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Archive for the ‘Biking’ Category

Help Save the Environment By Cycling

01 Jun.
Posted by riporty in Biking | Comments Off

Riding a bicycle is a great way to contribute to the preservation of our eco system and environment here on our great planet earth. Many people are concerned with pollution and many other things that damage and dissolve the ozone and cause the atmosphere to be dirty. If we all contributed with one small thing that we can change in our daily living routines to help with the protection of the earth, perhaps we could, as a collective, make a substantial impact for the better.

One way to go green and contribute to the preservation of our environment is sometimes riding a bicycle instead of starting up the car or motorcycle. Driving and operating vehicles is one thing that many countless people do on a daily basis that harms the environment.

Exhaust from cars damages the ozone in a irreparable manner. What we do to the ozone negatively can not be repaired, which is why it is very important to do all that we can within our means to protect it. In addition to damaging the ozone, pollutants released by vehicles that run on combustion engines affects the health of human beings rather adversely.

Air pollutants damage not just the ozone layer, but also the lungs and respiratory systems of people. It can contribute to causing, or worsen, certain respiratory illnesses and diseases such as asthma, emphysema, COPD, and even pneumonia.

Do not get me wrong because I do believe that driving, in most cases, is a necessity of life in this modern age. However, if we just dedicated one day or one short route to the use of bicycles and cycling as a method of transportation, it can, in a small way, make a big difference to the health of humans and other living beings, and also the health of the our home, the earth.

Not only do we contribute to the well-being of the environment and the respiratory health of people, but also we can greatly increase our overall physical health.

Cycling takes a measure, big or small depending on the length that we travel while cycling, of physical strength and endurance. It also takes a measure of determination and discipline. By trading a vehicle for a bicycle, even if it is just once or twice every so often, we are able to get some exercise. This gives us the opportunity to build stamina, strengthen our muscular structure, get an aerobic workout, and experience the mental clarity you are able to get while enjoying the great bicycle ride.

Although there are many ways to go green, cycling is more than worthy of consideration. Besides helping with saving what is left our healthy earth, there are more great perks and benefits to make adding cycling into our routines look very appealing.

If you are interested in cycling and bicycles, check out Jays site Bicycle Stockpile. Bicycle Stockpile is all about Schwinn bicycles. You can visit Jays site at http://bicyclestockpile.com.

Why Mountain Biking In France Is Popular

30 May.
Posted by AnnaStenning in Biking | Comments Off

One of my favourite past times is to go mountain biking down countryside trails and travel long distances from one town to another. For me this is an enjoyable form of keeping fit and you have the added benefit of appreciating the scenery. Mountain biking does not necessarily have to be enjoyed in your own home territory and one can be involved with mountain biking abroad. Places like France, Italy, Spain, Africa and Australia.

Mountain biking in France is more popular than any other destination because of the smooth and challenging trails that make biking here more fun. The French Alps is famous for holding the popular Tour de France biking event, whereby thousands of spectators come from all over the world and support the contenders. The Alps is also popular with skiing holidays and professional skiing competitions, which has placed the French Alps as one of the top destinations for activity holidays.

The Tour de France has helped to keep the Alps to maintain its reputation for being one of the best experience mountain biking in France as a whole. The first Tour de France event began in 1903 and is structured so it is partaken in stages rather than one long marathon. History will reveal that the Tour de France was largely influenced and inspired by the popular sporting magazine in France, called Le Velo. Like most sporting magazines, this focussed on sporting events but also included politic and current affairs in France.

Le Velo was produced and published to symbolise the innocence of Alfred Dreyfus, who was accused and found guilty of selling secrets to the Germans. There was a large division between the people of France, with one side favouring his innocence and the other believing he was guilty. Some of the advertisers were against what Le Velo stood and were very much against the support of Dreyfus’s innocence. Those that withdrew their advertising later published their own rival magazine.

L’Auto was established and to promote it the Tour de France began. This was also a publicity spectacle to rival Le Velo and their event, Paris-Brest et retour organised by editor Pierre Gifford. Originally, the race was discussed to be a five weeklong tour, however with only 15 entrants this was then reduced down to just 19 days. Cycling journalist Geo Lefevre and Editor Henri Desgrange announced the event on January 19th of 1903 – thus born a new trend of mountain biking in France.

