Tri Bike Under a Budget

So your looking into buying a tri bike that will give you the speed to compete very competitively in some of your regional triathlons, but don’t want to dump a lot of money in this kind of machine. Well I have got some advice for you, because I am actually in the same exact situation that you are in.

Some tri bikes can cost up to 14,000 dollars, which for most people is beyond unreasonable. Some tri bikes also cost as least as 1800, which are very entry level tri bikes that may lack in component choice and frame design/ material. I person like me is willing to pay within a medium of these two extremes, in hopes of purchasing a creating the fastest bike humanly possible within a tighter budget.

Well for many who are serious about this sport, 3500 dollars is usually a reasonable price to drop on a brand new tri bike. Many bike companies today produce a bike in this general price range that exemplifies those characteristics of a carbon fiber aero frame along with either the nicest cable components or even electronic shifters. Although the component system is about as good as a bike can get on these bikes, the only down fall are the mere mediocre wheels. The wheels on this level of bike are usually just your average tri bike wheel which leaves much room to improve wheels and reduce racing time. Now if your thinking that this might be the best option for you, because you are intrigued with the highly technological components but aren’t necessarily looking for the fastest bike for the money than this bike be best suited for you. But based on my research this type of stock bike isn’t the fastest bike you might be able to create with this kind of money. A tri bike with nicer wheels would make a bike much faster and aero dynamic. Instead of spending lots of money on these components, I have found a bike with just a little lesser components being the only difference for about 2000 dollars, leaving you with another 1400-1500 left over. This bike that I have found is the Felt B14. With the exact same frame as the higher model this bike price gives you plenty of room to purchase some very high end wheels deeming the bike much faster than the higher bike model with better components but lesser wheels. The wheels that I plan to buy along with the Felt B14, are the Hed Jet 7. These upgraded wheels give the rider a much faster bike.

So if your just looking for the fastest bike that you can buy, your best option would be to follow the route that I am taking with my purchase this spring.

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Cars of Cedar Rapids

            Everyone has probably been to a large city or on a highly populated coast of the United States and seen many very wealthy people. One of the largest signatures of wealth comes through the car that’s driven by an individual or the house/ or houses that they live in. Well most people would not expect it, but some even smaller towns within the rural Midwest house people with large amounts of wealth, which can definitely be seen within their cars.

            One place that a person might not expect to see some very high end cars would be Cedar Rapids. Whenever I see an exotic car, it always turns my head. As for Cedar Rapids being a city of around 120000 people in residency it shouldn’t come to one’s surprise that there are some large centers of wealth. Well these centers of wealth own some of the nicest cars that I’ve ever seen and those of the world.

            One individual that lives just outside of Cedar Rapids has owned to what rumors have said to be over 400 “super cars”. Some of these super cars that have been seen range anywhere from a Porsche 911 Turbo S to a Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir addition. It’s suspected that this man is the dentist that owns and is a doctor of “Gentle Dental” on Blairs Ferry road, with a father that is royalty in the Mediterranean. Some other cars that I’ve seen that this man probably owns include, a hand full of Lamborghinis, an Audi R8 Spyder, a couple GTRs, a Ferrari Italia 458, a Bugatti Veyron (Which was supposedly bought from Drake the rapper for 3.4 million recently), along with many others. Just in the cars that I have just named, there is the potential worth of millions on millions of dollars of cars….And this is only one guy!!

            Among others in Cedar Rapids, there include doctors, business owners, and lawyers who drive some very nice cars including ones like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Maserati, Bentley, and Jaguar. Many of these cars have been seen by both me and many others in country clubs or at fancy restaurants. One might not expect this quality of cars to be hidden within the smaller towns within the Midwest, but they would be wrong as you can see based on the different cars that I have seen across Cedar Rapids and the surrounding areas.

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Indoor Cycling Re-invented!!

Still wanting more winter exercise alternatives to biking outdoors? Well I’ve got one more option that will fulfill both your fitness needs and pleasure of biking.

