To loose from routine activities, not a bicycle you. This hobby is also very healthy fun. Not a weekend every week or day you take the time to these activities.
Nearly all the cities in the world, there are hobby this cycling. They usually form a community meeting to each other, exchange ideas and often spend time together to make this hobby every week. Not infrequently we see in the way of many a biker gang who travel together. They usually wear costumes unique characteristic of the biker.
A time when you meet with them, you can see clearly there is glee in their faces when they travel on the road. With the attributes that met some aksesories typical biker as biker helmet, clothes, bags and drinking places, and some other trinkets they look plucky pedal their mountain bikes.
In some countries chief meaning China, Japan and Indonesia we see a lot of people go to work using a bicycle. And recently in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, cycling is recommended activities for students and workers who go to school and the place where they work. This suggestion was delivered directly by the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, governor of Yogyakarta province to support that air pollution can be reduced in line with global warming increasingly worse from year to year.
What are you waiting longer? If you have not tried this hobby, please try once was. I am sure you will be addicted to recreational fun hobby while this. Moreover, if you have a moment later joined in a community fellow this hobby, you are guaranteed exhausted over the period of work will be lost.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Riding Road Bikes Is Easy Once You Practice Well by Alison Addy
Mountain biking is an exhilarating sport that can be enjoyed by anyone who has learnt to ride a bike. Compared to a normal bike riding it can be dangerous, so you should make sure you learn the basic skills below before you begin.
You can practice these skills practically anywhere - on a bike path, at your local park, or simply around your garden. If at all possible, try and find somewhere with a hill.
Get to know your pedals. Learn to move your feet away from the pedals. Try this while you are sitting on your bike with the other foot on the floor. Once you have mastered that you can have a go at moving your foot on and off the pedal while pedaling around for a while. You might need to spend some extra time practicing if you have either clip less or toe clip type pedals.
Practice spinning For this one you need to do is sit on your bike and keep pedaling. Bend your arms slightly and adjust the height of your seat so your legs are 70-90% extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal. Make sure you relax, as there is never a situation where your elbows or your knees are locked.
Changing gears Get acquainted with changing the gears on your bike. If you are in a high gears you may notice that it is more difficult to pedal although your speed increases, while the lower the gear the easier you will find pedaling and getting up steep paths. As you approach anywhere steep, its better to change gears before you get there rather than while you are actually on it.
Learn to coast Practice coasting with your feet on the pedals without sitting down. Keep your arms bent but make sure your knees are not locked.
Learn to stand and pedal One thing you will definitely need to master is pedaling while standing on your bike, so you will need to practice this often until you get it right. Try standing up slowly once you've been pedaling sitting down for a while and then increase your speed once your confidence develops. You can practice this in low gears when on hills and in high gears when on level ground.
Dropping down curbs Look for a curb where you can get to the upper portion of it with ease. Practice at a reasonable speed, standing and coasting off the curb from the upper to the lower level. Practice this at different speeds until it is a piece of cake.
Once you have practiced these skills and got the hang of them, you will be able to start on the trails feeling full of confidence. Even though it may take some getting used to at first, you'll soon be a pro!
You can practice these skills practically anywhere - on a bike path, at your local park, or simply around your garden. If at all possible, try and find somewhere with a hill.
Get to know your pedals. Learn to move your feet away from the pedals. Try this while you are sitting on your bike with the other foot on the floor. Once you have mastered that you can have a go at moving your foot on and off the pedal while pedaling around for a while. You might need to spend some extra time practicing if you have either clip less or toe clip type pedals.
Practice spinning For this one you need to do is sit on your bike and keep pedaling. Bend your arms slightly and adjust the height of your seat so your legs are 70-90% extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal. Make sure you relax, as there is never a situation where your elbows or your knees are locked.
Changing gears Get acquainted with changing the gears on your bike. If you are in a high gears you may notice that it is more difficult to pedal although your speed increases, while the lower the gear the easier you will find pedaling and getting up steep paths. As you approach anywhere steep, its better to change gears before you get there rather than while you are actually on it.
Learn to coast Practice coasting with your feet on the pedals without sitting down. Keep your arms bent but make sure your knees are not locked.
Learn to stand and pedal One thing you will definitely need to master is pedaling while standing on your bike, so you will need to practice this often until you get it right. Try standing up slowly once you've been pedaling sitting down for a while and then increase your speed once your confidence develops. You can practice this in low gears when on hills and in high gears when on level ground.
Dropping down curbs Look for a curb where you can get to the upper portion of it with ease. Practice at a reasonable speed, standing and coasting off the curb from the upper to the lower level. Practice this at different speeds until it is a piece of cake.
Once you have practiced these skills and got the hang of them, you will be able to start on the trails feeling full of confidence. Even though it may take some getting used to at first, you'll soon be a pro!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Bike Buying 101
By Tony Milijun
Bikes have long been a method of transportation and are becoming even more popular with the increase in oil/gas prices. From mountain to road biking there are many categories within each division. Racing, touring, and casual bikes cater to different types of individuals. Prices can range from a couple hundreds to several thousands based on the bikes components. Many people are familiar with brands such as Schwinn, Trek, or even more specific ones like Felt, Giant, or Motobecane. Each brands offers various models over a wide range of prices. Where does this leave you, me, and any other average consumer?
LOST? It is easy to become lost and confused in the world of bikes. The focus of this article will be to clear up any confusion and hopefully set a framework for finding the right bike for your price range. There are several variables that need to be taken into consideration when purchasing a new or used bike. These include:
1. Price - obvious category but there are many more
2. Sizing - very important for cyclists, recreational riders, and anyone looking to get into the sport
3. Type of bike - comfort, hybrid, road, time trial
4. Specificity of bicycle - components and parts included on the bike
SIZING
I will get into the pricing aspect of the bike in a future article but wanted to address the last three points first. Sizing is a crucial element that many people struggle with. Professional cyclists and triathletes often have problems dialing in their 'fit' and pursue expensive testing service routes to find the optimal fit. This is one extreme but many other avenues exist for average riders. Your local bike shop oftentimes will do a free bicycle fit for you or even taken your measurements so that you can plug it into specific calculators such as the FIST fit calculator on Slowtwitch.com. Oftentimes people are looking for something simple or inexpensive to get the job done. A proper size goes a long way for comfort and is, in my opinion, a critical determinant in choosing the right new or used bike. Injuries can result if the frame is wrong for your size. Too small of a frame often leads to knee problems, where larger than recommended frames can make it difficult to reach the shifters or ground. Most of the time people of average height have no problems finding an optimal fit, but outliers: tall (like myself) or short may have trouble finding the right bike.
TYPES
Comfort, road, and time trial bikes are the most common in the road bike category. While you can ride each of these, selecting the one most relevant to your style yields the most comfort and satisfaction. The first kind, comfort bikes, is usually designed with upright handlebars when compared to other bikes. These can be very useful for the average rider looking to put some miles in, but stay as comfortable as possible during the ride. Some bikes known as cruisers are often thrown into this category and come equipped with less gears and much heavier. Designed for going short distances, such as across the street to the grocer, they would not be the best option for longer distances. Road bikes are very common for the average rider, professional cyclist, and anyone getting into the sport. When looking to ride longer durations (say 2,3,4+ hours) road bikes are the best option. They are also fast due to thin tires and a lighter weight. Coming in a variety of frame types, sizes, and brands it is easy to find the right road bike. Used bikes can oftentimes save people 50% or more off the MSRP.
RoadBikeUSA
http://www.roadbikeusa.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Milijun
Bikes have long been a method of transportation and are becoming even more popular with the increase in oil/gas prices. From mountain to road biking there are many categories within each division. Racing, touring, and casual bikes cater to different types of individuals. Prices can range from a couple hundreds to several thousands based on the bikes components. Many people are familiar with brands such as Schwinn, Trek, or even more specific ones like Felt, Giant, or Motobecane. Each brands offers various models over a wide range of prices. Where does this leave you, me, and any other average consumer?
LOST? It is easy to become lost and confused in the world of bikes. The focus of this article will be to clear up any confusion and hopefully set a framework for finding the right bike for your price range. There are several variables that need to be taken into consideration when purchasing a new or used bike. These include:
1. Price - obvious category but there are many more
2. Sizing - very important for cyclists, recreational riders, and anyone looking to get into the sport
3. Type of bike - comfort, hybrid, road, time trial
4. Specificity of bicycle - components and parts included on the bike
SIZING
I will get into the pricing aspect of the bike in a future article but wanted to address the last three points first. Sizing is a crucial element that many people struggle with. Professional cyclists and triathletes often have problems dialing in their 'fit' and pursue expensive testing service routes to find the optimal fit. This is one extreme but many other avenues exist for average riders. Your local bike shop oftentimes will do a free bicycle fit for you or even taken your measurements so that you can plug it into specific calculators such as the FIST fit calculator on Slowtwitch.com. Oftentimes people are looking for something simple or inexpensive to get the job done. A proper size goes a long way for comfort and is, in my opinion, a critical determinant in choosing the right new or used bike. Injuries can result if the frame is wrong for your size. Too small of a frame often leads to knee problems, where larger than recommended frames can make it difficult to reach the shifters or ground. Most of the time people of average height have no problems finding an optimal fit, but outliers: tall (like myself) or short may have trouble finding the right bike.
TYPES
Comfort, road, and time trial bikes are the most common in the road bike category. While you can ride each of these, selecting the one most relevant to your style yields the most comfort and satisfaction. The first kind, comfort bikes, is usually designed with upright handlebars when compared to other bikes. These can be very useful for the average rider looking to put some miles in, but stay as comfortable as possible during the ride. Some bikes known as cruisers are often thrown into this category and come equipped with less gears and much heavier. Designed for going short distances, such as across the street to the grocer, they would not be the best option for longer distances. Road bikes are very common for the average rider, professional cyclist, and anyone getting into the sport. When looking to ride longer durations (say 2,3,4+ hours) road bikes are the best option. They are also fast due to thin tires and a lighter weight. Coming in a variety of frame types, sizes, and brands it is easy to find the right road bike. Used bikes can oftentimes save people 50% or more off the MSRP.
RoadBikeUSA
http://www.roadbikeusa.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Milijun
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