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Mountain Bike Maintenance 101

By Article Expert on Jun. 10, 2009.

If you own a mountain bike it’s a massive benefit to perform your own mountain bike maintenance as it will increase your enjoyment of riding as well as saving you money.

If you are confident in the knowledge that you can repair any breakdowns you can go further for longer, and you’ll be less likely to have breakdowns if you’ve maintained your bike well.

Doing your own mountain bike maintenance will save you money because you won’t have to pay a mechanic to maintain it for you and parts will last longer and need replacing less frequently.

The first important thing to do if you’re going to perform your own maintenance is to get yourself the right basic tools. Over time you’ll probably get more specialist tools as you’ll learn more about your bike and it’s parts.

You should also carry a tool kit with you when you ride and you can get complete basic tool kits to carry with you that are more compact than the regular tools you might use at home. Remember to test all tools at home before you take them out with you.

Prior to thinking about tools even, the most basic maintenance to perform on your mountain bike is to clean it regularly and this doesn’t require any tools.

Make sure you clean your bike after every ride, by wiping it down with a wet cloth or wash it with hot, soapy water and then rinse with clean water. Be sure to rinse it off afterwards or wipe it down with a wet cloth as this will prevent dirt getting into places it shouldn’t get into, and help to maintain all the parts!

Another basic item in your mountain bike maintenance agenda is lubricating the chain occasionally. This is essential to keep it functioning properly and there are lots of good lubricants available, including some self-cleaning ones. Get into the routine of applying any lubricant to the chain the night before you ride, and not a few mintutes before, so that it works into the chain well.

Another vital but basic factor to check is the air pressure in the tyres, which protects them and offers you a more comfortable ride. An important part of a maintenance routine is to change the tyres now and then, and also make sure you can change a puncture.

The next items to remember in your maintenance routine are the brake and gear cables, which need checking regularly as they stretch over time and become less effective. They should be replaced as well, about every 6 months or so, depending on how frequently you ride.

Another important maintenance task and safety issue is checking your brake pads regularly as they can wear out quickly. Check the alignment of the brake pad against the wheel rims, as they should sit squarely on the rim when the brakes are applied. When not applied they should be free of the sidewall of the tyre.

Lastly inspect all the nuts and bolts on your bike in your new maintenance routine and if you find any loose ones tighten them with an Allen key or a spanner.

Remember breakdowns happen even to the most experienced riders with the most expensive bikes, but some can be prevented with good maintenance and the others you can deal with armed with a bit of knowledge.

Be pro-active in your approach to mountain bike maintenance and look after your bike. Remember maintenance is usually better and cheaper than repair, and armed with a little knowledge you can ride harder for longer.

Whether You’re A Risk Taker Or Not - A Mountain Bike Helmet Is A Must

By Article Expert on Jun. 8, 2009.

Mountain bike helmets are an extremely important and necessary part of your biking gear. You should never ride without one. For children the use of a helmet when riding a bike is required by law.

Selecting a helmet to ride a mountain bike is as important as selecting the correct motorcycle helmet. The criteria used is very similar. Most people don’t know that the same companies that make motorcycle helmets also make mountain bike helmets.

The helmet size is the starting point in picking the right one. Before you choose a helmet you should measure your head, then use this size to get the correct helmet. If you have a mishap with an oversized helmet, the helmet may fall off. If the helmet is too small to properly cover the head then it will leave some vulnerable areas. It will also be quite uncomfortable.

You should choose your mountain bike helmet according to your own style and level of riding. For dangerous riding, such as downhill or high speed, you will most definitely want a mountain bike “full face” helmet. You’ll be thankful for the protection if there’s an accident.

For longer rides or leisure riding a light weight helmet is perfect. Especially when the temperature is very high outside. When you need a helmet that covers the entire face, it can get quite hot.

This brings us to the topic of ventilation. In your choice of mountain bike helmet, you definitely want to make sure excellent ventilation is available.

Mountain bike helmets are available in many different styles and designs. Just make sure you see the letters “CPSC”. These letters, which stand for “Consumer Product Safety Commission”, mean that the helmet is safe for use. Because to legally be considered a bicycle helmet, it must have this stamp. Prices vary greatly, with many being affordable for the casual rider. If you are pondering how much is too much to spend, do what motorcycle aficionados do and ask yourself ‘how much is my brain worth’? Mountain biking is a great recreational activity for relaxing, exercising and spending times together with family and friends. How tragic would it be to end such a wonderful day with an injury or worse.

Many lives have been saved as the result of using proper protective gear. Please remember this when picking out your mountain bike helmets.

MBR Types

By Article Expert on Feb. 28, 2009.

A full shock system is critical on a mountain bike. It is important because it helps absorb the shock when going over rugged terrain and helps to provide a smoother ride. You will find that full suspension bikes have both a front and back suspension. If a mountain bike has a solid rear fork and a suspension at the front they are often called hard tailed. If the bike is a lower end bike and relatively inexpensive it probably will not have a suspension at all.

Mountain bikes with both descending and climbing ability are usually ideal for cross country riders. The movement in the rear suspension system is only about 4 inches so that it does not cause a problem when trying to climb hills. A cross country mountain bike would usually come with 28 gears so that it is easier to cope with different types of land.

Trial bikes are a little more robust from your standard mountain bike and they are intended for use by more technical mountain bike riders. 4 to 7 inches is the typical type of movement you can expect from the suspension on a trial bike. Uphill pedalling will be more difficult but you will in general get a much smoother ride. A decision will need to be made as to which way you want to go, a smoother ride with an uphill struggle or not. All terrain cycles is a great place on the web to look for Trek Track Bikes.

If you will mainly be using your bike for going downhill you can expect up to 8 inches in suspension movement. These type of bikes are generally design for downhill racing. With more travel in the suspension they are easier to control over harsh terrain at high speeds but are more difficult for pedalling uphill.

A dirt jump bike is another version of a mountain bike. A dirt jump bike are used for jumping and only have a front suspension. As they come with 16 gears it helps the rider to build up speed quickly.