Zarnoff Bike Blog
2Jul/100

How To Stay Out Of Harm’s Way While Riding A Bicycle

No matter how careful you are, sometimes accidents do happen. This is especially true with cycling. Oftentimes you ride through dangerous terrains or share the road with motorists. It's important to maintain your safety at all times. And that's why you should wear protective gears and abide by certain safe bike riding essentials.

While protective gears will not keep an injury from ever happening, they can reduce its severity should you fall off your bike. It's not enough that you wear clothes suitable for the cycling activity, such as a pair of Pearl Izumi shorts and a top. While they provide you with some level of protection already, they should be supplemented by other protective gears.

A helmet is very important for protecting your head from getting severe injuries. According to studies, helmets reduce head injuries by as much as 60 percent in the event of a crash. But don't wear just about any helmet. Wear something that's specifically manufactured for riding a bike. Look for a label or sticker that says it passed tests and meets standards.

There are other protective wears other than a helmet. There are goggles that are shatter-proof, and gloves to protect your hands from friction. Shin guards, elbow and knee pads, etc. Are necessary, especially of you're a beginner or into extreme biking sports. Also, there are shoes ideal for cycling, providing comfort and safety at the same time.

Sometimes, the Schwinn mountain bike, BMX or other bicycle models you buy don't come accessorized completely. When riding your vehicle at night, it's important to have both head and rear lights installed. The same is true with reflectors to make sure other motorists can spot you. Mirrors and horns are great additions as well.

Other than having the right protective wear, it's also important to be familiar with certain road safety rules. For instance, always travel in a straight line, and use your hand when turning left or right. Act as though you're also driving a car, and do so defensively. Use common sense for your own good, like steering clear of busy streets.

If you're planning on becoming a competitive cyclist, it's important to seek the help of a personal trainer. You will be well-guided as you build up your skill. However, it's not always that he or she will be beside you each time you practice riding your bike. Minimize your risk of getting injured by having the right protective wear and practicing defensive driving.

30Jan/100

How Mountain Bike Gears Work

That gears in mountain cycles simply maintain getting a lot more
and a lot more complex.  The bikes of today get as numerous
as 27 equipment ratios.  A mountain bike will use a
mix of three several sized sprockets in
front and nine in that back to produce items ratios.

This idea behind all those gears is to enable the
rider to crank that pedals at a constant pace no
matter what type of slope the bike may be on.  You can
understand the following improved by picturing a bike having
only a single gear.  Each time you rotate this pedals
1 turn, the rear wheel would move 1 turn
as well (1:1 equipment ratio).

Should that rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then
along with 1:1 gearing, a single full twist on that pedals
would result in this wheel covering 81.6 inches of
floor.  Whether you are pedaling at a velocity of 50 RPM,
that means that this bike can cover over 340 feet of
ground per minute.  The following may be just 3.8 MPH, which
is that equivalence of walking speed.  The may be ideal
meant for climbing a steep hill, even though bad to get soil
or going downhill.

To go more quickly you'll need a different ratio.  To
journey downhill at 25 MPH along with a 50 RPM cadence at this
pedals, you'll require a 5.6:1 equipment ratio.  A bike
along with a lot of gears may provide you a large number
of increments between a 1:1 supplies ratio and a 6.5:1
gear ratio so that you could continually pedal at 50 RPM,
no matter how fast you are essentially going.

Over a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the items
ratios are so close to each different that you can't
notice any difference between them.  

With actual make use of, bike riders tend to choose a front
sprocket suitable for this slope people are driving on
and stick with it, although any front sprocket could
be difficult to shift under heavy load.  It's much
simpler to shit between any gears on that rear.

When you are cranking up a hill, it's right to choose
this smallest sprocket on that front then shift
between this nine gears available on this rear.  That
more speeds you need on any back sprocket, any
bigger advantage you'll get.

Most in all, gears are very vital to mountain
bikes as people dictate the in general speed.  Without having
gears you wouldn't be able to build speed nor would
you be capable to pound pedals.  The gears would move
the pedals and help you build up speed.  

There are all kinds of gears for sale in mountain
bikes, all of which will help build up a lot
of energy if you use them the right method.

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22Nov/090

Beginner Mountain Bike Skills

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.

John Ugoshowa. You are welcome to use this article on your website or
in your ezines
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20Nov/090

Tips To Understanding The Basics Of Mountain Bike Gears And How They Work

Remember when you didn't think about the gears on your bike? Your bike had a bike sprocket connected to the pedals and a small sprocket connected to the back wheel an that's all you needed. Then you got a little older and got your first 10-speed. That bike had two sprockets up front and five on the back. In all likelihood, the shifters were a pair of levers connected to your bike frame near the handlebars. As time went on the shifters moved to the handlebars themselves and then became advanced-looking dials right beside the grips. And next thing you knew, instead of a paltry ten speeds on your bike, you were riding a 27-speed mountain climbing machine!

Why all these gears? To make riding faster and easier, of course. Whatever the number of gears your bike has, if it has 2 or more then there's a basic set-up which almost every bike employs.

First of all you have your front and rear sprockets. These, along with the chain, form the most basic components of the gearing system. To determine your gear ratio you compare the number of teeth on the front sprocket to the number of teeth on the rear sprocket.

If your front sprocket has 52 teeth, and your rear sprocket has 20 teeth, then you're looking at a ratio of 2.6. The higher the ratio the faster the gear. Typically the gears on the front, starting from the inside, get larger as you move out. On the back wheel, though, the largest gear is typically the farthest inside and they get smaller as you move out.

The next key component for your mountain bikes gears is the derailleur, or derailer. The derailleur is what moves the bicycle chain from gear to gear. A typical shifting system employs both a front and rear derailleur. Without the derailleur you wouldn't be able to shift gears. The derailleur consists of pulleys and the cage, which is the part which actually comes into contact with the chain. The pulleys are attached to the gear cables. There are separate cables for the front and rear derailleurs. The gear cables connect to the gear shifters.

There are a variety of gear shifters available today and they cover a wide price range. The gear shifter is what allows you to change gears. The first type of shifters were levers known as friction shifters. These worked simply by pulling the cables attached to the derailleurs.

Friction shifters can be troubling because the way they're designed you can easily get caught between gears and accidentally damage your gears or even wreck. The more advanced variety of shifter is known as the index shifter.

Index shifters have specific stopping points and are calibrated to perfectly shift from gear to gear. They remedy the drawbacks of the older friction shifters. Gear shifters may be placed anywhere from the frame to the handlebar base to the grips to models which seem to be part of the brake levers.

Mountain bikes have multiple gears to make it easier for you to negotiate difficult terrain. Higher gears are there to help you speed downhill or across the flats, and lower gears are there to help you surmount those difficult inclines. Remember, it's best to shift gears when you're not putting a lot of stress on your pedals. Shifting when there's heavy pressure on the pedals can damage your shifting system.

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16Nov/090

The Intricacies Of Mountain Bike Gears

When you choose mountain bike, it is a good idea to learn more about the gearing systems. This article will explain more about how those systems work.
Mountain bike gears are continually becoming more and more complicated and intricate. Today's bikes can come with up to 27 gear ratios. It is common for a mountain bike today to use nine gears in the back and three sprockets of different sizes in the front for gear ration production.
Why so many gears? The most common reason is that a large number of gears allow a rider to pedal at the same pace no matter what terrain that he/she is on. This can be understood better if you think about a bike that just has one gear. Every time you turn the pedals one full turn, then the rear wheel also turns one full turn, too (1:1 gear ratio).
For example, your back wheel is measured at 26 inches. If you pedal one full turn, then this would mean that your wheel moved 81.6 inches. If you are riding at 50 RPM, then you will be able to go 340 feet per minute. This means that you were going 3.8MPH, which is equivalent to walking speed. This speed is great for going up a hill that is steep, but it is not a good speed for flat ground or racing downhill.
If you want your bike to go quicker, then you will need a different ratio. If you want to reach a speed of 25 MPH downhill using a 50-RPM cadence, then you will need to have a 5.6:1 gear ration. If you have lots of gears on your bike, then you will be able to get that ratio so that you can continue your pedaling at a consistent pace, no matter what terrain you are on or what your speed is.
A typical mountain bike that has 27 gears will have six gears so incrementally close to the other that you will not be able to determine that there is any difference between the gears when you change them.
Most mountain bike riders decide to choose a gear system with a front socket that is suitable for the slope or terrain that they usually ride on and they stay with this choice, even though it may be more difficult under a heavy load to shift the gears. This is purely a personal decision, but it is simpler to shift between gears when the rear socket, rather than the front one.
When you are pedaling uphill, then you will find that it is much better to choose a sprocket that is smaller on the front and then shift gears with the nine gears that are available on the rear. If you are more speeds on the rear sprocket, then you will find that it is much more efficient to ride.
Mountain biking needs gears so that you can keep an overall speed going. If you didn't have gears, then you would find it difficult to build up any speed and you would find it nearly impossible to pound your pedals for extra control. Gears help to move the pedals and enable you to gain that speed.

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5Nov/090

How Mountain Bike Gears Work

The gears in mountain bikes just keep getting more and more intricate. The bikes of today have as many as 27 gear ratios. A mountain bike will use a combination of three different sized sprockets in front and nine in the back to produce gear ratios.

The idea behind all these gears is to allow the rider to crank the pedals at a constant pace no matter what kind of slope the bike is on. You can understand this better by picturing a bike with just a single gear. Each time you rotate the pedals one turn, the rear wheel would rotate one turn as well (1:1 gear ratio).

If the rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then with 1:1 gearing, one full twist on the pedals would result in the wheel covering 81.6 inches of ground. If you are pedaling at a speed of 50 RPM, this means that the bike can cover over 340 feet of ground per minute. This is only 3.8 MPH, which is the equivalence of walking speed. This is ideal for climbing a steep hill, although bad for ground or going downhill.

To go faster you'll need a different ratio. To ride downhill at 25 MPH with a 50 RPM cadence at the pedals, you'll need a 5.6:1 gear ratio. A bike with a lot of gears will give you a large number of increments between a 1:1 gear ratio and a 6.5:1 gear ratio so that you can always pedal at 50 RPM, no matter how fast you are actually going.

On a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the gear ratios are so close to each other that you can't notice any difference between them.

With actual use, bike riders tend to choose a front sprocket suitable for the slope they are riding on and stick with it, although the front sprocket can be difficult to shift under heavy load. It's much easier to shit between the gears on the rear.

If you are cranking up a hill, it's best to choose the smallest sprocket on the front then shift between the nine gears available on the rear. The more speeds you have on the back sprocket, the bigger advantage you'll have.

All in all, gears are very important to mountain bikes as they dictate your overall speed. Without gears you wouldn't be able to build speed nor would you be able to pound pedals. The gears will move the pedals and help you build up speed.

There are all types of gears available in mountain bikes, all of which will help you build up a lot of momentum if you use them the right way.

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23Aug/090

Mountain Bike Racing

Who can race?Everyone! Most mountain bike race events are divided into different categories: gender, age and ability. So even if you are just beginning to love the sport or if you have been riding for several years, there is a race for you.

 

Mountain Biking - First Race Click hereWho organizes the race?Many of the best mountain biking races for beginners are organized by local communities. And most participants can be your friends and neighbors. How many joins this race? Depending on its popularity – maybe 30 or 100. The good thing about community-organized races is that they are less competitive as they are often participated by average riders like you. So if it is your first time to join a race, this is a good starting point.Check with your local bike shop and bike websites to find if there are race events nearby.Why race?Racing improves your riding skill and makes you a better rider. Racing gives you a goal, which drives you to perform better than in casual biking. It improves your focus on the road. Since you dare to ride as fast as you can, it increases your reaction time to every bend, corners, rocks and dips. Also, knowing that the race is coming up, you eat and prepare better.How much does it cost?Entry or registration fee for community mountain bike race usually costs between $10 and $35. This usually includes t-shirt. Regional races are a bit higher. Often, gift certificates and bike gears are given and prizes.Speaking of prizes, awards are given in all categories like Women 30-39 Beginner, Men 30-39 Beginner, Men 30-39 Expert, Men 40-49 Beginner etc. So there are several chances of winning. When they speak of the "depth", it means the number of places that is awarded for a particular category. If the awards are "five deep", that means prizes are given from first up to fifth place.Either way, it is not about the prize but for the fun of biking.What are the rules?Know if you should be "self-supporting", meaning you have to provide everything you need during the race from water supply to repair tools. If not, ask if you can share tools and inner tubes with your teammates or other rides. Also, check if you can munch powerbars while riding or get water-bottle from your pit-crew as turn a lap. These are important details to know.There are unwritten, non-technical rules in mountain biking race. First, do not mess with other riders. Do not block. Do not draft (riding directly behind another rider and use him as shield block the air). Do not endanger another rider. The aim of the race is fun and camaraderie so do not spoil it by kicking someone else's bike or throwing an empty water-bottle to other competitors.What to prepare?Be physically fit. Get stronger. Ride more often. Run the course at least once before the race to familiarize the terrain. Register in advance. Pack everything you need a night before.On race day, arrive an hour early. This gives you time to rest, mingle with other racers and do some final check with your bike (do not change major parts on race day unless it is completely necessary). After the race, hang out with other racers, cheer for the late finishers, wait for the awarding and recall the day's event.

 

Mountain Biking Resources

 

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