To steer a mountain bike you use a steering mechanism called a handlebar. Handlebars are usually made out of steel, aluminium alloy or even carbon fibre, and can come in a wide variety of types and size to meet the specific needs of a rider. There are many different specifications of handlebars and each have a positive and negative side to them. A wider handlebar can give you greater control and more leverage while a more small and narrow handlebar offers comfort and more control while taking corners. There are many accessories you can add to a handlebar to give extra comfort and grip, such as grips and bar ends.
The most common mountain bikes are the Hard-tail and the Soft-tail versions. Both of these mountain bikes have a special part that is called a ‘shock absorber’. A shock absorber is mechanical device that is designed to smooth out rough surfaces to make it a more comfortable experience for the rider. Although the Hard-tail has only one shock absorber at the front, the Soft-tail has one at the front and another at the back of the bike. Most mountain bikes have about 80-130mm of travel but can go up to around 210mm for extreme rough terrain. Travel is the distance the absorber has to travel before it can’t do its job anymore, the more travel the smoother to ride, but the less comfortable it is.
A Hard-tail mountain bike is type of bike with a shock absorbers attached to the front forks of the bike. Hard-tail bikes are the most common as they are cheaper than the Soft-tail type. Although they are just as comfortable but easier to maintain. A hard-tail bike has a simpler construction, “old school” look and feel and weighs less than a Soft-tail. Hard-tails aren’t suitable for long distance riding and overall have a rougher ride then the Soft-tail. The Soft-tail on the other hand is a smoother ride and has better handling, more comfortable and is great for long distance riding. Although it costs a lot more to build and is more complex to design and construct.
Mountain bikes are used in a great range of sports and hobbies, and while mountain biking you may need to carry a wide range of equipment and tools or even food and drinks. To do this people attach panniers to their bicycles. Panniers are like suitcases that are attached to a pannier rack that is attached to your bike. Panniers can hold all sorts of things such as food, drinks, swags, tents etc... They come in many different types of sizes and materials. Panniers can be attached to both sides of the rear wheel, under the saddle, over your handlebars, or simply on your back. Panniers are good for people that love to go mountain bike riding for long periods of time and need to carry a large amount of essential items, they are tough and durable and therefore the best thing to hold your items in while riding in harsh environments.
The most essential piece of equipment you should carry while mountain bike riding is a piece of safety equipment called an EPIRB. An EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) is an emergency distress beacon that sends out radio beacons or ‘distress signals’ that, when detected, can be located by search and rescue. If carried and used correctly, when mountain bike riding and you eventually become lost, badly injured or in a very dangerous situation, you can activate your EPIRB you can be instantly located by SAR (Search & Rescue). EPIRBS are widely used by mountain bikers and many other hobbies and even in jobs, they save thousands of lives a year.
EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon)
Diagram of a Hard-tail Mountain Bike.
Some of the most common mountain bike damage from casual riding is:
-
Buckled Rim – Buckled Rims are caused by a lot of stress on the rim, usually by the rear or front rim hitting the ground hard and bending the rim slightly. Buckled rims can by fixed by locating where the buckle on the rim is and then loosing up the spokes on the exact opposite side of where the buckle is, while putting pressure on where the buckle is. Eventually tighten them up doing 3 or 4 spokes and leaving 5-8 spokes between.
-
Broken Derailleur – Derailleur’s are very fragile parts of a mountain bike and are usually broken by people placing their bikes down on the wrong side. When stopping for a period of time the mountain bike should be placed down on the opposite side of the derailleur making sure no dirt, mud, water or any other substance is near it that can cause it to stop working. Also while laying the bike down, making sure you’re not dropping it... instead, place it down.
-
Flat Tyre – A flat tyre is the most common bike damage and if known how to fix and be very easy. Start by taking the rim off the bike frame and using tyre levers, take the wheel of the rim and pull the tube out after inflating it. If the puncture is repairable, using rubber patches, place the patch over the puncture and stick the patch over the puncture using rubber vulcanising glue. If the tube in unrepairable, you’ll need a near bike tube.
While mountain biking you should be completely equipped with tools that can repair your bike. The most common things you should carry are:
- Tyre Lever
- Spoke Wrench
- Universal Chain Tool
- Adjustable Wrench (Preferably 2)
- Spare Nuts & Bolts
- Tyre Pump
- Spare Tubes (Preferably 2 or 3)
- Patch Kit
- Bicycle Mini Tool
These tools can usually be brought as a bicycle repair kit that can be attached under your seat as a saddle pannier.
While mountain biking you should consider the people around you and have respect for the environment and wildlife. You should never go passed a fence, gate or closed off area where a sign is in stand that prohibits you from entering that area. You should always clean up your mess and never leave any rubbish behind; it should be placed in a public bin or in a bag that you carry so you can put it in a bin later on. You should never be excessively loud or do anything that can be damaging to the environment or can hurt and injure the local wildlife. When riding you should also look out for dead or eroding trees and try to make sure you don’t ride over them as they may be infected with dieback and this disease can spread by riding over them. You should also look out for other people using the track and make sure they and you aren’t in harm’s way and also have respect, not doing anything that can potentially hurt or injure them.
Some common injuries by mountain bike riders are:
-
Back Pain – Back pain is usually caused by the bike not being the right fit for you. This can be prevented by positioning the handlebars correctly and your crouch being cupped on the saddle more making sure there’s not much pressure being forced onto your arms. Usually applying heat or ice to the sore spot can make the pain less painful, Panadole or any other type of painkiller can be a good solution but the best is to rest. When you start to feel back it is advisable to stop and rest making sure you don’t do any more damage to your back.
-
Cramps – Cramps are caused by muscles repeating the same action. Cramps can be treated by drinking a lot of fluids making the muscle electrolytes to balance out and to stop it from having spasms. Stretching before mountain bike riding can prevent this from happening.
-
Heat Stroke – Heat stroke is caused by the lack of hydration and fluids entering your system. When riding you should try to drink as much water as possible but if you start to get a rapid pulse, tight chest, throbbing headache or a high body temperature, you should stop immediately. If you have heat stroke you should get out of direct sunlight straight away and lay down, with your legs facing up. Remove heat retaining clothes and try to cool down as quickly as possible, by placing ice packs on the most sensitive parts of your body such as the forehead, neck and ribs. If the person isn’t cooling down and the body temperature is still raising you should seek medical attention as quick as possible.
It is advisable to carry a first aid kit while riding. In your first aid kit you should include:
- Scissors
- Thermometer
- Instant Cold Pack
- Bandages (Various Sizes)
- Alcohol Swabs
- Disinfectant
- Insect Repellent
- Tweezers
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm & Eye Drops
- Lighter
- Pad & Pen
- Any prescription medication that may be needed
- Emergency, Health and Family phone numbers
You should also carry your mobile phone in an easy to get to place.
First aid kits can be stored in a pannier at the front of the bike for easy access.
In this assignment I have looked at the different types of mountain bikes and have compared the hard-tail mountain bike to the soft-tail. I have described the different parts of a mountain bike and labelled the parts along with a diagram. I’ve explained the special types of accessories and safety equipment you should carry with you while on a mountain bike race or expedition. I’ve looked at the types of tools that you should have on you and explained how to fix a few common mountain bike parts, and a few of the most common bicycle riding injuries and how to treat them. I think going on a mountain bike expedition would be exciting as you get to explore places that you usually would see and meet new people. You can also go camping and enjoy the outdoors while getting fit at the same time, it would be interesting to the see the different types of bikes people ride and the helpful skills and tips they could give you to make you a better rider.
Adam Breitkopf.
http://www.velogear.com.au/catalog/Panniers_Bags_Racks-11-1.html
http://bicycle-repair-4u.com/bicycle_repair_fixing_a_flat.htm
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/roadandtrailrepairs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_bike
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle