Mountain bikes, Parts, and Accessories

Riding off-road has been around since biking itself, but modern mountain biking became prominent during the 1950s, when European cyclo-cross came to fruition. Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing that takes place over wooded trails, pavement, grass and steep hills. Racers had to develop technical abilities akin to modern mountain bikers to navigate the treacherous obstacles found on most cyclo-cross courses.

Actual mountain bikes developed from thick cruiser bikes that became popular in California during the 1970s. A company called MountainBikes was formed in the late 70s/early 80s, a partnership between Charley Kelley, Tom Ritchey and Gary Fisher (Fisher later went on to start the popular brand of bikes that shares his name). The designs of these initial bikes included wider frame and fork to accommodate wide tires and straight, horizontal handlebars instead of the curved bars found on road bikes during the time period. The company eventually fell through, and in 1983 Specialized replaced them to be the first mass-producer of mountain bikes.

Modern mountain bikes have thicker frames, deep-treaded tires, and suspension. Frames with suspension didn’t become popular until the 90s. Before then, riders’ arms would endure extreme vibration and discomfort–making it hard to traverse rocky trails for long periods of time. Front suspension (or shocks) has become standard on all mountain bikes–and rear suspension is following suit.

There are different types of mountain bikes, each designed for a different style of riding: cross country, all-terrain and downhill. All-terrain bikes are what the most of us own because they deliver on their name; whether cruising through a city or scaling a rough trail, all-terrain bikes can handle any adventure.

Downhill cycling involves racing down steep (and often treacherous) courses. As the name implies, there is no climbing involved; the momentum is gravity-based and riders travel at very high speeds. Because of these demanding conditions, downhill mountain bikes require disc brakes and full suspension. Also, downhill bikers prefer platform pedals–which are rounded off so they do less damage to legs and shins if the crankarm accidentally flings back.

Bike frames are usually made from steel, aluminum, carbon fibers or titanium-steel and aluminum are the cheapest while carbon fibers and titanium are more expensive. Steel frames fall on the low-end of the price spectrum because they are fairly easy to manufacture and assemble. Steel mountain bike frames also tend to be the heaviest material and they can rust if not cared for. However, steel does not suffer from the same metal fatigue that aluminum does so they will not fail (break) after repeated use.

Whenever riding on a mountain bike, always make sure to use a helmet. Twenty-one states have enacted bicycle-helmet laws to prevent injuries from the inherently-dangerous sport of cycling. If fitted correctly, a helmet can prevent 88% of brain-injuries, making them the most important piece of mountain bike gear.

 

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