The public were caught and drawn in by the event, from the growing number of entrants (who were offered a daily allowance) and the entertainment attractions (some amateur and unemployed entertainers). The tour was split into stages of riding 400km, this saw the riders riding into the night, which captured the spectators attention. After the event, the magazine sales went from 25,000 copies sold to 65,000. By 1933 when the Tour had finished Desgrange had received a record of 854,000.

L’Auto magazine was not a direct predecessor to the now popular magazine L’Equipe, but was a spiritual figure and influence to the current organisers of the Tour. This is not directly organised by L’Equipe but is run by its owners called Societe du Tour de France. To this day this is an event which has grown on a massive scale over the years. This has influenced much of France to see many holidaymakers take part in mountain biking in places like the French Alps, but also open up other events like the Tour such as Giro d’Italia based in Italy and Vuelta a Espana based in Spain.

Anna Stenning loves to go mountain biking in France as this is her favourite form of exercise to stay fit and healthy. For more on activity holidays visit http://www.alpineelements.co.uk/mountain-biking-holidays.html

Benefits of Riding Bicycles

29 May.
Posted by riporty in Biking | Comments Off

Bicycles have been around for a very long time. In fact, bicycles have been around for so long that it is a very common tradition, especially in the United States of America, that one of the first thing that a young child is taught along with his or hers abcs and 123s is how to ride a bicycle.

As we get older, most people often lose interest in cycling. The thought of riding a bike becomes mere nostalgia of times when we were younger. However, if you stop to think about it, there are many benefits to riding a bicycle.

Health Benefits

The health benefits of riding a bicycle are tremendous. A daily or weekly regular exercise regime is hard to maintain because the lifestyles that we may have. Most of us have at least one full time job and many have families to take care of and spend time with in addition to secular work. Because we all have these type of mundane tasks, this makes it harder and harder to keep up with a regular exercise schedule.

Now, if you were to travel via bicycle, this can double as exercise. Depending on how fast you go, you may be able to get a great cardio aerobic workout. If you cycle uphill and off-road, you may also be able to squeeze in some fitness training and strengthen your leg muscles.

Riding a bicycle in lieu of an automobile sometimes can afford you the time to get a work out. If you can set aside some time to cycle strictly for exercise, that can prove to be even more beneficial.

Financial Benefits

There are also financial benefits to riding bicycles. In this day and age, gas prices are on the rise and they continue to be priced higher and higher seemingly every single week. Some times the price of gas can be so financially taxing to people who are on a budget, that they have no other choice but to seek a cheaper alternative. Well, one great alternative is cycling.

Regular, manual bicycles require absolutely no gas at all. All that is required is a little bit of leg muscle and elbow grease. If you live near your workplace or school, why not travel the gas-free way and cycle to your destination?

Eco Benefits

Go green by cycling! Because bicycles require no gas, they are eco-friendly. They do not cause pollution to be blown into the air nor do they release harmful toxins that may potentially cause health problems.

So, there you have it. Riding bicycles have physical, financial, and eco benefits. These reasons for cycling are great, and the benefits can make you happier and healthier.

For more information on great bicycles, check out Jays site Schwinn Bicycles at Bicycle Stockpile dot com. You can visit Jays site at http://bicyclestockpile.com.

Bicycle – A High Utility Vehicle

22 May.
Posted by robertoms2003 in Biking | Comments Off

Evolution of bicycle commenced in 1818 with push bikes or hobby horses which were like a wooden frame supported by two in-line wheels and the rider used to push it with his feet while navigating the front wheel. Then in 1839 it was refined, as a mechanical crank drive was added to the rear wheel.

A new design of bicycle marked its beginning in 1850s and 1860s when Frenchmen Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement placed pedals on an enlarged front wheel. It was made of wrought iron and wood with mounted wire spiked wheels with solid rubber tires on a tubular steel frame. But this designed faced problem of very high seat and uneven distribution of weight.

Subsequently, these problems were solved to some extent by reducing the front wheel diameter, adding gears to attain enough speed, setting the seat in the middle, etc. But it faced major problem with the front wheel, as both pedal and steer were attached to it. Then J.K. Starley, J.H. Lawson and Shergold connected the pedals with the back wheel with chain drive system to reduce the problem. Those bicycles were given a name of safety bicycles or dwarf safeties, as they had lower seats with equal distribution of weight.

