What is Mountain Biking? |
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| By David T. | ||||
Mountain biking can be classified into four types: downhill, cross country, freeride, and street riding. Each category has various levels of safety consciousness, and entails differing types of riding gear and mountain bikes. Mountain biking requires endurance, self reliance, and bike handling skills. It can be performed almost in every place, from gravel road to backyard, although most mountain bikers prefer off road trails. Some aspects of mountain biking are more related to trail running compared to regular bicycling. And since riders often go to far flung places, riders need to be self reliant. They have to learn how to repair broker bikes, flat tires, among other concerns, to avoid being left out in a deserted place. Reliance on survival skills is a major component of the group dynamics of mountain biking. This is why club rides and group rides are common, particularly on long treks. It was in the 70s when the sport of mountain biking originated. While there are various claims on how the sport began, the most recognized is a group of bikers in California who raced down Mount Tam riding on old 1940’s type bicycles reformatted with improved brakes and tires. This group included Gary Fisher, Otis Guy, Keith Bontrager, and Joe Breeze, who also built the earliest mountain bike in the late ‘70s. Later, Tom Ritchey made the first mountain bike frame sold commercially, and which was accessorized by Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher. In a couple of years the first two mountain bikes were sold: Univega Alpina Pro and Specialized Stumpjumper. Mountain bikes vary from road touring vehicles in many ways. First mountain bikes boast of a reinforced, smaller frame. It also has wide, knobby tires mounted on a rim which is a lot stronger compared to standard bicycle rim. Mountain bikes have larger gears that enable the bike to climb up hills and go over obstacles. It likewise has an upward rising handlebar providing upright riding position. The inherent flexibility and comfort of mountain bikes has led to a projected 80% market share in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Mountain bikes likewise come with disc brakes comparable to those of automobiles, instead of rim brakes often used on road bikes. Also, mountain bike pedals differ from simple platform pedals as the rider simply put his or her shoes on top of pedals. Pedals can also come clipless, wherein the riders makes use of a specially equipped shoe that has a sole mechanically engaged into the pedal. Another type of pedal are those with cages, although rarely used since rocks, tree roots and branches may easily get entangled with the cage, causing the rider to fall. Another important accessory is the helmet which provides protection to the head. Gloves likewise are important and they differ from the usual road touring types since they are manufactured of heavier construction, sometime covering thumbs and fingers for hand protection. Other accessories vital for mountain biking are shoes, clothing, hydration systems, and pumps for the inflation of flat tires. You could easily look for great selections of biking gear and equipment online, along with great footwear like crocs, crocs shoes, beach crocs, sassari crocs, off road crocs as well as islander crocs. |
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