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Archive for the ‘Biking’ Category

Remember when you were a kid, and you first dared to ride your bike down that really steep hill in your neighbourhood? The ride down can be a rush. Stopping isn’t always so much fun. Bicycle control relies on two elements: steering and brakes. If either of these is missing, you are an out of control cyclist, hazardous to yourself and others.

History’s first bicycles had no brakes. Band-aids hadn’t yet been invented, so the next logical step was to devise a stopping system. Thus, brakes were born to help riders slow down and stop, and bicycles suddenly became more popular. By increasing frictional force on the wheels, cyclists were able to slow down and stop.

The first widely used braking system was called “the plunger”. It first appeared on the high-wheeled bicycles that were popular in the 1800s. The plunger operated on a simple principle. To slow down a bicycle, a lever was either pressed down or pulled up, causing a metal show to press against the outer side of the tire. Of course, the friction created caused excess wear and tear on the tire. Cyclists found that the plunger did not work well with pneumatic tires, even after covering the metal shoe with rubber. Wet surfaces were another drawback, as water decreased the friction between the brake shoe and tire, reducing the braking power.

The next major development in bicycle brakes was the “coaster brake”. Most of us have used coaster brakes, still popular in pint-size toddler bikes and tricycles. Some utility bicycles and cruisers also use coaster brakes. The concept behind coaster brakes is simple reverse motion. When the pedals are moved in a reverse direction, the brake mechanism inside the hub of the wheel pushes outward, creating friction and slowing down the bike. Coaster brakes are quite strong and tend to lock up and skid the rear wheel when engaged, so they’re great choices for sidewalk burnouts.

Most of today’s mountain, road and stunt bikes use caliper rim brakes. By pulling a lever, a cable is tightened. This cable then forces the brake pads or shoes to press against the inner rim of the wheel, stopping the bike. Caliper bicycle brakes are light and relatively inexpensive, but they do come with their own set of problems. Not hugely efficient on rainy days, wet brakes take twice as long to stop a bicycle because the water reduces friction between the brake and the wheel.  Caliper brakes work best when pressure is applied gently.

It is important to balance the braking between the front and rear brakes while riding. If too much brake pressure is applied to the front wheel, your momentum and body inertia will take you right over the handlebars.

Over the decades, braking systems and materials have changed, but the fundamentals of slowing and stopping a bicycle have not.  Bicycle brakes are still based on the concept of friction, and are still vitally important to your safety.

When you browse around a bike shop, it is easy to get caught up in all of the accessories there are to buy. Some you can easily brush off and find no need for, however, even casual bike riders should consider purchasing various bicycling accessories to make their riding much more comfortable. You don’t need any accessories to ride a bike (accept for a helmet for safety), however, I realized after starting back to riding that specific items are now a necessity for myself.

The first thing I purchased for my bicycle was a well-cushioned comfort seat. You can find various types in a bike shop including ones that you can pull over your regular seat. I prefer buying a whole new seat rather than to cover up an uncomfortable one. If you ride for exercise or just for fun, a good padded seat will allow you to ride for much longer periods of time. You can install a new seat yourself or have the bike shop do it for you. Seats are one of the many bicycle parts that are easy to self install.

Another accessory update that helps are pedals with teeth. Most new bicycles come with stock pedals that offer no real grip. These types of pedals are made of solid steel and have teeth or claws that provide a strong grip for the soles of your shoes. These types of pedals can prevent your feet from slipping off of the pedals which can cause an accident.

If you do any type of night riding, it would be wise to invest in a quality headlight. I learned not to go too cheap on a bicycle light because the cheaper models barely light up enough for you to see what is ahead of you. A good high beam bicycle light will provide tons of light to see the road ahead as well as alert any oncoming traffic. The better quality lights usually require a battery pack that are rechargeable. The same goes for having a back light. These are not as expensive but are a good idea to have as the more light you have the less chance of cars not seeing you.

