Inspect Your Bicycle Safety Gear Frequently

2011
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It is important that you equip your bike with reflectors, lights and flashers. You want motorists to be able to see you clearly. But don’t forget to protect your body as well.  Having a good helmet is imperative in case of a bad fall. Use gloves with gel pads protect yo

ur hands from road rash. All of these items are necessary to have a safe biking experience, but time and use takes its toll on these items. Regular inspections prevent them from failing when you need it the most.

Start with the lighting and reflectors on the bike. Make sure any reflective tape is firmly adhering to the fram e.

Peel off anything that has come loose and replace with new tape. Go over fixed ref lectors to check for cracking. Replace them completely. Check the light switch and power of lamps. If the light does not seem as strong as it should be, check the battery case for any corrosion. When there is no corrosion, it is simply time to replace the batteries. Do it while you are thinking about it so you won’t get caught out at night. The same goes for any flashers on the bike.

Your helmet is the most important safety item you use. However, UV rays from the sun will slowly degrade the plastic, causing it to lose its ability to absorb shock. How often you bike will determine how often you have to replace the helmet.

Always be aware of your safety gear’s condition. It can make all the difference between having a wobble and a bad fall.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bicycle, Bicycle Parts, Bikes, Cycling, Riding, Sports Tagged With: , ,

First Aid for Mountain Bikers

2011
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Mounting biking is a great thrill with great risk. When you are out mountain biking and have an accident, it may be miles to the nearest hospital or doctor’s office. All mountain bikers should have some basic first aid knowledge because you’ll probably need it at least once in your mountain biking lifetime.

Concussion

A bike rider can fall, hit his head, and have a concussion even if he did not loose consciousness. Don’t let the rider get back on the bike. Walk the bikes until you get back to the car and can get medical help. Watch the biker for vomiting, bruising around the eyes or behind the ear, a headache that keeps getting worse, confusion, and become less conscious or less alert.

Lacerations

Immediate clean the cut carefully with clean water from your water bottle. Then, cover the laceration with sterile dressings if possible to keep debris out. A clean and dry piece of clothing can be used. If there is severe bleeding, apply pressure directly to the cut with a cloth or your hand to stop the bleeding. Also, raise the wounded body part above the heart to slow the bleeding, and push together the sides of the laceration if needed.

Broken Bones

If a finger is broken, tape it to the fingers next to it to keep the finger still. If you suspect a broken collarbone, which is very common among mountain bike riders, create a sling with a shirt to keep the arm still. The arm should be at a 90-degree angle. And, if a rider has a broken leg, wrist, or arm, build a splint with sticks, flat pieces of wood or even a bike pump. For a broken wrist or arm, take the bottom of the injured person’s shirt and pull it up over the injured arm and secure with pins, if you have them.

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Biking Comfort: Selecting and Adjusting Your Seat Properly

2011
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The freedom of taking a long ride on your bicycle is a wonderful thing, but the pain that can come afterwards is sometimes unbearable. Of course, if you push yourself, your muscles may ache the next day. However some pains are very much avoidable by selecting the proper fit.

The seat plays a huge role in biking comfort. An overly large seat can cause rashes and an under-sized seat may cause pain on long rides. The most important factor is your overall comfort, as everyone’s anatomy is slightly different. A common rule of thumb is that overly padded seats tend to expand when they are sat on. This expansion creates a wider seat and can cause chaffing. Thinner seats typically support the rider plenty and prevent chafing.

Women sometimes complain of their sensitive areas being sore after a long ride. Women also need a wider seat to accommodate their wider pelvis area. To remedy this, some seat manufacturers offer a wider seat with the center cut out for women. While they may look uncomfortable on the shelves, these seats actually make long rides more enjoyable for women.

Seat height is another important factor in comfort. The proper seat height allows only a very slight bend to your leg when each pedal is at the lowest part of its rotation on the crank. Make certain that you are wearing your biking shoes and bottoms when adjusting your seat height, to assure the perfect fit when riding.

In addition to up and down, the seat also moves forward and backward. A correctly adjusted seat puts your front knee in line with the crank’s axle when the pedals are parallel to the ground. This will assure a productive cranking motion and optimum comfort.

As you can see, taking the time to properly select and adjust your bike’s seat can lead to more enjoyable rides, during and after.

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Comfortable Biking: Keeping You and Your Equipment Dry

2011
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The weather can be rather unpredictable and this can create a huge problem on a long bike ride. Most riders have at least once been stuck in a torrential downpour with no shelter except the leaves on the trees.

Waterproof clothing is becoming more and more popular and fashionable. In years past, waterproof clothing consisted of heavy pants and heavy jackets. In recent years, this clothing has actually become much lighter and more fashionable.

