Scourings

There are so many places to ride a bike. My favorite is on dedicated trails that are specific for bikers only. There are walking trails and these are not meant for people who ride because it could be dangerous for those who are strolling along by feet. I do not recommend cycling on the roads and streets where cars drive because the likely hood of injury is high. Cars go very fast and can crash a bike without much effort. If you do end up having to ride in traffic make sure to have protective gear on and use reflectors so that others can see you and not run into you.

The kind people that created dedicated paths just for you are to be thanked and looked up to. They have taken the time out of their life to think about you and what is best for your health. They understand that you are taking the time to get out and have fun and improve your heart health and make your life better overall. It is wise to travel with a friend or in a group just in case something happens, such as a tire blowing out or a crash. If you look online you can find a list of all the areas that are best suited for you that are closest to your home or work.

Mountain bike maintenance can become an obstacle course, if you don’t have some basic skills.

Owning a mountain bike - whether you are a serious rider or simply enjoy it as a sport - is an investment in time and money. Protect that investment by learning a few tricks of the trade as far as mountain bike maintenance is concerned.

The first important thing in mountain bike maintenance is very simple: keep your bike clean! Wipe off excess dirt once a week, using a dry cloth or a damp soapy sponge. During wet weather, or with frequent use, it is a good idea to wash your bike after every ride. If you don’t do this, you will find that there are a lot of sticky stuff out there that may become unwelcome, permanent fixtures.

Another regular habit you need to adopt as part of mountain bike maintenance, is degreasing the chain and drivetrain. How often you do this depends on how often you ride. It should be done once a month at least, and up to two or three times per month if you ride on a regular basis.

Lubrication of the chain is essential. There are many excellent lubricants on the market. Choose one that suits your needs. Keep in mind that newer lubricants such as White Lightning are self-cleaning, which minimizes mountain bike maintenance.

It is best to apply lubricant the night before you ride. Doing it ten minutes before, prevents it from getting into the chain properly.

As part of mountain bike maintenance, it is vital to maintain the correct air pressure in the tires. Taking care of this small detail will protect your expensive tires. It also prevents frequent tube problems.

Gear cables tend to stretch over time, which makes gear shifting less effective. Gear and brake cables should be checked regularly, and replaced more often than most people realize. New ones should be put in every six to nine months as part of general mountain bike maintenance, and the cable housing should be replaced at the same time.

Another item on you mountain bike maintenance list, is your brake pads. These wear extremely fast. You need to check the alignment of the brake pads against the rims. They should sit squarely on the rim when the brakes are applied.

When relaxed, they should be clear of the sidewall of your tire as it turns. Replace the brake pads when they get to the wear line. Allowing them to go onto the metal casing, will damage your rims.

Check all the nuts and bolts in your monthly mountain bike maintenance routine. Invest in an Allen key or spanner and tighten the loose bolts, such as crank bolts, seatpost bolts, and headset locknuts.

Lastly, one simple way to look after your bike is to keep it under cover, preferably indoors. Don’t expose it to the elements any more than necessary.

Be careful when using a bike cover outside. These tend to trap moisture between the cover and the ground, and will cause the steel parts on your bike to corrode more rapidly, giving cause for more mountain bike maintenance than you ever had in mind!

Take good care of your bike and it will take good care of you!

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

What a remarkable summertime it has been. Last week we went on a bike ride through the Sequoias. Everything about the adventure was awesome except for the drive up . My gear was packed with my bike ready the night before. I left work early Thursday and started the drive alone. I was on a race against time as I was supposed to meet my buddies at the top of the mountain road, marked by a picnic table, at eight pm. I knew my window of opportunity was about thirty mins. After that time, they were to expect that I got held up and would try again at the same spot at 10am the next day. This means if I was too late, I would end up sleeping in my car alone that night.

Turns out I made it through traffic and up the hill in time to unhook my bike, crack open a beer and mtn bike ride up and down a couple of little hills before dark and before my buddies would arrive. The air was crisp and I was excited to be away from the city. The bike was in perfect shape and ready to hit some trails. Friends arrived beers in hand and ready to show me where the campsite was.

Our ride started early and we were ready with big packs stuffed with plenty of food and water. The first crank up the big hill was ridiculously long. We pedaled over 10 miles uphill, that took over 2hrs. Making it to the summit was awesome. We took a break and sipped some water from our stainless steel water bottles.

The rest of the day was spent busting tricks, hitting logs and enticing each other to go big. A couple of breaks were in order throughout the day where we drank a bit of booze and shared treats we had packed away. The dirt was just right. Not too dry as to cause any dust and not too wet that our wheels would get stuck. There was a bit of ice still left on the ground from the spring melt. The temperature was perfect, not too hot, not too cold.