When buying a used dirt bike there are many things which you must look out for. Firstly, find out where the bike is coming from. Many competition bikes are never registered so therefore proving somebody is the owner can often be difficult. Ideally the current owner will have receipts for the bike but this is unlikely if you are purchasing an older bike.

Ask questions about the bike, see if the person selling it to you knows anything about it or whether he is just trying to shift a stolen bike. If you are sure that the bike you are buying is not stolen then give the bike a good check over.

Off road bikes obviously have to withstand a lot of hard use, whether they’ve been taken off huge jumps or ridden aggressively off road they are bound to have some wear and tear. There are many checks you can do to the bike in order to make sure you are buying a dream bike rather than a costly trip to the garage.

Obviously check the overall condition of the bike. What are the panels like? If they are cracked or marked badly then this could show signs of misuse. Check what oil the bike has been run on, if it is the cheaper oil then it is likely that the person you are buying the bike off doesn’t care about the bike, or doesn’t have a clue about them. Try to get as much information as you can about the current owner as this could give you a great insight as to how the bike has been treated and whether it is likely to continue running.

There are also a few other checks to perform before you jump into buying a used dirt bike. Check the main wear and tear spots. These are:

Forks – Check the movement of the front forks. Push them up and down to see if they move smoothly and do not jerk. Check for leaks on the forks, these could be indicators that the forks are on their way out which means money will need to be spent on them.

Head bearings – check the handlebars move smoothly and the wheel has no play when off the floor. These are indicators that head bearings could have had it.

Rear swing arm – Check for movement in the back wheel, if it can be moved around and is loose, then this is an indicator that it may need new bearings or a problem with the swing arm.

Rear shocks – push down on the back of the bike, if it does not come back up in a smooth and controlled manner then the bike has lost its dampening properties. Also check the condition of the shocks, you can tell if they look healthy or not by taking a good look. If they are not looking too good then you may have to shell out on new shocks, which can cost between £200-£400 depending on the type of shock you have. (Twin shocks are usually cheaper and you may find one at around £80.

Engine – Obviously the engine must be checked, make sure you test ride the bike to see if you think it is running well. Also make sure you get to try to start the bike, often signs of a tired bike are shown when starting. Also go through the gears and make sure the bike has a maintained engine rev to ensure the clutch is not slipping.

Exhaust – These are important, especially for two stroke bikes, check there are no dents or holes in them as this will greatly affect the bikes ride and performance.

Any other stuff such as paperwork if the bike is registered. In the UK if the bike is registered then you will need a V5 (registration document), and also an MOT certificate if the bike is to be ridden on the road.

Marc Wilton, I have been riding mini motos for around two years now and am currently an editor for the website mini motos go.

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This is a love story and a cautionary tale of my first bike commute on my new super-light folding bike.

It is safe to say I have a challenging bike commute: 41 miles each way; 7 miles of water to cross each way; and 300 meters of vertical to climb on the way home. Given all that, I leverage public transit all I can to ensure I don’t spend 4+ hours a day commuting. That means going over to San Francisco on BART (Bay Area Public Transportation) and down the peninsula on CalTrain or down the East Bay on BART and across the Dumbarton Bridge on bus. The first option was preferable because the CalTrain system on the peninsula has dedicated bike cars. No other system in the Bay area does.

The Challenge
Therein lies the problem. No public transit, except for CalTrain, is very keen on seeing cyclists around rush hour. BART outright bans them for each of the two rush hour periods.

The Initial Solution
Instead of crossing the bay and then heading down to work, I would head down and then cross the bay. I would take BART south to Union City and either cycle or bus across the Dumbarton Bridge.

Some Bridges Like Bikes
I was astounded and impressed to find that the Dumbarton is the one transbay bridge that has a bicycle/pedestrian lane all the way across. A heartening fact in the face of the recent Bay Bridge reconstruction’s new bicycle/pedestrian bridge from Oakland to Treasure Island, but not beyond (aka a “bridge to nowhere”).

Anyway, for the first few weeks of April, this plan worked fine. If I got up early enough, I would BART down and cycle across the Dumbarton. The whole trip took 90 minutes, but who’s counting when this includes a workout? (aka a reprieve from a gym visit).

Some Buses Like Bikes
Whenever I woke up late, I would bus across with my bike in a bus rack, and the whole trip took 70 minutes.

