Bike Riding

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expertvillage asked:

Knobby tires or not? Learn how to choose mountain bike tires for riding downhill trails in this video on mountain biking basics.

Buying an exercise bike? An exercise bike is an excellent way to build fitness, lose weight and get fit. Plus they’re convenient and one of the most comfortable to burn calories in the comfort of your own home.

But how do you choose the best one? This buying guide will show you what to look for when shopping so you can find the best exercise bike for your needs - while avoiding the lemons!

First, ask yourself which class of exercise bike you would like. There are 2 general classes of exercise bikes:

1) Recumbent Bikes

Recumbent bikes are the newer exercise bikes on the market with the chair-like or bucket seats. Your body is placed in a semi reclining position and your legs angle out in front of you to reach the pedals instead of hanging down as on an upright bike.

2) Upright Bikes

These are also called “Stationary bikes” although this term is now becoming a catch all term for both upright and recumbent bikes. These are the traditional exercise bikes that have been around for years and are similar in form to traditional outdoor bikes.

An offshoot of the standard upright bike is the ‘Dual Action’ Stationary bike. These bikes have movable bars or levers on arm handles to incorporate your upper body into the workout.

Know what you want before you start comparing different exercise bikes. Personally I’ve owned both and after a while upright exercise bike seats just don’t feel too comfortable if you know what I mean. But the choice is yours.

The next thing you need to decide on is your budget. How much are you willing to pay for your exercise bike?

There are really 3 price categories:

1) Under $500

2) Between $500 - 1000

3) $1000 +

Under $500: While there are some above average exercise bikes under $500, don’t expect to get a top quality machine for this price. If you don’t plan on using your exercise cycle much or if you’re on a budget, this may be a good price point for you.

Between $500 - $1000: Unlike treadmills or elliptical trainers, you can usually get a very solid, higher quality exercise bike for your home in this category.

Most exercise bikes in this category offer magnetic resistance and high grade consoles that give you feedback on your workout. You should also expect several built-in workout programs, foot straps and heart rate monitors.

$1000 +: These exercise bikes are either the cream of the crop for the advanced home exerciser or they are commercial grade for the health club. Examples of bikes in this category include spinners and commercial bikes like Life Cycle, Kettler and Star Trac.

Always remember that with exercise bikes - in general - you do get what you pay for so try to spend the most that you can and get a high quality machine that will last you.

These are really the 2 most important features to decide on: the type of bike and the price you can afford. Here are a few more features you should know about when choosing an exercise bike.

Resistance

There are several different types of resistance you’ll find in your exercise bike

1) Direct Tension - offers you a manual adjustment of resistance

2) Air - resistance is provided by pedaling against the airflow of a fan blade

3) Magnetic Resistance - this is the most sophisticated type of resistance allowing magnetic currents to create and track the resistance. It generally allows for a greater variety of workout levels.

Magnetic resistance is generally viewed as the best option since it tends to be quieter and provides a more even feel when pedalling.

Workout Options

Most exercise bikes give you information on speed, distance traveled, and time of the workout. The more sophisticated you go, you’ll also find things like total calories and fat burned, resistance level, heart rate and program mode.

You can also get exercise bikes with numerous preprogrammed workouts and information storage as well as iFit compatibility and Interactive Disc players.

It really depends on your personal preferences whether you choose a bike with 10 preset programs and an ultra high tech computer display or one with just a simple display.

However, keep in mind that in general, the higher priced bikes have more sophisticated options and are built with higher quality materials.

Warranty

Exercise Bikes come with a variety of warranties from 90 days to lifetime warranties on different parts of the bike. For example, parts and labor may be covered for 6 months, electronics for 1 year and the frame for a lifetime. In general a longer warranty is indicative of a higher quality machine.

Final Note: It is also important that you decide how much you are planning to use your exercise bike. For example, if you are new to exercising and not sure you’ll use your exercise bike much, you might want to save some money and go with a more economical model.

If however you plan on using the bike a lot and/or are a regular exerciser, invest a bit more and get a machine that will last. Look for a high quality brand that is highly rated and gives you good value for your money.

By keeping these tips in mind when buying your exercise bike, you’re much more likely to find one that best fits your workout needs.



By: Kathryn Oneill

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Joe Below asked:


I am riding my bike to work now and am curious if this is the best form of cardio activity, say vs running.
My round trip is about 9 miles a day and I am boing it four times a week, along with some weight training on the side during the weekends.
Will this help me get in killer shape?

M¹ asked:


Well i haven’t ridden my bike for about 3 years now, and whenever i try and ride it any decent distance my entire legs just ache and i can’t ride it. I want to start riding it again to get my breathing better as i do get out of breath quite quickly. I can walk for miles, but not bike ride. It’s frustrating.

twofifty asked:

biking

azile asked:


I dont want bikers legs, but legs like Adriana Lima or Miranda Kerr.
How much bike riding a day would I need to do?

Nature2k asked:


I recently started road biking and dont want to pay a fortune 45+ for a bike riding jersey. Are there any good priced ones out there?

Sales of BMX bikes are increasing faster than almost any other type of bicycle. BMX bikes can be seen on every street, sidewalk and even in their natural habitat, off-road. Even if you never leave your house you’ve certainly seen such bikes on TV. Sure, you probably know what a BMX bike is, but what you probably don’t know is what exactly differentiates a BMX bike from other bikes. We’ll tell you how they’re different.

We’ll start with their origin. It’s quite simple, really. Bikes remained pretty much the same for many decades after they were invented, but the popularity of off-road motorcycle racing, or motocross, during the 60’s changed that. Kids saw the pros racing around on their dirt bikes and taking them off dirt ramps. They wanted to be like their heroes so kids imitated them on their bikes, which, at the time, weren’t made for such rough-housing. It didn’t take long for bike manufacturers to catch on and start manufacturing bikes made specifically for the rigors of racing and jumping off-road. Soon there were sanctioned bicycle motocross (BMX) all over the country. The BMX segment of the market grew and grew and continues to expand today. And of course most the kids (and adults) you see on these bikes don’t ever race and probably don’t jump them off anything more daring than a curb. Still though, BMX bikes are made to take a beating.

Now, to discuss the physical attributes of the BMX bike which makes it different from other bikes. The particular features can be narrowed down to the frame, the wheels/tires, the brakes, and the gears.

The frame on BMX bikes is designed to be very light so it can be easily maneuvered and very strong so it can withstand the stresses of jumping and racing. The light weight of a BMX frame is also important because a lighter bike can save you valuable seconds in a close-fought BMX race. Aluminum and chrome-moly steel are the two materials most favored by BMX’ers. Regular bikes are usually made from cheap grades of steel prone to rusting or even breaking when put under a lot of stress.

Another distinguishing feature of BMX bikes are their wheels and tires. Most BMX bikes have 20″ rims, of course they can also be purchased in other sizes. There is the 12″ size for young children just learning to ride. These days kids are learning to ride bikes before they learn to read! The next size up is the 16″ wheel. These bikes are mostly used by kids from the ages of 8 to 12. Once they enter the teen years, most kids ride the 20″ bikes. This is the size favored by many adults and pros, as well. There are BMX bikes with even larger wheels or in-between sizes but they aren’t as popular.

The tires on BMX bikes are different from conventional road bikes. They’re knobby to give them excellent traction on dirt trails and tracks. In fact, they’re very similar to mountain bike tires, just smaller.

Speaking of mountain bikes, such rides often have as many as 21 gears! Road bikes and beach cruisers typically don’t have that many but they do range from 3 to 18 speeds. BMX bikes, on the other hand, have just one gear. They have one sprocket up front and one on the back wheel. That’s it, they use just one gear because they’re made for all-out sprints and to have precise control for freestyle tricks.

Another feature which differentiates BMX bikes from conventional bikes are their brakes. BMX bikes often have just a rear brake. Having a front brake increases the likelihood of accidentally using just the front one and causing an accident. Plus, racers don’t need the extra braking power because they don’t want to slow down! A BMX bike made for doing tricks will have a front brake, though.

BMX bikes also usually come with pads to protect the rider during accidents and wrecks, which can happen a lot during races. Most racers don’t bother with pads, though, they’re too cool for that. If the bike does have pads, they’re usually on the top bar, handlebar clamp, and the handlebar crossbar.

BMX bikes are a booming business, and their popularity has increased across almost all segments of the market. You can often see BMX riders on televised competitions and commercials. BMX bikes are being ridden by all sorts of people, from professional riders to five year olds just having fun, adults who never grew out of them, and everyone in between.

BMX bikes are available in a range of sizes to accommodate all types of riders and all ages. They also have many specialized features to suit a variety of uses. There are, of course, a wide range in prices, too. If you are considering buying a bike for yourself or someone else, your best source of information are the people at your local bike shop. There’s also tons of reliable information online. The two main issues you need to consider are how the bike is going to be used and how much you are willing to spend. From there it’s up to you.



By: Gregg Hall

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Mountain bike are designed particularly for extreme mountain biking. It is usually ridden on dirt trails and many other unpaved surfaces. When compared to road bicycles they are better and rugged enough for such unfriendly terrain.

It would not be easy just walking into a shop and selecting the bike. Each bike in the store serves different purposes. One needs a bike that will fit his personality well come at price within his budget and also he needs to enjoy riding it. Comfort and safety are also other important factors. Most important of all, the bike must be worth the money.

One of the most popular brands of mountain bikes in the market is the barracuda mountain bike. It is a very stylish bike designed mainly for mountain biking. The important features of this bike are:

They are very light in weight, they provide better climbing and acceleration, they are laterally stiff, they give us a ********** ride and absorb vibrations and most important of all they are drop-dead gorgeous.

One mountain bike built specially for climbing is the rocky mountain bike.

The ride: the greatest strength of the rocky mountain bike is that it can climb. When ascending this bike feels as good as a hardtail. One can stand or sit without any problem. One feels like accelerating always while climbing. The front forks lock out and also the pro pedal are extremely useful on the climbs which are far steeper than the others. The rocky mountain bike becomes very, very stiff when the front is locked out and with the pro pedal set maximum. When the front fork and the rear shocks combine this bike becomes perfect for climbing.

The bike can clear really tough sections. It does exceptionally well during many steep and technical climbs. It does particularly well in off chamber, slippery, and dusty roads. It gives a perfect hold on roads with sandstone gravel etc. Many tracks which are impossible clear can be cleared with ease using this bike.

Single tracks which are more twisty and tight can be easily negotiated with confidence riding the rocky mountain bike. The handling is extremely smooth and the rocky mountain bike has a good grip on the trail. Riding this bike on a mountain trail is an extreme pleasure.

The only setback in the bike is that it is very poor while descending. The bike has been geometrically designed for climbing, so descending not very enjoyable. But when the stem is changed and the seat post collar is released quickly the performance of the bike is much better during descents.

Overall the rocky mountain bike is very nice and ready to race. The building components used are very strong and really efficient. With a few upgrades in selected areas the bike becomes mind blowing. But the rocky mountain bike is perfect as it is for users on a budget. The hydraulic brake system in the bike works very nicely but makes a little noise when wet but a change in the brake pads solves the problem.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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