Cleaning Your Mountain Bike

There often comes a time when your mountain bike gets all dirty and stuck with mud and what-not and the only way to get it in shape again is by thoroughly cleaning it. Mountain bikes are built to last for a long time. But a huge factor that could determine a bike's lifespan is how it is being cared for. Cleaning is an important aspect of mountain bike maintenance and therefore should be done right.

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When do you clean your mountain bike? Frequency depends on where and how often do you go for a ride. If you like to ride on muddy tracks then your bike may need instantaneous cleaning as mud and grasses tend to stick hard to the drivetrain over time. If however your mountain bike doesn't get that dirty on each ride, you can just wipe the dust and dirt off with a piece of cloth and a thorough cleaning once every month should be enough.


Things you will need:

• Cleaning brush (or an old toothbrush)

• Degreasing agent

• Water hose

• Soap

• Rag and cloth

• Chain lubricant

How to clean your mountain bike:

• Position your bike in a way that it will be convenient for you to clean it. Use a bike repair stand if you have one, or alternatively, position your mountain bike upside down.

• Remove the wheels and clean them separately. Use the rag with soapy water to clean the axle, rim and the spokes. Rinse with water and wipe them dry with a piece of cloth.

• Clean the chain wheel, chain, pedals, and other parts of the drivetrain with a brush soaked in soapy water. If the chains are extremely dirty, you may need to remove it and clean it separately. When done, apply the degreasing agent to the drivetrain.

• Using a rag and soapy water, wash the frame, seat post, underside of the saddle, and the handlebars and wipe them dry with a piece of cloth after rinsing.

• When all dry, attach the wheels, lubricate the mountain bike's drivetrain and your done.

Now you're mountain bike is all set for another fun ride.

The Evolution of the Bicycle

It is very interesting that now, you can easily order a custom mountain bike to fit your riding needs. But what is more interesting is to look back at the humble beginnings of bicycle, a time wherein inventions such as the bicycle were treated as giant step in transportation innovation. Let us look back into the history of the bicycle and see how it has evolved after almost two centuries of existence.

Although there are claims that the concept of the bicycle has existed even before the 1800's, these claims are still unverifiable therefore this time line will start on 1817, the year when the Draisienne or velocipede was invented.

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Draisienne (1817)

The first verifiable roots of the modern bicycle was when Baron von Drais invented the the running machine called velocipede or Draisienne (pictured above). The vehicle was mostly made of wood and was propelled by pushing the feet against the ground.

Bone Shaker (1863)

This innovation came about with the idea of attaching a pedal on the bicycle. The pedal was attached on the front wheel making it a single speed bicycle with fixed gear.

High Wheelers (1870)

The first among bicycle ancestors to be predominantly made up of metal, the high wheelers are known to be more comfortable than its predecessors. The front wheel, where the pedals are still attached, were dramatically increased in size. Inventors realize that the larger the front wheel is, the farther the bicycle travels with a single pedal rotation.

Safety Bikes (1890)

With the improvement in metallurgy and manufacturing techniques, safety bikes were made of stronger and better materials compared to its predecessors. The tires went back into being same sized. Bicycle chains were now used by this time.

Internal Hub Gears (1903)

Sturmey Archer invented the internal hub gears which were used globally by 1930 to 1950s.

Cable Shifted Derailleurs (1938)

Cable Shifted Derailleurs were introduced by Simplex.

Mountain Bike Prototypes (1977)

The earliest designs of mountain bikes were attributed to Joe Breeze, Otis Guy, Gary Fisher, and Craig Mitchell. Prototypes were first developed in Marin Co, California.

Performance Innovations (1990's to present)

Innovations made to the bicycle from the 1990's were targeted towards better performance rather than major alterations with the vehicle itself. Integrated brake/gear levers were introduced by Shimano in 1990; PowerDisc, the first mass-produced hydraulic disc brake system by Sachs was introduced in 1994; 30 speed bicycles with 10 cog rear cluster were introduced by Campagnolo. These were a few of the recent innovations that were made to the modern bicycle.

Notable source:

www.ibike.org

Visit this post to read on buying road bikes online.

Breathtaking Downhill Mountain Biking Photos

It takes hard practice to master downhill mountain bikes, but it also takes skills to capture snapshots like these. Here are some of what I consider breathtaking downhill mountain biking photos on Flickr. Links are provided below the images to their respective owners. Let me know which ones are your favorites through the comments section (click photos to enlarge):

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Be sure to check out discount bike supplies for all your mountain biking needs.


Click here if you're looking for the best downhill mountain biking videos.

Awesome Fixed Gear Bike Tricks

A fixed gear bike is a type of bicycle wherein the sprocket are directly attached to the hub. This feature allows the rider to stop the bike's motion by resisting the movement of the pedals, making brakes not as important as they would be in other types of bicycles. Fixie bikes can also run backwards by pedaling on a backward motion, allowing riders a different level of control. Check out these cool fixed gear bike tricks and see for yourself why fixies are becoming a fad these days.










Feel like riding a fixie bike? Check out this introduction to fixie bikes.

Mountain Bike Essentials

Physically demanding sports such as mountain biking require protective gear and many other essential accessories to ensure safety and improve riding experience. Let's take a look at some of these mountain biking essentials that every biker should not go without:

• Helmet – Serious injuries may result from hitting your head during falls so make sure that yours is protected during each rides by standard helmets.

• Protective eyewear – Protect your eyes from dust and other air impurities that might get caught while riding. A protective eyewear with UV protections will also shade the eye from the scorching brightness and heat of the sun that might impair your vision.

• Gloves – Controlling the handlebars can cause pain and discomfort on your hands especially when on rough terrains. Wearing bike gloves will spare you from the friction that is caused between the palm of your hands and the handlebars.

• Elbow/Knee pads – It's common to fall elbow or knee first when mountain biking and that is what makes these pads handy when riding, to protect the rider's elbows and knees from a more serious injury during falls.

• Hydration system – Mountain biking could easily drain body fluids so make sure to bring a bottle of water or use a hydration pack during rides.

• Repair kit – What could ruin the ride more than a simple malfunction that could have been fixed with basic repair tools? Bring a repair kit and make sure that it contains the necessary tools for simple bike repairs such as a pump and a multi-tool set. As good practice, most riders check their mountain bikes before each ride to prevent hassles along the way.

Check out these awesome mountain biking pictures.

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