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Rob Chrin on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 |
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Mountain bikes that are top sellers are the top sellers for a reason. Yes, sometimes a top selling mens mountain bike is about brand name, however, most of the time it is because of quality. That does not mean that a brand name bike does not have quality, quite to the contrary. A brand name bike normally sells well because of its quality.
So, what are the quality items that are components of these top selling mens mountain bikes? The first thing is the rims of the mountain bike. Mountain bikes usually have 5-6 inch (125-150 mm) rims so that they are able to handle the rough conditions that most riders ride over during their runs.
Another critical component is the welds on the bike frame. You will not find a mens mountain bike that is selling well if it does not have great quality welds in the bike frame. Obviously having a strong frame that can withstand the conditions that most mountain bikers endure is a key factor in popularity of the bike. Nobody wants to spend his or her hard-earned money on a bike that breaks easily. Moreover, the harder you ride, the tougher the welds need to be.
The next important part is the handlebars. You put tremendous pressure on the handlebars when you are mountain biking. Like the frames, the welds on the handlebars need to be of superior quality in order for the handlebars to handle the stress put on it by the rider.
Quality trumps all in a mens mountain bike to make it a popular and a top seller. Make sure to do your homework and read the reviews of the bikes to help you decide which bikes have the quality you need. Search for the top sellers and look at the breakdown of the components and the quality of the workmanship. Then, as you look at other bikes, compare the components of that bike with the top selling bikes and look at the differences. More than likely you will soon see why the top selling bikes are at the top.
Technorati Tags: full suspension mountain bikes, mens mountain bike, specialized mountain bike, used mountain bike
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Rob Chrin on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 |
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The answer to this question whether you should get a specialized mountain bike really should be based on your experience level. In general, you should not be looking into a specialized mountain bike unless you are an experienced mountain bike rider. Why is this? Think about it. As a beginner, you are just learning about your bike and mountain biking skills. It would be difficult to add specialized parts and accessories until you know what works and what doesn’t work for you. Same is true about skills. You will not know what things to customize or change in a mountain bike until you know what you can do and what you cannot do.
If you are experienced enough to know your bike or what type of bike you want and have a basic proficiency of mountain bike skills, then a specialized mountain bike might work for you. Another thing to think about, if you are considering that you want to do this, is the extra cost. As I’m sure you can imagine major parts (frame, handlebars, wheels, suspension, brakes, etc) and even the accessories (pedals, grips, etc) can have a wide range of prices. Sometimes the prices are based on quality and workmanship and other times it’s based on name and/or brand value. You need to research this out to make sure that any part you are thinking about is worth the price. There are many articles written about this subject, so do some searching on the internet for these articles.
If you are a beginner, don’t worry about looking into getting a specialized mountain bike at this time. Now that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look into getting a high quality and well built mountain bike, there are many ‘stock’ bikes that are very good and great for beginners. If you are experienced and have decided to get a mountain bike that is specialized, then make sure that you justify upgrading the parts. Looking great is one thing and for some accessories that’s their main function. But if you are looking into getting a special frame, suspension or brakes, make sure that this upgrade will provide you with the increased safety and comfort for mountain biking. If you keep this in mind, you should have a great mountain bike that will provide you with an enjoyable and exciting mountain biking experience.
Technorati Tags: full suspension mountain bikes, mens mountain bike, specialized mountain bike, used mountain bike
By
Rob Chrin on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 |
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Last time we talked about fitness. This time we are going to talk about skill.
What kind of skill are we talking about? There are two basic categories, basic skills and specialized mountain biking skills.
The basic skills I’m talking about here are balance, quick reactions, quick thinking and no fear. Well, maybe the no fear isn’t a skill, but it is sometimes needed in many mountain biking adventures. Overall, many of these skills can’t be improved upon too much. Yes there are trainings to help you with these skills but most if not all are genetic. That is, either you have good balance or you don’t. Either you have quick reactions or you don’t. Most people don’t want to take classes or work on these things just so that they can go mountain biking. If you are considering buying a mens mountain bike, please evaluate these skills to make sure, before you move forward.
Now there is specific mountain biking skills that you can learn also. These are much more conducive to training and learning over the basic skills. Even if you don’t have these skills when you are considering mountain biking, this shouldn’t stop you from moving forward. You just have to realize that you will have to take it slow initially until you perfect these specific mountain biking skills.
In general, most people can buy a mens mountain bike and use it effectively even if you do not have all of the necessary skills. It’s really all about types of mountain biking. Leisurely mountain biking almost anybody can do. It’s the more advanced mountain biking that you have to make sure that you have the necessary basic and specific mountain biking skills so that you both enjoy the ride and to make sure that you don’t get hurt.
If you feel are fit and have good skills then making the step to purchase a mens mountain bike makes sense. If you are not in shape and/or don’t have the skills but want to learn the skills and get in some sort of shape, the moving forward to buy your mens mountain bike will be a good move for you.
Technorati Tags: full suspension mountain bikes, mens mountain bike, specialized mountain bike, used mountain bike
By
Rob Chrin on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 |
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If you are considering purchasing a mens mountain bike, one of the first questions that you should ask is if you are interested in mountain biking. In general, mountain biking is exciting, fun and gets you fit so if these things appeal to you, then mountain biking may be right up your alley. However, there are some other things to consider.
Fitness and skill are two critical components for mountain biking. If you are already skilled at riding and are physically fit, then mountain biking is something you should consider. However, when starting out, you do not have to have skills or be fit; it is important to develop both of these skills if you want to master the sport. Fitness and skill are necessary in the end if you want to have fun and an exciting time while you are mountain biking.
If you are not currently in shape, then going out on a mountain bike trek may cause you to become discouraged. It is not uncommon for a mountain bike excursion to last 3 hours or more. So if you know at this point in your fitness that after 15 minutes you are done, then you need to work on this slowly. Ride for 15 minutes day 1 and the next time you ride extend it to 20 minutes or so. What you will find is that your endurance will quickly mount and you will be able to add 30 minutes or more quickly to your next run.
There is a basic level of shape you need to be in to make mountain biking enjoyable, but you will also get in better shape when you are out there mountain biking. Mountain biking is a good way to burn those extra calories and many people use mountain biking to lose weight because of the great workout that you get.
If you are not fit, you can change that. Just make sure that you have the desire to become fit as you consider buying a mens mountain bike.
In my next post I will focus on the skill part of mountain biking.
Technorati Tags: full suspension mountain bikes, mens mountain bike, specialized mountain bike, used mountain bike
By
Rob Chrin on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 |
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Picking a mens mountain bike does not have to be difficult. There are some basic pieces of information that you should review in order to pick a mountain bike that is right for you.
The first thing is to make sure that you are selecting a bike that is a true mountain bike. There are many bikes out there that look like a mountain bike, but it is important to do this as the first step. Now some people may be going “duh” but you would not believe how many people buy a bike only to realize later that it is really a road bike that has been made to look like a mountain bike. This is especially true in your big box stores that sell bikes. Choosing a true mountain bike is important because mountain bikes are designed to ride over difficult terrain and if the bike is not a true mountain bike you or your bike might not end up well at the end of the ride.
Next you want to check the bike frame. Mountain bikes are usually heavier and have more suspension than other bikes to deal with the more difficult terrain that riders tend to ride on. The different types of suspension are rigid, hard-tail, soft-tail or dual suspension. This is a very critical part of the bike choice and most mountain bikers normally choose a hard-tail suspension. You also want to check the angles on the frame. The angles to look at are the head tube and the angle at the seat tube. Normally a wider angle is used for better handling when pedaling uphill. Shorter angles are better for higher speed and more stability on downhill courses.
The final thing to check on a mens mountain bike is its brakes. There are basically two different types of brakes, the standard v-brakes and the newer disc brakes. Most people prefer disc brakes to the v-brakes because they tend to provide better braking in a variety of terrains, disc brakes are also much easier to maintain and tend to last longer than the standard v-brakes.
So check to make sure that the bike is a real mountain bike, that it has the suspension that you desire, that it have the correct angles on the frame for the type of riding that you are planning on doing and lastly has the preferred braking mechanisms that will match your riding techniques. After reviewing these items, you should have no problem picking the correct mens mountain bike.
By
Rob Chrin on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 |
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The reason that picking a mens mountain bike seems so difficult for so many people is that they fail to do the necessary steps when they want to purchase their bike. The biggest problem people run into when buying a bike is that they think any bike will be the right bike for them. They seem to take a one size fits all mentality when deciding on a bike, so they do very little, to no research on which bike to buy. Selecting a mens mountain bike does take research, but you do not have to be a rocket scientist to be able to find the right bike for you.
So the first thing to remember is that the bike you choose has to fit you like a pair of pants or a shirt fits you. Having a bike that fits you properly will do two very important things. First, it will make sure that you have the best control and handling which will therefore reduce the number of potential accidents and injuries that you may sustain. The second thing deals with comfort and feel. Having a bike not fit you is like wearing clothes that do not fit you. If they are too tight or too big, you don’t feel right. Having both the correct feel and handling in a bike is key to making sure that you have both a safe and enjoyable ride.
So what do we have to do to find the mens mountain bike that will both be comfortable and allow you to have the best control? That is, what are the things we have to make sure our bike has to accomplish in order to make sure you are getting the best mountain bike? Note, it doesn’t mean you have to have a specialized mountain bike and it doesn’t even have to be a new mountain bike, a used mountain bike will do as well.
1. Make sure that the height of the bike is correct. A bike is supposed to have at least 2-inch clearance between your inseam (crotch) and the top horizontal bar of your bike’s frame when you stride it with your feet on the ground. Having a larger gap will make it much harder to control and having it shorter will lead to potentially more injuries if you know what I mean.
2. Obviously when you go mountain biking most of the riding you do will be off-road. This means that the frame of your bike should be strong and sturdy to sustain the stress and pressure of riding and to avoid fatal accidents. Good solid construction, good welds and the weight of the bike will all contribute to a strong and sturdy frame of your mens mountain bike.
3. In order to have a comfortable ride, you want to make sure that you have the correct suspension. Because mountain bikes have to deal with more difficult terrains they need to have a suspension that can handle these tough environments. The different types of suspension are rigid, hard-tail, soft-tail or dual suspension. This is a very critical part of the bike choice, and while some prefer full suspension mountain bikes, most mountain bikers normally choose a hard-tail suspension.
4. The last thing to consider is the braking system of the bike. There are two different types of brakes, the standard v-brakes and the newer disc brakes. When looking at the brake system on a mens mountain bike, it is important to make sure that the brake system is the more up to date disc brakes. Disc brakes are much easier to maintain and will help keep your bike in much better shape.
Keeping these items in mind will go a long ways towards getting yourself a mens mountain bike that will not only be safe to ride, but will also make sure that it is a comfortable ride.