Neither option was super-fast, but given that a traffic jam could make a car trip last 90 minutes or more, neither wasn’t bad. Not to mention, one could fill the whole time with web-surfing or reading, instead of driving.

The Reality
Then Spring hit. It stopped raining and warmed up enough so that other cyclists started having the same idea for crossing the Dumbarton. This ensured that the Dumbarton Express bus racks were always full. I tried getting to it a little early, but no dice: still full. After all, there were only two racks.

I quickly realized that the Dumbarton bus route was not a reliable option for a cyclist given the limited capacity. This produced a real bind. I didn’t have time to cycle the bridge everyday, and I couldn’t reliably get up early enough to beat the bike crowds to the Dumbarton Express bus.

Hefty Hiatus
Right about that time, someone asked me to carpool so I took a bike-commuting-hiatus. However, this felt more restrictive than all the bicycle curfews I was avoiding. No longer could I stay late at work or run errands at lunch with my bike. Carpooling wasn’t working but, by then, I had really fallen off the wagon with early rising so it felt like I couldn’t turn back. Months passed. I gained 10 pounds. I had failed to replace the cycling with another form of exercise. This wouldn’t do.

The New Solution
After trying and failing to get BART to lift their rush hour bike curfew, I suddenly realized that BART’s curfew excluded folding bikes. I researched those and found almost all to be sorely lacking in sturdiness and speed. The one exception was a new generation of bikes coming from a company called Tern.

The Tern Verge X20 seemed like a great candidate for the kind of folding bike I would need. An incredible bike by any measure: folding (easily I might add, which is more than I can say for many); 9.3kg (that’s high end road bike territory weight-wise); SRAM Red components throughout (the very best road bike components, and a price to match of course); and 1.11 inch wide wheels (picture 23c road tire, but only 20 inches in diameter, aka minimal resistance gliders).

This bike sounded perfect, given all my constraints: 300 meters of high-speed vertical on the ride down the hill from my home; 300 meters of steep climbing on the return ride home; bike curfews; rack space constraints; and time constraints (lighter equals much shorter commute times on bikes).

With a folding bike, I could travel with impunity on any transit system. The bike wouldn’t even need a bike rack on a bus and it would circumvent the curfews on BART. Best of all, because it was ultralight and ultrafast, it would climb hills and cross flats almost as fast my road bike. “Woohoo! What a great time to be a bike commuter”, I thought.

After an interminable wait and after gaining even more weight, the bike finally arrived on the market and I bought the first one I found. It is here where this story really begins. The first day of bike commuting with this bleeding edge commuter bike was both fantastic and horrific (no fault of the bike’s, by the way).

The Ecstasy
The first moments were ecstasy. The bike was very stable while I reached 35 kph going down 300 meters of vertical. I only added about 2 minutes to the first leg of my commute. Not bad!

Better still, I walked onto the BART train for San Francisco with no fear of punishment even though the sign flashed “no bikes”.

Once across the bay, I discovered I had 10 minutes to get to the CalTrain station 2km away. This was a job for the super fast Verge X20. Again, it performed magnificently, I found the small wheels of the folding bike much more nimble at dodging pedestrians and weaving through cars amidst the morning gridlock of downtown San Francisco.

Likewise, the bike cruised along at a respectable 25 kph on the flat, long blocks. All my waiting, planning, and spending on this new cutting-edge commute tool had paid off. I was leaving all the other heavy and slow commuter bikes in the dust.

Beginner’s Unluck
Then fate turned on me. It started when I arrived at the CalTrain station just as the doors closed on my train’s gate. That cost a 15 minute delay. No matter, I thought. The bike was fast, I could still make up time on the last leg in Menlo Park.

The Agony
I hit the ground running in Menlo Park, I got off the train and on the bike in seconds. I charged ahead on one of Menlo Park’s beautiful bike lanes to make up some lost time. Then, 100 yards out, I ran over something weird only to feel that unmistakable rumble from my rear tire. Ugh!!!!!!!! A flat.

One thing I am pretty good at is being prepared for these mishaps. The day before, I had made a special trip to the bike store for spare inner tubes for just such an occasion as this. I had also inquired about extra tires, but all the shop had were unfoldables so I skipped those. I figured I would order them soon.