Formerly, waterproof clothing was not very breathable and heavy. For these reasons, they were not very comfortable for long bike rides. With the technical advancements of Gor-Tex™ and other waterproofing technology, these are now becoming a regular part of a trail rider’s wardrobe.

Another important waterproof item to have on all trips is you travel pack. Having a travel pack that leaks can create a rather unpleasant surprise when you reach in for—what are supposed to be—dry clothes after a huge rain storm. Your “dry” clothes are now more wet than your wet clothes. A waterproof travel pack also will keep any food supplies or repair tools dry and ready for use when needed.

Waterproof clothing works by using small canopies covering small pores in the fabric. The canopies keep out the rain and the holes allow the clothing to be breathable. Over time, the canopies become weak and collapse preventing the clothing from being effective. When this happens there is no need to replace the article, there are many sprays and other treatments on the market to restore your waterproof clothing. You can even carry the spray version in your travel pack in case water begins to seep through during a ride.

Overall, a great way to stay dry and comfortable on all of your bicycling expeditions is to pack some light waterproof clothing.

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Biking Clubs: Making the Right Selection

2011
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There are biking clubs all over the country, some of which are better than others. Sometimes it is tough to decide on a club and picking the wrong club is a waste of time and sometimes money. There are some important factors to consider when selecting the proper club for you.

The most important step is selecting a biking club that meets your biking style. Contact the club owner and ask what styles of biking they support and how much of each. If you are solely a road biker, you do not want to join a club that does primarily mountain biking and vice-versa. You also want to make certain they are not too advanced or too novice for your experience level.

Another important factor is the number of meets and trips per year. If they rarely ever meet and take infrequent trips, they may be the wrong club for you. Many of these clubs start up with great intentions, but the owners tend to lose interest and the entire club suffers. You also do not want to join if they meet at the times you are working or unavailable.

Selecting a group that fits your personality and lifestyle is important too. If you are in your early-20s, a club for retired people is probably not a great fit. Not only will they meet at time when you may be unavailable, but there is also a great possibility that they do not have much in common with you.

Many biking clubs now collect dues. Make certain that the dues are appropriate for what services the club provides. If the dues are $200 per year and they only give you a T-shirt, then that is a good one to walk away from. If the club offers free entry into all events for the entire year on top of the T-shirt, then that would be a $200 well spent.

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Children Biking: Getting Your Child Into Biking Early

2011
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In the world of video games and the television being a babysitter, it is commendable to see a parent that teaches their child the joys of the outdoors. Less and less often kids are resorting to jumping on their bike and going for a long ride into town or through the woods. Hey prefer to ask Mom or Dad for a lift to the mall where they are inundated with more gadgets and gizmos.

Technology and gadgets are an integral part of life and that is well understood, but health and stimulation of the mind is needed as well. Getting your child into biking at a young age can help him or her in both aspects. Starting them off a young age is important to get the biking bug into them before the video game or T.V. bug bites them.

The best way to get your son or daughter into biking early is to teach them the skill early. Some may think that four to six years is the appropriate age. That is correct, on a two-wheeled bike, but you can start them much younger on a tricycle.

Take your young son or daughter to a small and safe park with their tricycle and turn them loose, under close supervision of course. This gets them used to the outdoors and also gives you time to bond with them. Once they have mastered the tricycle get him or her small two-wheeled bike with high-quality training wheels and set them loose in the same manner as before.

The biggest step is removing the training wheels. Make certain your child understands that there may be some bumps and bruises along the way, but it will pay off. At this rate, your child should have the training wheels removed around four, and then the fun begins.

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Bike Basic: Selecting the proper bike

2011
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With all of the bike options on the market, sometimes it can be tough for a beginner to choose the best one. The options often seem limitless, but they can be narrowed down after some hard research.

The first and most important step is to pick a maximum budget. This budget depends on a few factors, such as: your income, amount of riding it will endure and your dedication to this new hobby. If you make $3,000 per month, you probably do not want to invest in a $1,500 bike unless you are saving for said bike. A bike that’s only ridden a few times a month does not need anything high-tech or fancy. Finally, make certain you are dedicated to this new hobby. Not much is worse than spending $1,000 on a bike with hydraulic disc brakes and a carbon fiber frame to see it become a coat rack.

After setting a budget, you must determine the style of riding you are planning on doing. If you are planning on a strict diet of pavement only, invest in a road-only bicycle. This is a lighter-weight bike with thin tires designed for minimum resistance.

If you are on doing some heavy, off-road trails and banging your bike off of some rocks and stumps, a mountain bike is right for you. These offer long travel front and rear shocks and heavy-duty rims and tires. The one downside is that they typically weigh significantly more than road bikes.

