Trail Bikers Blog

David Fishman asked:


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.

David Faulkner asked:


One of the underlying factors accounting for the rapidly growing popularity of mountain biking is, undoubtedly, the wide availability of mountain biking forums.

Mountain biking forums allow mountain bikers, of all ages and level of experience from all over the globe, to gather and share their enthusiasm for their sport. Every biker with Internet access has a huge community of fellow biking lovers waiting to share tips and stories of biking adventures available with a couple of mouse clicks.

Thanks to the Internet, the world is smaller than ever, and those who have shared interests can communicate regardless of their geographical locations. Mountain biking forums have sprung up as cyberspace meeting places where mountain bikers can discuss whatever they like, but what they usually want to discuss is their sport. Mountain biking forums are the best places to find information everything from the latest riding techniques to information on local mountain biking events.

What Moutaing Biking Forums Offer

Mountain biking forums allow people who may never meet personally to share advice, secrets to competing successfully, and photographs of themselves and their favorite mountain biking terrain. After a short time communicating in forums, many mountain bikers feel as if they were lifelong friends with people whom they are never likely to encounter face-to-face.

Mountain biking forums offer biking novices the ideal way to get advice on how to improve their biking skills as quickly as they can, and the best equipment and biking trails for their skill levels. The forums are also great bulletin boards for those wishing to find, or post, the latest news or information about mountain biking events in their areas.

Most mountain biking forums allow their members to enter into discussions on various topics, just as they would if they were having conversations in person. You don’t have to spend much time viewing any of these forums to get an idea of the sense of community they create among bikers.

There are currently more than one hundred online mountain biking forums which you can visit, and while they are occasionally invaded by those who do not like bikers or biking, most of those posting in them are truly enthusiastic about the sport. Most of the time you will be greeted warmly, and invited to share your mountain biking experiences.

Having the Internet mountain biking forums available to the mountain biking community the world over has given the sport an enormous boost, and it’s all because of the bikers being able to share their passion!

A mountain biker must have the ability to cope with whatever emergencies arise on the trail, by knowing how to repair the various parts of a bike and to make sure that he or she will have the necessary tools along to do it.

Mountain biking ahs been categorized into several classifications, depending on the terrain, obstacles, and skills involved. The categories include trail or street riding, dirt jumping, freeriding, cross country, and downhill.

David Chandler asked:


Mountain biking is a great way to explore the great outdoors, exercising and having fun. Racing down a mountainside is exhilarating; however, it can also be dangerous. Although it is consider a dangerous sport, if done with utmost caution, mountain biking can be enjoyed by the whole family.

As with any outdoor sport, selecting the right equipment and an understanding of the sport will be the key to a great adventure.

Styles of Mountain Biking

Mountain biking can be categorized into three different styles. There is downhill, free riding, and cross-country. Although the styles are similar in some respect, they all require different skills. The style you select will determine the type of bike.

Mountain Biking Locations

Typically, this sport is known as biking on an unpaved surface. Most regions have areas specifically designed for this grand sport. State and federal parks are a good place to mountain bike. However, you should check with your local parks to get the routes and other regulations or rules they may have. In addition, if you venture off to some state or federal land or any wilderness type area, it is best to know about the surroundings should there be any unexpected accidents.

There are also groups that have mountain bike rides and competitions. You could search the internet or local newspaper to see what is available in your area. There may be groups for the advanced rider as well as the novice.

Criteria to be a Great Mountain Biker

A prerequisite for a great mountain biker is endurance and stamina. In addition, it takes discipline to practice and the ambition to succeed and conquer the course. A novice mountain biker will have to overcome the bumps and bruises from falling of the bike. Like all sports, it takes practice and the constitution to keep trying.

Selecting Your Bike

Selecting your bike is a personal choice and contingent on the type of riding you will do. Bikes come in all different styles, shapes, and prices, therefore selecting the perfect one for you can be difficult. Again, do some internet research or venture out to do some comparison-shopping before you get ready to make a purchase. Ask to try out a bike before you buy. A good mountain biker becomes one with his or her bike. Check for comfort, fit, and how it is geared, all these factors need to be considered.

Staying Safe

As mentioned earlier, mountain bike riding on unpaved roads can be hazardous. The typical safety gear is a helmet, knee and elbow pads. You should also consider goggles if riding in a very dense wooded area or if following a group of bikers. Safety should be your top priority and not taken lightly when riding no matter what the terrain.

