A recumbent bike is a bike in which the rider is seated in an upward-facing position. This position is known as a supine position. This is the most common position for riding a recumbent bike, but there are rare cases in which recumbent bikes have the rider seated in a downward-facing or prone position.
The pedals are located at about the same height as the seat and there is a support provided for the back. This makes for a very comfortable riding, since you are actually sitting in a seat and not on top of a narrow, hard saddle, which can cause quite a bit of discomfort, particularly in your rear, especially over long distances.
The handlebars are located at shoulder level, above the seat or below the seat at a convenient location, and allow your arms to hang down naturally. The former type is called Above Seat Steering (ASS) and the latter, Under Seat Steering (USS).
Most recumbent bikes have two wheels, though some have three. The power to run these machines is provided either by your hands or feet, or in some cases, both.
Recumbent bikes do take a bit of getting used to, since the location of the steering and other handling equipment may seem a bit weird by normal standards. Recumbent bikes can be hard on various parts of the body, depending on the type you use. So even if you are a very fit bike rider, this machine may have you use muscles in your body that you normally would not on a conventional bike.
Let’s come to the most controversial topic regarding recumbent bikes – speed. Official speed records for recumbent bikes are governed by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA). In IHPVA sanctioned events, all land speed records are held either by recumbent or semi-recumbent bikes. However, they were banned from international racing in 1934.
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At this article you will read what mountain biking is as well as how to get the information on various kinds of mountain bikes.
The most commonly used Mountain Bikes are:
Downhill Bikes:Most prominently used for competition in which one goes down the hill. So with that speed, bikes need to be with tough frames and with heavy-duty brakes such as disc or hydraulic brakes.
XC Bikes: This is another kind of bike which is highly used for competition in which one can go both down and climb hills. So its frame should be light but reasonably tough. Brakes used in this particular bike are v-brakes and light disc brakes.
Hybrid Bikes: This category of bikes is a good option for those who want to ride on both mountains and road.
These bikes either run on front suspension or on full suspension (which is a combination of both front and back suspensions). Various kinds of brakes employed in these bikes are:-
Rim Brakes: They are both light and powerful but their power decreases in muddy terrain where they become slippery.
Disc Brakes: They are light and powerful and are not affected by weather.
Hydraulic Brakes: They are very powerful and don’t need much maintenance, but are expensive than other brakes.
Frame Materials: The bikes can be made of aluminum, steel or titanium. These are very important elements of the bike as their composition determines the weight, strength, responsiveness and life of the bike.
Size: Like conventional bikes, mountain bikes come in small, medium and large sizes. But different manufactures use different reference point of measurement therefore sizing is not always consistent.
Latest Trends:
All Mountain Bikes: The “All Mountain Bikes” are characterized by 5-6 inch (125-150 mm) rims to take on very rough conditions.
29er Bike: This uses 700cc-sized rims and is suited for tires of 2 inches (50mm) width or more, so that it is able to roll over the obstacles.
Singlespeed: This is a blend of simplicity with innovation in suspension design.
Some of the other trends includeStable Platform Value Suspension Technology. Here the compressor shim stack has been replaced with a pair of overlapping cups. It also employs VPP suspension designs to balance different forces thereby eliminating unwanted compression without limiting bump absorption.
About the Author
Alastair Hamilton publishes articles at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com .If you would like more information on this topic please checkout his website at mountain bikes –
