Temperature and Weather Considerations When Cycling

Bike riding can be done in practically any weather conditions, except for the extreme ranges at either end of the temperature scale. Naturally the milder temperature ranges are more popular conditions for cyclists to get their bicycles out in, but rain or heat will not put an end to the pursuits of the most enthusiastic riders. As long as suitable clothing is worn, you can ensure your ride is a pleasant experience, so stick to the following rules and you should be fine.

Below 0° - Only brave people venture out in this weather, so make sure you are fully stocked up on clothing. You will need to be wearing multiple layers of clothes, including shirts, jumpers, pants, gloves, and socks. Don't forget to cover as much of your head as possible, such as beanies, hats, ear-muffs and goggles.

0° to 10° - This is still quite cold, and you will also need to use the most of the same clothing items as mentioned above, except that you probably wont need to wear multiple layers of every item. A warm shirt with a jacket should be sufficient, and only one set of socks and gloves or mittens would be necessary.

10° to 20° - Most rider can get away with riding in shorts in this temperature range, although some would still prefer to use long pants. Taking a jacket along is a good idea, so remember to have a bike bag with you in case you get well warmed up and need to take it off at any stage. Socks, gloves and headgear are optional.

20° to 30° - Definitely the best conditions to be cycling in, and also the ones which regular clothing are most suited for. Shorts and a t-shirt can be worn, or cycling shirts and a jersey if you prefer the professional type gear. Other items are not needed in these conditions.

30° to 40° - Warm weather cycling naturally requires the least amount of clothes. One important factor to remember is that sleeveless jerseys provide great benefits in these hotter conditions, and allow the body to remain much more cool. Wearing a hat as protection is also a good idea if you don't use a helmet.

Above 40° - Try to keep indoors in this type of weather, as there are great risks from sunburn and dehydration. If you do venture out then do not wear anything bearing any close resemblance to cold-weather clothing, such as pants or a jacket. Consider wearing any item of clothing which can provide protection against the elements.

Wind - Many riders forget about the wind factor. It can make things a lot cooler when riding in hot weather, so this is certainly a bonus. But on the flip side of things, it is detrimental to riding in colder weather, as it can magnify the effects of the cold to a massive degree.

Rain - Most people try to avoid riding in the rain wherever possible, but for those who like to take on the elements, or who have no other choice open to them, then wearing a full range of waterproof clothing is a good idea. This includes jackets and head-wear, and also ensuring electronic devices are covered.

Electronics - While most cycling gadgets are either 100% waterproof or have a high degree of water resistance, most riders often carry personal items such as phones, cameras and mp3 players which do not have the same level of water protection. Either keep them in a sealed cellophane bag, or carry them inside a waterproof cycling bag.

General - Also keep in mind that your body is a lower temperature when you start riding, and a higher one during the latter parts of your journey. So don't dress to suit the initial temperatures, but instead wear clothing based on the temperature of your body during the ride. Custom bike clothes are always the best choice as they can adapt much better to these types of changes.

Article Source: Adam_C_Williams

Endura Luminite Jacket - $139.99
Retail Price: $149.99
You Save: $10.00


==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

How to Improve Mountain Biking Performance

Long-suspension trail bikes (120 mm and above) designed with geometry which allows cross-country biking are the most popular mountain bikes today. Trail bike adjustment, riding style, use of brakes and pedaling, are different from short-suspension bikes. In this article, you will find some tips to take advantage of the trail bikes like: Trek FUEL EX, Merida TRANS MISSION and Giant TRANCE.

Comfortable Suspension

Calibrate the shock absorbers to the soft side of the range. Common mistake of most riders is to inflate the shocks in order to simulate old bike. This common mistake has serious consequences like: suspension isn't fully used, bike center of gravity and thus rider position is higher, what cause an unstable ride. Shocks are designed for spring preload of 25 percent since it is the point at which the rider spends most of the time.

Use the Gadgets

All the mountain bike special features are designed for use and aren't just gimmicks. Compression damping, rebound damping, suspension travel adjustments are effective and efficient mechanisms that can improve your cycling performance. Switching between different modes can change bicycle angle, improve pedaling efficiency and raise/lower the center of gravity. Dials and buttons are not your enemies, "play" with them and experience their effect during the ride.

Wide Tires

Wide tires let you move fast, ride aggressively in technical sections, stop hard, and all of them under full control. You can balance the weight you have added to the tires by converting the rim to run tubeless.

Low Air Pressure

Large volume tires can be inflated with low air pressure. 1.9/2.1 wide tire inflated to 50 PSI, will lose about 10 PSI if the width is increased to 2.35. Cross country bike with a tire width of 2.35 inches does not require more than 28 PSI front and 30 PSI rear if the rider weighs about 75 kilograms. Cycling with high air pressure in wide tires will become bumpy and unpleasant nightmare, and decrease bike's overall performance.