Hut asked:


Hello,

I am looking for some good mountain biking trails close to Winnipeg Manitoba. In particular I am interested in some really long trails which would be multiple day excursions.

Thanks.

Zebra Avenue asked:


If you are considering of getting yourself a mountain bike, you should know that there are a wide range of styles of mountain bikes you can choose from.

One of the most popular of these is the folding mountain bike. It is very practical and convenient in the sense that you can easily carry it when you have to cross a river or a body of water or anything that makes it impossible for you to ride your bike; all you have to do is fold your bike, and carry it over your shoulders.

Folding mountain bikes looks similar to your ordinary mountain bikes. However, folding mountain bikes come with a special feature to enable you to fold it easily in just a few seconds without having to use any kind of tools.

Plenty of bikers are having the time of their lives atop their folding mountain bikes. Even children and women prefer this kind of bike to the regular mountain bikes because they can embark on any adventure without having to worry about what the obstacles they will have to face. Assuming there is a body of water to cross or a rough terrain to deal with, they can simply fold their bikes and put them over their shoulders.

A world leader in the manufacture of folding mountain bikes at affordable prices is Montague. Evan Cycles, the largest independent bicycle dealer in the United Kingdom, also offers folding mountain bikes and carries other mountain bikes from popular bike manufacturers like Saracen, Trek, Kona, and many more. 

Getting yourself a folding mountain bike is definitely a smart decision. With all the benefits and the convenience you will be getting, folding mountain bikes are certainly worth the amount that you will be shelling out.

Nonetheless, in the event that you decide to get one for your self, always make sure that you are dealing with a reliable and trusted company of folding mountain bikes.

ryokai asked:


it looks interesting so I figure its worth a try for like beginners
more or less near riverside
or even LA
jus about anywhere between those

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Mountain bike also called as mountain bicycle is made in particular for mountain biking, on dirt trails and many other rough surfaces. When compared to road bicycles they are better and rugged enough for such unfriendly and unsafe terrain.

These bikes have broad, knobbier tires for more grip and absorption of shock. In modern bikes, suspension for front wheel has become the custom while suspension for the full front and rear is becoming more and more general.

In few mountain bikes, the handlebars are fixed with bar ends, but riser handlebars which are made such that they oppose to a flat straight handlebar are becoming increasingly popular because a very few riders use bars with their ends extended. These bikes usually have 26 inches or 559 mm wheels, but after year 2002 many bikes are available in the markets, which have 29 inches or 622 mm wheels.

This is the diameter universally used for other normal road bikes which is also known as a 700c. However, the giant mountain bikes have a diameter much greater than the normal 622 mm and have ranges starting from 952 mm. There are many kinds of giant mountain bikes with many types of wheels.

The giant mountain bikes have wheels that have a bigger diameter. Unlike normal mountain bikes these bikes are more difficult to ride. The bigger wheels make it more difficult to control. These types of mountain bikes are mainly used for giant mountain bike challenges like the ones held in Australia. The race held in Australia using giant mountain bikes is well known.

The broader wheels make the climb easier and make ascending more steady. These wheels are specially designed for mountain biking. A beginner could find it extremely difficult to ride a giant mountain bike as they are not like normal ones. Though it is very exciting to ride a giant mountain bikes it is not recommended to ride them in unsafe conditions without enough practice.

These wheel configurations make these bikes perfect for mountain biking. It would be very unsafe to use the normal road bikes on such terrains. These bikes are more rugged and resilient and are designed by a team of internal experts in order to ensure safety. They are always tested to provide the latest cutting edge designed and quality that only increases as time passes

The advantages of using a giant mountain bike are;

They are very light in weight, they provide better climbing and acceleration, they are laterally stiff, they give us a ********** ride and absorb vibrations and most important of all they are drop-dead gorgeous.

There are many types of giant mountain bikes available in the market

They come in many colors like satin grey, vivid pink, black, blue with white spokes, grey, vivid purple, satin blue, hazy red, sky blue, yellow, orange, green etc.

With so much comfort, safety and range mountain bike is the best thing to have for a ride. These bikes are for people who are passionate about giant wheels and mountain biking.

buffalochickenlover asked:


what are intermediate or ******** beginning mountain biking trails in Conneticut???

