For most of us, well-intentioned but casual bike riders who secretly believe we might be Lance Armstrong’s heir if we only had a few more hours a day to spend on our bicycles, buying a new road bike is tantamount to buying a road bike frame. The frame is what we’re thinking of, something new and shiny and colorful, something we suspect even car drivers envy when they see us flash through the snarl of traffic. Truly, a road bike frame is a beautiful thing and part of the reason we love bicycling.

When you have the good fortune to be looking at new bicycles, though, you definitely want to look at a few elements besides the color of a road bike frame. Face it. When you’re on your way back home from a long Sunday ride and you’re riding your thirty-fifth mile smack into a stiff headwind, the fact that your frame is cobalt blue or even Bianchi green is not going to help you. The length of your seat tube is going to help you and the length of your top tube and even the angle of the three main tubes all put together is going to help (or hinder) you, but color is not.

If you shop at a discount store or even a general purpose sports store, if you get any help at all in choosing a bike that fits you, it will probably consist of a clerk instructing you to stand over the top bar of the frame and see if you can comfortably straddle it with your feet on the floor. This is not really particularly helpful, especially if you happen to have anything unique about your physique, like long legs combined with a short torso. If you have long legs, you can straddle almost any bike, but will your body be able to relax comfortable in the stretch between your saddle and the handlebars? The whole geometry of the road bike frame matters a lot to fit. And fit matters excessively to comfort.

If you’re a racer, comfort will not be your only consideration. Indeed, it may be down among the last elements you consider. Speed is not usually built from comfort, and the road bike frame that promotes speed is built of different materials than one used primarily for recreational riding. Frames can be made of titanium, chrome-moly, aluminum or steel, and each metal has different advantages of weight and strength. Frame geometry varies, too, with touring bikes featuring a longer vertical base and top tube than the skittish racing models.

So when you’re looking at road bike frames, think beyond the paint. Get a frame that fits both you and your purpose. Whether you do your research online or in a good bike store, you’ll be glad you took the time.

Schwalbe Durano HS 399 Racing Bicycle Tire (24×7/8, Dual Compound Folding, Black-Skin)
Schwalbe Durano Bicycle Tires are The right choice for high mileage purposes. The Dual Compound offers great grip for tr… More >>

Cycle Racing (Know the Sport)

Kryptonite New York LS Bicycle U-Lock ( 4-Inch x 10.25-Inch)
Strongest security U-lock. Features high security disc style cylinder and double deadbolt. Crossbar over crossbar constr… More >>

Sales of BMX bikes are increasing faster than almost any other type of bicycle. BMX bikes can be seen on every street, sidewalk and even in their natural habitat, off-road. Even if you never leave your house you’ve certainly seen such bikes on TV. Sure, you probably know what a BMX bike is, but what you probably don’t know is what exactly differentiates a BMX bike from other bikes. We’ll tell you how they’re different.

We’ll start with their origin. It’s quite simple, really. Bikes remained pretty much the same for many decades after they were invented, but the popularity of off-road motorcycle racing, or motocross, during the 60′s changed that. Kids saw the pros racing around on their dirt bikes and taking them off dirt ramps. They wanted to be like their heroes so kids imitated them on their bikes, which, at the time, weren’t made for such rough-housing. It didn’t take long for bike manufacturers to catch on and start manufacturing bikes made specifically for the rigors of racing and jumping off-road. Soon there were sanctioned bicycle motocross (BMX) all over the country. The BMX segment of the market grew and grew and continues to expand today. And of course most the kids (and adults) you see on these bikes don’t ever race and probably don’t jump them off anything more daring than a curb. Still though, BMX bikes are made to take a beating.

Now, to discuss the physical attributes of the BMX bike which makes it different from other bikes. The particular features can be narrowed down to the frame, the wheels/tires, the brakes, and the gears.

The frame on BMX bikes is designed to be very light so it can be easily maneuvered and very strong so it can withstand the stresses of jumping and racing. The light weight of a BMX frame is also important because a lighter bike can save you valuable seconds in a close-fought BMX race. Aluminum and chrome-moly steel are the two materials most favored by BMX’ers. Regular bikes are usually made from cheap grades of steel prone to rusting or even breaking when put under a lot of stress.

Another distinguishing feature of BMX bikes are their wheels and tires. Most BMX bikes have 20″ rims, of course they can also be purchased in other sizes. There is the 12″ size for young children just learning to ride. These days kids are learning to ride bikes before they learn to read! The next size up is the 16″ wheel. These bikes are mostly used by kids from the ages of 8 to 12. Once they enter the teen years, most kids ride the 20″ bikes. This is the size favored by many adults and pros, as well. There are BMX bikes with even larger wheels or in-between sizes but they aren’t as popular.

The tires on BMX bikes are different from conventional road bikes. They’re knobby to give them excellent traction on dirt trails and tracks. In fact, they’re very similar to mountain bike tires, just smaller.

Speaking of mountain bikes, such rides often have as many as 21 gears! Road bikes and beach cruisers typically don’t have that many but they do range from 3 to 18 speeds. BMX bikes, on the other hand, have just one gear. They have one sprocket up front and one on the back wheel. That’s it, they use just one gear because they’re made for all-out sprints and to have precise control for freestyle tricks.

Another feature which differentiates BMX bikes from conventional bikes are their brakes. BMX bikes often have just a rear brake. Having a front brake increases the likelihood of accidentally using just the front one and causing an accident. Plus, racers don’t need the extra braking power because they don’t want to slow down! A BMX bike made for doing tricks will have a front brake, though.

BMX bikes also usually come with pads to protect the rider during accidents and wrecks, which can happen a lot during races. Most racers don’t bother with pads, though, they’re too cool for that. If the bike does have pads, they’re usually on the top bar, handlebar clamp, and the handlebar crossbar.

BMX bikes are a booming business, and their popularity has increased across almost all segments of the market. You can often see BMX riders on televised competitions and commercials. BMX bikes are being ridden by all sorts of people, from professional riders to five year olds just having fun, adults who never grew out of them, and everyone in between.

BMX bikes are available in a range of sizes to accommodate all types of riders and all ages. They also have many specialized features to suit a variety of uses. There are, of course, a wide range in prices, too. If you are considering buying a bike for yourself or someone else, your best source of information are the people at your local bike shop. There’s also tons of reliable information online. The two main issues you need to consider are how the bike is going to be used and how much you are willing to spend. From there it’s up to you.

Northwave Bike Vertigo Cycling Shoes – Unisex
The days are long. The pavement’s hot. It’s the perfect time to ride. The Northwave Vertigo Cycling Shoes give you the c… More >>

Scorpion Scorpion EXO-700 Street Bike Racing Motorcycle Helmet – Color: Chameleon Black, Size: Medium
Fiberglass/Kevlar Matrix Shell: Quiet, aero-tuned design for wind-tunnel tested comfort. EPS-lined chin bar for additio… More >>

Maxxis Xenith Hors Categorie Road Racing Bike Tire (Folding 62/57a, 700×23)
Like the Equipe Legere, the Hors Categorie is a professional-level road racing tire with a 120 TPI casing. The Hors Cate… More >>

Cycling is a sport for all ages, and you don’t have to be a pro to go for a thrilling ride on a weekend afternoon. Children and young people are very excited about cycling, and all you need to do is simply take a look at the wide range of youth cycling apparel that serves the market in order to understand the extent and the importance of this pass time. Uni-sex clothing items in the most appealing of colors, with great designs and matching imprints make the true delight of children and youngsters who can be both trendy and comfortable at the same time.

Any parent would want to make sure that the youth cycling apparel his or her kids are wearing are high quality and easy to carry even in a school bag. Short or long-sleeved shirts with lots of functional details and concealed zippers are both fashionable and very practical. For youth cycling apparel especially designed for the cold periods, fleece jackets are among the most popular; why is the clothes fabric so important in cycling? Well, the answer is very simple, for health purposes any apparel item needs to allow a good skin breathing; though a synthetic material, fleece allows the evaporation of perspiration without favoring tissue cooling.

Maximum comfort and great performance is the logo under which many companies that produce youth cycling apparel launch their collections; you can “leaf” the online catalogs to make an idea of what the relationship price quality-implies for the matter. Always make sure that the material the youth cycling apparel pieces are made of meets the quality requirements for easy moisture transportation so that the skin of your little bikers remains dry all the time. Also keep in mind the fact that unless this sport is practiced for high performance purposes, youth cycling apparel is available for almost all budgets, and you can find quality products even if they are not international brand names.

Youth cycling apparel can very well match with the attire for rest of the family members particularly if bike riding is part of your common activities. You can find very interesting sets designed by Inverse or Santini that combine quality with price accessibility too. Don’t forget to combine the youth cycling apparel with other gear elements that help one improve training and achieve good performance levels. Once you start using great products you will definitely feel the difference!

Tales from the Toolbox: Inside a Pro Cycling Team

Thule 835PRO Hullaport Pro Rooftop Kayak Carrier
The most popular carrier for transporting a kayak now includes fold down convenienceThule’s most popular carrier for tra… More >>

Topeak JoeBlow Pro Floor Bike Pump
Topeak Joe Blow Floor PumpsItem SpecificationsColorSilverPSI160PSIHose Length43insTopeak’s JoeBlow Pro Floor Pump offers… More >>