            To most including myself, riding a stationary bike for hours on end can be very boring and not fun. The technology and quality of stationary biking options has greatly increased, with more advanced computerized work outs available to the buyer. The most recent technological advancement has many within the bike market raving. This new step into indoor biking has brought the outside inside. This mechanism gives the rider a simulation that is very similar to outdoor riding. With a TV or computer screen a rider can see the simulation right in front of them as they ride on their stationary bike. Unlike watching normal TV as we always have while riding on indoor bikes, this particular mechanism responds with increased speed and turning and relays it onto the screen. The way in which this works is based off of sensors and a turning radius that sits under the front wheel, which then relay information to the computer through a wire to then form a response that mimics your every movement almost simultaneously.

            I think this new form of indoor riding is very cool and fun based on my experience of being able to trial one of these new systems, at my work. With an extensive array of tracks and races this simulation is sure not to bore. I believe this is a cool way in which people can still bike while it might be snowing cats and dogs outside.

            These new simulation programs along with the biking stand and sensors comes in at around a price of 1500 dollars, which is not necessarily cheap. Although this new concept may cost a little more than some people are willing to pay, the price will most likely go down as more people begin to purchase these. I have seen many of these purchased at the bike store that I work at and have seen much satisfaction with this product. You will not need to worry about any confusing installation as for my bike store “Northtowne Cycling and Fitness”, will personally install it in your home or gym for little to no cost. So if you have a little Christmas money left over and are looking to give yourself a little present to make your indoor riding experience even better then I would highly recommend buying one of these very technologically advanced systems.

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Winter Riding Clothing

As you have been seeing I have talked about the upcoming of winter here in the Midwest in my blogs. And I have another thing that might help those bikers out there to stay active in this cold weather. Once the temperatures here in the Midwest drop below about 40 degrees it becomes increasingly more difficult to want to ride. Well just the way in which a person dresses our is geared up can make all the difference in the world to whether riding in this type of weather is enjoyable. And I’m here to help people figure out what the best things are to wear in certain conditions.

Well I think the best way to do it is, by working our way from temperatures that require just a thread more clothing than normal riding whether in which a bike short and jersey can be worn all the way down to temperatures close to 0 degrees. So for starters, when the temperature reaches about 50 degrees, I find it most comfortable to wear a light long sleeved breathable shirt that is bright so that traffic can see me while riding along with regular biking shorts. Oh and another thing that I forgot to mention is, that I believe that all of these clothing options are best when purchased under the brand of Pearl Izumi. Pearl Izumi offers almost any kind of outdoor clothing option with the focus of bikers in mind. If it were to be raining in this type of whether I would also suggest a light rain jacket or windbreaker that is water proof. One other key item for riding in any condition is eye wear which breaks the wind from hitting your eye. But onto the next area of riding. When the temperatures reach anywhere from 30-40 degrees I would recommend an under armor compression shirt and maybe even tights based on how you handle the cold. Another accessory that would be needed in this type of temperature e and anything colder would be shoe covers, and warm biking gloves. But finally the last range of conditions im going to talk about is that of colder than 30 degrees. I would suggest wearing many layers including the under armor tight long sleeved shirt, with a sweat shirt, and a wind breaker over that. Along with this package I would include bar covers which block wind from getting to your hands. So after seeing this I hope it will help you when you are going out next on your bike ride.

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Favorite Car Movie "Need for Speed"

Well for everyone that likes cars or loves to drive cars, car movies are always some of the best movies. Car action movies exhibiting very talented drivers and exhilarating driving stunts always makes me very excited to watch the movie. Some of the most famous car movies are the Fast and Furious movies that have been made for over 15 years and tell a different story in each one. But unlike some people, none of these are my favorite car movie.

My favorite car movie by far would have to be the newly released on DVD, “Need for Speed”. This movie premiered in theaters in the early spring of 2014 and really caught my attention in the previews and trailers. One thing that turned me off at first about this movie, was that it is made by Disney. In knowing this I made the assumption that it would be produced to suit the interests and appropriateness of younger children, but boy was I wrong.