Not soon enough–the flat was from a cut to the sidewall. That’s death for any kind of tire. So there I was: rendered a pedestrian by a tiny piece of metal with a new foldable bike in tow. I went back and gave the jagged metal a good kick to vent frustration and spare someone else the same fate.

Extraordinary Bikes Require Extraordinary Bike Stores
My fate was just getting warmed up. I’ve been without a tire or tube before. It’s a long walk but eventually you get to a bike store and you are on your way. But this wasn’t just any bike so I couldn’t use just any bike store. I needed a 20″ diameter, 1.1″ wide, tire. That’s Greek to most standard bike shops, and folding shops for that matter.

My mind raced: Where had I seen foldable bike dealers in this area? Only 2 shops out of a dozen came to mind. Also, is the shop open? I am late to work, but it is only 9 a.m. How will I get to the shop in my bike shoes without trashing my ankles? After making a few calls, I discovered the 2 folding bike shops were open. However, the bike was so new that none of the staff had heard of it, much less knew which parts would fix it. Still, after a LOT of explaining, I established that one shop had a tire I could use. Naturally, that was the most distant shop.

Googling for public transit solutions only embellished the need for a working bicycle in times like these. No buses were nearby and no bus would take me anywhere near the shop. Ironically, CalTrain delivered me the closest to the shop, so I walked back to the station, waited a quarter hour, and caught the next train.

The next hour was filled with lots of super-fun walking in bike shoes and having the rare cab swiped from me by a business man while I folded my bike. But I finally got to the shop, got the tire and rode to work. Only 2.5 hours late. Woohoo!

Epilogue
The moral of the story for me is this: like any bleeding edge solution, be prepared to provide your own technological support. The newer the solution, the fewer resources to help when things go wrong. After my ordeal, I even discovered that the shop that sold me the bike had sold me the wrong size of inner tubes. When you are on the bleeding edge, you are really on your own.

Nevertheless, despite my initial lack of supplies and abundance of bad luck, I have no regrets. The ability of this type of bicycle to negotiate both the capricious bike policies of regional transit systems and the capricious streets of downtown rush hours, should ensure these bikes become increasingly popular. That should mean more stores will carry them soon and, in turn, will mean I will have less far to walk for parts.

Regardless, I now stock a new tube and tire on my back for this bike as I do for all my full-sized bikes. I gambled and lost this time, but I won’t again, especially with such a wonderful new type of bike.

http://www.planbike.com/

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One of the greatest appeals of mountain biking is that it is a unisex sport. Mountain biking does not discriminate on the basis of gender. Nor does it eliminate participants due to their ages or ethnicities; in its early years it was largely the domain of men and boys, but now women and girl mountain bikers are joining the fun in record numbers.

Girls mountain biking has begun to achieve prominence in the sport, thanks to the teams of girls mountain bikers fielded by many US high schools. High school mountain biking programs allow female students to master the techniques necessary to succeed in girls mountain biking competitions, and many of them are the equal of the male bikers in their schools.

NorCal

The NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, founded in 2001, opened up the world of girls mountain biking to Elena Spittler, who was the league’s girls mountain biking champion in 2005. She joined the Berkeley High School Mountain Biking Team as its single female member, simply to prove that girls could succeed in the sport. She struggled to keep up with the boys during her first year on the team, but by the time she was a senior, Elena was trouncing some of her younger male teammates.

Two years after she struck a blow for girls mountain biking at her high school, there are now seven girls on the team, and the total number of participants in girls mountain biking for the entire NorCal High School Mountain Bike League has doubled.

The league now has a summer girls mountain biking camp and intends to host a girls mountain biking mini-camp in the first part of the high school racing season to help the girls competing improver their techniques and build their confidence. The league has made a commitment to these girl-specific activities, and is also training its team coaches in methods of recruiting and working with girls mountain biking candidates.

These girls mountain biking http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Dirt_Jumps/ clinics and camps cover a variety of topics. The girls are required to maneuver their bikes over natural obstacles and down steep descents, learning the balance, dexterity, and bike control necessary for competing in cross country, endurance, and short course racing events. They are also schooled in bike maintenance and repair.

Girls Mountain Biking Clinics

The clinics stress the importance of preserving mountain biking trails, finding team sponsorship, educating the public in the positive benefits of girls mountain biking, and improving one’s biking skills. They encourage their students to develop self-reliance and challenge them in the same way that their male counterparts are challenged.

