefits of being able to take them anywhere and store them safely.

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Buying Tour Bicycles Online

The sport of bicycle touring has certainly grown in recent years.  When I was young, I first recall seeing men on touring bicycles climbing the highways through the mountain areas of Vermont and New Hampshire.  I was intrigued watching these riders climbing the long inclines without letting up.  Loving the outdoors and especially the mountains, I knew this was the only way to really enjoy the magnificent views.  That was when I noticed the type of bicycle they were riding was much different then the 3 speed I grew up with.

A few months ago I met a middle aged man who lived in the north east.  Each summer he would fly with his bicycle to California.  Then he’d spend a month riding across the country coming home.   Needless to say, his bicycle was outfitted with touring bags and other accessories.  As the sport’s popularity has risen, so has the demand for touring bicycles.  In the past, the only place to shop for a tour bicycle was at an expensive specialized bike shop which would usually be limited to one make of bicycle.  Of course that all came with a high price tag.  Lets face it, the price of touring bikes simply put them out of reach for younger people just entering the sport.

I recall traveling over 100 miles to find the specific Schwinn touring bicycle I was searching for.  Fortunately today, that is not the case.  You can find all the biggest names in touring bicycles on the internet.  The additional benefit is most can be found at affordable prices also.  The interest in bicycle touring has also given rise to the availability of specialized bicycle parts, accessories and bicycle clothing.  You would be hard pressed to find bicycle parts at your local Wally World.  But this is not the case online.

The obvious addition that bicycle touring requires is a way to carry your personal gear, clothing and camping equipment on long trips.  The popularity of touring has provided riders a huge variety of specialized bicycle parts and accessories.  It is quite easy to find the very best in bicycle parts and adult bicycling accessories for your long trips.  Serious bikers can easily upgrade just about their entire bicycle by traveling no further then their PC.

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May 12, 2009

Mountain Bike Dirt Jump - Getting Started

Filed under: Specialized Bikes — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:44 pm

Step It Up Jam

Freestyle is a style of mountain biking which copies that of Freestyle Motocross.  A rider will ride at high speed either on the flat, or on a drop in for an instant hit of speed.  Instead of other disciplines where they are timed, dirt jump is built on a scoring system for the stunts performed on the run.

Dirt Jump Bikes

Dirt jumping frames feature a different geometry than that of standard MTB Frames.  A dirt jump frame is generally constructed of much stronger and often heavier metals in order to them to stand up to the amount of punishment they are put through.

Jumps

Doubles - Also know as a gap jump, this is where two separate mounds are setup and the rider will jump a gap between the two performing a trick.  These are the most common and are often seen at sporting events such as X-Games.

Tabletops – These jumps are setup where there is a slant at the start and end of a jump with a flat top in the middle.  This is quite similar to the doubles but with the middle filled in which makes tabletops more suited for new bikers who might not make the jump between gap jumps.

Ski Jumps – Arranged similar to standard ski jumps where the name comes from, these are lengthy ramps generally arranged on downhill sections of freeride trails where the hill can act as a landing.

Roller Jumps – Normally located at the start of a trail, they are intended to give the rider extra velocity.

Rhythms - Designed for a user to manual over them, whoops are normally situated together in numbers of three or more and are small rounded humps similar to large speed bumps.

Spines – Similar to spines at a skate park, spine jumps are made of a single earth work with no tabletop or transition in-between.  Spine jumps are especially great for getting big air.

Berm – This is a curved wall ride which is raised out of the ground.  Commonly found on the corners of trails or downhill tracks to enable you to turn without suffering a loss of speed.

Hip Jumps – Hip are designed to encourage the rider jump at an angle.  Again this is another way to encourage the rider to turn without losing speed but also shows the technical ability of the rider to choose lines through the course.

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