Sports

Bike Safety More Than Helmets

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When you think of bicycle safety there are probably visions of helmets and knee pads in your head. While that is certainly a part of the safety of using a bike that isn’t the only part. In fact, being safe on your bike has more to do with being a good bike owner than it does the style of helmet you use. So when you are looking at a bike and you are thinking about what it means to be safe, make sure you keep this overall package in mind.

You Need Safety Gear

These are the essentials of a serious rider. There is, of course, the helmet. This is protecting the indefensible part on your body. Then there are the optional knee and elbow pads. These are not optional for the children but for you they might be. If you are worried about safety and fashion colliding you don’t have to be. There are plenty of elbow and knee pads that are designed to look more like a brace and less like a goofy elbow pad. Beyond that it could be the case to wear bike shoes as it will keep the pedal from slipping out from under your control.

Get It To A Shop

If your bike doesn’t have properly working brakes then it doesn’t work and you could be in danger. Every season before you take the bike out on the road it’s best to go and have it tuned up. They will make sure the brakes are working and make sure that you are safe. It’s also important that before you head out on your long rides that you make sure the bike is working properly. Testing the brakes before hand will provide a lot of reassurance that you will be safe and that you are protected. Riding should be fun and never dangerous.

Filed Under: Cycling, New Bikes, Sports Tagged With: Bicycle safety, Cycling, Personal protective equipment

Tips On Pricing A Bike

Pricing your bike for sale is not an easy thing to do. There is often a big chasm between what you want and what you can get for it. While you know how great your bike is and has been to you, you must also know that if you price too high you could drive off a potential customer before they even get a chance to look at the bike. Conversely, a price that is too low(but not low enough where there is no risk) is also going to serve as a detriment to your selling as someone is likely to figure that there must be something wrong with it to be selling at that price.

A good way to combat the problem is in the ad you place itself. Letting your buyers know why you are pricing a bike at such a price will make them feel more comfortable about being interested in it. You should be warned however that it usually works better with a lower price than a higher price. Telling someone you are selling a bike dirt cheap because you are moving and wonâ€™t be needing it is much different than telling someone you are jacking up the price because it has new tires.

Make sure you ask yourself the question of whether or not you would consider buying the bike for the price that you are asking. Donâ€™t ask as yourself, the bike owner, but rather as the other person. Knowing that there are many other bikes out there, see what you would buy it for. It also doesnâ€™t hurt to go online and see what other sellers are pricing your bike at. It could be a valuable task in making sure you are getting fair market value for your bike. Once you set the price then itâ€™s about waiting for someone to take it off your hands.

Filed Under: Bikes, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Motorcycle, Shopping

Making Your Bike Attractive

Selling a bike is almost as nerve wracking as buying one. There are so many little decisions to make and there is so much stress about making a bad deal that you can often become paralyzed with fear. The important thing for you to do here is to make the decision sell your bike and then take care of the basics and just decide to let the bike take care of itself. If you present a good bike at a reasonable price it wonâ€™t be hard to sell at all. Time to get to work.

Fix The Odds And Ends

The first thing you should do if you are interested in getting top value for your bike is getting a tune up for the bike. No rider wants to purchase your bike not knowing when the last time it was tuned up. Even if you do it yourself in most cases, it might be a good idea to have a professional do it for a change. This is just so that you can show a receipt to the prospective buyer. If you do decide to do it yourself in an effort to save a few dollars then make sure you can prove it. Have receipts of the parts and supplies you bought and a detail description of what you did to improve upon the bike.

Clean And Replace

This is the basic to selling anything but make sure you clean the bike before you get it out on the sellers market. If you donâ€™t present the best version of the bike you could be kicking yourself for it later. And while you are at it, make sure you fix up the odds and ends. If the pedals have been needing to be replaced do to some hardware problem, get them replaced. You donâ€™t have to go all out but at least get a factory replacement. These things will help you sell your bike.

Filed Under: Bicycle, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Shopping, Sports

Buying A Used Bike

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Buying a used bike is a lot like buying a used car. You want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. You don’t want to take it away thinking that you could have done better. Buying a road bike is not an easy task. When you talk about the used and refurbished bikes the picture gets rather muddled. So how do you know you are getting a good bike? There are a lot of things to consider when buying. Here are a few good questions to ask them. This should make it a lot easier on you.

How Much Was This Bike Used?

Never be foolish enough to underestimate the amount a bike was ridden. Even if the bike looks like it was on a shelf for the last decade that doesn’t mean it was. Ask them how often they used it. What you are trying to conclude is the kind of wear and tear there might be on the bike itself and the frame and the seat. Don’t be afraid to find out a rough estimate of how many miles they figure they put on their bike. If it’s over a thousand then you might want to go with something else.

How Was The Upkeep?

This might be the single most important question that you can ask. Just like a car, you want a bike that has been well maintained. You can accept one of two things: the first being that they fixed it up and kept up with it themselves or that they had it taken to a place. Of course if they have done neither then you should pass on the bike. If they have been keeping up with it then simple receipts showing that they did it should suffice and give you the peace of mind you need.