Ride Fast

Long suspension forks have high energy absorption capability, so they can bring you to a complete stop when encountering an obstacle. You should arrive with momentum to allow the bike to absorb the obstacle and move forward.

Climbing

You do not have to climb with the small gear up front, but trail bike with thick tires climbs best while you seating. Climb effectiveness depends on bike capability to keep momentum, and this by "swallowing" bumps and advance on selected line. Let your bike and suspension do the work for you.

Break Late

When you equipped with 5 to 6 inches of travel in the back and wide tires, you are not supposed to lock the wheels during braking. Versus short suspension bikes, the front brakes in trail bike are more effective. Fork and front tire let the rider to brake later and deeper into the turn. Release the brakes gradually when entering into the turn and stick to the selected line.

Right is in the Middle

The more suspension travel the bike has, the more they are sensitive to rider's weight transfer forward and back. It is better to ride in the middle of the bike. Two situations in which the body shouldn't be centered are standing acceleration and technical downhill. In standing acceleration the body should be shifted forward, and in technical downhill, body weight should be on the back to reduce the load on the fork.

For more information regarding mountain biking and specially mountain biking clothing, refer to Mountain Biking Clothing

Mountain Biking Clothing

Article Source: Boris_S.

Breezer Jetstream Comp 29Er '11 - $1,749.99
Retail Price: $1,759.99
You Save: $10.00


==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

What Kit Do You Need for Cycling at Night?

A night bike ride is a wonderful way to roll. The darkness and silence can transform a familiar route into something very different and exciting. However, for many planning such a ride can seem intimidating, foolhardy, even extreme. It needn't be.

With the appropriate kit a night ride should be a magical experience. In addition, if you are planning on doing an organised night ride, the route planning is largely done for you.

Lamps and tools A night ride will typically involve several hours of cycling in the dark, often on quiet, country roads where support is not readily available. As a result, it is important to carry kit that allows you to see and be seen. You should also carry tools and spares to deal with foreseeable mechanical problems.

Chill of the night Most cyclists have been caught out by variable weather conditions and regretted their choice of clothing. However, on a night ride you know it's going to get colder as the night progresses and can select your cycle clothing accordingly.

If you are doing a night ride in the summer months it may have been several months since you wore your spring cycling gear. However, you will be grateful for long fingered gloves and a gilet when the night chill sets in.

Food and water If you are heading out on a long ride, you will probably be used to taking food and water with you. When selecting your nutrition for a night ride it is worth bearing in mind that corner shops are unlikely to be open. Searching for an all night garage that will sell you a Mars bar will materially affect your enjoyment of a night ride.

- Warm clothing to put on when it gets cold, damp or wet: a hat, gloves and jacket should suffice.

- Lights: if your route is lit then you only need lights that allow other traffic to see you. Standard bike lights (front and rear) should be fine. If you are pedaling off into the black then you either need powerful lamps that light up your route or have fellow cyclists to follow with strong beamed lights.

- Batteries: normal bike lights last for many hours, but bring spare batteries just in case.

- Mechanical kit: Bring a pump, tyre levers, a spare inner tube or two and a multi-tool kit.

- Money/Credit card: always handy

- Phone: just in case.

- Garlic: to keep vampire bats away (just kidding!)... but do keep a look out for bats, owls, hedgehogs and other nocturnal animals that you wouldn't normally get the chance to see whilst out cycling. That's part of the fun!

Going Going Bike is the place to buy and sell used bicycles.

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/auction/

Article Source: Rajiv_Desai

==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

Bike Review - 2012 Rocky Mountain 29" Vertex 970 RSL Carbon

This review is tough to write as I don't know where to begin with the paradigm shift we are seeing with this bike. Five years ago the idea of riding a carbon fiber frame offroad seemed insane. Okay for road but not tough enough for the trail. Now that idea has been dumped on its head. For 2012, many companies are offering carbon fiber mountain bikes in hardtail and full suspension with both 26" and 29" wheels. The first of these new wonder bikes I've been able to test is the Rocky Mountain 29" Vertex 970 RSL. Full carbon 29"er with new geometry and sexy style.

The engineering that went into this frame is quite impressive. They combine a tapered steerer tube with a front 15 mm thru axle to stiffen up the front end. The bottom bracket is a BB86 pressfit to improve power transfer at the crank and the rear end it tied together with a 142 mm rear hub with a 12 mm thru axle. Set up the tires tubeless and the lack of quick releases won't be an issue as flats will be almost non-existent.

Aside from the technology in the frame, the other big story is the new 29"er geometry Rocky Mountain has come out with. The complaint about 29"ers is that they are slow steering in tight, twisty trails. With the changes done to the Vertex this is a thing of the past. To mimic the handling of a 26" wheel they raised the bottom bracket, shortened the chainstays and used a fork with more offset to get a balanced package that is quick on tight trails but still has the stability we come to expect from 29" wheels. I've been on 29"ers since 2001 and this is the best handling big wheel bike I've ridden.

The test track was at Albion Hills Conservation Area which is home to the 24 hour races here in Ontario. If you've ridden there you will be familiar with the rolling hills and twisting single track. The Vertex 970 was like a road bike on the double track. Drop the hammer and go. All that power goes to the rear wheel. Once you hit the single track it just dances. I've been on 29" wheels for so long that I don't notice the little extra body english needed to dice through the single track until it was gone. The first few corners I over steered but once I got used to the timing it felt like I was slicing and dicing through the woods. One of my first good bikes was a Rocky Mountain Blizzard 20 years ago. This reminds me of the feeling I had riding it. Definitely a step above the current lot of 29"er hard tails on the market. For 2012 Rocky has dropped the glove and come out to fight.

The 970 comes with SRAM X9 and Formula brakes. The drive train is a 2X10 system which you'll be seeing a lot more for 2012. Lighter weight, better shifting and a cleaner chain line are all benefits to this system. The drive train worked flawlessly but I'm not entirely sure how the well the front shifts as I did my whole ride in the big ring. As I ride a single speed a lot of the time when I ran out of gears on the back I just stood up rather than thinking to shift down.

As anyone who reads my reviews know I'm honest in my reviews and try to present the good with the bad so you get a true picture of a bike so you can make an informed decision when choosing your new ride. With the Vertex it's hard not to sound like a fan boy but trust me if it steered like a bus I would tell you that. My only complaints I had are the ones I have with almost every bike because nothing comes with my favorite saddle and grips out of the box. As far as handling, ride quality, weight and stiffness this is as close to magic as I've ever ridden. Light and stiff. Smooth and great handling. The only mark against it is the price but then there is no such thing as a free lunch.

It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my number one goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.brauns.com

Article Source: Winston_Endall

==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

The Sport of Mountain Biking

The sport of mountain biking is one of the best active sports you can do for a number of fitness reasons and depending on what style of mountain biking you partake in, it can be also a great deal of fun as well as keeping you fit at the same time.

People are usually unaware of how may muscles you use when riding a mountain bike, and how quickly you can burn calories off riding a bike as it can be an extremely good work out for the body.

If you plan on riding cross-country along different styles of trails, riding a bike can be quite a task. So if you riding over a vast distance up and down hills, along slippery single trail it can be very exhausting on the legs and the lower back.

So if you are just starting to ride bikes for the first time, please don't just jump on the bike a go for a 20 mile ride as it may do you more harm than good. One thing that is recommended is to do short rides to start with, maybe only a couple of miles which will take no time at all on a bike to get your fitness training up to scratch before hitting the bike ride.

MTB Fitness Training

All of the major athletes of the sport will tell you that mountain bike training is vastly important and you should take part in mountain bike fitness training when ever the opportunity arises. Going on those short rides will benefit you hugely and will stop you from injuring yourself.

Parts of your body that will benefit from training are your legs. Your legs will be the first part of your body in particular that will get tired very quickly. Building up your leg muscles either at the gym or one the bike will help improve your personal and bike fitness quickly.

The more you train the better your pace and your stamina will improve. Once these two have improved you will be able to go on longer and better rides than will enhance your fitness.

One of the major benefits of riding a mountain bike on a regular basis is that in order to ride your bike you use some of largest muscles in the body which in turn will burn off fat quickly. This will of course help you to lose weight and the more you ride you bike the more weight you will lose.

When you ride your bike on flat ground at a slower speed you are still burning a great amount of calories due to the fact that you will be able to continue that pedaling motion for a longer period of time. This is also perfect for people who don't have the stamina for a highly intensive ride at different speeds and climbs etc. Low intensity work outs also don't give you all the extra muscle either so the weight will stay off.

In summary using a mountain bike to keep yourself fit what ever your style of riding is a great way to keep fit, and training will also keep you one step ahead of your game.

Don't forgot even if you don't ride cross-country and are just as happy down the local skate park you are still having fun on your bike and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

We hope you have found this Mountain biking fitness article useful. There are many different types and styles of riding than you may have first thought. So when choosing a bike make sure you choose the bike that's right for you.

Article Source: Matthew_Weeks

Rocky Mountain Reaper I Bike '11 - $549.00
from: Jenson USA




==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

Bike Lights for Night Riding

Bike Lights and Night Riding

Investing in quality LED bike lights will go a long way this winter. The clocks will be going back on Sunday 30th October 2011 and that means only one thing for cyclists, it's officially light season on the bike! The evenings are drawing in fast and that means there are a lot less daylight hours to fit in a mountain bike ride. For some however, it means that night riding can begin! Before you take part in night riding, it is crucial that you have suitable lighting on your bike. Whether fitted to your bike or your helmet, or both, bike lights are an important component on your bike so you can enjoy yourself whilst staying safe.

