Setting Your Tire Pressure

Riding your mountain bike with the appropriate
amount of tire pressure can make a huge difference
in how much control you have over your bike.

Setting your tire pressure too high will make for
poor contact with the ground and also make your
bike less controllable.  Setting your tire pressure
too low will make your tires unpredictable and also
make them susceptible to pinch flats.

Mountain Biking Vacation

Taking a mountain biking vacation is an excellent
way to unwind and explore America.  There are several
companies that offer mountain biking tours that go
through scenic routes, and they often arrange any
accomodations for travelers as well.  For athletic
couples, these types of vacations offer the perfect
way to relax and enjoy some exercise together.

Mountain Biking Safety Tips

There are numerous ways that you can improve your
mountain bike safety.  Many riders will tell you
that wearing a helmet is the most important step to
staying safe.  The second most important step is
that you should always ride in control of your
mountain bike.

By riding in control you'll not only prevent crashes,
but keep others on the trail safe as well.  When
riding out of control you loose the ability to
adjust to the terrain as you ride over it.  This can
and usually does result in serious injury to yourself
and others.

Follow these helpful guidelines and you'll remain
safe when riding your mountain bike.

Gear
Always make sure that you wear a helmet and other
necessary safety gear for the conditions that you
plan to ride in.

Never ride beyond your control
There is never any shame in walking the areas of
the trail that you don't feel comfortable in riding
and you should never let anyone else tell you that
there is.

Mountain Biking Accessories

When you first start out with mountain biking, it
can be a bit overwhelming when you walk into a bike
store to buy your first mountain bike and see all
of the available accessories you'll need when you
first start riding.

There are several mountain biking accessories and
related products that you can purchase.  Although
the sales staff will try to sell you anything they
can, the real question for those on a budget isn't
what's cool, but what accessories you need to make
your rides more safe and enjoyable.  By starting
with these accessories, you'll be just fine when you
hit the trails.

Mountain Bike Designs

The designs for mountain bikes can be classified in
three categories based on suspension:

1.  Hardtail - A frame with no rear suspension,
often containing a front suspension fork.
2.  Fully rigid - This is a sub type of hardtail,
with a rigid fork.
3.  Dual or full suspension - These bikes offer a
front suspension fork and a rear suspension that
are integrated into the frame.
4.  Soft tail - Offers a frame with a small amount
of rear suspension, normally less than a full
suspension frame.

Mountain Bike Anatomy

A mountain bike is the one thing you need before you
go mountain biking.  A mountain bike contains many
parts, which will be covered below:

1.  Bottom bracket - This attaches the crankset to
the body of a bike.

2.  Brake cable - This is the cable that connects the
brake lever to the brake mechanism.

3.  Brake lever - The lever on the handlebar to
activate the brakes.  The left side is the front brake
and the right side is the rear brake.

4.  Chain - The circular set of links that transfer
power from the chain ring to the cogs.

Introduction To Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is a great way to explore the outdoors,
stay in shape, or just have fun. Racing down the side
of a mountain is a lot of fun indeed, although it can
also be quite dangerous.  Even though it's dangerous,
if you ride with caution, it can be enjoyed by the
entire family.

Styles of mountain biking
Mountain biking can best be characterized into three
different styles - downhill, free riding, and cross
country.  Even though the different styles are similar
in some ways, they still require different skills.  The
style that you pick will determine the type of bike you
get.

How To Use A Chain Tool

Once your mountain bike chain becomes damaged, you
should immediately replace it with a new one.  It
is possible however, to repair a broken chain using
a chain tool.  For this very reason, most mountain
bikers travel with a chain tool.

Your chain has three basic components - the metal
side plates, the rollers between the side plates,
and the rivets, or pins which go through the rollers
and help to hold the plates together.  These pins
allow the rollers to freely turn as the chain
moves around the cogs.

How To Lube Your Mountain Bike

A mountain bike is a lot of fun although it does
require some maintenance.  You should always lube
your bike 15 hours or so before riding, as quick
jobs right before you take off normally doesn't
get everything lubed.  Some lube jobs will last
for more rides, although if things get loud or
shifting gets sticky, it's time to lube.

Here is how to lube your bike:

1.  The chain
Apply a generous amount of mountain bike lube to
your chain as you move the pedals around backwards.
It also helps to find a spot to steady your hand
such as the frame while you move the pedals around
and around.  Make sure you watch out for the cranks
and chain rings as they move around.

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).

Framing Materials

The cost of a mountain bike frame is proportionate to
its material, as well as the treatment that material
has received.  Currently, there are five types of
material used in mountain bikes - high tensile steel,
chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon
fiber.  Oversized diameters, heat treating, and butting are
tubing material treatments that will increase the
cost of a frame as well.

Disc Brakes Or Rim Brakes

This can be a very important decision when you
are buying a mountain bike.  There are actually
two answers to the question of disc brakes or
rim brakes.

If you want better, more consistent brake performance
in all conditions, disc brakes are what you should
be choosing.  On the other hand, if you want the
lightest set up you can have and you are willing to
accept small variances in brake performance, or you
want the lowest price possible, rim brakes are
what you should be choosing.

Different Types of Mountain Bikes

With mountain biking being a very popular sport,
there are many bikes to choose from.  Depending
on what type of riding you like, the style of
bikes you can choose from will vary.  Below, you'll
find tips on the different types of bikes available.

1.  Cross country
Almost all mountain bikes will fit into this category.
Cross country mountain bikes are light weight, making
them easy to ride over most terrains, even up and
down hills.  This is the most common mountain bike
and it can be used with ease for riding on the path
or even commuting.

Cross Country Mountain Biking

Cross country mountain biking is cross country at
its finest.  Where free riders and downhill bikers
use four wheel bikes and ski lifts to get them to
their destination, cross country bikers get to
the top of the mountain by the ride.  Though free
riding is very popular, the life vein of the sport
has always been cross country biking.

Just as cross country riders are a different breed,
the bikes they ride are as well.  The cross country
bike is completely different in many ways from other
types of mountain riding bikes.  The premise for
cross country riders is speed.  Everything about
their bikes revolve with the idea of making the
bikes faster and faster.

Clothes For Winter Riding

Mountain biking in cold weather has always been a
challenge.  The problem is that you'll start out
cold then warm up and break a sweat, making yourself
wet.  Then, when you travel downhill, the combination
of wet skin and windchill will be quite chilling. 

Below, you'll find a list of the cold weather clothing
that will make winter riding less of a bone chilling
experience.