Choosing-your-bicycle-clothing
By Lee Dobbins
As revealed by a recent survey, approximately 90 million adult Americans ride a bicycle once every year, about 30 million regularly bike for recreation and an estimated of 20 million or more commute via their bicycle.
When you are riding your bicycle at least 10 kilometers or more a day, you should invest in bicycle clothing as regular clothes can be uncomfortable and painful.
Reasons you must wear bicycle clothes:
1. For comfort. Wearing bicycle clothes will give you comfort as you are riding. Bicycle clothes have undergone through thorough research into the complicated details of bicycle clothing, taking into account where not and where to put the seams and the materials used are those that draw sweat further away from the body.
2. For health. Bicycle clothing helps watch over your health, as the appropriate materials helps prevent dehydration as well as prevent saddle sores on your crotch.
3. For safety. Bicycle clothing means you are wearing the appropriate reflective gear plus other safety qualities.
Great fitting bicycle clothing is just as significant as riding a great fitting bike. Today's bicycle clothes not just help you execute comfortably and better, but they also to allow you to move more freely.
Here are bicycle clothing necessities and tips on choosing the right kind for you:
1. Helmet. Never ride your bicycle without one. Not only they protect your head from bumps, but also supply warmth during winter and cover during the summer.
Helmet models come with 18 vents as well as special features that channels air into the helmet then around the head and finally out your back for extreme heat control.
Choose a helmet that aside from its features, has a good fit. Look for web molded foam that prevents your helmet from falling apart on impact.
2. Jersey shirts. These are shirts made of lycra and other synthetic materials, that efficiently carry sweat away from your skin.
While an ordinary or cotton shirt would quickly be soaked, it takes much effort in order to get your jersey shirt sweaty. And this is an advantage since a soaking wet cotton shirt will feel colder compared to a jersey shirt.
Note however that transport of sweat is less efficient for overly thick jerseys; so choose a jersey shirt with just the right thickness.
Look for jerseys with:
- Neck zippers for proper ventilation should your temperature increase
- "Stand-up" collar in order to seal your body heat in, during cool weather
- Convenient location of pockets
- Wider cut shoulders for "arms-forward" comfort
- Longer cut at the back
- "Form-fitting" cut to lessen flapping
- Bike Shorts. Regular shorts constrict the thighs as it expands when you are riding, resulting to thigh irritation as they chafe against your saddle.
3. Bicycle shorts actually are padded and
motorized bicycle parts
Dahon-folding-bikes---setting-the-course-for-quality
By Robert Sheehan
If biking is your passion then you must be one of those individuals who are fussy about their machines. Chances are that the convenience and the comfort levels of your bike matter a lot to you. If this be so, then go in for the folding bikes. And in particular, the Dahon folding bikes should be your choice.
What Are Folding Bikes?
Folding bikes are bicycles with a lot of hinges and joints that can be folded up to trim the size of the bike. And with the bicycle frame brought down to a manageably wieldy size, you can carry it around in public transport; have it stashed away in your car or in some corner of your apartment. Folding bikes also don't require much of a parking space, making it easy for you to travel with it.
Folding Bikes From Dahon
Dahon is a name to reckon within the bicycle manufacturing world and the leader in the production of folding bikes. In fact, this Los Angeles-based company is a trailblazer of sorts when it comes to folding bike technology. The company has perfected the technology and the fact that it has till now sold more than 2 million of these bikes in more than 30 countries is ample testimony to its expertise.
Dahon is never short on ideas when it comes to folding bikes. It has several innovative and groundbreaking bike models to its credit, all hugely popular amongst the biking fanatics.
For instance, you have the Allegro make that has its frame modeled upon the famous Ritchey Logic frame. And you can be rest assured about the quality of the machine because the frame is hand-welded from the Italian-made Ritchey WCS steel tubing. However, the prime allure of this Dahon make is the fact that it can be bundled into a small suitcase in only about 10-15 minutes.
The very popular Ciao P5 folding bike from Dahon is a biker's delight, and especially the rookies, people with back or leg injuries and women wearing flowing dresses. This stylish bike comes with an assortment of bells and whistles like the Hella lighting system to help you in the dark; SKS mud guards to ensure that the ride doesn't turn out to be too muddy and also an ArcLight rack to hold your paraphernalia.
Dahon has broken all myths regarding the folding bikes being fragile with its Fuego model. When folded, this pint-sized dynamite is basically a full-suspension MTB designed to suit the demands of pro-standard Marathon/Enduro riding. This is a robust bike featuring a double-butted 7005 aluminum frame that also incorporates 4-4.5 inches of front and rear travel suspension, the Patented Interlock Joint Technology and the legendary Joe Murray LSR linkage technology and Threshold Linkage Design. Furthermore, the whole ensemble, elaborate though it may sound, can be packed into an airline suitcase.
By Robert Sheehan
If biking is your passion then you must be one of those individuals who are fussy about their machines. Chances are that the convenience and the comfort levels of your bike matter a lot to you. If this be so, then go in for the folding bikes. And in particular, the Dahon folding bikes should be your choice.
What Are Folding Bikes?
Folding bikes are bicycles with a lot of hinges and joints that can be folded up to trim the size of the bike. And with the bicycle frame brought down to a manageably wieldy size, you can carry it around in public transport; have it stashed away in your car or in some corner of your apartment. Folding bikes also don't require much of a parking space, making it easy for you to travel with it.
Folding Bikes From Dahon
Dahon is a name to reckon within the bicycle manufacturing world and the leader in the production of folding bikes. In fact, this Los Angeles-based company is a trailblazer of sorts when it comes to folding bike technology. The company has perfected the technology and the fact that it has till now sold more than 2 million of these bikes in more than 30 countries is ample testimony to its expertise.
Dahon is never short on ideas when it comes to folding bikes. It has several innovative and groundbreaking bike models to its credit, all hugely popular amongst the biking fanatics.
For instance, you have the Allegro make that has its frame modeled upon the famous Ritchey Logic frame. And you can be rest assured about the quality of the machine because the frame is hand-welded from the Italian-made Ritchey WCS steel tubing. However, the prime allure of this Dahon make is the fact that it can be bundled into a small suitcase in only about 10-15 minutes.
The very popular Ciao P5 folding bike from Dahon is a biker's delight, and especially the rookies, people with back or leg injuries and women wearing flowing dresses. This stylish bike comes with an assortment of bells and whistles like the Hella lighting system to help you in the dark; SKS mud guards to ensure that the ride doesn't turn out to be too muddy and also an ArcLight rack to hold your paraphernalia.
Dahon has broken all myths regarding the folding bikes being fragile with its Fuego model. When folded, this pint-sized dynamite is basically a full-suspension MTB designed to suit the demands of pro-standard Marathon/Enduro riding. This is a robust bike featuring a double-butted 7005 aluminum frame that also incorporates 4-4.5 inches of front and rear travel suspension, the Patented Interlock Joint Technology and the legendary Joe Murray LSR linkage technology and Threshold Linkage Design. Furthermore, the whole ensemble, elaborate though it may sound, can be packed into an airline suitcase.
motors for bicycles
Hello-from-toronto--2----exploring-toronto-s-waterfront-by-bicycle-and-checking-out-the-cn-tower
By Susanne Pacher
Since my European visitors are quite sporty I figured that renting a bicycle would be the perfect way of exploring the city. So to join them on their first guided bicycle tour I grabbed my bike and the 5 of us headed off to the subway station to go to Bicycle Solutions near Parliament and Carlton Streets. Getting outfitted with a bike didn't take long and the cost was pretty reasonable at $70.00 for a whole week. Now all 5 of us had a bicycle.
Our tour began in Cabbagetown, one of Toronto's historic districts. We first explored Riverdale Farm which is composed of a historic farm house, a number of stables and several corrals holding a variety of farm animals. This miniature zoo allows city kids to get to know farm animals up close. We then headed to the entrance of Toronto's Necropolis. Established in 1850, the Toronto Necropolis is one of Toronto's oldest and most historic cemeteries. Its picturesque location, collection of sculpture and Victorian buildings also make it one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the city.
Riding through the gritty Regent Park neighbourhood on Parliament we made a left to head over to the Distillery District - Toronto's newest entertainment district. Founded in 1832 by Brother-in-law William Gooderham and James Worts, the Gooderham and Worts Distillery eventually became the largest distillery in the British Empire. Set on 13 acres in downtown Toronto, the forty plus buildings constitute the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America.
The Distillery is now a pedestrian-only village entirely dedicated to arts, culture and entertainment. Internationally acclaimed galleries, artists' studios and workshops, restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as live music, all form part of this new landmark cultural centre. In addition to the history, arts and culture, The Distillery has been the location for over 800 film and television productions in the past decade, including Chicago, X-Men, Against The Ropes and The Hurricane, making The Distillery District the most popular film location in Canada.
Of course we had to stop at the Mill Street Brewery, one of Toronto's fine micro-breweries. My Austrian visitors are great beer lovers and I have been working on giving them a wide variety of samples of Canadian beers, and we added the Mill Street brand to our tasting tour.
From the Distillery District we headed south to Lakeshore Boulevard where we cycled west past Harbourfront, an area that holds high-priced condos right next to the waterfront, where highlights include speciality shops at Queens Quay Terminal, art, theatre and cultural facilities at Harbourfront Centre and a terrific lakeside walking trail. Cruises of the harbour and ferry services run from here.
Our bike tour continued west by the water on the Martin Goodman Trail, past Ontario Place and the CNE - Canadian National Exhibition, which was in full swing with its rides and amusement activities. We enjoyed the lake-front ride and were fascinated by the Toronto Hippo Bus that was cruising on the water inside a harbour basin.
Our turnaround point for the tour came at Sunnyside Pavillion, a historic bathing pavillion dating back to a time when the lakeshore was home to a large amusement park. We sat down and had some refreshing drinks right next to a sandy beach on Lake Ontario. Rejuvenated we started our ride back and stopped off at a hot dog stand just outside the Princess Gates of the Canadian National Exhition Grounds. My European visitors were fascinated by the hot dog stands, particularly about the fact that you could scoop all sorts of salads and condiments like sauerkraut, hot peppers and even corn onto the sausages, and we simply had to stop and sample some road-side cuisine.
After heading back through Harbourfront we took the ferry over to Hanlan's Point with our bicycles and started exploring the Toronto Islands on two wheels. We were all astounded by the serenity of the surroundings, truly an oasis of green right in front of busy downtown Toronto. We cycled all the way from the west to the east side where we had another fabulous view of the cityscape from an old abandoned pier.
Of course all this working out would necessitate a little refreshment break and we cycled over to Centre Island where there is a restaurant next to the ferry dock, unfortunately it was closed. So we cycled back to the Centerville amusement park area where there was a beautiful restaurant with a gorgeous outdoor patio right next to a tranquil waterway and we had a well-deserved rest., admiring the huge white geese that came up to us to request some food.
After taking the ferry back to the mainland we followed the Martin Goodman Trail east along the Eastern Beaches and
By Susanne Pacher
Since my European visitors are quite sporty I figured that renting a bicycle would be the perfect way of exploring the city. So to join them on their first guided bicycle tour I grabbed my bike and the 5 of us headed off to the subway station to go to Bicycle Solutions near Parliament and Carlton Streets. Getting outfitted with a bike didn't take long and the cost was pretty reasonable at $70.00 for a whole week. Now all 5 of us had a bicycle.
Our tour began in Cabbagetown, one of Toronto's historic districts. We first explored Riverdale Farm which is composed of a historic farm house, a number of stables and several corrals holding a variety of farm animals. This miniature zoo allows city kids to get to know farm animals up close. We then headed to the entrance of Toronto's Necropolis. Established in 1850, the Toronto Necropolis is one of Toronto's oldest and most historic cemeteries. Its picturesque location, collection of sculpture and Victorian buildings also make it one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the city.
Riding through the gritty Regent Park neighbourhood on Parliament we made a left to head over to the Distillery District - Toronto's newest entertainment district. Founded in 1832 by Brother-in-law William Gooderham and James Worts, the Gooderham and Worts Distillery eventually became the largest distillery in the British Empire. Set on 13 acres in downtown Toronto, the forty plus buildings constitute the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America.
The Distillery is now a pedestrian-only village entirely dedicated to arts, culture and entertainment. Internationally acclaimed galleries, artists' studios and workshops, restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as live music, all form part of this new landmark cultural centre. In addition to the history, arts and culture, The Distillery has been the location for over 800 film and television productions in the past decade, including Chicago, X-Men, Against The Ropes and The Hurricane, making The Distillery District the most popular film location in Canada.
Of course we had to stop at the Mill Street Brewery, one of Toronto's fine micro-breweries. My Austrian visitors are great beer lovers and I have been working on giving them a wide variety of samples of Canadian beers, and we added the Mill Street brand to our tasting tour.
From the Distillery District we headed south to Lakeshore Boulevard where we cycled west past Harbourfront, an area that holds high-priced condos right next to the waterfront, where highlights include speciality shops at Queens Quay Terminal, art, theatre and cultural facilities at Harbourfront Centre and a terrific lakeside walking trail. Cruises of the harbour and ferry services run from here.
Our bike tour continued west by the water on the Martin Goodman Trail, past Ontario Place and the CNE - Canadian National Exhibition, which was in full swing with its rides and amusement activities. We enjoyed the lake-front ride and were fascinated by the Toronto Hippo Bus that was cruising on the water inside a harbour basin.
Our turnaround point for the tour came at Sunnyside Pavillion, a historic bathing pavillion dating back to a time when the lakeshore was home to a large amusement park. We sat down and had some refreshing drinks right next to a sandy beach on Lake Ontario. Rejuvenated we started our ride back and stopped off at a hot dog stand just outside the Princess Gates of the Canadian National Exhition Grounds. My European visitors were fascinated by the hot dog stands, particularly about the fact that you could scoop all sorts of salads and condiments like sauerkraut, hot peppers and even corn onto the sausages, and we simply had to stop and sample some road-side cuisine.
After heading back through Harbourfront we took the ferry over to Hanlan's Point with our bicycles and started exploring the Toronto Islands on two wheels. We were all astounded by the serenity of the surroundings, truly an oasis of green right in front of busy downtown Toronto. We cycled all the way from the west to the east side where we had another fabulous view of the cityscape from an old abandoned pier.
Of course all this working out would necessitate a little refreshment break and we cycled over to Centre Island where there is a restaurant next to the ferry dock, unfortunately it was closed. So we cycled back to the Centerville amusement park area where there was a beautiful restaurant with a gorgeous outdoor patio right next to a tranquil waterway and we had a well-deserved rest., admiring the huge white geese that came up to us to request some food.
After taking the ferry back to the mainland we followed the Martin Goodman Trail east along the Eastern Beaches and
electric bicycle dealers
Preventive-maintenance-for-your-bicycle
By Gregg Hall
Like all mechanical contraptions, your bicycle is vulnerable to wear and tear caused by regular use and exposure to the elements. Routine preventive maintenance will keep your bicycle in peak condition and safe for riding throughout the year. Although some bicycle repair and maintenance is best performed by a qualified bike mechanic, you should be able to do routine maintenance using a few basic tools. Here are some of the things you can do to keep your bike in perfect shape.
Tires
Check the pressure of your tires to make sure they are inflated to proper specifications. Consult the manual or the tire's sidewall for information on the range of acceptable pressures for your tire. Note any splits or fatigue marks in the sidewall or tread. Inspect the rim for dents, twists or kinks. Spin each wheel to make sure it is true and centered in the stays. If the wheel wobbles from side to side when spun, then it needs truing. Check if some spokes need to be replaced or tightened. If your bike is equipped with quick-release mechanisms, make sure they are securely fastened.
Steering
The handlebars, saddle and pedals must be securely attached. Check the height of the handlebar stem. Make sure that the handlebar stem and seatpost are fastened such that their minimum insertion marks are not exposed. Handlebars should be tight and in line with the front wheel. Check if handlebars and front fork are properly stabilized. You should be able to rotate the handlebar post freely in the front fork. Tighten the bolts that attach the pedal crank-arms to the front bearing. Pedals should be tight, with no binding. Check for looseness in front and headset bearings.
Brakes
Squeeze both brake levers and try to roll the bike to check if the brakes are operating properly. If the bike moves while the brave levers are squeezed or if the brake levers touch the handlebar, then your brakes are too loose and need some adjusting. Make sure brake cables are taut. Check the brake cable for breaks or frayed ends;
By Gregg Hall
Like all mechanical contraptions, your bicycle is vulnerable to wear and tear caused by regular use and exposure to the elements. Routine preventive maintenance will keep your bicycle in peak condition and safe for riding throughout the year. Although some bicycle repair and maintenance is best performed by a qualified bike mechanic, you should be able to do routine maintenance using a few basic tools. Here are some of the things you can do to keep your bike in perfect shape.
Tires
Check the pressure of your tires to make sure they are inflated to proper specifications. Consult the manual or the tire's sidewall for information on the range of acceptable pressures for your tire. Note any splits or fatigue marks in the sidewall or tread. Inspect the rim for dents, twists or kinks. Spin each wheel to make sure it is true and centered in the stays. If the wheel wobbles from side to side when spun, then it needs truing. Check if some spokes need to be replaced or tightened. If your bike is equipped with quick-release mechanisms, make sure they are securely fastened.
Steering
The handlebars, saddle and pedals must be securely attached. Check the height of the handlebar stem. Make sure that the handlebar stem and seatpost are fastened such that their minimum insertion marks are not exposed. Handlebars should be tight and in line with the front wheel. Check if handlebars and front fork are properly stabilized. You should be able to rotate the handlebar post freely in the front fork. Tighten the bolts that attach the pedal crank-arms to the front bearing. Pedals should be tight, with no binding. Check for looseness in front and headset bearings.
Brakes
Squeeze both brake levers and try to roll the bike to check if the brakes are operating properly. If the bike moves while the brave levers are squeezed or if the brake levers touch the handlebar, then your brakes are too loose and need some adjusting. Make sure brake cables are taut. Check the brake cable for breaks or frayed ends;
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)