Zarnoff Bike Shop

Buying a mountain bike can seem like a big decision but you can help yourself by getting educated about the important aspects of the bike. The following six areas should be thought about before you make your next mountain bike purchase. Six Points: 1.  Price 2.  Frame 3.  Brakes 4.  Shifters 5.  Tires 6.  Fit Price: The best mountain bikes can cost thousands of dollars and can cost as little as several hundred dollars. The first place to start your search is to determine the price you are willing to pay. A good beginner mountain bike will cost between 400 and 800 dollars depending on where you buy it. To insure that you won’t be replacing your mountain bike in the near future don’t go the route of buying the Walmart specials. Many people make this very mistake when start out to buy a mountain bike. Rather than getting the inexpensive mountain bike in the beginning and replacing it within a year, you would have been better off with the higher priced mountain from the start. The Iron Horse Mountain Bike is a good example of a popular mountain bike at an affordable price. Brakes: Obviously the best mountain bikes have the best brakes. The decision you have to make is whether to use disk brakes or rim brakes. The cost of disk brakes are higher but the braking power is superior. Rim brakes offer a lighter, lower cost alternative but you will sacrifice some performance particularly in wet conditions. The Diamondback Recoil Full Suspension Mountain Bike is a fine example of a high quality mountain bike that incorporates dual disk brakes. Shifters: Mountain bikes use two different types of shifters, the Gripfit and the Rapidfire shifters. The Rapidfire shifters are located under the brake lever and Gripfit shifters are incorporated into the handlebars that work similar to a motorcycle. It does come down to a matter of preference but the better riders seem to refer the Rapidfire shifters over the Gripfit shifters. Tires: It is important to have the larger knobby tires if you are going to be spending most of your time off road. You will get better traction and more control on the uneven terrain. If you are using the mountain bike for mainly street use then you can get away with the smaller knobs for less resistance on the flatter paved surfaces. If you are going to use the mountain bike for off road and on road then look for a tire with a ridge in the middle and medium sized knobs on the side of the tire. Fit To get the best mountain bike that suits you well it is important to get the right size bike. A good starting point would be to have a three inch clearance above the top frame tube while you are straddling the bike. It does matter what terrain you will be ridding on. If you are going to be riding a bit more aggressively you can increase this to four to six inches of clearance to allow for ease of operation over very uneven surfaces. As you are sitting on the bike and your feet on the pedals try and maintain a 30 degree angle with the leg at the bottom of the apex. Generally speaking 30 degrees of knee bend is a good place to start. That’s the basics you need to know before buying the best mountain bike for yourself. Choose wisely when starting out and you can expect to get many miles out of your mountain bike. If you are looking to buy a durable mountain bike that meets the strictest standards of many advanced riders than you have to checkout the Iron Horse Warrior Mountain Bike

The green trail consists of two great loops of fast flowing single track. It can be quite technical at times but keeps rewarding the rider with smooth flowing single track descents.There are about two or three streams to cross but these are relatively dry in the cool season (late November – January) and the dry season (January to April).The Blue trail is an excellent introduction ride into downill single track and is deffinately not an easy ride.The first part of the trail is a great single track loop with technical climbs and rewarding fast flowing sinle track descent. And as we start to climb again we are met by our support vehicle where it drives us to the peak of Khao E- To where we have refreshments before start our 2 mile singletrack down the less technical but still thrilling left side of Khao E-To mountain.

After that we crossing over onto the right side and hit some faster flowing singletrack before meeting back at the support vehicle for some food before heading back to Bangkok.There are about two streams to cross but these are relatively dry in the cool season (late November – January) and the dry season (January to April).

http://www.mountainbiketoursthailand.com/trips_central_thailand.htmlhttp://www.mthilltours.com/tours_central_thailand.html

For those that love to explore by Bike, cycle through the great out doors and see sights most tourists never see, then Thailand is home to a handful of reliable, trusty bike tour operators. Bike Tour operators can be found in Chang Mai, Bangkok and Phuket.

Some of these tours focus on road riding and road bikes covering great distances. Other tours are exclusively off road and down hill riding only. Some Mountain Bike Tour operators combine on and off road riding allowing the riders the thrill of single track as well as the enjoyment of discovering small villages away from the crowds. Short tours for those short on time, or wishing to fit many other activities in to their valuable Thailand vacation time are available. Longer tours for those with more time or more passion for biking are also on offer.

