Pure Mountain BikingGet the latest mountain biking tips, tricks, news and equipment.

by TRAILSOURCE.COM

Mountain biking is a great sport that helps many people all over the world achieve their daily recommended amount of exercise.  With mountain biking, the world is your backyard as you can practically ride anywhere depending on your experience level.

There are many different types of mountain bikes which should be examined before choosing which bike you are going to ride.  Cross Country mountain bikes are the most common and an overall favorite choice of mountain bikers all over the world.  Cross country bikes are made to be very lightweight and easier to ride up steep hills.  These bikes are also common for in town riders commuting to and from work.

Downhill Mountain Bikes are made to take the rough impact that downhill riding offers.  This means they have a very strong front end suspension which can absorb rough hits.  They also will most likely have disc brakes on the rear which are mainly used over the front brakes to avoid crashing.  These bikes can be ridden by people of all skill levels but downhill mountain bike riding is something that should only be done by those who know what they are doing.  It is a very rough fast paced sport that can cause major injury if not done right.

Recreational Mountain bikes are great for beginners as they have an overall mountain bike layout and do not focus on one type of bike riding.  These are great for family biking trips, commuting or even light trail riding.  These bikes are a great choice for anyone who is just starting to get into mountain biking and wants to get a feel for mountain bike riding.

For those who are very avid mountain bike riders, there are companies which give you the option of custom making your bike to fit your exact specs.  Trek Bike Corporation offers you the ability to make your own bike choosing every piece that is used which guarantees you a great custom bike perfect for your riding level.

When you buy your mountain bike, it is a good idea to see if the store offers some type of repair service.  This will help to guarantee your bike remains in good working order encouraging a safer overall riding experience.

Before making your first mountain biking trip, you want to make sure that you are properly prepared the best you can be.  Wearing a helmet is one of the best ways to protect you and is also something many bike riders do not choose to do.  It is a good idea to purchase a helmet that fits right before mountain biking for your first time to avoid injury to the head.

Biking gloves are great for mountain biking because they offer you a much better grip to the handlebars as one slip could mean a wreck.  Gloves help you to hold onto the handlebars and also help to reduce the ability of getting blisters on your hands.

Mountain biking shoes are made especially for the pedals on a mountain bike so that they do not slip off and cause injury.  It is a good idea to have shoes that grip your bike pedals well as this will help you to be able to ride easier and safer.

Mountain biking is a great way to get exercise and also see a lot of scenery you would not normally see.  Many people all over the world are taking up this fast action sport every day.  It is a good idea to always be properly prepared before engaging in your first bike riding experience.

by onlinejones

Mountain biking is a sport that grows on you. A mountain bike trek is the more adventurous side of conventional cycling. Done on nature preserves and bike trails, this sport is pure haven for all cycling enthusiasts. Safety on a trek is primarily determined by the upkeep of your bike. An organized mountain bike trek is completely safe if supervised and expertly planned.
The basic and most common gear on a bike trek is a helmet. Mountain bikes are specially designed for the rough but great outdoors. All bikes are inspected and made sure to be ready for your trekking adventure.
Mountain bike treks are a very exciting activity that combines both exercise and recreation in an adventurous way. With the Trek Mountain Bikes, one will still be able to enjoy cycling in the rural area. As the nature preserves are opened and bike trails become available, Trek mountain bikes is the choice of more cycling enthusiast. The Trek mountain bike is also lightweight. For many people, mountain biking is exciting, green and often very expensive. All the major manufacturers advertise mountain bikes that appear to fill this need – ‘complete mountain biking at an affordable price’, with various different models on offer such as the Fuel EX 2010 range of Trek mountain bikes.
Giant, Orange, Orbea and Trek mountain bikes all have ‘all-rounders’ within their ranges which combine the latest suspension technology with great performance. However, as with choosing any bike, the same questions need to be asked: how do I want to use the bike, where will I use the bike and how experienced will I be when handling and controlling the bike?
Not only does this Trek mountain bike give a comfortable ride, it doesn’t compromise on speed either and it’s seeing superb results from the biking community. One company, Trek mountain bikes, is working hard to make the green bicycle even greener.
When choosing the components of the bikes, Trek mountain bikes’ designers plan ahead for their future use and recycling.
Trek mountain bikes have also pioneered a recycling programme on their bicycle tyre tubes.

by richardmasoner

In the true sense of the word, mountain bikes are built for “off-road” riding only . . . forest, mountain, and cross country trails.

How Does A Mountain Bike Differ From A Street Bike?

Frame – Mountain bikes are built to be durable and maintain functionality under very rugged conditions. To maintain this durability under rugged conditions, mountain bike frames are constructed of much stronger material than the normal street bike frames. True mountain bike frames are titanium.

Ground Clearance – Mountain bikes are also built with a higher ground clearance, making it easier to negotiate rocks, logs, and ruts, etc.

Tires – Mountain bikes generally run with wider, knobby tires providing more substantial grip and traction on varied terrain. Even greater traction and stability is provided by these tires because they carry a lower pressure.

Handlebars – Mountain bike handlebars are generally flat and extend straight out from the stem forming a wider grip, usually about shoulder width. Thus the rider sits upright with better vision and has more stable control of the bike.

Gears – Because of the diverse and varied terrain encountered on trails, mountain bikes have many gears, generally 16 to 27. However the gear range on mountain bikes is much lower than the gear range on street bikes. Mountain bikes are built for power to negotiate steep climbs.

You Have A Decision To Make…

We have just reviewed the basic features of a pure mountain bike, a bike built solely for trail riding. Generally speaking, a good, durable mountain bike starts at about 0 and goes up from there.

However, for the most part, people are not looking to be a mountain bike enthusiast, they do most of their riding on the street, and only occasionally ride light trails.

If you find yourself in that group, perhaps you need to be looking for a mountain/street bike combination.

Mountain/Street Features…

Each specific bike will have its own blend of mountain to street features.

However, one thing they all have in common is a mountain bike frame. Many of these bikes offer a mountain bike frame built of aluminum. These aluminum frame bikes are lightweight for street use, however the aluminum frame limits their use to light trails only.

These mountain/street combination bikes utilize the mountain bike handlebars, giving the rider an upright position.

Some of these combination bikes offer disc brakes front and rear, steel frames, twist grip shifters, and shock absorbers front and rear.

Tires can also be changed to meet the needs of the rider. Smoother tires for street riding, knobby tires for trail riding.

How To Select The Proper Bike For Your Needs…

How will you be using the bike?

If you will be spending more time on the streets, you’ll want a bike with more street bike features, and visa verse for mountain bike features.

Go to a local bike dealer and test ride, checking out a variety of features. Test ride bikes on each end of the spectrum so you understand the characteristics of certain features. If you can, do more than just ride around the parking lot. Spend a few minutes riding on trails, over rocks, and gravel roads.

Make a conscious effort to check out tire tread performance under various conditions. Determine the blend you need between smooth and knobby.

Check out shifters. There are two major systems on the market 1) Rapid Fire, and 2) Grip Shift. Rapid Fire works from buttons/levers under the brake lever. With one finger or thumb, the rider works up and down the gears. Grip Shift is similar to a motorcycle’s throttle control grip, gears are changed by the twist of a wrist.

Be conscious of the pedals. Note which pedal type feels the most stable and secure to you.

Make sure the seat is comfortable. The seat can always be padded later if it is uncomfortable, however choosing a comfortable seat from the beginning will eliminate future problems.

Relax, have fun making your decision. Discover everything you can about bikes, if possible, test ride.

More Mountain Biking Articles

It can be a bit frustrating as well as time consuming when you buy a mountain bike. Below, you’ll find some tips and things to be aware of before you lay down the cash and buy a mountain bike.