If you will ride your bike to get to some lighter off-road trails, a hybrid bike is for you. They come with medium travel front and rear shocks, a frame that is light and thin, but still strong and multi-use tires.

The final step is to select the features that are important to you. These are based on personal preference and vary greatly between the different models. 

 

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The Best City to Move to Bike

2011
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Many people enjoy staying healthy by going to the gym and dieting. There are other people who prefer to run and bike. If you are the type of person who prefers to bike, you may want to move to a state that is known for its bike riders. There are many bike-friendly cities to choose from, but you may want to consider a city in New Hampshire, since it is a popular state for biking. This state actually has some cities which have bicycle paths that go through neighborhoods that prevent bikers from going near paths of cars. It is also a popular state for its riding clubs and off road trails.

When and if you decide to move to a new home in New Hampshire, you’ll need to make your move easy as possible. In order to complete this task, you’ll need to get moving quotes online, if you plan on moving all of your personal belongings, including your furniture. There are a number of moving companies online that will offer you moving quotes.

Before you start searching for moving quotes, you’ll need to decide how much of your stuff you want to bring to New Hampshire with you. If you don’t plan on taking all of your personal belongings with you, you may choose a U-haul truck. With a U-haul, you can drive to your destination on your own. On the other hand, if you will be moving with your spouse and you don’t want to leave anything behind, you may benefit from renting from a full-service moving company. When you receive moving quotes from full-service companies, it will let you know how much it will cost and if the movers will unpack and unload your belongings. There is nothing better than making a move and having everything done for you so you can enjoy your days relaxing on your bike.

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Types of Bikes

2010
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Hardtail cross country mountain bike with carb...
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Before past few decades, the bikes were not as advanced as they are now. When the cycling needs changed and got more defined, manufacturers started making bikes depending upon their use and the types of tracks.  Now, if you go to shop around for the bikes then you’ll be amazed by finding different categories and types of bikes in the market making it hard for you to make a decision. To make it bit easier to choose the right bike for you let me describe two widely used categories of bikes i.e. terrain bikes and racing bikes.

As the name shows terrain bikes are the ones that are designed for use on different terrains. One can find different types of terrain bikes. The terrain bikes are designed by keeping in mind different terrains including cement, gravel, soil, sand and grass. One can ride terrain bikes easily on roads, mountains, streets, cycling paths and even light trails. Terrain bikes normally include features like upright seat, wide tyres considering overall comfort of the biker. There are several different types of bikes that are designed for terrains arrangements. Some of the most popular bikes are road bikes to use on roads and commuter bikes for everyday use.

The racing bikes are different from terrain bikes as they are designed to be used on racing tracks. The racing bikes are lighter and faster than the road bikes because they have higher gears. Also the racing bikes have smaller tyres and aerodynamic position. Depending upon the racing tracks one can find different types of racing bikes including , mountain bikes to use in hilly areas, hybrid bikes to use on road and off the road, bmx bikes to use on sand tracks, triathlon bikes for racing on general tracks etc

When it comes to using bikes then there are as such no hard and fast rules that racing bikes cannot be used for commuting purpose or on roads. However, if you are participating in a racing event then you must pay special attention in choosing your bike depending upon the track. As a right bike can make you win your race!

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Biking and Other Activities Help Improve Your Outlook

2010
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VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 21: Team Canada cele...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Ever notice how positive people seem to see, experience, and enjoy more of the world around them? Well, a recent Canadian study has found that our moods actually affect the operation of the visual cortex, the part of the brain that receives information from the eyes. A good mood actually expands the cortex so that it can take in more visual information, as opposed to a foul mood, which can actually narrow the cortex. This could literally explain the “narrow-mindedness” that typically accompanies states of depression.

So, how can we improve our overall outlook? Exercise and activities such as biking are natural mood elevators, and you don’t have to invest a fortune to get what you need to feel better. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. When you shop, park as far from the entrance as you can. Experts say that even moderate exercise, such as walking or dancing, can be beneficial if you work in at least 30 minutes of activity five times a week. When you’re exercising, you’re filling your lungs with fresh air. Deep breathing releases toxins, too. If setting aside 30 minutes is tough for you, then use your break time to grab a quick 15 minute stroll, or bike with your kids after supper.

Getting in a rut can put you in a bad mood. The next time you get in the car, consider taking a different route to your destination. A change is as good as a rest. Companies such as 21st Car Insurance reward defensive driving, and drivers with a better attitude and a broader perspective are more apt to avoid accidents by spotting danger before it happens. Also, consider biking to work along a scenic route. Who needs to look at orange cones and road blight all the way to the office? Soon, you’ll be seeing the world through rose colored glasses!

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