I have kept in my heart the desire to write this article for some time now. This article is written to serve parents everywhere when shopping for their boy or girl’s first BMX bike!

Just about 7 years now have I operated my own bike shop out of my parents home in Mesa, Arizona, Donnie’s Bicycle Shop, and it thrills me to no end to be able to share some key information with you!

Before anything else, let’s talk about BMX bike names and where you should or shouldn’t buy your son or daughter’s first bike. You can’t go wrong with Haro. HARO BMX has been around for so long and they keep coming up with new and innovative designs. Also, Diamond Back is trustworthy, lightweight, and again, the company is rock solid. Red-Line BMX is also highly recommended.

My brand of choice is Mongoose BMX bikes – especially when their line is purchased from a real bike shop that knows what they are doing. Mongoose has been making BMX bikes that kick everybody’s tails for years, and they make the most beautiful bikes! But your going to have to consult your local real bike shop owner, because you don’t want to buy from Wal-Mart or other chain store. Also, you may want to contact Mongoose directly and request a race-bike BMX catalogue only.

The very first BMX bike I had was a bike called the JAG BMX by Mongoose, and the bike served me well for many years. If you can get ahold of one, it’s sure worth it. My first bike had a glossy cream-orange frame, with white MotoMags. I recommend Motomags. But be careful, no Motomag imitations, and there are a ton of them. The mag has to say Motomag on it.

To warn about grips! Today’s BMX bikes are coming out with some of the most uncomfortable grips for the kids’ hands! Have the bike shop owner show you the array of grips available, and to me, a foam style is the best, or a really soft gel rubber is ok too. I always loved the foam grips when jumping because they absorb the shock of the fall!

Stay tuned for the launching of any GT’s Dyno line. The frames on most of them are not as solid and if you don’t believe me, go to your neighborhood thrift store, and you’ll see a ton of GT Dyno’s. I personally would not buy my son or daughter a GT bike, unless it was one of their top of the line models. I also had a problem airborne with them upon landing, when compared to the awesome Mongoose BMX, my dad bought for me at the local bike shop in Mesa.

Purchase your child’s bike from a regular bike shop. Do not buy it at Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, or Sam’s Club. These bikes carry the names Schwinn, Mongoose, and more, but let me guarantee you, they are not the real Mccoy!

Having let loose a can of worms, also watch out for high pressure bike salespeople. Believe it or not, they are out there! If they have such a good product, why do they have to pressure sale you?

Back to brand names. If you are going to buy a Schwinn, Mongoose, or other formerly well-trusted bike, deal with the company directly or a reputable bike shop in the area. You won’t find any Wal-Mart BMX bikes in your local bicycle shop!

Then we come to hardware! If you’re going to get your son or daughter a bike make sure you invest in ultra lightweight aluminum or chromoly rims. So many bikes out there are being sold with cheap rims and cranksets. It’s worth the extra one to two hundred dollars to get your child the very best components. They will last longer and your child will have one of the best and baddest BMX bikes on the block!

Now that we have mentioned that, invest in three piece aluminum cranks or one piece aluminum, titanium, or chromoly or whatever other space-shuttle type of materials they have! Don’t opt-out for regular steel cranks. Get a bike that has a lifetime or at least a twenty year frame warranty.

Should you wish to buy a vintage BMX bike from e-bay or a local auction, invest in the 1984 Schwinn Sting. That bike is totally bad to the bone man. Any newer versions of the Schwinn Sting should be purchased as well.

Fine and dandy, now let’s talk about rims. Rims need to be light. So many BMX bikes have heavy bulky rims. Rims should be lightweight alloy. Also, you want to request sealed bearing hubs because they don’t require any maintenance, almost ever, and they make them on the best BMX bikes everywhere.

In addition, you should also listen your child. If they love the bike, it’s the bike for them. But let them know you love them enough to request upgrades on the rims, tires, and brakes!

Furthermore, BMX bikes should have mid-range to best brakes. Get alloy again, or high dollar brakes. This is your child’s safety for goodness sakes! You know how many cheap brakes there are on BMX bikes? You don’t want to know, believe me. I’ve broken several myself over the years!

When it is offered with the bike, it’s ok to get the standard hub that breaks with their right leg as well, and handbrakes, double the stopping power! Also, out in Mesa, Arizona, I can’t count all the times I’ve fishtailed with my BMX bike with that feature! You may not get that on some of the higher end bikes, but on many you still will! Ask for both if they have it, the coaster brake style with handbrakes!

Put your money in a mid-range helmet that is ANSI Certified and is labeled by them. Get gloves that are of excellent quality as well. Every BMX bike should have goosekneck, handlebar, and top frame pads, bare minimum, do not let your child take the bike without them.

