Bicycling

Great bikes are available in the used market and they can be bought just as cheaply as used department store bikes. The trick is to know what to look for - you may need to know more than the seller.

Biking has increased in popularity as people become more active in caring for the environment. As some of us try to switch over to only bicycling for everyday travel, we find that there are some...

Many mountain bikers carry a Global Positioning System device on their bikes to help them get around extensive bike trails. By always knowing where you are and where you're going, you decrease the...

Down tube shifters are shifters mounted on the down tube of a bicycle that are pushed or pulled to change gears. They are known for their reliability, accuracy and ease of adjustment. Many...

Bicycles are often easy targets for thieves. Never leave a bicycle unattended without first taking care to secure it with a bicycle lock.

Each one of your bicycle wheels contains two sets of bearings. The wheel bearings on newer bicycles are located inside a sealed cartridge fitted inside the wheel hub. Bearings allow the hub to...

Training for any type of bike race requires dedication and hard work. Bike races can be in excess of 200 kilometers in length (the longest stage of the 2009 Tour de France was 224k!) and cyclists...

Wheels are a vital component of a bicycle. A damaged or misshapen wheel can render an otherwise healthy bike useless. Having wheels fixed professionally can be costly, and the wait time for a...

When you buy a bicycle for transportation, you want a different type of bike than you would get if you were going to ride just for fun, or exercise.

Steering is one of the most important skills you need to learn when riding a bicycle. You can use what is called slalom cycling to pratice steering in and out of cones at varying speeds - this...

Presta valves, also called French valves, are found on high-performance bicycles, as opposed to the Schrader (automotive style) valves found on touring bikes. Usually one checks the tire pressure...

One of the best feelings as a cyclist is pulling your jersey on and knowing that the design and layout of that jersey is solely your own or your team's. Many racers claim this gives them a sense...

Having a bicycle rack makes owning a bike that much more joyful. The ability to carry your bike to any location and not waste time on the ride to the mountains or trails really helps you get the...

We well I first bought my Trek I really had no plans on riding a century, just got it to commute to and from work. Then I pretty much fell in love with riding and wanted to challenge myself so 4...

The shifting on your Mongoose bike may need to be adjusted on occasion. Ineffective shifting is almost always due to improper tension on the shifting cables, which stretch over time. These cables...

Dispose of a bicycle helmet if you are in an accident because it may no longer be effective, even if there is no visible damage to it. It is also recommended to get rid of a helmet if you drop it,...

The wheels on your bicycle take a fair amount of abuse each time you ride. This is particularly true for mountain and general off-road bikes, which are more likely to encounter rough, damaging...

Bearings are small metal or ceramic balls encased within the hub at the center of a bicycle wheel. The bearings allow the hub body to rotate independently about the bicycle wheel axle. Bearings...

Making a bicycle safety flag is a quick and easy way to stay safe when riding your bicycle around the neighborhood. Making a flag will take 25 to 45 minutes. The cost of making your own bicycle...

Even for those who have done it before, competing in a bike race is a daunting experience. Bike races range from short prologues of two miles or less to marathon road races, which can be over 100...

Riders in a bike race--especially events on longer course--will eventually face the time when they have the urge to go. Learning how to evacuate, or relieve, yourself safely and efficiently during...

Bike safety programs for youth can take many forms. All are designed to teach basic cycling and safety skills, with the goals of decreasing accidents due to unsafe riding and increasing cycling...

Preparing yourself for a 12-hour mountain bike race takes time and dedication. Proper preparation includes building a training plan around race day. No matter whether you are a novice or an...

Campagnolo Ergopower shifters are known for their durability, shifting accuracy and ease of maintenance, and they are preferred by many professional cyclists over Shimano and SRAM shifters....

A rear rack is an excellent way to make your bicycle multifunctional by creating storage space on the bike. Once you affix a rack to your bike, you can carry a variety of cargo without a backpack...

Bicycle wheels might be the most vulnerable part of your bicycle. They are in constant contact with the pavement, which can contain any number of hazards, such as train tracks and potholes. They...

Cycling is often noted for its healthful benefits. Unfortunately, hours spent in the saddle can also lead to back pain, making further participation in the sport difficult if not impossible. Back...

Removing old bicycle pedals can be surprisingly aggravating. When the pedals were first put on, if they were not lubricated with a bit of grease, then aging and corrosion can fuse the pedal shaft...

A proper riding helmet is the most important piece of protective equipment a bicyclist can own. But wearing your helmet is not always enough. To be really effective, a bike helmet must be fitted...

Training for a 80km mountain bike race is a process that takes a lot of energy, patience, determination and discipline. The training period, or the weeks leading up the race, will require...

Folding bikes are a very new product in the United States where cycling has been popular since the early 1900s. They offer the avid cyclist a better way to transport and store their bike when they...

A rear bicycle wheel fits into a pair of grooves called "drops," and is held in place by a skewer. Older versions of this skewer will include a nutted axle, while newer versions will feature a...

After months of continuous use, mountain bike gear changers, more commonly called "shifters," may need to be serviced. This is particularly true for mountain bikes used in muddy or dusty...

Over time, due to stress and dirt, bicycle pedals can begin to creak, or make other, less definable noises. The problem may be as small as a loose spindle in need of tightening and a little...

I'm going to break down the choices so bicycling can be enjoyable and rewarding. Most bike shops educate based on wheel size/frame size. When in doubt look at side of tire. The categories are...

Whether you bike, ski or snowboard, you can't go very far before you see someone wearing a helmet. While bike helmets and ski helmets seem to function the same, they are highly specialized pieces...

Bicycle stem shifters are known and used for their ease of adjustment and accurate, user-intuitive shifting. Because of their friction-based design, (hence the nickname "friction shifters") the...

Grip Shift and other handlebar "twist" shifters are known for their shift accuracy, ease of adjustment and ergonomic controls. Because the shifters themselves spin around the handlebar, it is not...

Shimano's Rapid Fire shifters are known for their ease of use, accurate shifting performance and excellent adjustability. This shifting system places levers at your thumbs and fingertips, negating...

Campagnolo gear shifters are known for their strength, accuracy and ease of adjustment. Their ergonomic design allows for movement and maneuverability in the hoods and the drops, and their inner...

Building a lowrider bike from prefabricated parts is easier than you think. Many websites sell the necessary parts. Those building on a budget can find parts from local classified ads, back...

Kona is a Canadian bicycle company that produces a wide range of bicycle models. Getting the maximum comfort and performance from your Kona bicycle begins with choosing the right size frame....

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets the safety standards for bicycle helmets sold in the United States. These standards can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations 16 C.F.R....

A rear bike wheel may need to be replaced on occasion. At the very least it will need to be removed in order to change tires or to fix a flat. Between the two wheels, front and rear, the back...

A balanced wheel is one whose rim is centered directly over its axle. A balanced wheel is achieved when the spokes connecting the rim to the axle are properly tensioned, keeping the rim even and...

Creaky bike pedals can ruin the peacefulness of a bike ride. It can also mean that you need to fix the pedals because they aren't safe. Thankfully there aren't too many causes of creaky pedals, so...

Bike wheels are able to take a surprising amount of abuse for their weight, but even the best wheels get knocked around a little too much. Warps, wobbles and rim dents are common results of gravel...

Upright shifters are attached to the bends on a bicycle's handlebar and are used for both braking and shifting. You can remove shifters from the handlebar and replace them with another model....

If traveling long distance for a triathlon, it may be necessary to ship your bike. Of course, if traveling by plane, you can always disassemble the bike and pack it into a bike travel case and...

A cyclist should know how to replace an inner tube before he even throws a leg over his bike for the first time. Replacing an inner tube is arguably the most essential piece of mechanical...