All inclusive packages providing English speaking local guides, hotel accommodations, meals and support vehicles make sure you get the most of your Cycling Adventure Tour in Thailand.

Often the Tours are so much more than Biking, the journey will also be a culinary exploration of Thailand the host country, sample the various dishes and discover while Thailand is known world wide for it cuisine. Historical sites are visited, other Adventure activities are often included in these Biking Adventure Tours including boat trips, kayaking in lake and rivers, visits to Thai temples and meeting the local people.

If you would like more detailed Free information on Bike and Adventure Tours in Thailand feel free to visit our site:

http://amazingbiketoursthailand.asia/

Riding down steep slopes and might seem intimidating to beginner downhill riders. The main factor which transforms riding downhill into such an intimidation is that everything happens faster and in a more intense manner. Riding downhill is different than ordinary bike riding in many ways. One of the main differences is the bikers’ center of gravity. While riding on straight terrain, there’s no problem figuring out where your center of gravity is and maneuvering accordingly. Just like ordinary bike riding, but more so, there’s a grave importance to looking ahead and realizing what kind of terrain we’re riding on. There’s a major difference between bike riding on rocks, wet ground, or on a leafy area. Once you’ll realize ahead of time what kind of terrain you’re riding on, you’ll know how to maneuver your bike more successfully.

This post will focus on braking principles. Breaking your bike while descending downhill isn’t as simple as it seems. There are many conditions that require different techniques of breaking. If you’ll just pull on the breaks and hope for them to stop, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to loose traction, spin and fall down. A basic technique of correct braking which is applied also in motor vehicles is to apply the brakes gently smoothly. It’s better to apply the brakes by alternated smooth movements as a posed to just clamping them. Brakes can also be used as a way to turn your bike. Applying your back brake can help you turn your bike, by pivoting.

These were only a few introductory tips. Before setting out on a downhill trail, I recommend taking a few lessons with a mountain biking instructor in order to be sure that you have the knowledge and skills required in order to cope with the challenges downhill trails pose.

The Passportes du Soleil is an epic mountain bike race in the huge Portes du Soleil region of France & Switzerland which heralds the start of summer and the opening of the lift system. It takes place over the last weekend in June, and has evolved from an earlier event known as the “Freeraid”.

Most riders don’t really treat the Passportes as a race (although you do get a number for the front of your bike) but simply a great day’s mountain bike riding. The event is massive – 2 days, 3 courses (30, 45 & 75 km) and 3700 riders. The classic trek of 75 km includes 12 ski lifts, 6500 m of total downhill, 500 m of total uphill climb.

What makes this event unique is the fact that it attracts a wide range of participants – from lycra clad cross country riders to armour clad downhill riders, and from beginners to experts. Everyone gets involved and rides the same course. True, the cross country riders tend to beat the downhill riders on the climbs, and for the real keen peddlers, there is also optional climbing sections. And true the downhillers tend to overtake the cross country riders when it comes to descending, and there are a couple of optional “free ride” sections. But overall, the race is a fantastic melting pot of all mountain bike styles and standards.

As for the course itself – it has to be one of the best in the world! It takes in some amazing panoramas on the Morgins and Champoussin sections with views of the Dents du Midi, the Dents Blanch and even Mont Blanc. There is some excellent steep and twisty single track down through the woods in Torgon. There are dedicated downhill courses used at Chatel and Les Gets. There is an epic descent from the top of Linderets down to Morzine and there are some great meandering cross-country sections on relatively easy 4×4 tracks.

Another excellent feature of this event are the fantastic refreshment stands located at regular intervals throughout the course. Large tables offer up a wide range of snacks and drinks, from energy/nut bars to cheese and ham, from energy drinks to beer and wine. It is always interesting to see who feels fit to tuck into the alcoholic drinks at ten in the morning, and then avoid them if you see them on the course!

The Passporte du Soleil is really an event for everyone. It has become so massive that it now sells out months in advance. However, if you visit the Portes du Soleil later on in the summer, it is possible to get a map from the local tourist office and cycle pretty much the whole route.

Race stats:

Classic trek – 75 Km The classic circuit is for purists: a long tour of the Portes du Soleil about 75km* approximatively 75km – 12 lifts* 6500m of total downhill/ 500m of total uphill* 7 resorts to start from : Avoriaz, Châtel, Les Gets, Morzine, Champéry, Morgins et Torgon* 8 refreshments points

Intermediate trek – 45 km 45km with one aim in mind; having fun* approximatively 45km – 7 lifts* 4000m of total downhill /300m of total uphill* 4 resorts to start from: Châtel, Champéry, Morgins et Torgon.* 4 refreshments points

Discovery trek – 30km For those who are quite good at mountain biking, but out on The Portes du Soleil’s tracks for the first ime…an ideal “breaking in route”* approximatively 30km- 5 lifts* 2200m of total downhill/ 200m of total uphill* 3 resorts to start from: Avoriaz, Morzine et Les Gets* 3 refreshments points

With 600 miles of trails, it’s no wonder why Winter Park has gained the title of “Mountain Bike Capital USA”. At the resort alone you will find 50 miles of single-track trails accessible via chair lifts and marked with signs identifying skill level. Once at the top of the lifts you may want to stop into the Sunspot for a quick bite to eat while enjoying the 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. From there you can choose runs like the Upper Arapahoe, the resort’s downhill race course, or wind down The Long Trail for a 7-mile novice ride.

In the Fraser Valley you can enjoy the trails of the Rocky Mountain wilderness while cradled by spectacular mountain views all around. The trails follow babbling brooks, glide through wildflower meadows and trek up rugged mountains.

All throughout the summer, there are races that are open to public and are available to many different skill levels. A majority of the races either start or end at Winter Park Resort, including the finale… The King of the Rockies. You can get more information about these races below.

Repairs, rentals and shops are easy to find, whether you are at the resort, or downtown Winter Park. You can also find a wide variety of restaurants and bars, with food that is just as good as it is diverse.

Music sounds better with a backdrop like the Continental Divide, and you just may find out for yourself, as there are music festivals and concerts happening almost every weekend during the Summer. Events like the Jazz Festival and the Food, Wine & Beer Festival may require advance planning for stays in Winter Park.

It would be impossible to cover all of the mountain bike trails of Winter Park and the Fraser Valley in one short article. However, once you get to here, there are a number of free mountain bike trail guides that can be found at most establishments.

Stay at the Base of Winter Park Resort:Slope View Bed and Breakfast in Winter Park, Colorado
Just a five minute walk from Winter Park Resort
970-531-2386

Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can be

enjoyed by anyone who knows how to ride a bike.

Compared to the average bike ride, it does present

some danger. Therefore, you should master these

basic skills before you hit the trails or the

dirt.

You can practice these beginning skills at a local

park, school, bike path, or simply around your

house. If you can, try to find a location with

a steep hill.

Get a feel for your pedals

Practice moving your foot away from the pedal,

first while sitting on your bike with one foot on

the ground. Next, move on to releasing and

replacing your foot while pedaling around for a

bit. Those with toe clip and clipless type foot

pedals will want to spend a bit more time

practicing.

Sit and spin for position

Simply sit on your bike and pedal around. You

should keep your arms slightly bent. You should

also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to

90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke

on the pedal. Keep your body relaxed, as there

will never be a position where you should have

either your knees or your elbows locked.

Shifting gears

Get a feel for shifting gears with your bike. The

higher gears are harder to pedal and will go

faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal

and will help you ascend hills. As you get to

steeper hills, its best to shift before you get

to the hill rather than while your on it.

Coasting

You should spend a bit of time coasting while

standing on your pedals, without actually sitting

on the seat. Keep your arms bent but don’t lock

your knees. Now, try experimenting with shifting

your body towards the rear end of the bike.

Pedal while standing

You should get as comfortable as you can with

pedaling while standing on your bike. Try lifting

yourself off the seat while standing on the pedals,

then crank them around. You should try this in

higher gears on flat ground then again in lower

gears while on a hill.

Dropping down a curb

Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the

upper portion of it. Practice at a moderate speed,

standing and coasting right off the curb from the

upper level to the lower level. Try this at

different speeds until it becomes second nature.

Once you practice these techniques and get the

hang of them, you’ll be able to hit the trails feeling

comfortable on your mountain bike. Even though it

may take some getting used to, it’ll become second

nature before you know it.