Welding on frames should have beautiful thick welds that you’d want to eat off them. Don’t buy any bike with ugly looking welds. Also, watch out for over priced bikes that have beautiful welds but low componentry.

My preference was to buy my BMX bikes with similar equipment too! If hubs, cranks, brakes, and so forth are all Shimano, that’s a good thing. The bike is Shimano equipped. I’d steer clear of BMX bikes that have lightweight handlebars, but heavy cranks, hubs, and are made by 10 different companies!

Finally, there are only a few key things to remember. Weight. Get the lowest weight rims, hubs, and components that are of the highest quality. It is ok to have a heavier frame, but don’t compromise on wheels, tires, or most of all-brakes! Buy a Haro, Diamond-Back, Red-Line, or Mongoose from a Bike Dealer, and your going to be happy! Don’t buy from the local chain stores anymore, ever! Buy direct from your local bike shop that knows BMX!

Ultimately, have fun, and jump! If you can’t jump the bike, don’t buy it. The frames should be cleared for jumping! And remember, most of all, your BMX bike will be a part of your son or daughter’s life for at least 5-7 years, so go ahead, spend a couple hundred more for better components. And remember, to hit a ramp, fly up, hold the bars, kick the rear wheel out, and just hang on, feeling nothing but the air and rising above the earth, on a BMX Bike, is something your child will never ever forget and will pass on from generation to generation. 

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Choosing the Right Bicycle

As bicycle technology advances through time, choosing the right road bicycles can prove to be a difficult task. There are many things that you have to consider before committing to purchasing a specific bicycle. One thing you need to determine is the type of bike that is right for you and perfect for your need. You have to know your cycling needs, habits, the road you would be cycling on, the road types and the places where you aim to use your bicycle.

If you are new to the cycling world, you might find yourself overwhelmed at how many different types of bicycles there are available nowadays. If you walk into a bicycle shop, you would see an array of designs, brands, and different makes. If you are in such a situation, think of how frequent you would be riding your bike, what kind of riding you would want to do, and what is your budget. From there, you can choose on the different kinds of bikes.

Road Bikes

These bikes are meant for long distance cycling. They have narrow tires which are lightweight so it would be easy for you to save your energy. You don’t have to worry about staying on a static position for hours when on the road since road bicycles, especially women’s road bikes, offer a variety of hand positions.

Mountain Bikes

As their name implies, mountain bikes are more popular for off-road bicycling. Compared to road bicycles, these bikes are extremely strong considering that they would be used on tough roads and terrain. The tires have knobby treads and have good suspension designed to absorb shock.

Hybrid Bikes

When you would most likely use your bike for city riding, then hybrid bikes are for you. These bikes are actually a combination of mountain bikes and road bicycles. Its seats and handlebars are upright, almost like a women’s road bike but it offers more speed than a regular mountain bike.

Comfort Cruiser Bikes

These bikes are also known as touring bikes or beach bikes. They are known for their wide tires, upright handlers, and their gear box. They are used in a relaxed surrounding such as the beach. Unlike women’s road bikes and mountain bikes, these are designed for comfort loving people.

Utility Bikes

Their name says much about where they are usually used. They are made for commuting, running and shopping purposes. They usually have an internal hub gear with middle to heavy weigh tires and frames. Since they are usually parked somewhere, they are equipped with chain guards. Most of these bikes have a basket for commuter purposes.

Folding Bikes

Unlike road bicycles, these bikes have hinges or joints in the frame and handlebar. This permits the bike to be broken down and folded into a more compact size. The wheels are relatively small, of 20 inch or 51cm in diameter or less. They can be takes inside public transport and apartment buildings. However, they usually cost more than ordinary, non-folding bikes.

There are really no fast rules when it comes to choosing the right bike. However, whether you are looking to buy women’s road bikes or any other bicycles, your local bicycle shop would be there to help you and advice you in making the right decision.

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The next phase you’ll encounter after a free-for-all wild swim is the bike race. This might not actually be the hardest (after all, you only have to know the basics of biking and the principles that would maximize your performance while riding) but it can also make big differences during the race.

In preparation for the triathlon, far too many people seem to put much importance on the type of triathlon bicycle than with what they can do with it. Some even spend grand on a top-of-the-line bicycle and forget all about the thing that matters most- proper use.

On some points of the race, competitors believe that those with lighter and faster bikes have the most advantages. This cant be far from the truth but this does not tell it all. After all, the manner of use and the person’s actual capacity to optimize the bicycle will create big differences.

For some unknown reasons, that only you would somehow realize, a single bike would fit you. It wont matter how expensive it is or how old. Like your favorite running shoes, your triathlon bicycle would suit your style, your needs and your ability. It is just a matter of trying on different bikes and getting the feel for each of them.

Sure, the technologies used to develop a $10,000 triathlon bicycle would actually create some edges over those who only ride on $250 bikes. Nonetheless, never forget that the bike period is only a part of the three areas of discipline triathlon covers. And the bike itself is only a single component of the bike transition. You must still consider and be able to look eye on other principles that will lead you to the last transition stage.

Say you are riding on a high-end, oozing new triathlon bicycle yet bargained so much on the benefits it might give you. You surely have the speed, the style, and the envy of the onlookers and fellow triathletes. But without proper skills in it’s operation, or proper planning during the course and even the endurance to continue biking after loosing much strength during the swim stage, your “nice bike” would be turned into nothing.

It might be cool to pass fellow racers on the initial run yet once they passed you over with their dreaded looks, you’ll wish that you’re on a $300 beater. (That way, you would atleast have an excuse of being beaten).

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If you’ve decided you want to start exercising regularly and biking is your exercise of choice first you’ll want to make sure you have a good bike of course.  But the next most important item is finding the right bicycle seat, sometimes called a saddle.

The bicycle seat supports your weight while you ride.  If you don’t have a bike saddle that fits correctly it can cause a lot of discomfort, including irritation and chaffing.  You may have even read reports of bicycle seats contributing to things as serious as impotence.

Types Of Bicycle Seats

Because manufacturers and inventors saw the need we now have a wide variety of bike seats from which to choose.  There are saddles made for different types of bikes, for example a racing bike will require something different than a cruiser because of the way the rider sits and how the bike is used, for speed versus leisure.

There are also different bicycle seats for the different genders.  A bike seat made for a woman is a little wider and shorter than one made for a man to fit the shape of the pelvis better.  Some women do fine with a men’s bike seat but others are more comfortable with one made specifically for women, so it is something to consider.

There are bike seats for those who have problems with pain in pressure points, numbness or tingling while riding.  You can find a variety of inventive designs to help avoid these types of problems.  Some seats use padding while others use an innovative design.  Both styles are effective, it just depends on your preference.

Finding The Right Fit

How do you know if the bike seat fits you correctly?  You can tell by the way your sit bones hit the seat.  Your sit bones are the two bones that you can feel when you sit on a hard surface.  Your sit bones should be in the middle of the rear, larger portion of the bicycle seat.

Finding the right bike seat can make a big difference in the way you ride and how much you enjoy it.  If you are starting an exercise regime this is an important thing to consider if you want to stick to that regime.

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It is no wonder that the writer Irish Murdoch said: “The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.” Bearing in mind that this quote comes from 1965 imagine what she would have said if she was writing today! The spirit of cycling is marvellous and nowadays there is a great range of cycling clothing to enhance the experience for enthusiasts.

For when the weather is not so pleasant, and let’s face it in the UK we are not blessed with a Mediterranean climate, it is best to dress yourself in a cycling jacket or a wool cycling jersey. This will keep you warm against the chilly air. However it is raining or there is rain expected then put on a windproof cycling jacket which will protect against both the rain and the wind. Match these up with some cycling pants, and some knee warmers or leg warmers. For rainy conditions you will also want to wear some waterproof gloves. There are also waterproof over-trousers that you can buy. Try to find ones that are adjustable with zip pockets and ankle gussets.

Buying cycling clothing regardless of the weather you will have comfort on your mind. The type of gear you choose may need to be influenced also by the type of cycling you are planning to do. For safety you will need a cycling helmet and reflective clothing depending on the circumstances. The helmet needs to be quality and fit correctly.

When the weather becomes warmer you will start wearing cycling shorts and sleeveless shirt such as the Endura cycling pro sleeveless shirt. This has stretch underarm panels to improve freedom of movement and is made of fabrics which give excellent fast-drying performance as well as easy care washing.

When choosing cycling shorts consider yourself lucky as back in the 1900s these were made of wool and offered very little flexibility. Nowadays with the advances in fabric technology there are lots of highly flexible and durable fabrics out of which cycling shorts are manufactured. Cycling shorts will be fitted with panels and depending on the design will vary in comfort. In general the more panels the better. Some cycling shorts are more lightweight depending on the fabric combination while some will include rubber leg grippers.

There are also baggy cycling shorts available. It is best to look for the ones with adjustability and easy care fabric. Some are hard wearing, water resistant and may have leg vents. Check for a smooth underside to avoid snagging or pressure points. See if they also have durable double or triple stitching on the seams. Short sleeve jerseys are also suitable for the better weather. Look out for low odour fabrics which should also be highly breathable. When choosing one check for a snug fit cuff and collar.

As an avid cyclist whatever the weather you want to be able to go out cycling when you have the time. Choosing the best selection of quality cycling clothes will let you enjoy your hobby whenever you wish.

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