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May 24, 2009

The Giro Continues

The Giro de Italia has now completed 14 stages and Menchov is still in the lead after a few mountain stages. As stated last week Mark Cavendish took his revenge and won three stages in the current Giro but both he and Pozzato retired before the stage yesterday and are now out of the running for more stage victories. Cavendish retired as his team wants a full recovery before the Tour De France when the Pocket Rocket will be looking for stage victories and perhaps the Green Jersey for points winner. Pozzato was feeling pain in his knee as a result of a fall.

The general classification is still open though after the victory of an Australian, Simon Guerrans, yesterday in a semi mountainous stage. Menchov, Di Luca and Leipheimer are serarated by just 43 seconds so there is still a lot to play for in the Giro this year. Lance Armstrong is putting up a good show but not threatening to take the honours at the moment. Unusually it would seem that the presence of Armstrong does have an effect though as nobody else seems to be takng the race by the scruff of its neck due to the respect for the 6 times Tour De France winner.

May 11, 2009

Giro de Italia Has Started

There are three big tours in the cycling calendar and the first of the year is the Giro de Italia. Unusually it started with a Team Time Trial and this has given us an unusual early leader in Mark Cavendish. The Isle of Man rider, generally acknowledged to be the best sprinter in the World was helped by his team obviously and his storming finish crossing the line first meant he took the Maglia Rosa. Surprisingly enough he then lost to Petacchi in the next stage sprint and is now looking for revenge in one of the later sprint stages but Petacchi repeated the stage victory today and has taken the Pink Jersey. Why wasn’t Cavendish involved in the sprint today, a little matter of some smallish mountains near the finish line meant he finished down the field.

The Giro is a three week tour and like all tours each day has something different for various types of riders. Pettachi will lose the jersey as soon as a minor mountain stage comes along and total times are taken into account. The time trialers will come into their own on a couple of stages and the mountain goats will get their way in the mountains although Van De Velde won’t be one of them this year after falling and breaking two ribs today. As for Lance Armstrong, he twittered that he is feeling good yesterday after the first time trial but would it be too much to expect him to come back and start winning at his age?

May 6, 2009

Buying The Right Bicycle For You

 

While buying a bike is not on the equivalent level of commitment as, say, getting married, it is still a decision that warrants some thinking. especially if you are considering buying a bike for the first time, it can seem as if your options are practically endless.

Your first decision comes in determining what style of bike you are after. Are you trail riding, or are you going around town? Do you want to ride fast, or do you want smoothness and comfort? There are basically four main styles of bikes to choose from, and your selection should really depend on what you anticipate your main type of riding to be.

Ask yourself what kind of riding will you be doing? There are different types of bicycles that are designed for the kinds of riding people do.Tour or road bicycles are built for comfort on long-distance rides.  Racing bicycles are lightweight and designedfor speed more than comfort. Mountain or trail bikes have sturdy frames and wide tires for all-terrain biking. In addition there are intermediate designs, such as hybrid bicycles thatblend features of road and mountain bicycles. Which one you choose depends on your individual interests.

Generally bicycle riding is either road biking or mountain biking, with mountain biking being the most challenging. Mountain biking is done on terrain and mountain trails where there are no trails. For general fitness purposes I ride only on roads and smooth, maintained trails. The fact is, you do not need mountains to benefit from biking, you can do it anywhere. Even if you live in the flatlands and travel long distances to ski country you can keep in top ski condition by adding road biking to your exercise routine.

There is virtually no limit to how much money you can spend on a new bike. To keep your spending under control, figure out what price range you are willing to pay for your new bike and try to just look at bikes within that price range. A recommendation when purchasing a bicycle is not to buy it from Wal-Mart or Costco, mass-merchant stores. People tend to get dissatisfied. Support your local bike shop and get a better product and much better service. Searching on-line, could be another choose. Schwinn bicycles have been around for countless years and are a well-known, reputable company. A Schwinn Cruiser bicycles for instance, in my opinion, are still one of the more comfortable bikes to cruise around on, especially the beach. One of the most comfortable bicycles I have experienced, is a Schwinn Sierra bike, try sitting on it. But,  ultimately, the choose is yours. You make your own decision, decide on the best one for you 

Bicycles have been a popular means of recreation and transportation for over a century. Today, with gasoline price increases and growing concern about the environmental impact if burning fossil fuels, more and more people are turning to bicycles as an alternative to driving. If you’ve decided to join the ranks of those who are pedaling their way to physical fitness, it helps to know how to buy the correct bicycle for you.

Like many adults in America, you probably learned how to ride a bike as a child. In the majority of suburban neighborhoods, it is a common childhood activity. Even today, kids still get together and ride around on their bicycles. Today kids still bicycle to school, to their local store, to the park and to their friend’s houses. When the bicycle is your only way to get somewhere, you tend to ride it a lot.

 

 

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