Riding a mountain bike is pretty much the same as riding any other type of bike. Except for the rocks, the fallen trees, the streams and the occasional mountain. In other words, mountain biking is the extreme version of two-wheeling around the neighbourhood. It can be dangerous, so should be respected and even a little feared. If you want to hit the trails, you need to learn mountain biking skills.
Mountain biking skills involve agility, balance and stamina. Review the following list of exercises, and find a suitable place to practice. These can be don at home, at a school or park, on a bike path and ideally, at a place with a steep hill.
Sit and Spin
In other words, just go for a ride. Get on your bike and cruise around to find the best position for mountain biking. Your arms should be slightly bent. Your legs should be 70 to 90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal, so it may be necessary to adjust your seat higher or lower.
Get used to keeping your body relaxed because when you're on the trail, your knees and elbows should never be locked.
Feel the Pedal
While on your bike, practice moving your foot away from the pedal. Do this first while sitting on your bike with one foot on the ground, then try releasing and replacing your foot while pedaling around. If you have toe clips on your pedals, you'll need to spend a little extra time with this exercise. There will be times on the trail that feet will have to leave the pedals. Make sure you're comfortable with this move, before you have to use your feet to balance yourself over a bumpy path.
Switch Gears
Get used to shifting gears. You'll use them a lot on the trails. Higher gears make the bike go faster, but it's harder to pedal. Lower gears make pedaling easier, so you'll use these gear positions when climbing hills. Be sure to shift to a low gear before you reach the hill, rather than when you're already climbing it.
Drop a Curb
Ride down the sidewalk, and then find a curb that's easily accessible. Approach the curb at moderate speed, stand up and coast right down onto the road (look for cars first!) If you want to learn mountain biking, you need to know how to handle sudden drops. Try this exercise at different speeds until it becomes second nature.
Coast is Clear
Coasting on a bike can feel like flying. Get your bike up to a reasonable speed, stand on your pedals and just cruise without sitting down. Keep your arms bent, don't lock your knees, and try to lean your body towards the rear end of the bike. Mountain biking involves very little sitting, so spend some time coasting to get used to the feeling.
Stand and Pedal
Just like coasting, you'll also spend a great deal of time pedaling while standing. While pedaling, simply lift your body off of the seat. Or, start off standing on the pedals then start cranking them. After you've mastered standing and pedaling on flat ground, practice while climbing a hill in lower gear.
It's easy to learn mountain biking. You already know how to ride a bike, so now it's time to master these additional techniques. Once you're comfortable coasting, dropping, standing, pedaling, spinning, and switching gears, you'll be ready to hit the trails, and tackle any challenge along the way.
By: Christopher Johnson
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Biking For Health And Fitness
There are many different types of bicycles available on the market today, the comfort bicycle, which is used by many recreational bike riders, a trail bike or light duty mountain bike, crusier bikes, recumbent bikes and heavy duty mountain bikes. No matter which type of bike, or biking interests you biking is a great way to increased stamina, improved cardiovascular strength and all around better fitness.
Recumbent bikes have become very popular for the middle aged and older riders. On a recumbent bike you have a very comfortable seat that you can lean back in, quite like sitting in your favorite reclining chair. Your butt is very comfortably cushioned. Your feet are out in front of you, quite like when you're driving your car. Recumbent bikes are the fastest type of bicycle. One reason is that with your legs extended forward and pedaling in front of you, you are able to move much more weight with much less effort than on a conventional bike where your legs are underneath of you. Beginning recumbent riders will tell you it takes a while to develop what are called "recumbent muscles" but once you do you'll never go back to an ordinary bicycle.
Mountain biking is a popular activity that is enjoyed by a wide age range of people. Heavy duty mountain bikes can be quite costly, so it may be best to go to talk to a mountain biking organization about bike rental. You may only decide you need a light duty mountain bike which would also be good for regular riding. Not all mountain biking trails are killers and for experts only - they had to start somewhere too! Mountain biking trails are rated somewhat like ski trails, the easiest is green, an intermediate is blue and difficult trails are pink. Go slowly, mountain biking can be hard on the joints, and you'll need to learn how to handle the bike to minimize chance of injury.
Whichever type of bicycle you choose, just do it! Biking is a great way to achieve an aerobic work out and burn calories at the same time. The best part is that anyone can ride a bike and it's a great family recreation to be enjoyed together.
By: Ryan Larson
Recumbent bikes have become very popular for the middle aged and older riders. On a recumbent bike you have a very comfortable seat that you can lean back in, quite like sitting in your favorite reclining chair. Your butt is very comfortably cushioned. Your feet are out in front of you, quite like when you're driving your car. Recumbent bikes are the fastest type of bicycle. One reason is that with your legs extended forward and pedaling in front of you, you are able to move much more weight with much less effort than on a conventional bike where your legs are underneath of you. Beginning recumbent riders will tell you it takes a while to develop what are called "recumbent muscles" but once you do you'll never go back to an ordinary bicycle.