Thanks to the efforts of groups like the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, both girls and girls mountain biking have “caught up” with the boys!

You can also find more information at Mountain Biking Gear http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Gear/ and Mountain Biking Trails http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Trails/.Mountainbikingreviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about mountain biking reviews

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From its rather ordinary beginnings on the sporting scene, mountain biking been transformed into an activity so challenging that it has been classed by some as an extreme sport. And each category of mountain biking, because it requires a specific set of skills, has developed its own group of enthusiasts. The one thing that all the categories of mountain biking have in common is that their adrenaline-buzz-producing maneuvers are bringing people into the sport in unprecedented numbers.

The form of mountain biking most likely to appeal to fans of the Mega Roller Coasters is downhill mountain biking. If you can picture a downhill skier, and replace the skis with a bike plunging down a mountain, its wheels airborne almost as much as they are in contact with the ground, you’ll have the basic idea. And if the mere idea of downhill mountain biking gets you jazzed, what do you think the actual experience will do?

DH, as downhill mountain biking is known in mountain biking circles, is in no way the same as riding a standard bicycle up and down the gently rolling hills in your neighborhood park. Neither is it the same as cross country mountain biking, which may involve some downhill riding but is more akin to bike racing.

Downhill Mountaing Biking Bikes

Downhill mountain biking demands a mountain bike with front and rear suspensions especially engineered to handle the extreme stresses of the terrain over which they are ridden. The downhill bikes also have heavier, stronger frame tubing than other varieties of mountain bikes, and normally weigh in at between forty and fifty pounds.

Don’t bother trying to pedal a downhill mountain bike uphill; it’s an exercise in futility. Downhill mountain biking requires that a bikers and their bikes be transported to the top of the hill they are to descend by a ski lift. The trail on which they will be coming back down will be both physically demanding and dangerous. Downhill mountain biking should never be attempted until all possible safety measures are in place.

Downhill mountain biking courses are both steep and treacherous throughout, and can contain jumps of up to forty feet with a ten foot drop. The bikers who are attracted to downhill mountain biking, however, are those who thrive on challenges; the harder the better. The risk involved is not their biggest concern. But even the most experienced downhill mountain biking enthusiasts never begin a descent without being fully protected with a helmet, elbow and knee pads, a body suit, and goggles.

Downhill mountain biking http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/All_About_Mountain_Biking/ has become so popular that it is now available in many areas of the country. As a sport which can satisfy even the most extreme daredevils, downhill mountain biking is one of a very few.

You can also find more information on Mountain Biking Gear http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Gear/ and Mountain Biking Trails http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Trails/. Mountainbikingreviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about mountain biking reviews.

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The popularity of mountain bikes and mountain biking has greatly increased over the last ten years. This is somewhat due to the increased interest in the X games, which features the sport of mountain biking. Millions of fans of all ages enjoy watching a participating in this sport of mountain bikes. It is an adventurous exhilarating sport that can be quite dangerous, but it doesn’t stop the millions of people from starting riding mountain bikes each and every year.

Mountain bikes have come a long way in design and style. The mountain bike manufacturers are continuing to improve the mountain bikes both technologically and style-wise. Some of the new designs have 27 gears and with the technological advances, it has become easier to change these gears. Hydraulic disc brakes and front and rear suspension systems are also a new advance for many different manufacturers of mountain bikes.

Some people in our country spend every spare minute that they can on their mountain bikes. They enjoy the fact that they can get both exercise and a bit of nature on a mountain bike ride. In California, for example, mountain biking is very popular due to the beautiful scenery and the large number or biking trails.

If you want to see some different scenery, then why not consider one of the many tours or vacations that you can take on mountain bikes? There are a great number of different sites online that can help you to find the areas that you may want to visit. You will have a great deal of fun seeing different countries and cultures on the back of your mountain bike.

Mountain bike riders are always searching for improvements for their mountain bikes. They may want to make their bike go faster or they may want it to be more comfortable or controllable. Mountain bikers are always looking for ways to make their bike the best. The good news is that it can be done comparatively easy, just by visiting your local or online bike shops.

A new seat or saddle is one thing that you can choose to help make your mountain bike more comfortable to ride. There are a great deal of different seat designs, so you are sure to find one that fits your particular body and needs. There are seats made just for a woman’s body and there are seats that help to take the pressure off of the prostate on men. Depending upon your needs, you are sure to find the right saddle for you bike, which will help you to enjoy your mountain biking even more.

If you are any kind of mountain biker, then you know that what terrain you are riding on dictates the kind of tire treads that you need. Using the right tires with the right tread will help you to better control your bike no matter where you want to go biking. You may also want to consider V-type brakes if you are going to need to be able to stop quickly and easily.

Two things that are very important on mountain bikes is a good suspension system and shocks. If you do not have these two things, then you may find that your body may be very sore due to the bumps of riding. The suspension and shocks can help absorb some of the friction, to help you enjoy your mountain biking even more. Your local bike shop will be able to help you find any of these parts that you need or want for your mountain bikes.

Alastair Hamilton is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics like bike reviews for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about mountain bikes at his website.

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If you want to take a Spain bike tour, then you may want to consider investing in a touring bicycle. This type of bicycle is specially made to carry food, clothes, and other supplies that you will need on your Spain bike tour or other bike tour. There are racks that are on the front and rear of the touring bike for toting around all the extra stuff that you need on a trip. They also feature three water bottle holders, a large wheelbase, and mudguard mounts, and a frame that fits the wider tires perfectly.

Three common touring bikes are available today. These include the tandem, recumbent, and road touring bikes. Every touring bike has its specific benefits and they should be chosen after considering your individual needs and desires.

The classic touring bike has a wheel that is 700c, with a diameter that is the same size of a racing bike, but with more ample clearance for the frame and a wider rim. You will notice that most manufacturers modify a mountain bike tire that is 26″, because it is very strong and gives you better resistance while riding.

Have you seen those cool recumbent touring bikes? These bikes are easy to notice, due to the position of the seat. This touring bike offers the rider a reclined seat that keeps their legs in front of the seat, rather than under the seat. The steering is usually slightly below or above the level of the seat for maximum comfort.

A tandem bicycle is a bicycle built for two and is very popular for couples who are going on a trip of a long distance. This bike would be excellent for you and your husband to take that Spain bike tour or other tour across a country. These bikes will not carry extra weight like supplies, so you may want to hook a trailer to your tandem bike to take a long trip.

The more modern touring bikes have the proper equipment for long distance rides complete with saddles that you can ride comfortable for a long distance, road handlebars, and front and rear luggage racks for all of your gear. This bike has sturdy wheels and rims that withstand riding and are stable and durable. You can find trailers to tow some of your gear and this is a wonderful idea if you have quite a bit of supplies, because it gives you a lower center of gravity.

Touring bikes are made to be very durable and sturdy for the up and down roads. The brakes on a touring bike are different than on other bikes as they are lever-pulled or cantilever brakes. You may even find a touring bike that comes complete with disc brakes simply because they offer additional braking.

Touring bikes are not known for their speed, but they are known for functionality in traveling and durability. This bike is excellent to use on your Spain bike tour or any bike tour that you want to take.

Andrew Caxton contributes adding long articles on bicycle tours for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about spain bike tour at his website.

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If you plan to buy a mountain bike in the near future, there are several factors you will need to take into consideration. One of the most important factors of choosing a mountain bike is what you are going to be using the mountain bike for.

For example, the most avid mountain bikers, as the name implies, like to take their mountain bikes to rugged and rocky mountain terrain. Other mountain bikers prefer unpaved roads and trails, while other mountain bike enthusiasts stick to paved roads and bike paths.

There is a direct correlation to kind of riding you will do and the type of mountain bike you should buy. Three things to pay special attention to are the mountain bike’s tires, the mountain bike’s forks, and the mountain bike’s saddle.

Mountain Bike Forks

There are different types of mountain bike forks, but the main thing you want to look for are shocks. Mountain bikes with shocks will generally be more comfortable to ride than those that do not have shocks, and will also be better equipped to go over rougher terrain. Mountain bikes without shocks will have a more rigid feel to them, but you may find that these bikes are built more for speed than mountain bikes without shocks.

Mountain Bike Saddles

Some saddles are very light weight and do not offer a lot of padding. Some saddles are heavier and offer a lot of cushioning. Generally, mountain bikes that have saddles without a lot of padding are more high performance oriented, while those that have more cushioning in the saddle are designed for leisurely riding. Some mountain bikes also have shock absorbent seat posts.

