Mountain Bike Tips

Types Of Mountain Biking CR: p.vitalmtb.com

When we talk about mountain biking, you may have already knew that there are many kind of them. Weather you will do the mountain biking for a sport purpose or a hobby purpose, we can split mountain biking into 9 different types.  And, they are split by what they have to offer to the rider.
Let see if you know all of them.

1.  BMX

The first type of mountain bike is BMX. BMX is the bikes that come with 20 inch wheels. These kind of bikes are commonly used at skate parks or with dirt jumps.  With 20 inch wheels, they are considered small wheels and short wheel bases. With these wheel feature, BMX bikes are much easier to perform tricks and stunts with.

2.  Cross Country

The second type of the mountain bike is Cross Country. This type of mountain biking is commonly used to ride up and down hills.  Most cross country riders are very fit and go on long rides even it's the least extreme form of mountain biking.  Cross-country racing is held on a varied terrain circuit, it is normally around 6-8 km and is always a massed-start race.

3.  Cyclocross

The third type of the mountain biking is Cyclocross. This kind of bike is a cross between road and mountain biking. These kind of bikes is commonly used for riders to go over obstacles, cross through
rivers, and race on and off the course.

4.  Dirt Jumping

The fourth type of the bike is is a dirt jumping mountain biking. This kind of bike is used for jumping the bike over large man-made dirt jumps as the name.  Usually, they have a rigid frame and, a lower stand-over height, this keeps the seat out of the way while performing tricks. While the rider are doing the jumping and are in the air, they will do tricks.  These jumps are normally close together so riders can go over six or more jumps in one run and this will gain a flow to give them more speed for bigger jumps. These are common type of jump: Double, Tabletops, Ski Jumps, Rollers, Step ups, Whoops/Rhythms, Spine, Berm, Hip Jumps,Triple Jumps and 360 Berms

5.  Downhill

The fifth type of bike is Downhill mountain biking. This kind of mountain biking involves
practicing on steep, rough terrain that often features jumps, drops, rock gardens and other obstacles and needs to race downhill as fast as possible.  This type of riding is very intense and extreme, offering riders the chance for ultimate thrills and excitement.

6.  Freeride

The sixth type of bike is Free ride.  Freeride is recognized  as one of the most popular discipline within mountain biking. Freeride bikes are similar to downhill bikes, but feature slightly less suspension travel and are lighter. Free riding involves finding the perfect line down the mountain using all of the terrain.  These competitions are very popular, as riders can express themselves any way they see fit.

7.  Single speed

The seventh type of bike is Single speed. Don't be confused with fixed gears, this is a form of cross country biking that features only one gear and fewer components.  The idea with single speed is simplicity.  The straight chain line will provide efficient peddling, and the lack of components mean less mechanical problems,  a lighter and  cheaper bike.

8.  Street and urban

The eighth type of bike is Street and Urban. This type of riding involves riding in urban areas, ledges, and other types of man made obstacles.   Riders of street and urban biking will do tricks as well, such as stalls and grinds.

9.  Trails 

The ninth type of bike is Trails mountain bike .  Trials are considered an aspect of mountain biking,  although the bikes used look nothing like mountain bikes.  They use 20 or 26 inch wheels and sport small, low frames.  Trail riders will hop and jump their bikes over obstacles, which requires an extreme amount of balance and concentration.

More of Mountain Biking Type





Read More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeride
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downhill_mountain_biking
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirt_jumping
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-speed_bicycle

Once of the key factor to point out when you are buying a mountain bike is the brakes. It is very important to know what kind of brakes are available and what to choose. There are 2 type of brakes here that I would like to bring up they are disc brakes and rim brakes.

There have been many development and change over mountain bikes break for periods of time.  The original design was cantilever brakes, after than it was the U Brake, and follower by V Brakes which is now the current version.  And in most conditions the latter, V Brakes,  seem to work well.

There are many performance advantages with Disc brakes on the mountain bikes such as their existence and safe use. As everyday riders, we think that they are, without a doubt, the way forward. However, there are some valid concerns about discs; overheating on descents, causing extra damage in crashes, adding weight on climbs and allowing those riders with discs to descend far faster than those without. Are any of these concerns valid? but they are not allowed in professional road races.

If you want better breaks with more consistent brake performance in all conditions, disc brakes are your best choice. But, if lighter setup and under low prices budget, rim brakes are the winner. However, low price will come with small variances in breaks performance.

When it come to wet or muddy conditions, rim brakes's performance is very poor. With the rim brake, it can wear right through the side of your rim over time and this will blow the side of the rim right off. In other hand, Disc brakes seem to work better as Disc brakes require less force to apply and aren't effected by the rim or wheel condition.

Disc brakes have not been used much on the bike in the early years until late 1990's while they've been around for a long time in cars. Though, there were some issues in the earlier models. Although, the cable actuated or hydraulic brakes of today seem to work quite well.

When it come to the cost,  disk brake systems are more expensive than rim brakes. Mechanical or cable actuated brakes are a closer match, although they will still cost more. Hydraulic brakes on the other hand cost a lot more.

When you make that final choice, weight out the above options then make your decision. Some riders prefer disc brakes, while others prefer rim brakes - making it a matter of opinion.

Buying a mountain bike could be a bit frustrating and could also be time consuming.  Here's All You Need To Know before spending your your money on a mountain bike. Which mountain bike you go for depends on what you want to use it for, with the quality of the components being one of the most important things to brood over. Gain technical knowledge on mountain bikes and educate yourself before your purchase

Price

How much money you could spend on a new mountain bike the sky is really a limit. The price range and how much you are willing to spend for your new bike are things that you need to do the math because that is the key to help you keep your spending under control. When you buy, you shouldn't Buying from mass merchant stores is one of the mistake the new rider makes. Instead,  a local bike shop is a better choice to get better bike and much better service.

Style Of Riding

Before you select a mountain bike, you need to figure out what your style of riding is. You may love cruising down steep inclines at unimaginable speeds, or you may favor the challenge that presents itself when you go uphill. Alternatively you may be an aggressive rider, or a casual rider who loves to tow your child behind you as you explore nature.

All mountain bikes are designed with several different riding styles and terrain types in mind. You'll need to figure out what type of riding you will be doing the most. Smooth riding, cross country racing, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill is something you need to figure out. Make sure that the bike you select fits your personal style and not that of the sale's staff.

Full suspension VS Hard tail

When it come to suspension option for your bike, no suspension, full-suspension or hardtail are your choices. If you can afford it, a full suspension mountain bike is always the best choice for the purchase. A bike with no suspension will give you a bad and uncomfortable ride experience from the beginning. A hard tail, without rear suspension,  is great for reducing arm and hand fatigue and is much lighter weight and pedal more efficiently, although full suspensions offer more comfort and overall better control. Though, the comfort of full suspension mountain come with the prices.

Finding your Favourites

It  is nearly impossible to compare mountain bikes from component to component. This is beca as there are far too many combinations available. Starting with a few components that are most important to you is nice thing to do and make sure the rest of the components fall with in your price range that you are willing to pay. The fork, the wheels and the rear derailleur are thing to start with.

Brakes 

Brakes are also very importance to do your research before buying. 

Disc brakes are very expensive and hard to replace but they are the common type of brakes and they offer consistent braking in all conditions. 

Rim break are consider to be economical and cheap for maintenance and could be found on entry level bikes. The thing to be consider are they wear out the wheel rim, and are less efficient and powerful than disc brakes. See more about Brakes option in Disc Brakes vs Rim Brakes.

Sales and Seasons

It is always a good idea to wait for the right season to buy your new bike, if you can wait. The prices of mountain bikes may fluctuate during the year and spring through summer is the high buying season. Normally, you will find a better price in winter and fall which you can save a couple hundred dollars. Discounts could be found from many bike shops you just have to be patience.

Finding a Good Dealer

It is said that "finding a good bike dealer is more important than finding the best price" and this is so true. A great dealer is the one who cares more about selling a great bike than selling a high priced one. Also, a great dealer will offer a clean repair shop and give you the impression that you can really trust them.

Test Ride

Test ride is one of the many things you should do before you decide to buy the bike and you should try as many as you can. This will give you a chance to experience what bike is right for you within your budget. The more bikes you can have a ride test, the better you'll understand what works and what doesn't.

Bike Reviews is a MUST

Product reviews and bike reviews will give you the idea of how to find out about a mountain bikes reliability and overall performance. You should always look at what other owners and reviews think about a bike before you make that final purchase. If you have no idea what to look for, the popular biking brand for its quality are the thing you can start with. You can start from Mongoose, Schwinn, REI, Diamondback, GT, Novara, Marin, Scott, Raleigh, Huffy,  Gravity, Roadmaster, and Genesis.

Read up on the reviews of each brand to get a sense of what each one provides to the consumer, so that you can decide which one is best for your biking needs.

Below are some of buying a mountain bike guid that you can find from youtube:

6 Must Have Beginner Mountain Bike Skills Image CR: http://www.likecovers.com

Beginner Mountain Bike Skills

Mountain biking, one of the most exciting sport that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone who knows how to ride a bike. When comparing mountain biking to the average bike ride, it is considered to present some danger.  Therefore,  you should master these very basic skills or at least give yourself hours of practices before you hit the trails or the dirt in the real field.

These very beginning skills set could be practiced at any local park, school, bike path, or simply around your house. If possible, try a location with a steep hill to give your best shot to feel the real filed.

Below are set of 6 beginning skills for mountain bike rider that you should find useful for your beginning lesson. Before the practice make sure you get your safety

Get a feel for your pedals
Practice moving your foot away from the pedal, first while sitting on your bike with one foot on the ground.  Next, move on to releasing and replacing your foot while peddling around for a bit.  Those with toe clip and clip-less type foot pedals will want to spend a bit more time practicing.

Sit and spin for position
Simply sit on your bike and pedal around.  You should keep your arms slightly bent.  You should also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to 90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal.  Keep your body relaxed, as there will never be a position where you should have either your knees or your elbows locked.

Shifting gears
Get a feel for shifting gears with your bike.  The higher gears are harder to pedal and will go faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal and will help you ascend hills.  As you get to steeper hills, its best to shift before you get to the hill rather than while your on it.

Coasting
You should spend a bit of time coasting while standing on your pedals, without actually sitting on the seat.  Keep your arms bent but don't lock your knees.  Now, try experimenting with shifting your body towards the rear end of the bike.

Pedal while standing
You should get as comfortable as you can with peddling while standing on your bike.  Try lifting yourself off the seat while standing on the pedals, then crank them around.  You should try this in higher gears on flat ground then again in lower gears while on a hill.

Dropping down a curb
Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the upper portion of it.  Practice at a moderate speed, standing and coasting right off the curb from the upper level to the lower level.  Try this at different speeds until it becomes second nature.

Once you practice these techniques and get the hang of them, you'll be able to hit the trails feeling comfortable and confidence on your mountain bike.  Even though it may take some time getting used to, it'll become second nature before you know it.

You can find the videos below for more advance techniques.

Choose Mountain Bike For Your Riding Discipline:

Top 10 Essential Mountain Bike Skills:

Top 5 Beginner Mountain Bike Mistakes: