When a real cyclist isn’t saving money to buy a new shiny bike, they’re looking for ways to upgrade their existing bike. And because pedals contribute a lot to the overall riding experience, they’re one of the parts bike owners replace most often. Whether you’re replacing broken bike pedals, servicing the ball bearings, or doing … Read more
Being able to clip into and out of clipless bike pedals such as SPDs is a learned skill. And it’s an important skill. There are many riding situations where knowing how to clip in and out of SPD pedals helps a lot. A good example is when you want to bail or ditch your bike … Read more
If one area of cycling draws confusion like a magnet, it is clipless bike pedals. First off, clipless bike pedals aren’t exactly clipless. These pedals have a kind of clip called a cleat. Then there are all kinds of pedal-and-cleat systems. In this post, I explain four of the most common pedal/cleat systems used in … Read more
Your bike’s pedals connect you to the timeless spirit of mountain biking. But with bazillions of MTB pedal companies releasing new flat and clipless pedals that promise to revolutionize your cadence, it’s easy to get confused. The sheer number of good and not-so-good mountain bike pedals can be overwhelming. I put together How to Choose … Read more
Mountain bikers speak their own distinct language as do road cycling enthusiasts. If you’re new to road biking, you won’t understand a thing members of your bunch say to one another or to you. In this road cycling lingo guide, I’ll share a few common words and phrases roadies use in their day-to-day conversations. My … Read more
It’s OK to be clueless about what’s being said by mountain bikers when they talk, at first. But if it’s been weeks and you still need others to explain everything in plain English, this mountain bike slang guide got your back. It’s a detailed A to Z MTB lingo dictionary designed to initiate you into … Read more
Not knowing the names of parts of a bike is no big deal. Until you’re at your LBS (local bike shop) and you can’t understand the language they’re speaking there. They’re speaking in English, but they might as well be speaking mandarin. Derailleur? Saddle? chainstay dropouts? Chainring? Hub? What are you talking about? Related: Different … Read more
Mountain biking entails getting over logs and rocks of all shapes and sizes some of the time. As a mountain bike rider, you can adopt one of two attitudes. You can choose to hate logs and wish someone had cut and removed them out of your trail. Or, you can embrace log hops and learn … Read more
Do you really need to wear full shin pads mountain biking? Lots of mountain bikers ask this question, and there are good reasons for that. Many mountain bikers only wear MTB shin pads/knee pads combo when they feel the risk of a crash lies between moderately high and high. The rest of the time, mountain … Read more
According to Psychology Today, confidence is a strong belief that you can face the challenges life throws at you. Most importantly, confidence is “the willingness to act accordingly”. Confidence marries belief/faith with action. That’s why confident people win all the time, at the workplace and out on mountain bike trails. So, how can you build … Read more