Sports and Recreation - Cycling

by: Dev Sri Mountain Biking is a sport of endurance, skills and self-reliance. From a back yard to a gravel road, from country sides to mountain slopes, fire roads to the thrills of biking down narrow tracks through forests, mountains, deserts – mountain biking offers incomparable thrills and fun. There are aspects of mountain biking that are more similar to trail running than regular bicycling. Because riders are often far from civilization, there is a strong ethic of self-reliance in the sport. Riders learn to repair their broken bikes or flat tires to avoid being stranded miles from help. This reliance on survival skills accounts for the group dynamics of the sport. Club rides and other forms of group rides are common, especially on longer treks. Mountain Biking entails the sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, whether riding specially equipped mountain bikes or hybrid road bikes. Most mountain bikes share similar characteristics that underscore durability and...

Ask Yourself These Questions When Shopping For Cycling Jerseys by: Alastair Hamilton Runners can run in nearly any clothing as long as they have running shoes, but bicyclists practically require the highly specialized apparel of their sport.Even casual bike riders will benefit hugely in comfort, speed, safety and satisfaction if they don cycling clothing.Your bicycle itself may demand cycling shoes and your first experience with the chafing and pounding of a bike seat may convince you to wear cycling shorts, but you should also, less obviously, ride in a cycling jersey. Cycling jerseys will not significantly add to your speed or safety, but they will definitely enhance your total riding experience in several ways.One, they are made to help your body deal with the energy draining impact of wind and weather as you ride.Most cycling jerseys are made of synthetic fabrics that will allow your body to perspire and wick the resultant moisture efficiently from the surface of your skin.Some of...

by: Rolf Karlsen One look at the modern roads say it all. Inevitable traffic jams, smoke, noise, and air pollution are adamant, not to mention accidents left and right. Cars take thousands of lives each day worldwide in automobile accidents. Some are results of driving under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages, while some are just too tired to be on the road. Instead of heading off to a place for some rest, the drivers will continue driving, so they are most likely prone to accidents. Automobiles are also harmful to the environment. Cars leak liquids, and owners drive off without wiping the stain, leaving it for wildlife to taste. How many animals fall prey to these vehicles and become road kills in an instant? Humanists, environmentalists, and animal lovers alike now have the solution for all the death, pollution, and killings. The answer comes with two wheels - bikes and how they can save your life. Why You Should Start Using Bikes No pollution is involved with cycling. It ...

How to Perfect Your Riding Position & Technique By Ed Pavelka Cycling is full of prodigious numbers—the distances ridden, the calories consumed, the tires trashed. Another statistic that can seem astounding is the number of pedal strokes made. Let’s suppose it takes you six hours to ride a century and you pedal at the rate of 90 rpm throughout. As you cross the finish line, you will be making pedal stroke number 64,800. Whoa, that’s a lot! But it barely registers on the scale of what happens during a full season. For example, during the year in which I had my biggest mileage total, I figure that I got there by pushing the pedals around approximately 13,340,000 times. Can you say, repetitive use injury? You can see why cyclists are good candidates, especially if we aren’t pedaling from a nearly perfect position. Your body and bike must fit together and work together in near-perfect harmony for you to be efficient, comfortable, and injury-free. The more you ride, the more essential t...

By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka Dog attacks are high on the list of cycling fears. Maybe you can’t stop Fang from giving chase, but you can outsmart him if you know how dogs think—assuming that stinkin’ mutt even has a brain! * Know dog psychology. The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal off the section of road that they consider their turf, you no longer pose a threat to their ancestral instincts and they lose interest. Incidentally, this is why you’ll rarely be chased by a dog you encounter way out in the boonies. He’s not on his turf so he couldn’t care less about you. * Know dog tactics. Dogs want to attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter. Even one who sits up in his yard ahead of you may wait till you pass before giving chase. You can use this to your advantage in the next tip because it gives you a head start. * Sprint! You often can outsprint Fido when he’s more interested in fooling around than in act...

By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka Cycling is a unique sport because its arena is the open road. That’s the same place frequented by traffic, potholes, snarling dogs and absentminded pedestrians. But sometimes we’re our own worst enemy. Inattention and poor technique can put us on the pavement as fast as any hazard. Use these tips and you’ll be less likely to take a tumble. * Always ride with your head up. While cruising along, it’s tempting to stare at the whirling pattern of the front spokes or fixate on your cyclecomputer’s numbers. A momentary downward glance that lasts just a second too long can mean riding into a problem that could easily have been avoided. * Focus. The smooth and rhythmic motion of pedaling can have a hypnotic effect. Daydreaming cyclists have crashed into the back of parked cars, wandered far into the traffic lane or blithely ridden off the road. Don’t let yourself be separated from the outside world by the vivid canvases created by your imagination. Keep y...

By Fred Matheny Cycling can be a solo sport. Long rambles through the spring countryside, hard rides in the hills, weekend tours to scenic areas—all can be enjoyed with only your own thoughts for company. In fact, many cyclists prefer to go alone. Then they can choose their own route and are free to ride hard or stop and smell the flowers, as their fancy prefers. But cycling is also the perfect group sport. Here are just five good reasons for riding with others: * Part of the thrill of riding a road bike is drafting other cyclists in close proximity. * A group lets you meet people, expanding your social horizons. * Racing is inevitably a group activity, so if you plan to compete it’s almost mandatory to train with other racers at least part of the time. * Small group rides are fast because you can share the work at the front. You can cover more ground during your training time. * Small groups are safe because a pack of several riders is that much more visible to mot...

By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka You should choose road-cycling shorts based on the quality of materials and construction. But also crucial is how well they conform to your unique anatomy. Sometimes a relatively inexpensive pair may work better for you than a high-zoot model. Shorts, like saddles, are tough to recommend because of differences in butts, crotches, seats and riding positions. Every rider has to try on shorts, buy the model/size that fits snugly but comfortably, then hope for the best on the bike. It's hit or miss, and some luck is involved. Just as with saddles, there is no universal answer. That said, here are guidelines that'll point you toward better choices. * Price. Generally, the more expensive the shorts, the higher the quality. Avoid cheap shorts because the material and construction may be substandard. They may be sewn from only 4 or 6 pieces ("panels"), which won't give you the best anatomical fit. The padded liner ("chamois") ...

By Fred Matheny In cycling, it’s known as “hot foot” -- a burning pain in the ball of the foot, perhaps radiating toward the toes. Severe cases feel like some sadistic demon is applying a blowtorch. Hot foot occurs most often on long rides. It may develop sooner or more intensely on hilly courses because climbs cause greater pedaling pressure. The pain results when nerves are squeezed between the heads of each foot’s five long metatarsal bones. These heads are in the wide part of the foot (the “ball”) just behind the toes. My worst case of hot foot occurred on a 3,400-mile, 24-day transcontinental ride. With an average distance of 140 miles per day, no rest days and more than 100,000 feet of vertical gain, my dogs were smoking by the third week. My RBR partner, Ed Pavelka, remembers being in agony near the end of one 225-mile ride early in his long-distance career. It was his first experience with hot foot, and the problem plagued him that season until he changed to larger shoes. Feet ...

By Fred Matheny A saddle sore can ruin a ride. Even a tiny zit can begin to feel like you’re perched on a golf ball. Nearly as painful are crotch abrasions caused by shorts that bunch or have an irritating seam. Even the pros, hardened by thousands of miles in the saddle, fall victim to what cycling author Arnie Baker, M.D., calls “crotchitis.” Fabled tough guys like Eddy Merckx and Sean Kelly had to abandon races when the pain became too great. Most medical experts say that saddle sores are actually boils caused by skin bacteria that invade surface abrasions. Remedies have come a long way from the era when riders would put slabs of raw steak in their shorts to cushion the abraded area. Of course, avoiding saddle sores is better than curing them (or ruining a good sirloin). Here’s how: * Improve your bike fit. If your seat is too high, your hips rock on each pedal stroke and strum your soft tissue across the nose of the saddle. The result is irritated skin and a greater chance of ...

Make Sure a Newcomer Returns for a Second Ride! By Ed Pavelka If you’ve been in this sport for long, you’ve probably seen it happen. An enthusiastic person shows up for his (or her) first ride with the local club. He’s a bit intimidated by the lingo he overhears, but that’s nothing compared to his anxiety about what to do and how to do it once the ride gets underway. Before long he’s trailing behind, spooked by the interplay of bike wheels and feeling as wanted as an IRS agent in a Super Bowl pool. Do you think this guy will be back for another ride next weekend? Not likely. It’s unfortunate, but experienced cyclists are often pretty tough on newcomers. It may be intentional because of the risks that an unskilled bike-handler creates for everyone, but more often it happens because we forget how much a novice cyclist doesn’t know. If you think about it, riding a bike isn’t all that easy. Gero McGuffin has thought about it. She was 30 years old before she climbed onto a bike the first ti...

By Candis Reade Trek brand bicycles made their debut in the year 1976! During the 1970s, a new energy consciousness created a great boom for bicycles. Trek grew during this period and won great recognition in the bike market. By the 1980s, Trek had introduced a wide range of over 850 models that resulted in the ground breaking success. Effectively designed in California, the Trek bicycles started dominating the bike racing circuits and continued to grow more popular. The most striking features of these bicycles include comfortable seats, thick tires and a unique system of gears compared to other road bikes. Trek bicycles are the most renowned brand name in the United States of America. The bicycles are designed with higher end versions built with care in their headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. They are among the most recognized industry brands, and manufacture a wide range of bicycles in order to meet the demands of riders across the world. During the career of Lance Armstrong, Trek...