Alastair Hamilton asked:


The sport of mountain biking is increasing in popularity year by year. It’s an exhilarating sport, but it’s also physically demanding. Both men and women take part, but its usually people kids, teens, and young adults.

As with any other activity, mountain bikers have devised their own culture, including a language of their own. If you want to get into the game, you’ll have to learn a few terms:

If you’re riding a “boing-boing” you’re riding a bike with both front and rear suspension. If you’ve “bonked” you’ve run out of energy. To “bring home a Christmas tree” is a bad thing, it means you’ve crashed through dense brushes and leaves and things are hanging off your helmet - it also means you’ve left a trace on the hill, which is something mountain bikers - and people in general, of course, are not supposed to do.

“Death cookies” are rocks that fly up into you as you go down the trail. This happens all the time and so that’s why you want to wear goggles or some kind of eye protection. To get “first blood” means you’re the first rider in a group who crashes and starts bleeding as a result. Some people perhaps feel this is a mark of honor for some reason.

If you’re doing an “endo” it means you’re flying over the handlebars of your bike do to a sudden stop. And then you’ll most likely do a “face plant” - hopefully into mud and not into a rock. Regardless, that’s why you wear a helmet and eye protection!

That’s only a small sampling of the terminology. Of course you’ll enjoy the sport even more if you can understand what the people around you are talking about, so take a gander at a few mountain biking slang dictionaries before you hit the trails.

Mountain biking is a great sport, but there is some controversy to it, as some people feel that the cyclists destroy the natural environment in certain areas, and bicycle advocates have to fight to keep the trails open to cyclists.

All cyclists can help by following simple rules - pack out more than you take in, respect pedestrians on the trails, don’t bike after heavy rains, and so on.

By using a respectful attitude toward the environment and common sense in dealing with other people, mountain biking will be a sport that will be around for a long time to come.

Robert Sheehan asked:


Kona mountain bikes are the specially designed mountain bikes manufactured by a bicycle company in the name of Kona Bikes. The company also has other product lines, which includes racing bicycles, frames, parts and accessories

The company has been dubbed as the fun bike company for its unconventional yet crazy bike names.

Whats more, it is believed that Kona is the first principal company to be on board as far as Freeride, or “North Shore” riding was concerned. Moreover, they are also known to produce some odd bikes that became instant hits in the market.

You must know that Kona bikes are more than suitable for UK weather conditions. No wonder, their mountain bikes have a huge market in U.K alone. Speaking of Kona bike range, you will find the Kona Stinky and not to mention the Kona Smoke are some of the best choices for the fanatic bike riders and novice cyclists.

Achievements

Believe it or not, Kona has manufactured a downhill bike that took the title of a Downhill World Champion twice. When it comes to cross country riding and cross-country racing you cannot do without Kona Bicycles. From designing to innovation, you will get it all with these bicycles. Although these kinds of races are really tough, Kona bicycles are equal to the task.

Durability and performance are the things that go hand in hand with Kona bikes and for this reason these bikes score high in dirt jumping. If you are seeking a bike for urban riding, then hit the road with Kona Asphalt. With Kona Asphalt, riding city streets becomes childs play.

Free riding bikes were always on demand and now with things going global, the demand has radically increased and Kona bikes have set the example worldwide especially as far as design is concerned.

The variety

The varied collection of mountain bikes from Kona has taken a considerable share of the market. For example Kona Lana I 2005 Mountain Bike, Kona Fire Mountain 2006 Mountain Bike, Kona Shred 2006 Mountain Bike, Kona Cinder Cone Sole 2007 Mountain Bike, Kona Unit 2007 Mountain Bike, Kona Kikapu-8 2007 Mountain Bike and all that have been instant hits.

If you have any queries about this company and its products, go through the shopping help web page to find answers. Another thing you should know is that Kona accepts sponsorship requests and resumes by email. You may also avail yourself to discounted bikes, so check it out with your local Kona dealers.

If you have already bought a Kona mountain bike then you can seek the customer service department for any queries and enhancements.

Maybe, you want to install a DH fork, or a specific tire or may even want to include more suspension to your bike, the Kona people are always ready with their suggestions. All you need to mention is the type of bike, the date of manufacture and its serial number.