This movie might be my favorite movie. Along with the exhilarating car stunts and races like the “Fast and Furious” movies, this movie also comes with a much deeper story. The moving story of a garage on the downfall after a series of events that would bring everyone at the garage down, the search for payback and moral rights and wrongs gives the main character the chance of a life time, really grabbed me into the movie. Along with the moving story and exceptionally good acting this Disney throws in times of comical lingo that reaches those of ages over 13 which really helped me realize that Disney actually can make a funny movie aimed at a older and more mature audience.

And like all other car enthusiast I was very intrigued with the level of cars. Within this movie an array of cars represent themselves in different races, such as modified old muscle cars, along with the most expensive and highest performing street legal race cars in the world. Some of these cars include, a one of a kind modified Mustang, a Bugatti Veyron, a Konenseg Agera R, a Lamborghini Elemento, Mclaren P1, and a Mercedes SLS. So as you can see this movie exemplify some of the nicest cars ever made.

So overall I would rate this as not only my favorite car movie, but also my favorite overall movie, and would highly recommend to this any car enthusiast, or just a person interested in watching a moving movie.

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The Indoor Alternative

Hey bikers, have you ever felt like you get bored training on the same stationary bike day after day? Have you ever thought about partaking in some cross training exercising such as running? Well if you are either of these people and you live in a place where winters can cause for treacherous conditions, then a treadmill might be a purchases that would settle your needs.

As for many people across the Midwest winters can bring a large increase of inside time and decreased exercise. To many top end athletes this can largely put a damper on their beginning of the season, after not doing much for the 4 months that we call winter. A treadmill gives a variety to the everyday biker who spends endless hours sitting on a stationary bike starring at the other side of their basement. Treadmills give a very good workout and come in many different financial levels which can be sure to fit your needs and financial abilities. Although running on a treadmill doesn’t stand up to the pleasure of running outside, it gives the runner a more cushioned surface to run on compared to asphalt. Most treadmills come equipped with a rubber track that forgives some of the impact of regular running. Along with this upgrade, the newest treadmills have great amounts of useful technology that ranges from custom work outs and cellular capabilities. With the majority of treadmills to this day having the ability to run up to 12 mph, you will surely not be hurting for speed.

Now on the other hand, my personal point of view on treadmills may contradict what others may think. I believe that running on a treadmill is very boring and I would actually rather risk it in running in the outdoors even when a little slippery or cold. Just recently my family bought a new treadmill from my own place of work, and I haven’t even ran on it once. This is only my opinion though so I would encourage you to try it for yourself to see what you think.

Most treadmills range in price between 1750-5000, in which brands like True Spirit, Schwinn, and Land Ice can be purchased. These treadmills can purchased and te3sted at most fitness stores, and if your really unsure whether you want to even get yourself into one of these, you could go to your nearest gyms or Y’s and give one a test for your self.



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Nicest Car at Kennedy High School

So I’m sure everyone who is reading this blog has had gone through high school and had that one kid who has a car that is way nicer than everyone else’s. Well today I’m going to talk about that kid at my high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

I go to Kennedy High School, in which most of the cars are probably worth about an average of 5000 dollars. As a high schooler most kids don’t have any cars that are much above average, but this kid is an exception. In many situations the kid with the nice car has a say a Camero, Mustang , or any other sports cars that even the preppy girl would know, but this kid again is an exception.

My friend, that shall not be named, just got a brand new 2014 BMW 235M. Unlike other sports cars the BMW 235M is also very luxurious and sports a engine that will rival many sports cars across the market. With a price of around 60000 it definitely makes itself noticeable where ever it drives.

So now lets get to the stats. This car is a brand new model that a limited supply was made of. With its twin turbo charged inline six cylinder, it will surely get you down the road fast. Not only does it go fast but it sounds fast. With a zero to sixty time of about 4.4 seconds it really gives itself a name. I’ve ridden in this car and it is just flat out fast!

So yah if you are wondering if I’m jealous… I am! So does this car compare to the car that, that one kid owned at your high school? If you have any stories about that kid at your high school I would love to hear about it. Its even especially surprising and almost comical that this kid has a nicer car than any of the employees at the high school including the principal. Most adults don’t think that this investment is not a good one for a kid and I would actually have disagree because high schoolers have the same ability to drive a nice car as adults. So can I just say wow because this car is just so nice and outstanding compared to every other car. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be spoiled and rich? Well, well yah of course it would be!