Determining your price
There is really no limit as to how much money you can spend on a new mountain bike. To help you keep your spending under control, you should figure out what your price range is and how much your willing to pay for a new bike. When you buy, you shouldn’t buy from
mass merchant stores such as Wal-Mart. You should instead support your local bike shop and get a much better bike and much better service.

Finding your style
All mountain bikes are designed with several different riding styles and terrain types in mind. You’ll need to figure out what type of riding you will be doing the most. Smooth riding, cross country racing, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill is something you need to figure out. Make sure that the bike you select fits your personal style and not that of the sale’s staff.

Full suspension or hard tail
If you can afford it, a full suspension mountain bike is always worth the purchase. A hard tail, without rear suspension, is much lighter weight and pedal more efficiently, although full suspensions offer more comfort and overall better control. You’ll want to make that decision based on your price range, riding style, and the type of terrain you’ll be riding on the most.

Finding your favorites
Comparing mountain bikes component to component is nearly impossible, as there are far too many combinations available. The best way to go about doing this is finding a few components that are the most important to you and making sure the rest or the minimums fall within your price range. You can start with the fork then look at the wheels and rear derailleur.

Sales and seasons
During the year, the prices of mountain bikes can fluctuate quite a bit. Spring through summer is the main buying season. If you can wait until the right price pops up, normally in the fall and winter, you can save a couple hundred dollars. Many bike shops will
also offer discounts or other accessories if you buy from them. 

Finding a good dealer
Finding a good bike dealer is more important than finding the best price. You should always find a dealer that cares more about selling you a great bike than selling you a high priced one. A great dealer will have a clean repair shop and give you the impression that you can really trust them.

Test ride
You should test ride as many bikes as you can within your price range and riding style. You’ll find that some bikes will feel right, while others won’t. The more bikes you can test drive, you better you’ll understand what works and what doesn’t.

Doing the research
Product reviews and bike reviews are some of the best ways to find out about a mountain bikes reliability and overall performance. You should always look at what other owners and reviews think about a bike before you make that final purchase.

More Mountain Biking Articles

by tonylanciabeta

The designs for mountain bikes can be classified in three categories based on suspension:

1.  Hardtail – A frame with no rear suspension, often containing a front suspension fork.
2.  Fully rigid – This is a sub type of hardtail, with a rigid fork.
3.  Dual or full suspension – These bikes offer a front suspension fork and a rear suspension that are integrated into the frame.
4.  Soft tail – Offers a frame with a small amount of rear suspension, normally less than a full
suspension frame.

The different designs of bikes in mountain biking will offer you what you need for your unique style of riding. You’ll want a different bike for different terrain, such as cross country or downhill. As the terrain changes, you’ll want to make sure you have the right bike for the job.

Mountain biking is different than any other sport, offering you plenty of excitement and thrills. If you are new to mountain biking, you’ll find the different designs to be very enticing yet very challenging at the same time. Each design serves a purpose with mountain biking, even some that excel on the trails.

There are also several other designs which reflect on the manny challenging disciplines in the sport of mountain biking. No matter what type of mountain biking you like to do, there are bikes for that specific discipline.

If you are new to mountain biking, you’ll want to check out the many designs and types of biking before you purchase a bike. Mountain biking can be a lot of fun and excitement, although it can also be very dangerous if you don’t have the right bike for the terrain. Before you decide to buy a bike and hit the trails, make sure you have the right design of mountain bike for the riding you are planning on doing.

More Mountain Biking Articles

by TRAILSOURCE.COM

When you first start out with mountain biking, it can be a bit overwhelming when you walk into a bike store to buy your first mountain bike and see all of the available accessories you’ll need when you first start riding.

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.

High-speed mountain biking down the narrow alleys of Taxco, Mexico – it’s the ‘Down The Hill’ race 2005.
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