Recently, the 29-inch wheeled mountain bike — the 29″er — has been creating a bit of a stir inside the mountain biking world. Perhaps you have heard of them or know someone who has one but, if you are like most mountain bikers, you probably are wondering what all the fuss is about. There are plenty of good, 26-inch wheeled off road bicycles out there so why in the world should there even be mountain bikes with 29-inch wheels?
To begin to answer this question it’s important that we understand wheel size terminology, so I’m going to start there. Read the rest of this entry »
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So you’ve made the plunge and purchased a full suspension mountain bike. You’re excited to get out on the trails and go faster than ever before but, on your first ride, the bike doesn’t feel the way you think it should. At this point it’s important to realize that dialling in your rear shock isn’t an exact science and you should play around with some of your shock’s settings and make notes about what you like and what you don’t. If you’re not happy with the feel of your shock after you’ve done this, then it’s time to take a few additional steps.
If you purchased your new bike from a local shop, you should take it back and explain what you like and what you don’t about the overall ‘feel’ of the suspension. Was it too mushy? Or did you feel like you were riding a pogo stick? An informed shop employee can use this information to help you get your rear shock ‘dialled in’ so you can get the most out of your new ride. If you purchased a used bike, you can still go to a local shop for some well-informed advice, but expect to pay a little for the worker’s expertise. Remember that they’re taking valuable time out of their day to help you get going on a bike that they didn’t sell to you.
Regardless of where you purchased your bike from, it never hurts to go into a shop armed with the basic information I mentioned above and to know a little bit about some of the key terms that will be used when discussing your suspension setup. This article is meant to serve as a primer that brings you up to speed on the terminology of mountain bike rear shocks and, while it’s not a definitive guide, it’ll help you on your way and get you closer to dialling in your bike’s rear suspension in a way that you’re happy with. Read the rest of this entry »
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This is the first entry for this category and, depending on how it is received, will be followed by many others. In this series, I plan on describing and outlining key bike components; I figure it’ll be a good start for people who are learning about mountain bikes and will give them a leg up when discussing components at bike shops or on the trail. Read the rest of this entry »
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