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TOP 6 FACTORS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE A MOUTAIN BIKE (PART 1)

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Mountain bike riding is one of the new and increasingly popular movements because it is not only a health exercise but also a life-like adventure. Different from the road bike line, terrain bikes are designed to fit and adapt to harsh and dangerous terrain conditions. To choose for yourself a mountain bike like that is not only the external structure or color but also a feature designed to suit each type of terrain. So how to choose a suitable terrain bike, let’s explore it!

  1. TYPE OF MOUNTAIN BIKE

It can be said that the current mountain bike is divided into 5 categories, including Trail running bike (rough terrain), Cross-Country mountain bike (running by road), Fat terrain bike ( run on snowy or sandy terrain), all-mountain terrain bikes (mountaineering) and downhill mountain bikes (run steep hills).

Trail Mountain Bike Series:

If you are a lover who runs on moderate undulating terrain, the bike trail will be the right choice for you, dedicated to areas with steep terrain, moderate slopes like those Trail trails along hillsides, dirt roads across the forest … Normally, trail bikes are designed with full-suspension (2 fork) to ensure the vehicle can withstand gravity and jet, absorb the effective vibration and shock during running. In addition, mountain bike trails have a larger movement than the other lines, the moving movement is the amount of movement provided by the front and rear fork systems of bicycles.

Cross-Country Mountain Bike Series

Normally, the Cross-Country bike series specializes in the low-slope terrain and big obstacles, divided into 2 types: Hard-Tail and Full-Suspension. For Hard-Tail series, there is only one fork, used to run on terrain with no major obstacles such as gravel and dirt roads. In addition, Full Suspension series is a line of 2 fork, specializing in the topographic surface with small holes, bigger stones and rugged terrain … the second fork helps stabilize the steering wheel more as well as absorb the vibrations throughout pedal process.

Something you should know about mountain biking

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Using mountain bikes is not a simple thing that anyone can do. If you want to use it proficiently, it takes a long time to get used to the basic steps so you can ride in the safest way. To prepare yourself for the basic knowledge when using this vehicle on the hilly roads you do should remember some notes below.

Use the brakes

Using the brakes is not simply a matter of stopping but you need to be quick to handle reasonable situations. You should remember that when going down a slope the front wheel is more important than the rear wheel. Front brakes help you keep and control to avoid slipping. However, you should not abuse it, but you should pay attention to the rear brakes.

When you drop, the weight put on the rear wheel also changes, so you need to increase the braking force behind the bike. Balancing the power of the braking system gives you greater control over the ride of your sports bike.

Climbing

In addition to using the brake system well, you need to pay attention to the movements, postures and even adjust the parts on the bike to match the terrain.

Convert to a low device

Before moving, to reduce the pressure on the chain you should lower the height of the vehicle, or find which vehicles are suitable for the terrain to use.

Sitting on the saddle

With a mountain bike, especially when climbing a hill in a mountainous terrain, you get up to pedal to change the impact on the rear wheel. Meanwhile, with this terrain that does not cling to the ground, it is difficult for you to move and climb the slope.

Leaning forward

When you climb a slope, if you don’t lean forward, you will feel like your car is about to be lifted up, then you should be leaning forward forward to balance gravity.

Keep the pedal

If you are on a ramp, you need to keep and pedal evenly to avoid the gravity of the braking vehicle causing the bike to fall back. And don’t forget to keep your foot on the pedal to increase the weight of the car

Downhill

The front pedals should be designed a little higher so that it doesn’t hit small rocks or other obstructions.

Tips to cycle in hot summer

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In summer, bike races are taken place alot around the world. Whether you have to practice and prepare for those races or you just want to cycle to improve your health. So how to practice in hot weather like this? Let’s explore some great ways to have effective training sessions!

  1. Drink plenty of water and electrolytes when cycling

You should bring water every time you ride, even when pedaling for a few dozen minutes. Avoid drinking too much cold water once, as it can cause cramps that prevent you from cycling. Instead, try drinking water regularly to meet your energy metabolism needs. You should not wait until you feel thirsty to drink, your body will be exhausted before you get home.

