Toddler Bike Selection

August 1st, 2009 No comments »

Are toddler bikes really safe for your kids?  Getting a toddler bicycle for your child may seem like a bad idea.  It will especially seem this way if you are an overprotective mother or a first-time mother.  Now I realize you probably don’t consider yourself an overprotective mother because no one wants to be known as that.

But you may be inadvertently and unintentionally doing this to your kid.  Getting a bicycle for your young boy or girl is a very good idea both for their coordination and for their confidence.  And if you are into that overprotective phase there are certain steps and measures you can take to ensure that it’s going to be a very safe experience for them.

You can get helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and even make sure they are wearing a longsleeved shirt and long pants in case the inevitable wipeouts happen.  These simple things will protect them from any kind of major damage or issues and the only things they will be able to suffer are minor bumps, scrapes, and bruises.  And this is all part of the process of growing up anyway so it will only make them stronger.  Go check out toddler bicycles here and let your research began.

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Remembering the Troublemaker

August 30th, 2009 No comments »

When our children were first learning to ride bikes, we bought each of them a child bicycle that fit both their size and their personality.  Our youngest is quite a handful and without realizing it, we had bought a kid bicycle with ”Troublemaker” written across the pads on the bars.  Although I wouldn’t call this child a troublemaker, it just seemed quite funny to us that we wouldn’t notice what we had purchased until much later.

This bike has been on several family outings as well as seen its share of jumps and speed races.  From as early as we can remember this particular child, being the youngest, has a very competitive streak and has tagged along with the older siblings in everything.  He even skipped a toddler bicycle stage and jumped straight to the aforementioned child bicycle.  It didn’t matter that even with the seat lowered and the pedals were hard to reach, this child was going to master riding that bike and rode it standing up for the first few months.

As a little dare devil, the helmets and pads were a must for this kid.  If the older siblings jumped a ditch, by golly, this child would too.  If the sibling closest in age went to the skate and bike park, it was never without the younger one tagging along to try and “one-up” every time.

We must admit that this has not been all bad.  Because of the continual influence of more patient and laid back personalities of the older children, the youngest has had some great influence.  We constantly remind this child to remember from whence his ability to achieve great accomplishments comes from.

Our most recent adventure came on a camping trip where we almost chose to leave the bicycles behind.  We’re so glad we didn’t.  Since Mom isn’t the greatest of bicycle enthusiasts, who do you think decided that they were the one to teach her how to ride a trail?  How sweet and extremely comical it was to see our youngest take on the roll of teacher as Mom patiently played along with the role reversal.  We wouldn’t have traded this incredible moment for anything.

As we move on to adolescence and we have to leave this child bicycle behind for something bigger and better, we will miss this stage and the bicycle that has brought us many hours of entertainment as we’ve watched it and its rider streak down the empty side-walk and fly over both hand-made and pre- molded jumps in an effort to reign victorious over yet another challenge.

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Replacing My Bike Wheel

August 29th, 2009 No comments »

A couple of years ago, I was going on a bike ride around the city with some friends of mine, and I noticed that some things were not working very well.  Things were not moving as smoothly as they were supposed to be. I mentioned the issue to one of my friends that was with me, and he told me that we could take it by his garage to have a look at it.  The bike was not very old, so I imagined that the worst situation would be that I needed a new bike wheel.  Mountain bike parts are fairly expensive where I live.

When we got to my friend’s garage, I noticed that he had a very large selection of mountain bike accessories.  I asked him why he had so many parts, and he told me that he really enjoys making modifications on his bike from time to time.  I noticed that he had a bike wheel on the wall that fit my bike, so I asked him if he was going to be needing it anytime soon.  He told me that he had a few extras lying around, so I could take it if I needed to.

After we checked out all of the parts on my bike, we concluded that the bike wheel was the problem.  I was very thankful that my friend had a spare one, as well as many other parts lying around.  We replaced the wheel, and also lubed up the chain, and it was as good as new.  Since it was getting dark, we figured that we wouldn’t be able to ride much anymore that evening.  Since I didn’t have anyway to pay for the mountain bike part, I told my friend that I would take him out for a hearty meal the next time that he was free.

I knew that a meal was not equal to a new bike wheel, but he agreed without hesitation.  To him, it was just a part that was hanging on the wall of his garage.  To me, however, it was a solution to a problem that I had been worried about.  We made plans to go riding again a few days later, so I could make sure that everything was in working order.  I did not want to have to take it anywhere else to get it fixed.  With all of the parts that he had, I was sure that I wouldn’t have to.

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Is Bike Wear A Fashion Statement Or Basic Comfort?

August 28th, 2009 No comments »

Upon my introduction of the world of single track bike racing, it was all so very different from any other sport that I had participated in.  Figuring that I really should go to the authority on proper attire, a trip to my local sports store was on the agenda.  Therefore, bright and early the next morning, I was waiting as the store opened its doors for business.  I quickly found a helpful salesperson who proved to be most helpful when given my short explanation on the purpose of this venture.  There I was in the middle of shorts, jerseys, gloves, helmets, jackets and many other essential accessories.

It occurred to me that since I am a novice at this new sport I might just want to go for the minimalist approach.  It was with this idea regarding bike wear that I decided to go with a “budget” wardrobe looking for good quality but not necessarily high-end.  My decision was made and the shopping began.  The choice in shorts was for the “baggie” as opposed to the sleek, tight shorts that is so ofter seen in biking pictures.  The inner padding was well made with flat seams for comfort.  This seemed more appropriate for my figure type.

The next item of clothing to select was the jersey.  In all of bike wear, it is very important that you consider the function of the fabric in the whole scheme of the sport.  Naturally you will sweat upon exertion and while cotton fabric is very absorbent, there is no wicking that occurs as is the case with synthetics.  Wicking is vital to the cyclist for this process takes the moisture away from the body so that it can evaporate and in so doing, cools the body.  Front zippers are also highly functional in allowing for ventilation.  Women may now exercise this same option by choosing to wear a sports bra in coordination colors.

Bike clothes have special design that take into consideration not only function but offer the comfort that the sport demands.  Chafing is not something that a cyclist wishes to content with.  It is in the construction of these garments that you will find every measure has been taken to prevent a bad “ride”.  The running jacket is to be a vital part of the wardrobe for the single track cyclist.  It is a fact that even a short interruption causes a huge drop in body temperature and the layering is quite effective in controlling this from happening.

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Different Options for Bike Recumbent Styles

August 27th, 2009 No comments »

Although most conventional bikes are pretty similar in style, this is not the case with recumbent bikes. There are a wide number of different bike recumbent styles to choose from, so it is wise to look into your options before purchasing one of these bikes.

First of all, different bike recumbent wheel sizes are available. Many of this type of bike come with two different sized wheels, though there are styles available with the two wheels of the same size. Usually the front wheel is smaller, which makes it so that the pedals can be placed above this wheel.

There are also a number of different options for the wheelbase. You can get bikes with a short wheelbase so the pedals can be in the front of the front wheel. You can also get bikes with a long wheelbase so that the pedals are in between the two wheels, or something called a compact long wheelbase where the pedals can be close to the front wheel or above the front wheel.

Another option is the location of the steering for your bike recumbent. You can have the steering either under the seat, over the seat, or center steering. Under the seat steering is of course the most different from that of a conventional bike, though it does allow you to keep your arms in a more comfortable position.

As you can see, there are a lot of different options available. Most of these bikes have rear wheel drive, and in the United States most come with seats that are made of mesh stretched over a frame. If you want to spend a bit more, you can get a bike recumbent with fairings to make it more aerodynamic and keep you warmer and dryer. It is also possible to get fully suspended bikes for an even more comfortable ride. These are all of the basic options.

There are also a lot of different variations on the recumbent bike. You can get a biking bike like most of those described above, or you can get a stationary bike for getting some indoor exercise. You can also get bikes designed for mountain biking or racing, as well as recumbent trikes to make the bike even easier to ride. You can even get tandem recumbent bikes and bikes that have hand cranks instead of pedals. There are so many different choices.

Whatever configuration you decide to get for your recumbent bike, it will take some getting used to since these bikes ride very differently from conventional bikes. Before you take it to bike parks or go riding on the streets, be sure you practice so that you are comfortable with starting, stopping, steering, and hills.

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The Right Bike Gear Is Important

August 26th, 2009 No comments »

Nearly every time you turn on the television news you hear a story about the rise in obesity and the related health problems among the worlds population.  These reports made me start thinking about my own health.  I used to lead a very active lifestyle, but somewhere along the way I quit doing all the things I loved.  I am sure it had something to do with long hours at the office.  Now that my career has stabilized and I know longer work so many hour, there is no excuse for my sedentary lifestyle.

Since my favorite activity from the past was biking I decided to get back into it.  I was rather excited to shop for new bike gear and knew there would be all kinds of equipment that I had never used.  Fortunately, I still had my bike in the garage and it only required new tires and a tune-up to get it road ready.

While I was shopping for bike gear I found a website that had a nice selection of bike shirts, shorts, running jackets, and equipment.  I ordered myself a OXT Circuit Half-Zip bike shirt from REI, a pair of Pearl Izumi Attack Shorts, and a supply of ZYM Electrolyte drink tabs.  I also ordered all of the reflective safety equipment that I would need to ride after dark.

By the time my bike gear arrived in the mail, my bike was out of the shop.  I knew I would have to do some riding to get back into shape before undertaking a ride of any real distance.  My goal was to be ready by the end of the summer to ride through a canyon near my home.

I began riding every evening when I got home from work.  I started with a two mile ride and added a quarter of a mile each day for the first two weeks.  I was glad that I invested money in some good bike gear.  The reflective gear I purchased made me feel safe when I returned home after dark.  The end of summer was approaching and I realized I would need a bike rack to transport my bike to the canyon.

Once I had the rack installed on my car, I was ready to make plans for my trek through the canyon.  I prepared all my gear, packed my camera and plenty of water and waited for sunrise.  The day had finally come that I had been waiting for.

I was thrilled when I hit the trail that morning.  The weather was crisp and clear and everything was quiet and still.  I enjoyed that ride more than any other in the past.  I was very pleased with myself because I had transformed myself from a couch potato to a cyclist in just two months.

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