One accessory that you may not consider is the bicycle bell. I was one of those people who laughed at the thought of having a bell on my bike. A bell makes it much easier to warn people ahead of you to make way because you are coming through. This helps a lot when you are on a bike trail. Some bike trails also have people walking on them. Rather than yelling out “on your left” or “on your right”, you can simply ring your bell a few times and people will move to the side. This also works great when passing up other bike riders who may not hear you yell out.

Other accessories that add to comfort are bicycle gloves and bottle attachment. Padded gloves will save your hands from calluses and a bottle attachment makes carrying water or a sports drink much easier. Next time you are browsing bicycle accessories, you may want to ask yourself if a particular item could make your riding experience much more comfortable as well as safer.

In America there are many types of bicycles, these bicycles are made for many different things. Mountain bikes, and those just used for rides in the park are not the only ones out there. There are bicycles for doing tricks, bicycles for doing jobs, and those for just enjoying a family outing. In this article you will learn of the different types of bicycles, for just about any occasion, and that the bicycle is a great thing.

If you’re looking for an adventure, the mountain bicycle is one of the best. Mountain bicycles are particularly larger, and normally go up to ten speeds, some only five. These are made to endure the rough ground in the mountains. Sometimes you might just want to take them on trails in your park. But they are good in the snow; the fatter tires of the mountain bicycle can endure almost any type of ground.

Although the tri-cycle is normally made for the younger bicycle riders, they are also used in other ways. There is in fact an adult tri-cycle; they are normally just used for recreational activities such as tours. But in some professions, tri-cycles are used. The tri-cycle is a good bicycle for the older and younger riders.

The Hybrid bicycle is also a great bicycle. The Hybrid is a cross between the mountain bicycle and road bicycle; they handle rough ground like the mountain bicycle, but are a very comfortable bicycle. They are also made to handle long distance riding. Sometimes they are referred to as All-Terrain bicycles or Comfort Bicycles, and they are good for all ages.

Although the motorcycle is not exactly the thing you would think of if someone mentioned bicycle, it is the cousin of the bicycle. With a motor and a bulky build, the motorcycle is built for the road. A lot of people use the motorcycle as their main vehicle, and others form “biker” groups and ride around together. There are also small motorcycles made for children but they don’t go as fast and are not intended for the road or long distances.

After reading this article, you should be able to see all the different types of bicycles out there. Although all the different types of bicycles out there have not been discussed, a few have. Now you should have an easier time picking out the right type of bicycle for yourself based on this article.

In previous articles we have looked at the where the recumbent bicycle came from and what are its benefits in this article we will look at reasons for why you and your partner should consider a recumbent tandem bicycle in place of the traditional tandem as your next purchase.

Below are reasons as to why purchasing a recumbent tandem bicycle might be the right choice for you to make.

1. No longer do you need to use a car for those small journeys around where you live. Just hop on your bike and cycle.

2. Enhances your social life. What a great way of getting to know someone better?

3. Are designed so that riders of differing abilities and strengths can ride together, which eliminates the need for you having to wait until your companion catches you up or for them struggling to keep up with you.

4. Why not purchase one and use a bike taxi. Great for picking up and dropping friends off (but remember don’t drink and drive when riding one).

5. Often you will find that people will stop to talk to you when they find you stopped on one and ask what it is like.

6. Is a great way for you and your partner to get fit and healthy together whilst enjoying each others company.

7. If you need to do a quick run down to the shops then why not take your recumbent tandem bicycle instead. Can easily carry home large purchases from the shop such as dog food etc., all you need to do is strap the purchases to the back seat where the other rider would normally sit.

As you can see from above there are many reasons for why purchasing a recumbent tandem bicycle is an ideal solution for you and your family. So don’t delay just go on to the web and do a search today for “recumbent tandem bicycle” and you will be amazed at the wealth of information and advice that is available concerning these bikes.