If you ride for more than an hour, bring electrolyte water. Sodium content in electrolyte water helps the body avoid dehydration, so drink electrolyte water during the cycle!

  1. Shape the training path

The wise will always think about where they will practice before they start sitting on the saddle. Choose a route with many trees or roads that hold high-rise buildings. These areas will have lots of shade, protect you from the extreme sunlight in the hot summer. You should not cycle between crowded roads, the temperature there will be hotter than usual and they make you feel difficult to breathe because of dust. Prioritize the beautiful roads with tree shadows, they will make you feel more excited to practice!

  1. Ideal time for cycling

Avoid cycling outside at high temperatures between 10 am and 4 pm, you can start cycling to practice in the early morning or late afternoon. If you start in the early morning, you will enjoy fresh, cool air and will feel more energetic when you pedal at other times.

For those who do not like to get up early, maybe late afternoon is an ideal time for you to practice cycling to improve handling techniques, increase your durability. In the late afternoon, the temperature will soften somewhat. However, when the sunset comes and everything around you becomes dark, you should remember to bring a bicycle light to always see the road while practicing as well as signaling to other vehicles on the road.

Mountaining biking tips in rainy season (Part 3)

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  1. Be careful when entering corners

Corners are one of the obstacles that you need to care about. You look up and predict the corner, reduce the speed before stepping into the corner, and do not use brake if not really necessary.

Avoid sudden direction changes, this is a rule that applies to MTB cycling even when it is dry, when changing directions you will be very difficult to control the speed. You should only change the direction when you encounter an obstacle.

  1. Use MTB bike fenders

Professional riders only like neat MTB bikes, not with any other accessories. This means that the bike does not have a tripod, does not have a fender, does not have anything else on the bike. MTB cyclists prefer to be as compact as possible.

In the wet days everything is different, the pair of fenders really helps you, this is not only for your benefit but the fenders are especially meaningful to the people behind. Mudguard prevents splashing water on your back and body. If you don’t want the bikers behind in muddy conditions, put the fenders in!

Mountain bike fenders with easy-to-disassemble and mount design when used. Attach pairs of specially designed fenders that are easy to install and remove so that you can block rainwater mud and are also easy to remove when the weather is dry.

  1. Enjoy the rainy days on the MTB bike

Now, enjoy the cool rain after the hot days of summer. When you ride a bike in the rain, it will be very interesting, It brings you to the childhood days of rain and you will laugh like a child. Moreover, cycling in the rain will help you handle better when encountering difficult roads, because all your skills and experience will be used wisely when passing this challenge.

 

 

Mountaining biking tips in rainy season (Part 2)

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4. Waterproof clothing
Use an appropriate waterproof jacket to prevent water and mud from getting into your body. A waterproof jacket will make a difference for your trip in wet weather conditions, especially if you ride for a few hours. Waterproof clothing including waterproof shoes, tight-fitting clothes… are good options to protect your body safe by outside impacts.
5. Moderate speed on a mountain bike
Unless you are a mountain bike champion, you can ride at a fast speed when it rains. The best way to control speed when cycling on muddy and slippery terrain is to ride at a moderate pace. The reason for speed reduction is because the wet terrain with high speed make you difficult to control. Especially when going down a slope at a very high speed, speed control will increase safety.
6. Wear gloves when riding a mountain bike on a rainy day
Gloves are important accessory that every “climbing biker” should own. Gloves prevent sweat and keep your hands from sliding off the handle. Especially when riding on wet days, if you don’t want to slip on a bumpy rock and leave a wound on you, prepare a pair of gloves so you can hold the steering wheel more tightly.
Gloves help you easily grip the steering wheel and avoid losing control in the rainy season when riding a mountain bike.
7. Wear glasses to prevent dirt
During the rainy and windy days, it is more difficult to observe the surroundings. You ride in muddy terrain conditions, dirt is easy to be on your eye which keep the vision arround you hard to cover and make you feel uncomfortable. Possess yourself a pair of transparent glass that can keep the view ahead always clear.
Glasses prevent mud from entering the eyes when riding a MTB bike in the rainy season.