Archive for January, 2010

Common Bike Rack Choices

It is quite common for new cyclists to overlook some crucial cycling gear when they are starting out. They might get the bike right, the jersey just right, the right shoes, socks and pedals but they forget that they are going to need a good quality bike rack. Inevitably a cyclist is going to need to transport their bike for one reason or another and it is pretty tough to do without the right bike rack to accomplish this. We are going to discuss a few of the more common varieties.

Common Bike Rack Designs

Hitch Mounted Bicycle Rack – A hitch mount rack is very common, in fact, probably the most common of any style rack simply because their are so many trailer hitch equipped vehicles on the road and it is a simple solution. These types of racks work well but they have their downsides as well, the obvious being would you ever need to use your hitch and your bike rack at the same time? Vacation? Something to consider before purchasing this style of bike rack.

Spare Tire Mounted Bike Rack – This kind of bike rack does what it says, it mounts directly to the spare tire. Different companies have different designs where some of the use straps and ratchets to wrap around the spare tire while others use a bar that will bolt right to the spare tire and mount quite firmly. These types of bike racks are most commonly found on Jeeps.

Roof Mounted Racks – Bike racks that mount to the roof of a vehicle typically use some kind of rail system and hold down arms to secure the bike. This style of rack is considered to be the best by many riders because they don’t lose the use of their trailer hitch and they can easily access the rear of their SUV as well. The downside though is that you need to lift the bike overhead to load it and you also need to be aware of any low hanging obstacles, like your garage door or the drive through.

Truck Bed Bike Racks – If you are driving a pickup truck then you also have the option to mount a bike rack in the bed of the truck. These types of racks usually employ a rail system that either grabs the front wheel or that you remove the front wheel and mount the front forks right to the rack directly.

Pros and Cons

All of these styles of bike racks have their pros and cons. The trick is to determine what each one has for pros and what each one has for cons and then match these up to your own personality, vehicle choice and lifestyle. Do you want to be able to use the rack on more than one vehicle? Do you want to leave it mounted permanently? Do you need to use both your trailer hitch and your bike rack at the same time?

The best thing you can do is read up on the bike rack reviews, study your options and make as informed of a buying decision as you can.

Want to find out more about a car bike rack, then visit Jack Duncan’s site on how to choose the best bike rack for your needs.

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January 15 2010 | cycling | No Comments »

Which Mountain Bike Should You Buy?

Any beginner when offered the offer of a new bike, he/she is bound to get wild by the choices offered by every other advertiser. The variants have been designed in such a way that each one of them excels in some or the other riding aspect. Price tagged with these bikes usually ranges between $500-$10,000.

Choices made at the time of purchase of a bike are majorly dependent on the factors like the type of riding expected from any model, and the geographic location of the rider at the time of purchase. The bike you buy should suit the needs of the condition such as a downhill bike will be suitable for the conditions wherein the rider uses it mainly for riding down a hill.

If you reside in a region wherein you can try a variety of biking styles, you choose any of the groovy models that match-up with terrific acts.

Be it a cross-country bike or a free ride bike, the bike you choose at the time of purchase depends a lot on your riding style. You can opt for any bikes as per your riding styles but the basic concept based on which all these bikes have been fashioned remains the same.

Buyers shopping for new bikes can be often found buying the all-in-one ‘All mountain bike’ most of time. Bikers can take their bikes to just about anyplace and can ride them on any sort of terrain. If you are looking for the purchase of an all rounder bike, an all mountain bike is just the right option for you.

Cross-country bikes will seem different from the mountain bikes to any buyer who looks at the features of both of them very closely. These bikes are patterned for speed and render an energetic feel to the rider riding the bike. The suspension component of this bike is very stiff which therefore allows a speedy but a less comfy ride. The narrowed tires of these bikes provide higher speed even on roughened surfaces. Nevertheless, cross-country bikes cannot be used in a satisfactory manner on the rough off road trails.

Freeride bikes are fabricated for people who are on a lookout for new stunt every other day. It maybe tough for rider to go up the hill with this heavy bike but at ground level, it fetches you the desired admiration by being supportive as you perform your innovative series of stunts.

It is the weight of Downhill bikes that assures you of a stress free journey down the hill. Again the usage of this bike is limited to the hilly region with the frequency of riding more in a downhill manner. It maybe tough for any rider to climb the hill with this bike.

By looking at all the aspects of a bike, beginners will be more appropriately able to decide on the pattern they have been looking for.

Find out more about mountain bikes and which one you should purchase at www.MountainBikesOnline.net

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January 10 2010 | cycling | No Comments »

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