Filed Under: Bikes, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Road bicycle, Sports

Biking For Beginners

The sport of biking is growing in popularity every day. Prominent figures in the biking community are making the sport attractive to people who want to challenge themselves and find a great new hobby they can really get into. If you are a novice to the sport then you are sure to have a million questions to ask about how to get into biking. For that it’s simple. Take a look at a beginners guide to getting into biking.

The first thing you need is a bike itself. You will want to stay away from the higher end models. There is no use in getting a bike that you can’t say for sure you will be happy with in a year. As much as biking is a great sport it is not for everyone. You should stick with an entry level model. It’s a great way to get introduced to the sport without breaking the bank. Of course make sure you get yourself a helmet and possible bike shoes, if you want the most authentic experience and the best ride possible.

Don’t go overboard on the clothes you buy. Biking shorts will help because of the padding and that will give you a little relief from the bike seat(which are never comfortable) but stick to a tech shirt and shorts and that should be all you need. The clothes you see the professionals wearing are often very expensive. Don’t make the mistake of spending too much money.

Now that you are outfitted with the clothes you need and the bike itself you can get yourself into a riding group. If you do a quick online search of groups in your area you are bound to find one. Don’t be afraid to get involved. Having people with you is a great feeling. Don’t pass it up!

Filed Under: Bikes, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Mountain biking, sport

Schwinn Bicycles

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As the post World War II generation, the nicknamed Baby Boomers, head into retirement catering to their recreation activities has become an important market for companies. Cycling remains a popular activity even into retirement age for the first generation in history. While the technological advances of modern mountain bikes has something to do with the staying power of the recreation, a large part of the staying power of the bicycle with the Baby Boomers is that they grew up with bicycles, and as a result bike riding became ingrained as an activity.

Part of the aging process is fondly recalling the past. And for children of the 1960s, the past likely included owing or seeing friends own a Schwinn bicycle. Schwinn targeted the child and youth market by advertising on popular children’s shows of the era. The Schwinn company had an active presence on the Captain Kangaroo Show. Captain Kangaroo would often long for his own Schwinn bicycle on the show, which caused it to be the top item on many Christmas and Birthday wish lists. Schwinn was so successful with this type of adverting that parents groups objected to the manner in which the show was marketing Schwinn bicycles. Schwinn responded by getting a Schwinn dealer character to become a regular guest on the show.

It was not enough to create a demand for the bicycle. The product had to offer enough features to make it both fun and memorable. In 1962, Schwinn designer Al Fitz noticed a growing trend in the California youth market. People were including their own designs to bicycles by replacing the manufacturers’ handle bars with motorcycle handle bars. The resulting bikes could dip off the ground and perform the wheelie trick. From this observation, Fritz helped design the Schwinn Stingray bicycle. Stingray sales soon took off and an icon was born.

By 1965 the Schwinn Stingray had become a top seller and in both the United States and foreign markets. As young cyclists performed wheelies, they would be paving the way for a lifetime of riding.

Filed Under: Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Schwinn Bicycle Company, United States

Schwinn Bycles as an Icon

The Schwinn Company created an icon with its 1960s Stingray design. Although parents were hesitant to allow their children to own a bike that touted its ability to perform wheelies (and potentially create a another reason to go to the emergency room) the bicycle took off as a generation of children held their breath, begged and pleaded to get the”Tickle me Elmo” toy of its time. Although Schwinn’s designs were instrumental in creating a bicycle icon, the company could not match the popularity of its designs with matching financial success.

By the 1980s the Schwinn company had become a bit of a dinosaur. True to its roots, the company remained in control of the Schwinn family and still in the same location where it enjoyed much of its early success. The 80-year-old Chicago factory that had produced the popular bicycle for decades might have been an important piece of bicycle and American history, but hindered by outdated facilities, Schwinn found itself unable to compete with Asian competitors that developed bikes a newer facilities and with cheaper labor.

Schwinn factory workers in Chicago joined up with the United Auto Workers union and went on strike to demand higher wages and better benefits. The strike lasted for 13-weeks which further damaged the company and caused it to take desperate measures to modernize its operations.

Schwinn began to purchase parts from Asia and construct them into a finished product in a new location in Mississippi. While the plan helped make Schwinn more competitive, the move was never a money maker. Asia bicycle manufacturers still operated at a far more competitive price per unit. The Schwinn plant in Greenville, Mississippi closed its doors in 1991. Schwinn enjoyed a bit of a resurgence after closing the plant. Schwinn developed a partnership with a company called Giant Bicycles and issued as new successful product. The Airdyne exercise bike sold well, but it was not enough.

Schwinn declared bankruptcy in 2001. In a cruel twist it was purchased by an Asian company that had pushed Schwinn out. Schwinn still lives, but only as a cycling icon.