By Joseph Devine With the recent popularity of biking phenomenon Lance Armstrong, biking in America has seen a sharp increase in popularity. More and more people are taking their bikes out onto the road and training for various races that take place around the country. In response to this recent growth, cities are having trouble keeping up with and creating the proper infrastructure to accommodate these riders. In some cities, like Austin, Texas, people on bikes are fully authorized to use public roads, so long as they adhere to customary driving law and regulations. This rather shoddy integration of bikers onto public roads sometimes frustrates drivers who are not used to the high-density population of bike riders in a city. Bike lanes and new laws that require car operators to be extra attentive when sharing the roads have helped some in ensuring driver and rider safety, while also keeping the flow of traffic moving. On top of this, the buildup of parked bikes can get in the way of p...

By Markus Skupeika Keeping a bike clean and rust free for a long time is not a very tough and time taking job if you have the right equipments and if you know how to clean a bike properly. If you are a first time bike cleaner, do not worry, it is as simple as riding the bike People often ask, what should be the frequency of cleaning a bike It completely depends on your riding habits and location. If you drive through salty or muddy conditions or if you need to keep your bike outside, you may need to clean the bike often. Normally, cleaning the bike at least once a month is always recommended. However, apart from these regular cleanings, you should also go for an end to end cleaning at least once a year. Hanging a bike from a tree while cleaning it is never a good solution; it is always better to buy a bike stand for easy cleaning. Hanging a bike by the tree makes the whole process more time consuming and tough. Apart from that you also need some cleaners and lubricants along with clean...

By Ilse Hagen Riding bicycles are a good form of exercise, plus it helps save the environment too because you won't be creating or generating any pollution. The popularity of bikes today are greatly increasing, what with the rising prices of fuel plus the increasing traffic in the streets, forcing people to look for more practical ways to get from one place to another. In caring for your bike, you have to use right types of bike wheels to make sure that your bike is working properly. What they are Before going to the types of bike wheels, you have to understand that a bicycle wheel is different from regular car wheels because they have thinner yet bigger tires. They also are self-butted and are lightweight compared to car wheels. Bike wheels can have as much as 48 spokes. The main parts of bike wheels are: Hub - this is the centermost part of the bike wheel and consists of the axle, the hub shell, and the bearings. It supports the entire wheel and is usually made from steel or alum...

By Daniel Lilly Being a fix-it person is a tough job when you lack the correct tools. Like all repair jobs the correct tools can make a world of difference. With the correct tools the job goes faster and your frustration level is usually lower. No matter how involved you would like to be in doing your own bike repairs, a small compact set of tools you can carry in your bike bag is a must. This compact set of tools will allow you to do some minor repairs/adjustments when they needed on the road. Some things compact tool sets can help with are: Tire changes Brake adjustments Derailleur adjustments And other minor changes To be able to do these simple things will save you lots of time on the side of the road. Since the minimums are covered let's find out what other tools can be helpful. Now you have a compact tool set for the road. How about the home? To be able to do general maintenance and keep your bike running smoothly you should have a small tool box at home. This tool box should...

By Holly Hunt Vintage bicycle posters are not simply colorful ads of an era designed to sell a product. They represent a form of pop art that surrounds us in our every day living and we have a tendency to overlook. The colorful artwork that has been used in their advertisements is as much a collectors item as the bikes themselves. Whether found in advertisements or announcements we can see how many of the products we love have been transformed into beautiful iconic advertisements which are coveted in a similar fashion. A perfect example of this, is found in the colorful posters and ads for vintage bikes like the Adler Bicycle. It is clear from these and many other vintage bicycle posters, that the love we have for our first "two-wheeler" is still alive within us all. As with the purchase of any vintage poster, one must be certain to be aware of what to avoid and what constitutes a "good deal". It also never hurts to take some time to educate yourself on how to spot ...

By Mike Josh Ward The 2008 Tour de France has been one of the most exciting Tour races in a long time. With multiple GC (overall fastest rider) contenders all within seconds of each other the yellow jersey could change any day. The Tour's popularity has been rising in the US ever since Lance Armstrong's astounding seven consecutive victories. More than any other rider has achieved in history. In Europe its popularity may be hard to grasp. Fans will camp out for weeks just to get the best spots on the hardest climbs. It is estimated Tour de France television viewership to be well over 1 billion. How do you film an event that plays out over hundreds of kilometers where breakaway riders may be 10 or 15 minutes up the road? Capturing such an event on film and televising a sport where the venue is an entire country is an impressive technical feat involving thousands of wired and wireless cameras, hundreds of journalists, and a high tech communications network. Fans watching expect t...