If you find that you like a higher performance mountain bike better than a mountain bike that is designed for comfort, but do not like the saddle, keep in mind that you can always switch the saddle out for a more comfortable one.

Mountain Bike Tires

When you buy a mountain bike, take a look at the tires. Do you plan to ride on very rugged terrain? Then make sure the tires are wide, a little bulky, and provides lots of traction. Do you plan on riding only on pavement? Then stick with a tire that is a little narrower and smoother, but provides a little bit of traction. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use a tire with a lot of traction on pavement, but you will get more speed with a smoother tire.

These are just a few basic things to look for in a mountain bike. Ultimately, buy a mountain bike that you enjoy riding…you will probably be riding the mountain bike you purchase for the next 5 or 10 years!

Keith is the webmaster of http://MountainBikesAndParts.com For a HUGE selection of new and used mountain bikes and accessories, please visit http://MountainBikesAndParts.com

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Want to impress the chick you pass on your way to work daily, who just gape on the hunks riding motorcycles? But alas you are neither a hunk nor can you afford to buy a motorcycle now. Here pocket street bikes come to your rescue, I mean rescuing the eyes of the girl from other guys to feast on you. Does it sounds too good to be true? Then wait! There are more to come!

The World Of Pocket Street Bike

A pocket street bike is petite and sleek versions of a motorcycle. A ride on a pocket street bike will provide you with the same thrill of biking on a motorcycle. Most of the pocket bikes are exact copy of the racing motorcycles in craftsmanship, proportion and detail. So pocket bikes have all the gears of a full-scale motorbike like racing tires, twist grip, lightweight alloy frame, disc brakes and acceleration control.

These bikes run on either gas or electric. There is an option of buying kits to modify this bike into an open class machine. The gasoline powered road bikes reach up to a speed of 35mph or even 50 mph in an open class machine. The electric run bikes are recharged with rechargeable batteries.

About Racing

The pocket bikes are used for races, in Australia, it is developed into a race unto itself christened “minimoto” racing. However, some people say that this races originated in Italy.

Now Some Good Scoops About Pocket Bikes

Other than creating impressions on pretty girls, pocket bikes have other pros too, like:

A pocket street bike, because of its small figure, can be cuddled into any small space and it is not difficult to store this bike, but remember to store it properly in any garage or shed.

A pocket street is good for racing which provides some sparkling fun. As these bikes are small the ride should be confined to secluded spaces free from dangers and heavy traffic.

The Safety Measures

Ride the bike equipped with proper riding gear like helmets and elbow pads, kneepads gloves and shoes to prevent injuries.

Take due care of yourself and other pedestrians and motorists while driving.

The Legal Side About Your Pocket Street Bike

Though a pocket street bike is meant for streets, in most of the states riding a pocket street bike on public streets is not legal. Check the legal provisions before buying a pocket street bike.

Some Tips

Communicate with your local Department Of Motor Vehicles and check whether you can ride your pocket street bike on street. If riding is permitted then find out other requirements that should be met before bringing the pocket street bike on street. Also, ask which roads are legal for a pocket street bike.

Then you have to check the minimum age for driving a pocket street bike on street. Ask the DMV about licensing information as well. Get an insurance company to insure your pocket bike and get a registration and a license plate for your bike.

Clear up these bumps and just set on for an exciting journey.

About this Author

Robert Sheehan is a freelance writer and co-owner of http://www.bicycles-are-us.com Visit Robert and read more about bicycles at http://www.bicycles-are-us.com/Pocket-Bikes.html

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Extreme Mountain Biking is a sport where bikers ride their beasts in extreme situations enjoying every bit of adrenalin rush. Trial riding and street riding are urban games and are examples of such mountain biking. Extreme biking is an exclusive sport, which demands a lot of courage, patience and self- reliance.

During the past few years, nobody has heard so much about the mountain bikes. But presently, mountain biking is in vogue. Mountain bikes can be enjoyed on different terrains, with equal ease. Mountain bike riders use their bikes for various competitions and programs.

Extreme biking can be divided into five categories: Cross Country, Downhill, Free riding, Dirt Jumping, and Street Riding. The most popular terrains for mountain biking are rocky roads, gravel road and inhospitable tracks. But most of the mountain bike riders prefer to ride ’single tracks’, that are narrow pathways, carved through fields or forests.

Downhill Races

Downhill races have typical staggered start to lower the chances of crashing. The bikers ride down the hill with a matchless speed. Many Downhill races are organized in ski slopes during the summer. Downhill races demand the ultimate skill from the riders, who can maneuver their bikes extremely well. Bikes meant for downhill races are well fitted with front and rear suspension, large brakes and heavier frame tubing. These bikes should never be dragged up the hill. For this reason racers and riders of downhill make frequent use of trucks and ski hills to be transported at the top of the mountain. This extreme form of mountain race biking demands a great physiological challenge.

Dirt jumping mountain biking

Dirt jumping is more common with BMX experts. Dirt biking experts compete to exhibit the biggest, the amazing and the most astounding jumps in the air while they spin with their bikes doing flips and other stunts. You will gaze while the biker is busy taking the stunts in the air.

Bike trails

Another most extreme mountain bike riding is bike trails. This is a course of cycling action where you are made to navigate through unimaginable rough terrains without even letting your feet have the slightest ground contact. The riders performing bike trails should know how to balance their bikes on rails, boulders, posts, tree stumps and a variety of other dangerous obstacles.

Cross country races

This form of race usually covers 30 miles and it can be performed on several rough and rugged land surfaces. The cross-country racers start off together just as the participants of marathons do.

The other extreme varieties of mountain biking include park biking, urban biking and freeride biking.

Once you develop a passion for biking competitions you should at once start making arrangements with practice and get into the perfect shape. Remember, extreme mountain bike rides are not meant for beginners.

When you are prepared to take on with such rides, you should always stay alert while performing the stunts. You must also be careful about wearing helmets and pads because an inch of carelessness can make you suffer for the rest of your life.

About this Author

Robert Sheehan is a freelance writer and co-owner of

http://www.bicycles-are-us.com Visit Robert And

read more about bicycles at

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Mountain bikes are among the strongest and most rugged bicycles that you can find. The reason that these bikes are so strong is that they are ridden on some very tough terrain, including steep inclines, dirt tracks, and pebbles. In most cases, mountain bikers do not ride on smoothly paved roads, rather they ride on hilly and uneven terrain that can be quite rough on a bicycle. Mountain bikers get a big thrill in riding on unpaved, rough terrain, even though this is hard on a bicycle. That is why many manufacturers have made sturdier bikes for this purpose.

The tires on a mountain bike are thicker and fatter than normal bike tires. They are also made of more durable rubber that gives the rider added traction and control on uneven surfaces.

Suspension is another very essential feature of a mountain bike. A strong suspension system is essential for a mountain bike so that the rider can better handle the ups and downs that occur when riding on uneven terrain.

Mountain bikes can be separated into several different categories that are founded upon the type of suspension that they have. The classifications are dual suspension, hard tails, soft tails, and fully rigid bikes. Rigid bikes feature a rigid fork. Soft-tailed bikes have a rear suspension that pivots on the frame. Hard-tailed bikes feature a front suspension fork. Suspension bikes have either front, rear, or dual suspension systems. These bikes also feature a shock absorber in the rear, in addition to a linkage.

Lighter weight material and materials that are more resilient are the norm for a cross-country mountain bike. You can find a cross-country bike that can weight anywhere from 20-40 pounds, depending upon your needs. An all-mountain or Enduro bike will usually be heavier than a cross-country bike. These bikes range in weight from 30-35 pounds. These bikes feature a suspension that will enable you to maneuver around hairpin turns and climb up hills much easier.

Heavier and stronger materials are used to build a free ride mountain bike. They are made to help make pedaling easier, so that you can easily move around anything that is in your way and you can make sharp turns. They weigh in at around 45 pounds, which decreases their efficiency over other cross-country bikes.

For downhill tracks or race courses, you will want to choose a downhill mountain bike. They offer you better traction than the other varieties of mountain bikes for maximum control and speed.

If short distance riding is your game, then a trial bike is probably the one for you. They lack suspension and do not have a seat or vestigial pad. They are also much lighter than other bikes for maximum speed. They weigh in at about 20 pounds.

Between mountain and trial bikes, you will find Street Mountain, Dirt Jumping, and Urban Bikes. These bikes are extremely touch and feature anywhere from one to nine gears with a chain guide for the front and rear gears.

About this Author

Andrew Caxton is the author and editor of many bicycles articles and newsletters published at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com. You can find more information and resources on mountain bike reviews at his website.

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