Having Fun With Bikes
When most people think of a bike, they think of a metal frame with two wheels and some handle bars
. Though this is what a traditional bicycle looks like, there are many different types out on the market for people to ride.
The traditional type of bike and the kind that you probably received as a child is a road bike. You probably had one with training wheels at first to help you balance so you do not fall down.
These are best for riding on the pavement, where there are no rocks or major hills to overcome. These have a medium sized tire with some traction.
Another type of road bike is one that is used for racing, like in the Tour de France. These have extremely thin tires with no treads for traction, a streamlined frame, and a high seat.
This design is best for the most aerodynamic ride, allowing racers to travel at incredibly fast speeds. These have gears that you can change manually when you experience different inclines such as hills.
These are very popular, especially for people who compete in triathlons, Iron man competitions, and other races. Because of their special aerodynamic design, they are more expensive to buy.
You can go to your local shop and find a few, which you should definitely check out, but cycling magazines will probably give you the best selection to choose from. The only downsize to ordering from a magazine is you cannot take it out for a test drive before you make your final decision to buy.
Another style that is extremely popular, especially among outdoor enthusiasts, is mountain biking. This is a sport that is done on trails in the mountains where you have to overcome obstacles like boulders, trees, and small streams.
The tires have thick treads for the maximum amount of traction, making sure that you do not slip on any surfaces when traveling at high speeds. These also have gears that help you out since you will be going up and down hills at differing speeds.
These also have shock absorbers since you are riding over uneven surfaces, and you may be air-bound during certain points in your riding adventure. The shock absorbers ensure that no damage is done to your frame or the wheels, and makes it a more comfortable ride for the cyclist as well.
This type of bike endures a lot of wear and tear since the rides are on very rough terrain. Because of this, you need to make sure that you wipe of any dirt from your chain and discs after your rides and then make sure your grease them up again.
Dirt in the chain and in the discs can quickly ruin the equipment and force you to have to replace them more often that you should. Cleaning and re-greasing them after every ride will make them last a lot longer than they otherwise would have.
Another type of bike that is fun for more than one person is a tandem bike. These allow for two (or sometimes even more) people to ride one frame with a different set of pedals for each person.
These can be fun to ride on a park or beach path where there are not hills or rough terrain to go over. These are not for intense cycling, but for more leisurely rides that you can take in nice warm weather.
These are great for teaching your child how to ride a bike because you are able to make sure they do not fall and you help them get used to the concepts of pedaling to keep your balance. If you get your child used to the feel of a tandem, they will be able to more easily learn how to ride a road bike on their own, without training wheels.
A tricycle is another style that is typically seen for toddlers because the three wheels ensure that they do not fall over and hurt themselves. You may also see adults riding a tricycle around a park or the beach.
These are not made for hills or rough terrain; but rather for paved surfaces that allow you to travel at a leisurely pace. Many tricycles have a basket on them so you can carry things a like a beach towel or picnic supplies to your destination as well.
by: Ronald Pedactor
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