Mountain biking is a popular activity that is enjoyed by a wide age range of people. Heavy duty mountain bikes can be quite costly, so it may be best to go to talk to a mountain biking organization about bike rental. You may only decide you need a light duty mountain bike which would also be good for regular riding. Not all mountain biking trails are killers and for experts only - they had to start somewhere too! Mountain biking trails are rated somewhat like ski trails, the easiest is green, an intermediate is blue and difficult trails are pink. Go slowly, mountain biking can be hard on the joints, and you'll need to learn how to handle the bike to minimize chance of injury.
Whichever type of bicycle you choose, just do it! Biking is a great way to achieve an aerobic work out and burn calories at the same time. The best part is that anyone can ride a bike and it's a great family recreation to be enjoyed together.
By: Ryan Larson
Biking For Fun
Biking is a favorite activity that is suitable for the entire family. Many people enjoy biking because on a windy day there is no better experience to have than the feel of wind blowing through the hair while sitting high on a bike seat riding along on a favorite trail. Riding bicycles is a productive way to enjoy the spare time away from the office and a way to exercise.
Riding a bike is a good way to work all of your muscles in your body and ensure that all muscles are trim and free from unnecessary fat. Bike riding is a fun way to maintain a great shape and get a chance to enjoy the warming rays of sunshine at the same time. The movements for riding a bike are very similar to running but are most certainly easier on the joints.
Riding a bike during the hottest part of the day will rid the body of impurities by causing the rider to sweat. Dehydration from biking during this time of the day can be alleviated if bikers will simply remember to drink lots of water to replenish the fluids that are lost while biking. For long trips, bikers should concentrate their fluid intake to water only.
Riding bikes is a good ice breaker for people who are just beginning to date. There is plenty of time available while riding on a bike to engage in conversation and get a good feel about the person before the relationship gets more intense. Biking will let you know how much the person likes outdoor activities and if there are other interesting sports that can be shared too.
People all over the world like to ride bikes and some countries use them as transportation to work and other areas of interest. Children as young as four or five are learning to ride bikes and enjoy every minute of it. Their parents even ride their bikes with them and environmentally friendly people ride them to work in the United States. Riding bikes is a good way to spend the day as a family. You can ride your bike to an ice cream shop or to a restaurant and spend the day with your family.
In order to ride your bike the weather has to be just right. You can not ride a bike in the rain or in the snow. If you ride your bike in the rain you will probably get sick. The best days to ride your bike are in the spring when it is not too cold or too hot. In any weather condition that bikers choose to ride they should also choose to hydrate up and have a good time while the weather conditions are still friendly.
Riding your bike is a good way to meet new people and make friends and interact with them. All you have to do is ask somebody if they want to ride their bike with you and eventually you will have made a lot of friends. After you have finished riding a bike for the day it is always a good idea to cover the seat up with a rubber cover to protect it from rotting away from dew and other moisture.
By: James Brown
Riding a bike is a good way to work all of your muscles in your body and ensure that all muscles are trim and free from unnecessary fat. Bike riding is a fun way to maintain a great shape and get a chance to enjoy the warming rays of sunshine at the same time. The movements for riding a bike are very similar to running but are most certainly easier on the joints.
Riding a bike during the hottest part of the day will rid the body of impurities by causing the rider to sweat. Dehydration from biking during this time of the day can be alleviated if bikers will simply remember to drink lots of water to replenish the fluids that are lost while biking. For long trips, bikers should concentrate their fluid intake to water only.
Riding bikes is a good ice breaker for people who are just beginning to date. There is plenty of time available while riding on a bike to engage in conversation and get a good feel about the person before the relationship gets more intense. Biking will let you know how much the person likes outdoor activities and if there are other interesting sports that can be shared too.
People all over the world like to ride bikes and some countries use them as transportation to work and other areas of interest. Children as young as four or five are learning to ride bikes and enjoy every minute of it. Their parents even ride their bikes with them and environmentally friendly people ride them to work in the United States. Riding bikes is a good way to spend the day as a family. You can ride your bike to an ice cream shop or to a restaurant and spend the day with your family.
In order to ride your bike the weather has to be just right. You can not ride a bike in the rain or in the snow. If you ride your bike in the rain you will probably get sick. The best days to ride your bike are in the spring when it is not too cold or too hot. In any weather condition that bikers choose to ride they should also choose to hydrate up and have a good time while the weather conditions are still friendly.
Riding your bike is a good way to meet new people and make friends and interact with them. All you have to do is ask somebody if they want to ride their bike with you and eventually you will have made a lot of friends. After you have finished riding a bike for the day it is always a good idea to cover the seat up with a rubber cover to protect it from rotting away from dew and other moisture.
By: James Brown
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