A few months ago one of my friends called to tell me he was going to be late to the trail because he had a part on his bike that was being recalled. He wanted to stop at the bike shop and have his part replaced before our regularly scheduled ride. I too thought it was a good idea to get the part replaced before our ride so I told him that I will see him when he is finished at the store.
When I met up with my friend later in the day I asked him how he found out about his recalled part. He told me that his wife signed up for email alerts on product recalls. She subscribes to these email notification to be aware of toy issue for their children and it just so happened that a mountain bike part was on the email.
Just like other consumer products, mountain bike products occasionally get recalled for various reasons. I do not want to speculate so I am not going to give examples. It is important to be aware and not to ignore these recalls because your safety could be in jeopardy.
So in an effort to keep riders aware of product recalls the links below will direct you to the Consumer Affairs and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission websites. These sites will allow you to search their database for product recalls that might pertain to your bike, gear or both.
The two sites listed below are not meant to be the all encompassing sources of information. It is to help you get started in you product recall search. If you come across more sites with mountain bike recall information let us know and we will add it to the list.
Check out the websites below.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- http://www.cpsc.gov/
Consumer Affairs
- http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/recalls.htm
You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant is a mountain bike classifieds website which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events.
Showing posts with label hardtail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hardtail. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Mountain Bike Trail Directory
So you purchased a mountain bike and you have been riding for awhile. You are getting faster and more courageous on your mountain bike but you are getting bored riding on the same trails. You and your friends have realized that you need new trail excitement in your life.
So you have talked to your friends and people at the local bike shop for more information about trails in the area. Most of them pointed you back to the trails that you are familiar with but some have introduced you to a new trail or two.
To add to you trail information many of us in the mountain bike community suggest you try a very handy directory. This is a Google directory that lists sites which contain trail information. Once you browse the directory you will be surprised at all of the trails that riders have documented. I have found that no one site has all of the trail information so you have to browse through the directory.
The web address below will help you find the local mountain bike trails in your region. The link is a Google directory of mountain bike websites that list trail information. Most of the trails listed contain directions to the trail head so you know where you are going. So check it out it is pretty helpful.
Mountain Bike Trails
You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events. See you on the trail.
So you have talked to your friends and people at the local bike shop for more information about trails in the area. Most of them pointed you back to the trails that you are familiar with but some have introduced you to a new trail or two.
To add to you trail information many of us in the mountain bike community suggest you try a very handy directory. This is a Google directory that lists sites which contain trail information. Once you browse the directory you will be surprised at all of the trails that riders have documented. I have found that no one site has all of the trail information so you have to browse through the directory.
The web address below will help you find the local mountain bike trails in your region. The link is a Google directory of mountain bike websites that list trail information. Most of the trails listed contain directions to the trail head so you know where you are going. So check it out it is pretty helpful.
Mountain Bike Trails
You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events. See you on the trail.
How To Buy a New Front Suspension Fork For Your Mountain Bike
About a year ago I purchased an entry level hardtail mountain bike. At the time I did not want to spend a lot of money and I did not want poor quality. So I purchase a bike that had a good frame and basic components.
After riding for a year I have decided that I want to improve the comfort and control of my bike on the trail. Therefore I made the decision to upgrade my front suspension fork on my hardtail mountain bike.
My initial research concluded that there are a lot of different brands, types and sizes forks on the market so I conceded knew I needed help. After all, suspension forks are expensive and I didn't want to waste my money.
After talking to different rides, employees at a few bike shops, reading article and posting questions online I put together a couple of bullet points to consider when buying a front suspension fork.
Determine if your bike has the geometry to support a suspension fork. If it does have the correct geometry try to determine the maximum height fork it can accommodate. I almost bought a fork with 160mm of travel but the seller convinced me not to buy it because he believed my bike did not have the correct geometry. After checking with the factory I determined that he was correct.
Consider your riding style. Are you a cross country, down hill or a dirt jump rider. Make sure you buy a fork that suites your style of ride. This will help prevent you from buying more fork then you need.
Determine your budget and stick to it. Suspension forks can vary in price and can be very expensive. However if you ride often spending a little more on a fork might be warranted.
Determine the size of the bikes head tube. The size of the tube could limit your selections. Is your head tube 1 inch or 1 1/8 inches, etc?
Consider buying a suspension fork that is adjustable. Some forks are adjustable at the head and some have a pop lock adjuster that mounts on the handlebars. The adjustable function will accommodate different riding terrains.
Determine if you need to buy new parts to install your new fork. Do you need a new headset, stem or brakes?
Consider the installation charges of a new fork. If you plan on installing the fork yourself you will need to press on a bearing and potentially cut the fork tub. This could result in additional tools and time so you want to weigh your options.
Find out what your friends are riding and ask them their opinion on brand and options. Ask them if you can ride their bike to test out their fork.
Do you want to buy new or used? Some riders buy great bikes, immediately upgrade them and never use the original parts. You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events.
Keep in mind list above will help you get started in your decision making process and there are more items to consider as you explore your options.
The tips listed above will hopefully help you narrow down your choices before you purchase a new fork.
Good luck and see you on the trail.
After riding for a year I have decided that I want to improve the comfort and control of my bike on the trail. Therefore I made the decision to upgrade my front suspension fork on my hardtail mountain bike.
My initial research concluded that there are a lot of different brands, types and sizes forks on the market so I conceded knew I needed help. After all, suspension forks are expensive and I didn't want to waste my money.
After talking to different rides, employees at a few bike shops, reading article and posting questions online I put together a couple of bullet points to consider when buying a front suspension fork.
Determine if your bike has the geometry to support a suspension fork. If it does have the correct geometry try to determine the maximum height fork it can accommodate. I almost bought a fork with 160mm of travel but the seller convinced me not to buy it because he believed my bike did not have the correct geometry. After checking with the factory I determined that he was correct.
Consider your riding style. Are you a cross country, down hill or a dirt jump rider. Make sure you buy a fork that suites your style of ride. This will help prevent you from buying more fork then you need.
Determine your budget and stick to it. Suspension forks can vary in price and can be very expensive. However if you ride often spending a little more on a fork might be warranted.
Determine the size of the bikes head tube. The size of the tube could limit your selections. Is your head tube 1 inch or 1 1/8 inches, etc?
Consider buying a suspension fork that is adjustable. Some forks are adjustable at the head and some have a pop lock adjuster that mounts on the handlebars. The adjustable function will accommodate different riding terrains.
Determine if you need to buy new parts to install your new fork. Do you need a new headset, stem or brakes?
Consider the installation charges of a new fork. If you plan on installing the fork yourself you will need to press on a bearing and potentially cut the fork tub. This could result in additional tools and time so you want to weigh your options.
Find out what your friends are riding and ask them their opinion on brand and options. Ask them if you can ride their bike to test out their fork.
Do you want to buy new or used? Some riders buy great bikes, immediately upgrade them and never use the original parts. You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events.
Keep in mind list above will help you get started in your decision making process and there are more items to consider as you explore your options.
The tips listed above will hopefully help you narrow down your choices before you purchase a new fork.
Good luck and see you on the trail.
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