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Winter Driving

With winter coming around the corner here in Iowa and across much of the northern United States, it is essential for you to know the aspects of driving that are key to driver safely and success on snow and ice covered roads.

So first thing is first. Are you and your car ready for this winter? Well if not, then I’ve got some tips that can further your knowledge deriving safety this winter.

First thing that you are going to want to do before winter arrives is get your car winterized.
Some things that can help with the winterizing your car can be the simplest things.
The first thing that you should do is get your car fully checked over by a service department.
Another thing that you may want to do while you’re at the service department is purchase snow tires. (Snow tires can greatly help with traction, control, and stopping ability of your car in snowy and icy driving conditions).
If you have a rear wheel drive vehicle it is often difficult to gain traction and control under slippery roads, so putting added weight over the rear wheels can greatly help with your ability to drive your care safely this winter. (sand bags).
Some things that you might want to keep in your car in case you get stranded include; a shovel, a weather radio, fully charged cell phone, phone charger, hat and gloves, an ice chipper, tow ropes, and some salt and/or sand.
When driving in slippery conditions its key to know how to drive and handle your car.
One way that will always help you is to leave early for your destination to allow for any delay and to allow for you to drive slowly.
Another tip would be to always warm up your before you begin driving.
When loosing control of a car turn the opposite way that you actually want to turn. This may seem crazy, but it will help you gain traction again allowing for better control.
One last thing that have to recommend is to get a car that has either all wheel drive, or four wheel drive. These drive terrains will really help in snow and ice!

So as the winter is peering through the crack of the door here in Iowa I would greatly recommend some of these tips and I hope they really help you. Good luck on your driving and be safe this winter.

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Fat Bikes

With the snow beginning to fly throughout eastern Iowa, any bike enthusiast seek alternative bikes and riding styles to further there training and cycling enjoy ability. If you are reading this blog and are from Iowa you can defiantly understand that winters here are not to forgiving. And with these type of winters it is understandable that winter riding and be pretty hazardous. So is this just the end to any out door riding for the three months that winter haunts Iowa with its tight grasp? Well it was up until about 10 years ago, when the first “Fat Bike” made its debut.

The fat bike takes the ideas of a mountain bike and multiplies them by 2. The fat bike sports tires that are about twice as wide as mountain bike tires, and are filled to a low air pressure allowing them to role over objects easier and maintain traction in adverse riding conditions like snow, sand, mud, and loose rocks. These beefy and knobby tires allow for better traction and stability that might be lacked in the snow when riding a mountain bike.

I have ridden a couple different types of fat bikes and have found like many others that these mammoth machines are just fun! Some different companies that make these bikes include, specialized, pugsley, surly, and cooker etc. Along with these different companies, there has been the creation of different styles of bikes. These new styles include rigid frames, front suspension, full suspension, and even kids bikes. This variety of bikes allows for everyone to find a bike that fits their riding style. Along with these different frame moldings, some companies have started to make carbon fiber fat bikes, along with their steel and aluminum bikes. These carbon fiber bikes are very low in wait and make the riding experience on one of these bikes even greater than before.

As a member of the biking business I have seen many positive reviews of these new bikes whether riding it for everyday mountain bike training or the snow and ice riding. The ice aspect of winter allows for bike companies then to make studded fat tires which allow for substantial traction in every winter whether condition you may think of. So if your looking for a very fun, reliable, and adverse bike the fat bike might be your best option for any type of riding. These bikes can be bought and sold at many bike retailers from 1000 to 8000 dollars.



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Bike Frame Materials

Biking has begun to broaden its rays and shine a light on many throughout the world. With the interest of biking increasing, what kind of bike will you buy next? And what type of frame will you purchase? With the assortment of bike frame materials growing it can be very difficult to decide on what to buy. Some of these frame materials include, the more retro steel, modern and cheaper aluminum, more expensive titanium, or feather light carbon fiber.

The least expensive and most basic frame type is the aluminum type. Aluminum bike frames can be seen on a large of range of bikes. Many lower range bikes are seen with heavy aluminum frames while some of the nicer full suspension mountain bikes and some road bikes exemplify a much lighter aluminum frame. Aluminum is a less heavy alterative to steel while still being very strong. This type of bike material is good for about any bike that is not a high performance bike.

Another bike material similar to the aspects of aluminum is steel. Steel frames are largely seen on older bikes and can get the rep as a more retro bike frame material. Steel frames are a little heavier than those of aluminum, but carry the very sturdy and longest lasting frame that will always be reliable. A steel frame in my point of view is not the best alternative. My reasoning for this mostly comes from the idea that aluminum is about the same price with a similar amount of longevity, with a less weight.

Now if neither of these bike frame materials appeal to you, there are a couple other high end bike frame materials. One of these high performance frames is carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a very light frame material that absorbs large amounts of bumps that you might encounter while biking. A carbon frame is mostly seen on higher performance road, mountain, and cycle cross bikes. Although the price is quiet a bit higher than say aluminum or steel, it in my point of view is a wonderful purchase.

The last bike frame material I will talk about is titanium. Titanium is not usually seen on to many bikes. Titanium frames are very expensive and a little more durable than carbon fiber, and carry many similar characteristics to carbon fiber. Unlike carbon fiber, titanium frames are very strong and sturdy. Although this may seem to be the best bike frame material it comes with a very high price tag. So if you’re not an everyday professional rider, I would not encourage you into buying a titanium frame. Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what kind of bike frame to buy.

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The Rave of Electric Bikes

Have you ever been interested in biking to work our to school? Not only does biking provide a cleaner alternative to the environment, it can also be fun and a good form of exercise. To some people the hassle of biking to work seems to great, due to the dawning fact that they would have to shower when they get there, because they would sweat to much. Well until a couple of years ago this assumption might have been true, but not anymore.

With the innovation and mass production of electric bikes its given everyday people like you guys who might be reading this the opportunity to ride to work and other places with out undergoing any sort of strenuous work. The electric bikes that are made today have come a long ways in the last couple of years and the production of these has greatly increased, as I can see as I work at a bike store. Many different bike companies have started to produce electric bike lines and models including those of Specialized and Pedego. Many of these new bikes are definitely an affordable piece of primary transportation with most bikes ranging any where from 1800 to 5000. This may seem to be a lot say for a bike, but when you think about the whole picture, it is really just a fraction of what a normal car might cost.

Now if you worry that a bike wont get you to work fast enough or you live to far away, then your worries can be put aside, because the new electric bikes come equipped with a battery pack that has enough power to shoot you up the hills, while also containing enough charge for your daily needs (~2hours+). With speed being an issue for many, these bike companies can assure you that these powerful electric motors will shoot you up to speed and allow for easy pedaling at speeds that you may not otherwise be able to reach on a bike. One bike model called the Specialized Turbo, definitely lives up to its name with a exhilarating top speed of 27 mph.

The electric bikes today offer a healthy, money saving, environmentally friendly way of city transportation that might be good for any one in a urban setting. So whether you are looking for a bike that will get you to your next work meeting or down to the other side of the city bike trail, the wide variety of new electric bikes can be sure to find a bike that suits your needs and enjoyment.

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Electronic Shifting and Ultegra DI2

            From the beginning of the invention of the wheel, to the intention of a bare body bicycle, to present day the transformation of the bicycle has been very large. Some of these large transformations that have occurred include different production of frame materials, wheel size, and along with one that just recently come to the consumers fingertips.

            This new recently new technology is electronic shifting. After many years of prototype testing and research Shimano came out with its first electronic shifting system about 3 years ago. With the outburst of activity and urge for new technology from the professional cycling world, the production of the Shimano Ultegra DI2 became available to the public. The cost of the new electronic shifting doesn’t come with a cheap price tag, therefore only making in a stock feature on the most advanced road and triathlon bikes. The electronic shifting allows for faster, smoother, and more reliable shifting than ever before. This new kind of shifting has started to wipe out the previously top performance type of cable shifting, therefore marking yet another biking milestone in the history of the bike.

