Mountain Bike » Full Suspension

Types of Mountain Bikes for Riding on Dirt Paths

Admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:27:53 +0000

Mountain Bike, abbreviated as MTBs or ATBs (All Terrain Bikes) is a bike that are meant for riding on dirt paths or unpaved environments. They are more rugged than road bicycles, and can handle more strain.

The tires of the mountain bike are wider and knobbier than road bikes, for more grip and shock absorption. Front suspension for the MTBs is becoming the norm, and in today’s mountain bikes, you can find front and rear suspension. The wheels are usually 26″ in diameter, but this is slowly changing to 29″ in the newer mountain bikes.

Mountain Bikes can be widely classified into four types.

* Fully Rigid

* Hard Tail

* Soft Tail

* Dual/ Full Suspension

Fully Rigid Mountain Bikes don’t have any suspension, and their frames have fixed rears and a rigid fork.

Hard Tail Mountain Bikes have a suspension fork in the front, and no suspension in the rear. A soft tail Mountain bike has very less suspension in the rear, and its frame has a flex in the rear, rather than the pivot. A Full Suspension MTB has a suspension fork in the front, and a rear suspension as well, with a link that lets the rear wheel move on a pivot.

Until recently, MTBs had the same design and geometry of Road Bikes. When mountain biking became more popular, riding became more aggressive, and new mountain bikes with lighter and stronger frames were created to cater to the rider’s needs and aggressive riding style.

The New-age mountain bikes have 21, 24 or 27 speeds. They usually have 3 gears in the front. The rear has 7, 8 or 9 gears. They also feature disc brakes. This gives the rider better stopping power than normal rim brakes. They can also take heavy breaking without wearing out soon, and causing lesser problems.

There are a wide range of tire types for mountain bikes. Some styles include slick street tires, sticky rubber tires, etc. Tubeless tires are also gaining popularity in the MTB world for their pinch flat resistance. Some good MTB tire manufacturers are Wilderness Trail Bikes, Schwalbe, Kenda, Maxxis, Nokian, etc.

Mountain biking has become more of an adventure sport by itself, and lot of equipment can be found just for mountain bikers, most of it safety related. Protective gear that is worn by the rider is often referred to as ‘Armor’, and is work to protect against injuries. ‘Armors’ may range from just knee and elbow caps, to full body padding. Usually, Downhill and freestyle bikers wear more armor, as their riding styles are more dangerous and prone to injuries. Most of these bodysuits also have special protection for the spine, comprising of a set of plastic plates, covered with foam.

Most bike parks require bikers to wear full face helmets, to protect against injury. These helmets a just like their counterparts used in motocross, but are considerably more ventilated and lighter. Most professional riders wear these by choice, to avoid head injuries.

Some of the Mountain Bike manufacturers are Airborne cycles, Alpine design MTBs, Arrow Racing, Dagger, Dart, Full Dynamix, etc.

By: Muna wa Wanjiru

How To Choose The Best Mountain Bike For Years Of Enjoyment

Admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:24:49 +0000

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

Giant Mountain Bikes for the Massive Feathery Touch

Admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:36:48 +0000

Giant mountain bikes are the leaders of true excellence in the field of superior mountain bikes. They are more than what they should be. These massive mountain bikes are perfect road companions. When you are planning to plunder the rough terrains of the mountains, the giant bikes are there to provide you with a firm support so that when you ride you have fewer chances of stumbling and falling.

Giant Mountain Motorbike – The Perfect Companion On Trails

The massiveness of the bike does not mean that the vehicle has weight. While constructing the bike, the prime intention of Giant is to help you maintain a low center of gravity along with lower paddle feedback. With full suspension and great technology, these mountain bikes make you move with confidence and ease.

There is no time to rest as you go through the list of advantages of giant mountain bikes – no power loss, no breaking influence, no paddle kickback along with a linear rising rate and exceptional traction. The bikes manufactured in Australia are massive maestros with the ability to fight the battle of hazardous mountainous journey. This particular bike type has been portrayed in one of the episodes of Good Morning America.

These giant motorcycles introduced by the Giant Company would cost you a little more than the regular mountain motorbikes, but what they offer is worth the price. These bikes offer both strength and comfort and they just rule the motorcycle market with overwhelming qualities. They are perfect companions and have been received numerous awards for their superior quality and outstanding performance.

These giant mountain bikes are more preferred for their durability rather than style. This is because the materials used to make this category of road rulers are simply the best of the lot. Giant bikes are meant for both recreation and competition. While the design is executed, the company follows a quality control process and the sort of customer service they provide sets a high level for other companies to meet.

The giant with its matt black finish and usual characteristic features astounds passers by with its magnificence in style and stature. Balance of strength is what matters the most in case of all mountain bikes and when talking of giant bikes on the mountains, the strength is well distributed throughout this mechanism on wheels.