Filed Under: Bikes, Sports Tagged With: Asia, Bicycle, Schwinn Bicycle Company

Bike Basics

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Cycling technology has grown some rapidly and significantly that comparing modern bicycles to predecessors from 100 years ago or earlier is similar to comparing homo sapiens to Neanderthals or perhaps in the case of the 1860s “boneshaker” bicycle to homo erectus. Even with the advances in bicycle technology new riders can still put themselves at risk of injure or a terrible riding experience without the knowledge to optimize their rides.

Some of the most difficult adjustments new riders have to make is finding a way to be comfortable on the tiny bike seat. The seat or saddle should be as level as possible. The right height is when the leg is slightly bent at the bottom every pedal. For difficult trails a slightly lower saddle position is recommended with the seat dropping by as much as 3 inches for down hill riding. The support for the saddle, the seat post should be about 6 to 9 inches above the frame. This depends on the size of the riders, while the optimal form being the most important consideration.

Positioning of the brakes and shift lever is another feature that must be taken into consideration Brakes or levers that are not accessible without a rider having to move his or her hand are not in the correct position. Riders on difficult trails might have to make split second decisions for their own safety. Moving the brake or lever for temporary comfort could prove to be detrimental in the long run.

The crank attaches the pedal to the gears. As a general rule cranks are between 170 and 175 millimeters. Riders with an inside leg length less than 30 inches, which is about 76 centimeters, should stick with a crank that is 170 milimetes.

Just as with cars, tire pressures is an important aspect of the ride cyclists get to enjoy. With too much air the tire will be jittery and difficult to maneuver. With too little air the bicycle with ride slower. Poorly inflated tires also are far more likely to go flat.

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

Cycling Technique

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Cycling technology has created bikes that can climb mountains, race and perform a countless number of both air and ground tricks. Despite the success of bicycle developers in providing a popular product that has withstood the fickle nature of consumer taste for almost 200 years, manufacturers have not created a device so perfect that it corrects the foibles of uniformed or lazy riders. Poor riding technique can spoil the results of even the best and most expensive bicycle. Especially prior to taking a bicycle on any type of mountain trek, the basics of balancing, braking, climbing descending and changing gears should be mastered.

Although balance sounds likes the type of skill reserved for trapeze artists or gymnasts when described as correct weight distribution mastering the practice seems less daunting. As speeds increases it is easier to balance, but on slow trails increasing speed might not be possible. The best technique to solve this problem is for riders to discover their own limitations and find out what works best for them. Riding slower and coming to a complete standstill on pavement could develop skills that translate to conquering a difficult trail.

Braking might be the least fun skill to develop, but it also could be the most important. The left hand lever operates the front bake and the right hand operates the rear. Developing braking as something that is part of the natural motion of riding a bicycle is vital to transforming from a novice cyclist into an experienced hill climber. It is important to know how a bike responds to brake attempts on different surfaces before attempting a treacherous slope. Break with front and rear individually before trying to combine the actions.

One breaking technique that might come in handy is known as feathering, which means gentle on off grips to slow the bicycle and prevent a skid stop. On steep and loose descents the front brake will provide the power to slow the bike and the rear brake will provide the control. Braking is not always the best option. Sometimes releasing and speeding past a obstacle is the best option.

Filed Under: Bicycle, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Bicycle, Brake, Cycling, Sports

Climbing Technique

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When 18th Century cyclists encountered a hill they knew exactly how to handle it. Jump off the bike hold the handlebar steady and the frame tight and walk it up to the pinnacle of the hill. While the technique ensured a smooth ride and proved to be an effect way to keep riders safe it certainly did nothing to make the rider’s experience more enjoyable or his or her racing performance better.

As bicycle technology improved, hills did not appear so daunting, dangerous or joyless. They actually became preferred territory for hobbyists, competitors and teenage boys seeking to impress their peers. For competitive cyclists mountain climbing is one of the most challenging and demanding tasks. The Tour de France is often won or lost during the punishing mountain stages. Proper fitness and breathing technique is vital for successful mountain climbers. But knowing how to handle a bike on a slow and bumpy uphill course is just as important.

Some of the best techniques to conquer hills should be obvious. Avoiding obstacles prevents riders from taking a tumble over the handlebars. Staying seated is another important technique. While standing might make steering easier, hovering over the saddle rather than standing forward is recommended to maintain proper balance. Standing too tall could cause the rear wheel to spin out. Good climbing technique is mostly a question of proper weight distribution and comfort. Developing both takes time and practice.

One thing to remember while on a steep climb is to remain focused and not get frustrated. Jabbing at the pedal might produce extra power, but it comes at the cost of losing balance and momentum. Consistent strokes will create a better climbing experience than bursts of power.

Perhaps the worst thing a hill climber can do is to fall into complacency when the top of a climb is in sight. Accelerating through the top will develop muscles, boost recovery rate and wake the downhill momentum even stronger. Climbing is a blend of power and balance in which the terrain determines the proper ratio.

Filed Under: Bicycle, Cycling, Sports Tagged With: Bicycle, Climbing, Cycling, Tour de France