Rocky Mountain Bike Mounts
Mountain Biking , for the Adventure Loving Lot
Mountain biking, as the name suggests, is a biking sport in which bicycle-riders ride along mountain trails. Biking through a mountain terrain is pure fun, but it also has its share of adventure and excitement. The best-known locations for biking in mountainous surroundings have unpaved surfaces and so you need to be an expert biker to truly experience the thrill.
History
Since their invention, bicycles have been used on all terrains, including rugged mountainous territories. However, it was not until 1970s that biking in the mountains became an organized sport. Groups of bicycle-riders from different parts of the United States played a pivotal role in the evolution of this thrilling biking-sport – experimenting with bikes of different makes and modifying them so that they could take the rigors of riding in the uneven, craggy mountainous lands.
The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, however, bestows the honor to a group of bikers in Marin County, California. The group (consisting of famous names in this field like Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Keith Bontrager and Otis Guy among others) undertook bike-ride down Mount Tamalpais (Mt Tam) on old 1930s and 40s Schwinn bicycles retrofitted with advanced brakes and fat tires.
The first ‘proper’ mountain bike was built by Joe Breeze in 1977. The present-day mountain bikes are based on the bicycle first marketed by the MountainBikes Company. The frame of this particular bike was built by Tom Ritchey and it was accessorized by Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly.
Types
Bikers usually engage in four different kinds of cycling tours in the mountains:
1. Cross-Country (or XC) biking is the most familiar type mountain riding sport and naturally has the maximum number of followers. The sport involves riding between points or in loops. It includes ascents and descents on different terrains. (Cross-Country racing competitions are different from cross-country biking). A typical XC bike weighs some 22-28 lbs and it has 0-4 inches of suspension travel front and rear.
2. Freeride is the other popular type of biking in mountain trails. It restricts the biker with no specific rules rather allows the rider to do ‘anything and everything’ – downhill rides (without clock), jumps, stunts – that require skill and are hence meant for professionals. Freeride biking requires the rider to assemble the bike as per convenience and style, but these bikes are a bit heavier (weighing between 30 and 40 lbs) and are amply suspended (generally has 6 inches of suspension front and rear).
3. Downhill, as the name suggests, involves riding mountain bikes downhill. It is generally associated with racing-oriented downhill riding. Downhill biking does not require the rider to pedal up the hill. The bikers along with their bikes are transported up the hill with the help of a truck or ski-lift. The downhill climb is indeed challenging including jumps and drops as well as physical hindrances. Tough mentality, physical strength, swiftness and mounted heavy bikes weighing some 40-50 lbs make you eligible for these races.
4. Trials riding, which is quite similar to skateboarding, involves hopping and jumping over obstacles with your bike. It demands great sense of balance and control. The riders make use of special bikes that make use of 20″, 24″ or 26″ wheels fitted to small, low frames.
The following tips will prove helpful if you are planning a bicycle-trip in the rocky, hilly terrains for the first time:
1. You must have stamina and endurance to bike down a mountain.
2. Selection of a superior quality bike, especially one that perfectly meets your type of mountain riding is also very crucial.
3. You cannot avoid minor cuts and bruises but you can certainly prevent major mishaps by resorting to precautionary measures, buying yourself some protection in the form of helmets, knee-caps and elbow-caps. A good pair of goggles will also prove handy.
4. Special competitions are organized by various mountain bikers’ groups and you can join in with them. If you choose to go on your own, you will need to collect all relevant information – routes, rules, et al.
5. Whether you go with a bikers’ group or go biking all by yourself, you must remember to carry your equipment kit so that you can take care of all your bicycle-repairs.
About the Author
JUDE’S Motorised Full Suspension Rocky Mountain Mountain Bike.
|
|
Petzl E98 PM Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp, Mystic Gray $35.96 Featuring a retractable strap for wearing and mounting flexibility, the Petzl Zipka Plus2 Headlamp is the perfect multi-use light. Designed for use indoors or outdoors, this ultra-compact headlamp provides both a focused LED bulb that gives you improved range for route finding and a low-level LED that saves tons of battery power.Zipka Plus2 Accessories:Poche Zipka2ADAPT Mounting System Lens KitThe… |
|
|
Mountain Bike Adrenaline $0.01 Live the ultimate freerideexperienceProduct InformationIn Mountain Bike Adrenaline straddle your mountain bike and ride theadrenaline as you hurtle down the world’s most spectacular slopes. Speed dexterity and daring are the three ingredients thatwill turn you into an exceptional rider. Take your bikethrough vast 3D environments modeled after some of the most beautifuland challenging lo… |
|
|
Patagonia Half Mass Bag-Black $89.00 Patagonia Half Mass… |
|
|
Patagonia Critical Mass (Watercress) $84.15 The Critical Mass is a full-sized, full-featured courier bag from Patagonia made of recycled polyester…. |
|
|
Patagonia Half Mass (Channel Blue) $59.99 Patagonia’s best-selling Half Mass laptop courier bag is made of recycled polyester…. |
|
|
ContourROAM Hands-free HD Camcorder $199.99 The ContourROAM is the ideal camera for a fun and easy experience capturing your adventures anywhere life takes you. Just slide the record switch and you’re instantly filming beautiful HD video. The award-winning design is tough, compact, waterproof to one meter, and versatile which means you can use your ContourROAM anywhere, anytime and capture all the action you want. FEATURES: Easy to Use … |
|
|
Garmin Dakota 20 Waterproof Hiking GPS $399.99 Outdoor navigation meets touchscreen simplicity in Dakota 20. This rugged, palm-sized navigator combines touchscreen navigation, high-sensitivity GPS with HotFix satellite prediction, barometric altimeter, 3-axis electronic compass and microSD card slot in one affordable, power-packed punch. Touchscreen navigation, high-sensitivity GPS with HotFix satellite prediction, and a worl… |
|
|
Garmin zumo 660 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator $649.99 Take a ride on a new route and explore the open road with the zumo 660. This motorcycle-friendly navigator was built to lead you on all of your two-wheeled adventures. Whether you’re on a weekday ride just across town or a week-long trip to an annual rally with friends, the zumo 660 is ready to show you the way…. |
|
|
Patagonia Critical Mass The Critical Mass is a full-sized, full-featured courier bag from Patagonia made of recycled polyester…. |
|
|
Patagonia Half Mass Patagonia’s best-selling Half Mass laptop courier bag is made of recycled polyester…. |