Choosing your Lights

There are so many different light systems available, it can be confusing for many cyclists looking to purchase their first set of lights. Essentially, they can be divided into two categories; lights to be seen by (also known as commuter lights) and lights to see with. Commuter lights are small compact lights that give out enough light to allow other road users see you. The second category is used mostly for off road night cycling that throws out a lot more power than a standard commuter light. There are also many lights that give you the option to dim down when used in traffic and this is the best way of making sure you don't blind other road users. Of course, there's also the choice of battery technology, lamp unit and manufacturer and this requires some thorough research. Don't simply buy the first ones you see, make sure you consider all aspects of your cycling routine as this will determine the type of lights you need.

Bike Lights and Night Safety

Riding the trails at night time is completely different to riding in daylight hours. Although you may think you know your usual corners and bends, it can be another experience in the dark. Having powerful bike lights fitted to your mountain bike will allow you to enjoy your favourite routes long into the evening. There's no way you're going to want to be stuck on a wet winters night a long way from home with no lighting, it's a disaster waiting to happen. For any type of off-road cycling and night riding, you need a very powerful and reliable rechargeable lighting system. There are a few simple safety tips that are advisable if you will be riding at night. It is recommended to ride in groups rather than on your own. Make sure you consider the running time of your lights when you choose a trail to ride and leave enough battery power to get home with. Wear eye protection and if you don't use two lights, make sure you carry a backup flash light for emergencies. There are a number of bike lights on the market today, get fully equipped this winter!

LED Bike Lights

Article Source: Kelly_Elmore

Jamis Dakar XC Sport Bike '11 - $950.00
from: Jenson USA


==================================

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's

MTB Shoes Complete Your Cycling Gear Preparation

As a cyclist and having spent a good amount of money on a high quality cycle, accessories, a nice helmet and other such trappings, it is logical that you would also want good quality sneakers or shoes such that your feet do not feel the strain of hectic pedalling and you are able to cover long distances without any problem. In fact this is one area that has always bothered cyclists. They just do not seem to find the right sneakers for exclusively cycling purposes and they have to do with the normal joggers and other shoes they use for outdoor activities. MTB shoes has come to the rescue of such individuals who have found them to be just ideal for cycling and have never had to look beyond them.

So what exactly are these shoes and how do they make such a difference?

Masai Barefoot Technology is the differential concept that goes into the creation of these specialised shoes and manufacturers have ensured that the range is so comprehensive that most men and women are able to find a pair that suits them. One outstanding quality of these shoes is their lightness which is a paramount quality that cyclists look for in shoes due to obvious reasons of heavy shoes becoming a burden on their feet. The durability of such shoes is another attribute made as they are out of tough leather.

When you are cycling, you want that the shoes provide excellent grip on the pedals. This firm grip is a prerequisite for all types of sports shoes and gives a lot of confidence to the players. They can give their best to the game knowing that they do not stand the risk of slipping and falling down. Cyclists are no exception and MTB shoes give them that confidence due to the light canvas cushioning, pads that are placed under the heel and toe as well as the all important rubber soles for that ultimate gripping experience. They can thus pedal away furiously safe in the knowledge that they would not have to keep positioning their feet on the pedals each time they slip off. When you are into competitive racing, every second is important and you cannot afford to waste time looking down to seek the right grip on the pedals.

The best aspect of these shoes is that they are available in a variety of colours as well as sizes. They can be used for different outdoor activities like jogging, trekking and other impact sports due to their high comfort and durability. MTB shoes are all season wear - you can sport them in both summer and winter due to the very special fabric that has been used inside the shoes. This fabric keeps away heat during the summer and prevents sweating of the feet, while during winter, it keeps the feet warm.

Cyclists just love MTB shoes for all the above reasons and know that their cycling gear is complete only when they buy a pair.

Anna Louise Jones is a cycling enthusiast who has been writing for top bike retailers such as CycleSurgery for over 8 years. CycleSurgery is an online bike retailer with over twenty stores nationwide with expert staff on hand to advise on top of the range bikes including mountain bikes, folding bikes, commuting bikes and electric bikes in addition to cycling clothing, components, mtb shoes, lights and luggage. To view the collection, visit the CycleSurgery website.

Article Source: Anna-Louise_Jones

Crank Brothers Acid 3 Pedals '09 - $117.00

Retail Price: $127.00

You Save: $10.00

from: Jenson USA

What are you looking for?

Cycling Equipment    MTB Gear     Helmets/Gloves    Saddles/Seats   Jersey's