These giant varieties boast of the lightest mid-range frames you would hardly notice in case of other bike varieties. The fork, brakes and the wheels contribute to the total weight of the bike and the rest is all light and easy to manage.

Usually anything massive gives you a feeling of extra weight and you feel hesitant in managing the mechanism. Only these world-class giant mountain motorbikes make you feel light and comfortable to ride on. Therefore, it is time to say YES! to giant mountain motorcycles.

By: Robert Sheehan

Giant Mountain Bikes: Big on the Trail

Admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:17:22 +0000

Many expensive branded things turn out to be disappointing. When it comes to high-risk recreational vehicles like mountain bikes, falling short of expectations may not only be “disappointing,” but possibly even life-threatening! Thankfully, consumers help each other decide which brands are good and which are not and avoid fatal pitfalls, by placing certain labels higher than others in terms of purchase priority. Giant mountain bikes sell a lot, and are considered top of the line. Are they worth the hype?
Well, if the many satisfied online reviewers are to be believed, they certainly are. There are currently hundreds of reviews for Giant mountain bikes on the popular bike review site, MTB Review (Mtbr. com). The Giant NRS line, in particular, has merited the “Freeride Choice Award,” after getting close to a perfect 5 rating from an adequate number of reviewers. Talk about satisfying its costumers! Giant models are built to please, and they deliver.
Giant has developed models for different body sizes, so that women and kids may not feel excluded from its clientele. Another big thing (pun intended) about the Giant bike is that it places priority on manageable weight and speed. Ironically, given the brand name, a lot of the top-rated Giant bikes are lightweight and aerodynamic – all but streamlined to fly. The Giant NRS 2, for example, is considered light for a full-suspension machine. The slight weight difference between this model and its competitors makes all the difference for racing cyclists with a discriminating eye, and a drive to win.
Not to be pigeonholed, however, Giant is also recently branching out into making notable “muscle” bikes. The Trance line of bikes, fortified with the new “Maestro” rear suspension, is taking the place of the VT line. Before the Trance line came into the fore, the VT line received considerable praise from many users. Like the NRS, it received the “Freeride Choice Award. ” Some users may complain of excessive weight, but compared to the other features, it may prove to be an excellent deal. We have yet to hear from other Trance users on this.
Price may be a problem for the bargain hunter, but with brand names like Trek, Intense, Ellsworth and yes, the Giant, you get what you pay for – which is quality. You can surf the Web and see for yourself that various Giant mountain bikes are highly rated by a great many users, and for good reason.

Are You Buying the Right Mountain Bike?

Admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:51:42 +0000

If you like to cycle in the great outdoors you might be considering purchasing a mountain bike. But what kind of bike do you need? You can work out your requirements by asking yourself some questions, like these:

Q. What kind of biking am I going to do?

A. This is probably the best question to start out with. You’ll have to think about what terrain you will be riding on most of the time and in what conditions. If you ride on rocky terrain, for example, you might not want a hardtail mountain bike (without rear suspension).

Q. If you are upgrading from an older mountain bike, did it fit your needs?

A. Your older bike might not have handled downhill riding as well as you would have liked. Perhaps you need a high-quality, disc-brake system on your new bike? You will have to search for a bike with all the features you’ll need.

Q. Do you want a cross-country mountain bike?

A. In essence, cross-country mountain bikes are designed for trails. They are not designed, for example, for terrain where there might be a lot of rocks or debris in your way. This type of bike can be lightweight and diverse for multi-terrain riders. Additionally, you can choose a freeride mountain bike (a mix of downhill and cross- country models) or even a dirt-jump mountain bike (with greater suspension).

Q. Is weight an issue?

A. Some bikers want a very light bike. Different types of bikes weigh more according to what they will be used for. Cross-country mountain bikes are often the lightest type, while downhill bikes can weigh much more.

Q. What is your budget?

A. Bikes range from the department store model which is very affordable up to the specialist bike which can cost as much as a new car.

Now consider these mountain bike essentials in light of the needs you’ve discovered:

Types – Cross country, hard tail, full suspension, downhill, dirt jump and enduro mountain bikes; tailor your choice to your individual preferences.

Assembly – Bikes may be purchased fully assembled or as a bare frame to which you can add individual hand-picked components.

Brakes – The basic brake is a pull V-brake or cantilever. Disc brakes are a good choice for muddy or hilly conditions and rim or calliper brakes are found only on very basic, inexpensive bikes.

Frame – Steel, carbon fibre, alloy. Steel frames are inexpensive and durable but also heavy, and require more riding effort.

If you want to ride on paths or roads you may need a little more versatility in your mountain bike. As weight may not be an issue because you are not competing or tackling muddy hill paths, an enduro mountain bike might do the trick. It doesn’t weigh as much as a downhill mountain bike, but it will still allow you to bike on different types of terrain.

Tip: The different types of mountain bikes feel and handle very differently. Make sure you try out several different models.