Golden age of bicycles began in 1890s, since new innovations made these bicycles more comfortable. Pneumatic tire was an invention of Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop in 1888 and then only freewheel was developed. Subsequently, coastal brakes were invented in 1898. This period also marked the introduction of derailleur gears and hand operated cable-pull brakes. Soon it became world wide famous due to its high utility in alsmost every field. It was used in India to distribute milk in houses, used by postman for mail delivery, used by military for troup movement, and it also became a source of recreation.

With an advent of technology and modern materials, various types of bicycles are launched in the market. There is a range of utility bicycles, racing bicycles, mountain bicycles, BMX bicycles and many more. One can select the type of bicycle according to his requirement in terme of functions, number of riders, etc.

A rider rides the bicycle by keeping it upright so that the centre of gravity remain on its wheels. He leans while taking a turn by turning the handlebars with his hands. He uses brakes in order to stop, as the brakes applies stopping force to the front wheels. It is the most energy-efficient means of transportation, as it requires very low energy to ride in a slow speed and transmits 99% of energy of a rider to the wheels.

With an influx of technology and innovatios, the designing of bicycles has remarkably changed. There are different models for men and women, racing and ordinary rides, cargo carriers and circus use. Each model has its own unique features in order to meet the exclusive requirements of the rider like gears for racing riders, cushioned saddles for short distance riders, disc brakes for off-road riders, etc.

The use of bicycle has not only improved man`s day to day life, but also contributed for better environment because cycling doesn`t cause polllution. Moreover, it has positive effects on one`s health. Manufacturing of bicycles has led to the deveopment of other industries also like composition of ball bearings, sprockets, washers, etc., as many companies make frames of bicycles and buy other parts from other companies.

This article can be accessed in portuguese from the Article section of page http://www.polomercantil.com.br/bicicleta.php

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.br

How To Be Sure You Have The Correct Tire Pressure

05 May.
Posted by teahupoo in Biking | Comments Off

Are you having a difficult time riding your mountain bike? Maybe the speed seems off or the bike seems harder to control. Well, before you consider getting your bike checked for any physical problems, check the tire pressure associated with it. This is because tire pressure has a huge effect on how well you are able to operate your mountain bike. For instance, if the tire pressure is set a setting that is too high, the bike will not be close enough to the ground to make for the best control. However, if it is set too low, you could encounter problems with your bike’s tires as it becomes more apt to gaining pinch flats. Indeed, in order to get the most control out of your mountain bike, you will need to learn how to set it to pressure that is just right for your build and riding style. You will also need to consider the conditions of the trail you plan on riding.

So, how can a person determine the best tire pressure setting? They will need to experiment with a variety of settings, so they should feel comfortable changing it until they find the right tire pressure setting for them. This process will be easiest with a pressure gauge that is reliable. With that in hand, a person may want to start with a higher tire pressure setting that is between 40 and 50 psi. Tubeless mountain bikes should have setting between 30 to 40 psi. Go for the higher tire pressures if you weigh more, whether the mountain bike is in tube form or tubeless form.

If the higher tire pressure doesn’t suit your needs, consider dropping it by 5 psi. Doing this should greatly improve your stability. But if this doesn’t work, consider dropping by 5 psi again. Keep doing this until you find the tire pressure that offers you the most comfort and riding ability.

What can be done if you’re encountering a riding situation in which your bike has a greater chance of encountering pinch flat, (which is when the tires of your mountain bike rolls over an object causing it to compress)? To avoid this situation, consider setting your tire pressure to a lower psi. This should be particularly easy with tubeless mountain bikes, which can operate well at relatively low tire pressures. However, don’t think that setting your tire too low you’ll offer your tires the most protection against pinch flats. Instead, you’ll cause problems with your rims. In fact, when tire pressure is too low, your tire might even roll out from under the rim.

Once you’ve established a suitable setting for your bike, squeeze it so you can get a good feel for what you will need should you have to set it again. You may even want to make a mental note of how these “feels” are, so you’ll be able to quickly ascertain the best tire pressure setting for whatever riding situation you may encounter. All of this would be done without the hassle of using a pump.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about bicycle accessories as well as bicycle tires at http://www.nsearch.com