Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Selecting The Right Mountain Bike Frame

A good mountain biker is one who knows has the right knowledge of the sport as well as the bike he is riding. This knowledge helps him throughout his career, right from purchasing the vehicle to being the best in the game. Here we learn about the important factors origin of the sport and the construction process in brief.

How To Select The Right Mountain Bike Frames

A variety of bicycles are available in the market, and they are constructed specifically for different purposes. E.g. ordinary cycles are meant for short travels and leisure rides whereas, racing bicycles are made for competitive racing, they are comparatively lighter and have thin tires and multiple gears for better performance.

The most important factor that distinguishes between bicycles is the frame of the cycle. If a customer wants a bike for mountain biking, he has to specifically purchase a Mountain Bike. The mountain bikes are subjected to a lot of rugged terrain and hence the frame has to be really strong, and at the same time it has to be light for better maneuverable.

To help you understand this process, a through knowledge of the sport of mountain bicycling, the variety of bicycle frames available in the market and the cost is very important.

The sport of Mountain Bicycling

The sport of Mountain bicycling has gained popularity since its origin in the 70’s. It is the ultimate sport for those who love cycling and exploring the rugged outdoors. One can take up mountain bicycling just to enjoy the thrills of riding on a rugged countryside area or participate in formal competitions, or simply enjoy it as a good form of exercise.

Range of Mountain Bicycle Frames available.

Mountain bicycles are manufactured specially to withstand the pounding of the harsh terrain. They are fitted with special accessories for better performance. Often these bicycles are fitted with gears system to facilitates easy ascending and descending on the slopes of the mountains, modified lightweight hand brakes are fitted to ensure better grip and instant braking and the balloon type tires ensure a relatively smoother ride.

The frame of the bike plays a very important when it comes to purchasing a mountain bike, it has to be extremely strong and at the same time it has to be relatively light for easy maneuverability. The basic structure of all frames is same, the only thing that makes them different is the material used to construct them. Generally frames are made either of carbon fiber, titanium or steel, the favorite being steel, as it is light yet very strong and is found in abundance.

Although difficult to work with, Titanium and carbon fiber have also been used for construction of the mountain bike frame. Basically Titanium is similar to steel and aluminum but is comparatively lighter, and is scratch resistant and rust proof.

Carbon fiber is a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. A mixture of both is dipped in glue and is molded in tubular form and these tubes are used to construct the frames.

Cost

The cost of the bicycle plays a very important role when it comes to purchasing a good mountain bicycle. Basically, the price of the bike depends on the material used for its construction. The most expensive bikes are the once with Titanium and carbon fiber frames, once made of steel are relatively cheaper.

0 comments: