Cool Biking Zone

How To Use A GPS Watch To Help You With Distance Training And More

By: Gregg Hall

GPS or Global Positioning Systems are becoming more and available to the average person. You can now get GPS installed in phones, cars and the latest Garmin GPS Watches. With more navigational uses Garmin GPS watches have joined the ranks of technology and advancement .In the United States alone, interest for navigational systems has exploded making the average person ready to experience Garmin GPS watches.

Some of the newest and most popular Garmin GPS watches are the Forerunner 201 and Forerunner 101. These watches have a lot to offer both for navigation and training. With easy to use programming anyone can learn to use these new high tech watches. Both watches have many available features. For example the Forerunner 201 has a comfort based ergonomic wrist strap, easily readable display, and GPS sensor for all your training wants and needs. Offering precise measurements in speed, pace and distance the Forerunner 201 is and excellent piece of training equipment. There are also training assistant capabilities available on the Forerunner making tracking your data simple and carefree.

The virtual partner feature available on the Garmin GPS Forerunner 201 watch will enhance your training just as though you have a personal trainer. With the advanced technology available in this watch you can set the programming to suit your speed, pace and personal tracking requirements making the watch individual as the person who uses one. You will be able to track your progress therefore enhancing your personal output abilities. Studies have shown that when trainers track your progress you will be more able to stick with your workout regimen and succeed at a greater level than when you train alone. The virtual training partner will act as a person trainer to ensure success.

Although the technology is advancing ever faster than in the past you will not be left behind. By purchasing and using a Garmin GPS watch you too will be advancing with the technology. Why pay a lot of money for a personal trainer at a gym when you can have a person trainer on your watch who can be available anytime anywhere. The benefits of these new hybrid watches will far outweigh the cost once you have experienced the feeling of succeeding on a personal level without help from an expensive trainer.

New advancements in technology are happing at lightning speed but the new watches from Garmin are advancing right along with it. With excellent navigational, performance tracking, and virtual training partner these high tech watches can help you attain the goals you have set for yourself. Garmin GPS Watches will go the distance with you!

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Men’s and Women’s Watches at http://www.only-watches.com
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 5th, 2007

How To Decide Which Type Of GPS System You Need

By: Gregg Hall

I think by now just about everyone knows about GPS devices. Lots of people are using the technology today that once relegated to pocket protector geeks with black frame glasses. I know those of us who fish offshore would never leave home without it now, I don’t know how we ever did without it. If you are still lacking a little in the knowledge of GPS and how the system works here are a few hints to get you started.

If you haven’t ever used a GPS, a simple explanation is that it is like a live animation map that moves as you move. If you are looking for a specific location the GPS can take you there, if you don’t know where you are the GPS can tell you. It is a super cool tool to have.

The GPS tracking technology has come a long way with GPS devices available today that actually speak to you. These gadgets will now tell you when to turn, how far ahead your destination is, and even how far to the nearest gas station.

So how do you decide which specific device you need out of all the GPS systems on the market? First, you can break all of the devices into four main categories which are: automobile navigation, marine navigation, outdoors, and the newer PDA-GPS hybrids like those available from Palm now.

The automotive systems are primarily used by people who travel for a living or use their vehicles in outside sales. There are many manufacturers now offering the option of having the units built into the vehicle and it has become a very popular option. These devices like their aftermarket counterparts are normally mounted to the dashboard in easy view for the driver. Some of the more desirable features to have are the detailed built in maps, voice guided directions and the points of interest database which will call attention to things like restaurants and service stations.

The handheld portable units are a great choice if you want flexibility and the option of using the unit outside of the car. For people who like hiking or hunting these are great. You should look for one that is waterproof with a color screen and a batter that will last for a long duration. Also look for programmable mapping features. You will want to be able to upload maps of rural areas you may be going to, or if using it near shore, you will want marine maps.

As I alluded to earlier, I am an avid offshore fisherman and wouldn’t even consider fishing offshore now without a GPS. If you are fishing in tournaments you can’t even begin to compete without one. These systems are very durable and since they are designed for marine conditions, they are waterproof. They will offer such features as chart plotting in full color, sonar, programmable maps, and even fishing hot spots.

The newer hybrid system now available offers a blend of the GPS technology with a PDA. These are relatively new and only a handful of companies are offering them. The one that I am most familiar with is the Palm Treo.

–About–

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as RC Planes and Helicopters at http://www.scientificgiftsplus.com

Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 5th, 2007

Why The Mountain Biking Phenomenon Is Growing In Popularity

By: Gregg Hall

Mountain biking has taken the cycling world by storm. It wasn’t all that long ago when the phrase “mountain bike” would’ve elicited blank stares. Now you see them everywhere. Mountain bikes are made to handle almost every terrain imaginable, and that’s why they’ve become so popular. Just like SUV’s, most people who use them don’t have a need for their full range of functions, but it’s good to no the capability is there “just in case”.

Mountain bikes are nice even for the urban rider because they eliminate the worries one might have when encountering potholes, gravel, and bad road conditions. Mountain bike riders utilize their bikes for a wide range of activities and competitions. A number of races and competitions have sprung up to make use of the mountain bike’s many capabilities.

One such extreme mountain bike competition is known as cross-country (or XC) races. Cross-country mountain bike races usually cover about 30 miles and cover a variety of terrains. These races feature a mass start with all the riders taking off at the same time much like a marathon.

If cross-country races are too short for you, there’s always endurance (or enduro) racing. These races cover in excess of 70 miles and climb to elevations of 8000 feet and more.

For the real maniacs out there, the only way to go is downhill racing. Downhill races typically have staggered starts to try to minimize crashing, but as you can imagine, crashes are a regular part of such events. The racers fly down the hill at breakneck speeds, the key being to have the fastest time down the slope. Many of these races are held on ski slopes during the warmer months. Such competitions demand that the riders have the utmost skill and experience as it can be an extremely dangerous endeavor. These races aren’t for novices.

A competition rapidly growing in popularity is dirt jumping. This will be familiar to BMX enthusiasts as it’s essentially the same sort of competition. Such events aren’t races, of course. They’re judged events wherein riders compete to accomplish the biggest, most amazing jumps involving spinning the bike in the air, doing flips, and even completely letting go of the bike and getting back on before it lands.

Another form of extreme mountain bike competition is bike trials. These events involve navigating unbelievable difficult terrain without touching your feet to the ground. Bike trials require riders to balance their mountain bikes on rails, boulders, posts, tree stumps, and any number of seemingly impossible obstacles. The goal is to finish the course quickly and without having to put your feet down.

If any of these extreme mountain biking competitions appeal to you, start practicing and getting into shape. These events are for skilled and experienced riders only. They’re physically demanding and fairly dangerous. They are not for novices. Remember to wear a helmet and pads when attempting crazy stunts on your bike, and take care of yourself if you’re going to attempt extremely arduous long-distance rides.

–About–

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as cycling training at http://www.cyclinggearplus.com
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 5th, 2007

Folding Bicycles; Store Them Wherever You Like

By: Robert Sheehan

Folding bicycles or folders have been designed with multiple hinges and joints, which can be locked when required. The Folding bikes can be folded into a likeable size, which allows it to be carried on trains, buses and all sorts of both public and private modes of communication.

The advantages of a folding bicycle

Folding bikes are better in comparison to the conventional lots. This is because they are easy to be boarded and carried even for long distance travels. This is simply great for it can help you to cover up a part of your journey thus saving a lot of your valuable time and energy.

The other typical folding variety is the one where the parts of the bicycle are separated and then folded together to be carried easily from one place to another.

If you live on the top most floor of an apartment then it is better that you have a folding bicycle. Conventional bicycles need to be stored at the ground floor where there are high chances of the property being stolen or damaged. If you have a folding bicycle you can keep it with you and easily carry it down the stairs, for not all apartments have lifts or elevators.

These bicycles are constructed with lightweight aluminum and are available in a variety of forms and sizes suited to your purpose. It is important that you make some comparisons before you prepare yourself for the ultimate choice.

The Moulton folding bike variety was used successfully to win a criterium race on the way of Canada and Toronto. The bike had a kind of acceleration and maneuverability, which enabled it to gain a status superior in comparison to usual motorbikes on road.

In most cases, folding bikes make use of small diameter wheels, which tend to be a bit unstable on craggy surfaces. The folders are also provided with shock absorbers for a better and smoother ride. This particular bike type has been blessed with several adjustments, which make it easier for riders of all sorts to accommodate themselves properly on the seat.

The folding methods of different bike varieties vary greatly. Here is a list of the various folding procedures.

The iXi folding bike breaks into two halves
The Bazooka simply fold in half
The Airnimal and Bike Friday partly folds in half and partially gets quibbled
The Strida’s triangular frame folds aptly to resemble a unicycle
The Giatex folds and retracts. This it does in order to adjust the size of the rider
The Brompton and the Birdy fold with more complication but they definitely fold smaller

No matter how they fold, the specialty of these bikes lies in their ease of transportation and storage in comparison to the traditional bicycles.

–About–

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-s.com/Folding-Bikes.html
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 5th, 2007

BMX Parks Are Perfect Places To Practice Bicycle Skills

By: Robert Sheehan

BMX Parks are either made of wood or they come in concrete forms. In most cases, the parks meant for BMX riders are council supplied parks made of metal. The style of riding determines whether the parks are made of wood or concrete. Parks made of wood are apt for technical rides while concrete allows a fast flowing style. Riders who are always in look for gaps and have an aim to fly from the coping generally like the hasty style.

Parks for BMX riders – places to try out skills

In most concrete parks, you are sure to come across several bowls and pools. However, if you prefer you can even merge the two riding styles inside one particular park form. Most concrete parks for BMX riders are built outdoors for their capacity to endure years of several climactic withering and torturing. Building a concrete park is quite an expensive venture for which contributions from different sources are put together to give form to such a concrete open space.

Most commercial BMX squares are made of wood. Some of the reasons for this have been successfully listed below.

1. Wooden parks are more easy to construct
2. Materials required for the construction are easily available
3. The cost of construction is comparatively less
4. It is safer to fall on wood then on concrete. You will not be severely injured
5. If the park is particularly meant for BMX riders, it should have steel coping, which cannot be easily damaged

Quarter pipes, spines, flat banks, wall rides, mini ramps and hips are some of the common obstacles included in the wooden parks meant for BMX riders. Irrespective of the fact that whether you are an inexperienced beginner or an experienced old hand, the parks present opportunities for riders of every level.
There are some parks specifically meant for novice and children while the others allow challenging jumps for more talented and in-art riders. These specific riding domains have provisions for more than forty jumps along with several banked turns.

Throughout the year, BMX riders are allowed to practice their skills on the park during the early hours of the day. Riders when practicing within the park should wear helmets and when juniors practice, they should be kept under the strict supervision of the seniors.

A park for the BMX riders can be both privately or public owned. If you enter a private BMX or state park, you have to pay admission fees. On the other hand, parks with no private ownership will charge you nothing. You will get to see private BMX or state parks within buildings with tall ceilings, roller rinks or warehouses.

If you are an expert BMX rider, you make sure to practice your techniques inside a state park as a means to sharpen your skills.

–About–

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/BMX-Bikes.html
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 5th, 2007

Who Needs A Custom Built Road Bike

By: Alastair Hamilton

Biking is such a popular sport and there are many wide varieties of bikes on the market, in a varied pricing range. But for those serious athletes, the custom-built bike might be the way to go.

Ever heard of Randonneuring? Sounds French, doesn’t it? Well, the sport originated in France, but is becoming more and more popular in the United States.

Randonneuring is “long-distance unsupported endurance cycling.” You may have heard of it as “Ultra Long Distance Cycling.”

The joy of this sport is that it is non-competitive. Riders indulge in friendly camraderie, not trying to drive each other into the ground. And because the rides are “unsupported” - the idea is to be self sufficient.

There are many events held for Randonneur riding, but the names of winners are not posted. Rather, the names of the riders who have finished the course are posted in alphabetical order. It’s not about beating anyone, it’s about challenging yourself.

These events consist of rides of 200, 300, 400, 600, and 1000 KM for individual riders. Each of these distances is called a “brevet.” There are probably events being held in your area, even if you’ve never heard of them before. Search the web under “randoneuring” or “ultra long distance cycling” and you’ll find any local clubs.

Now, it’s when road riders want to participate in racers and ultra long distance cycling that they’ll want a custom-built road bike rather than one purchased just off the rack.

It’s not that bikes purchased just off the rack aren’t perfectly serviceable for most riders, but serious athletes - professionals, and those just below the professoinal level - will certainly want a custom-built bike - one that is precisely fitted to their body. (Customized bikes, and custom-built bikes, are two different things. Customized bikes swap out various pieces for better fitting pieces, whereas custom-built bikes are built to certain specifications from the ground up.)

Triathletes are another group of people who need custom-built bikes. In a triathlon, the participants have to swim, cycle and then run for certain distances. It’s an incredibly grueling sport and so the cycle has to be the lightest, the most sturdiest, and the best fitted piece of equipment they have.

Many bike companies offer customized road bikes, and while they are expensive, they’re not as expensive as they used to be because with new technology always comes lower prices. It’s possible to purchase your customized bike from a local dealer, but for a custom-built bike, most likely you’ll have to go online.

Companies that offer custom-builds include Guru, Waterford, and Titus. Do a search on the web to find them, and they’ll tell you all the information you need to know to get a custom-built bike.

–About–

Alastair Hamilton contributes editing long articles on cycling for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com. You can find more information and resources on road bike reviews at his website.
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 4th, 2007

Lowrider Bikes: Art On Wheels

By: Alastair Hamilton

Most bicycles are dull and boring - they come out of a cookie cutter and they all look the same. Not so the lowrider bike. Once their owners get their hands on them, their lowrider becomes a personalized piece of art.

Custom upholstery, rims, special whitewall tires, and sound systems are common on this mode of transport.

Think I’m talking about a car? No, I’m talking about customized lowrider bicycles - the latest craze sweeping the urban areas of the country.

A lowrider bike is not about biking, although they do get ridden up and down neighborhood streets, or perhaps on the beach, to show off the “pimped up” ride, but mostly they are about viewing.

People have put steering wheels on their bikes, neon, handpainted murals, and even hydraulics. What are “hydraulics”? You might be asking yourself. That’s a fancy name for brakes powered by liquid. (Hydro means water in Greek.) The imagination is the limit when it comes to designing a lowrider bike.

You can get a plain old lowrider bike of course - simply a bike with a low, comfortable seat, usually a banana seat, the pedals set further forward then normal so it’s almost like you’re pedaling while sitting down, and high, swept up handlebars called apehangers.

But what’s the point of getting a lowrider without accessorising it? (I prefer the term accessorizing to “pimping,” personally, although “pimping” is what all the “young studs” call it.)

It’s quite easy to get carried away, and more is not necessarily better, although some lowrider artists seem to think so. Two mirrors on each side, two horns, a spare tire mounted on the rear..it can be a bit much (although you can’t tell them that!)

So before you start fitting out your lowrider, think for a while about what you want it to look like. Are you a talented artist? Then purchase some paint made specifically for bikes and give it a unique mural. Match the rest of the accessories to the mural. If it’s of a series of volcanos, get red upholstery and red rims, for example. If you’ve got any mechanical talent at all you can “distress” various of the parts to give it a unique look.

Most of all, you’ve simply got to join a lowrider club in your area, because most of the fun in having these types of bikes is to show them off to your friends. Lots of clubs have competitions and give prizes for the best-looking or most outrageous-looking bikes.

Surf the web for online stores that offer lowrider accessories, so you’ll know what all is out there. Then, let your imagination run wild!

–About–

Alastair Hamilton writes for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about lowrider bikes at his website.
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 4th, 2007

Road Bike Customization

By: Alastair Hamilton

There are three kinds of cyclists - the casual cyclist, the dedicated weekend hobbyist, and the fanatic. It’s the fanatic who will probably want to get a customized road bike.

There are customized bikes…and then there are custom-built bikes.

What’s the difference between the two?

Cusstomized Bikes

Well, anyone who goes to a bike store and has the clerks there help him, or her, fit the bike properly, will usually “customize” their bike by choosing the kind of saddle they like (narrow or wide, gel-filled, etc.), different stem lengths for handlebar height, v-pull or disc brakes, etc.

You can continue to customize your bike with accessories such as bells, compasses, and lights - and you can even give it a paint job if you’re good at that sort of thing. (Indeed, I’ve got a Schwinn Sierra that’s about four years old, and I’ve been thinking of giving it a new coat of blue paint with yellow highlights. Unfortunately, I know I don’t have the skill to make it look even halfway decent.)

Road bikes are, obviously, built specifically to ride on roads, and aren’t suited for cross-country travel. The tires are very narrow to provide as little resistance as possible to the road, and the handlebars are of the drop-down type which force the rider to lean forward at an acute angle. However, there are various additions to the handlebars one can get so that when resting is more important than speed, it’s possible to sit up straight and still control the bike properly.

Lowriders are another type of road bike, though not one used for racing, but rather for cruising around showing off their paint jobs.

Custom Built

What does custom-built mean? A custom-built bike is one that is built for you from the ground up - and hand-crafted more often than not. Your every measurement is taken and the frame is built to those measurements. Cranksets will fit your legs, top tubes will be just the right length, and it’ll be built out of the space-age material you prefer.

And in addition to that of course you can choose the types of shifters and breaks you’d like as well.

Custom-built bikes are the most expensive bikes you can get, but they will fit you like a glove and if you are a serious bike rider that is the type of bike you’ll want.

Serious road bikers have many different activities in which they can indulge, from”ultra long distance riding” (Randonneuring) to triathlons - where one of the three segments of the race is biking. These type of athletes have to have custom-built bikes.

–About–

Alastair Hamilton publishes articles for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . You can find more information and resources on road bike reviews at his website.
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 4th, 2007

Chopped Bikes: Cool And Confident

By: Alastair Hamilton

The latest rage is not a mountain bike with a new set of gears, or a road bike made of lighter material, but rather lowrider bikes - low seats, high handlebars, and lots and lots of chrome.

As the world around us continues to become more and more complicated, even our toys become more complicated - for example our mountain bikes are more complicated than ever with dozens of gears and choices between hard tails and soft tails and having to decide between disc brakes or v-brakes.

In such an atmosphere, it’s not surprising that the “retro-look” is back. Well, actually the retro-look never goes out of style, it just lies dormant for a decade or so before coming back. There really is nothing new under the sun.

Today, lowriders and chopper bicycles are resurging in popularity. They are certainly not for riding cross-country or downhill, but for riding on pavement or across soft beach sand, they are wonderful.

It’s more than just the high handlebars, generous seats, and fat tires that provide a comfortable ride, it’s the ability to express one’s individual tastes by decorating their bikes. These bikes have become fashion statements among the youths of the major urban areas of the country.

Chopper bikes first appeared in California in the early 1960s. They were built by kids, who wanted to copy the then-popular customized motorcycles called choppers. Why chopped? Because the bikes had been “chopped” - put together from several different bikes.

The most distinctive feature of the chopper bike is its handlebars… also called ape hangers, which extend high above the head of the rider. The seat or saddle, meanwhile is situated even lower than normal, and the pedals are pushed far forward.

The design of the chopper doesn’t stop there, of course. Enthusiasts pile on all the accessories they can think of, from chrome to gold to fake fur, from special paint jobs to sound systems.

If you’re mechanically inclined, you can put together your own chopper bike out of bits and pieces of others, but if you’d just like the look without all that fuss, there are chopper bike shops out there who can provide you with the bike, and all the accessories you need to customize it to your satisfaction.

The frame

Just like beach cruisers, you might think that these choppers with all their accoutrements would weigh you down, but that’s not the case as everything is made from space age materials for lightness. However, they typically only come with one gear, so riding up hills can be a bit of a chore.

But that’s not what these bikes are for. They’re for riding around the neighborhood, impressing friends, and indulging one’s creativity.

–About–

Alastair Hamilton is a syndicated editor of http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com. A website with tips on lowrider bikes, amongst many related topics.
Article Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 4th, 2007

Mountain Biking - A Whole Different World

By: Alastair Hamilton

The sport of mountain biking is increasing in popularity year by year. It’s an exhilarating sport, but it’s also physically demanding. Both men and women take part, but its usually people kids, teens, and young adults.

As with any other activity, mountain bikers have devised their own culture, including a language of their own. If you want to get into the game, you’ll have to learn a few terms:

If you’re riding a “boing-boing” you’re riding a bike with both front and rear suspension. If you’ve “bonked” you’ve run out of energy. To “bring home a Christmas tree” is a bad thing, it means you’ve crashed through dense brushes and leaves and things are hanging off your helmet - it also means you’ve left a trace on the hill, which is something mountain bikers - and people in general, of course, are not supposed to do.

“Death cookies” are rocks that fly up into you as you go down the trail. This happens all the time and so that’s why you want to wear goggles or some kind of eye protection. To get “first blood” means you’re the first rider in a group who crashes and starts bleeding as a result. Some people perhaps feel this is a mark of honor for some reason.

If you’re doing an “endo” it means you’re flying over the handlebars of your bike do to a sudden stop. And then you’ll most likely do a “face plant” - hopefully into mud and not into a rock. Regardless, that’s why you wear a helmet and eye protection!

That’s only a small sampling of the terminology. Of course you’ll enjoy the sport even more if you can understand what the people around you are talking about, so take a gander at a few mountain biking slang dictionaries before you hit the trails.

Mountain biking is a great sport, but there is some controversy to it, as some people feel that the cyclists destroy the natural environment in certain areas, and bicycle advocates have to fight to keep the trails open to cyclists.

All cyclists can help by following simple rules - pack out more than you take in, respect pedestrians on the trails, don’t bike after heavy rains, and so on.

By using a respectful attitude toward the environment and common sense in dealing with other people, mountain biking will be a sport that will be around for a long time to come.

Alastair Hamilton contributes adding content to http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . A free online magazine that carries articles on mountain bikes, and a guide on bike reviews here mountain bikes
Source: Cool Biking Zone

Add comment August 4th, 2007