            Now some people have become very skeptical of this new kind of shifting and believe that many problems may occur, due to the fact that it is all electronic. And in a way of critical thinking this person might have some visionary thoughts that could point out some problems, with the longevity and rigor of the electronic DI2 shifting set up. Some of these skeptical ideas include the accusations that electronic shifting may malfunction under wet conditions like rain. This type of conflict has been put to rest by the Shimano team of researches after devolving a weather proof casing around the derailleur. Another problem that some people might jump to conclusions of, could also be the durability and ability to function under large amounts of stress caused by more rugged terrain, like a brick road. Again after Shimano’s many years of research and testing they put aside all worries of negative feedback including the durability.

            After researching this type of shifting I have become increasingly interested in this new technology and have planned on actually purchasing a bike that obtains this radically new idea of shifting. So based on the studies and reviews that have been done about the Shimano Ultegra DI2 shifting, I would say that it is a no brainer to buy this type of shifting if you are willing to pay the price of a very high performance road/tri bike.

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Triathalon Bike or Road Bike? Which One is your Cup of Tea?

Triathlon bike or road bike? Which one is your cup of tea? The burning question among many aggressive road bike riders, concerns what the difference is between a triathlon bike and a road bike, and which one is better. This debatable topic doesn’t necessarily have a defined answer, but is more based on the preference of the rider.

Although the name Tri bike gives the bike the impression that it is only used of triathlons, this bike can and is used for many other road biking purposes. As seen in the time trail stages of some of the most competitive road races in the world a tri bike is used based on its cutting edge technology of aero dynamics which is taken advantage of in these individual races. Unlike regular road races a time trail is an individual event, which takes away the peloton and ability to draft, therefore giving the tri bikes aero dynamics the upper hand over a road bike in this situation. The reasoning for this precise aero dynamics can be seen greatly within the frame and riding position of the tri bikes. Some of these features include, thin carbon frame, aero seat post, aero wheels, a rear wheel frame cut out, aero bars and bladed spokes. This biking style then gives the rider the down low and aggressive riding style that cuts through the wind.

Although tri bikes may be very aero dynamic they are slightly heavier then most of the nicest road bikes including the Felt AR series or Felt F series. The road bikes made today may not be made as well aero dynamically, but they sure are light. Along with the light feel of a road bike, many road bikes give the rider a more up right position, which to some people is more comfortable.

So I would say if your competing in a team race that contains a peloton or are just wanting a comfortable fast bike, then a road bike may be the best option for you. But if you are looking more for speed and aggressive handling and performance then a tri bike may be a better alterative to a road bike. For these reasons I am going to sell my road my road bike and purchase a tri bike to replace it. To many people the only reason they may side to either way is just preference and comfort level, due to the fact that much of the components on the bikes including the gears are very similar.

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Giant Talon 29er

Countless hours across the world are spent looking and researching for a new bike to buy, whether they are bike enthusiasts or use biking as transportation. Throughout the world the sport of mountain biking has largely grown in popularity, which brings many newcomers to a road block when purchasing a bike.

If you have been looking across the internet at reviews, you might find that the majority of the reviews are by the actual bike company that’s trying to sell you the bike. This impression based on the bike review from the company will only give the positive sides of the bike, instead of the whole picture, because all they are looking to do is sell the bike and make money. So if your tired of reading what some people may call as “falsie” reviews then a personal review like mine might be a better option into the real story of the Giant Talon 29er mountain bike.

As a previous owner and single track mountain biker I have been able to put the Giant Talon 29er through the paces and push its ability to the limits. The Talon is a fairly new bike to the biking community and features an aluminum frame, 29 in bulky tires, 120mm of front suspension, along with a price that rivals with many. This bike costing around $750 depending on the model you get, is a bike that has been created to strike the interests of those folks that are just getting started into single track and cross country mountain biking. So overall this bike is a bang for your buck with endless fun at your fingertips.

In my case, I bought this bike new in 2011, which marked a time period when I was really getting into mountain biking. The talon was the best choice for me, because it offered considerable performance under a reasonable budget. At the time a full suspension bike didn’t seem to be reasonable to me, so in buying the Talon, I was looking for the next best thing under $1000. As a resident of Iowa I mostly ride flowing single track and cross country trails which the Talon just ate up. The small roots and logs were devoured by the Talons large wheels and cushioning front suspension. The Talon gives the power and efficiency to climb large hills with ease and maintain good speed on the downhills.

The only down sides to this bike in my point of view would have been the handling around corners which seemed to be a little clumsy due to the 29 inch tires. And due to my aggressive riding style which later included jumps and drops, the 120mm of front suspension wasn’t enough for my likings, which then made me buy a full suspension Giant Trance x2.

So if your looking at getting started into mountain biking and want a bike that will give many hours of joy along with a reasonable budget, than the Giant Talon 29er would be a great option for you.

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Texting and Driving

            Throughout the many dangers of driving the greatest increase factor to accidents within the last 15 years or so has been texting and driving. Throughout many studies and analysis it has been scientifically that the use of a cellular device while driving greatly decreases the ability to drive a car safely. In the last 5 years the prevention and awareness of texting and driving has greatly increased due with many laws and legislative getting passed to outlaw this action. These types of regulations bring large fines if prosecuted.

            With the amount of teens being hurt and killed every day from this catastrophe that is sometimes looked over, many health programs and schools have begun preventative programs to stop this action. The fact that one simple text can cause someone’s life is just astounding. Texting and driving doesn’t only effect the person driving the cars and being hurt or killed but it also greatly effects the parents, friends, and family of these individuals which can tear families apart.

            Situations dealing with texting and driving are just as dangerous as drinking and driving with horrible out comes. A text is not worth someone’s life no matter how important a text might be. Many of these situations happen say when a person is driving home and a special someone texts and the phone lights up next to them. Following this cellular notification the driver just thinks, oh this will be quick, I will just take a quick look. And just as fast as that happens someone can lose control of the vehicle and cause a crash with another car or object. This type of situation is greatly seen within teens due to the fact that a teen is largely dependent on a phone and can’t miss a moment to interact with others.

            Now a person reading this blog might be thinking that they wouldn’t ever partake in this action. But someday when they are driving on a thought of as deserted road they decide it might be safe to check their phone quickly. This is prime example of a situation in which a accident happen, say when a motor cycle turns around a corner and the driver doesn’t seem them causing a fatal accident that could have lasting effects on both drivers. So next time you might be put in a situation similar to this, just think is a life important as important as one little text?

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Sterotypes of Teenage Driving

Adult: “Happy sixteenth birthday!!” Teen: “Oh thanks so much” Adult: “ So have you gotten your license and a car yet?” Teen: “ Oh yah I have, I’m so excited” Adult: “ Oh man everybody watch out, I guess I will be staying away from you on the roads”…..Me: oh my gosh just shut the #$%^ up.

This type of conversation and remarks given by adults to teenagers who just are starting to drive is what absolutely drives me nuts! I cannot take it when adults falsely make assumptions and misconceptions about all teens and teen drivers. Almost all adults use this type of lingo when talking to a teenager about driving.

Okay, okay, so I will admit that some teens are not the best or most experienced drivers, but this is not a good representation for the entire population of teens. Although some teens aren’t very irresponsible or good drivers, there are also a large handful of teens that are very responsible and experienced drivers.

Along with some teens there are also a very large amounts of adults that are not the best drivers in the world. The reason for the over exaggeration of misconceptions of bad teen driving, can be explained by a series of psychological phenomenon’s that a conscious human mind is not aware of. These phenomenon’s of over exaggeration can be explained by the need for the human mind to need to fill in and make connections between radical events and the explanation. In this case the false accusation of a teen being a faulty driver and inexperienced comes to persons to try to explain something like a crash that a teen might have been involved in. This type of factor and psychological phenomenon have been formed by the influence of both culture and social factors.

For these types of reasons, is why teens are sometimes given this label, which can sometimes be false and can actually anger teens including me. I mean, yah its true that some teens aren’t good drivers, but that is true for adults also. Teens may be less experienced and mentally developed than adults, but teens also have faster reactions and have the ability to learn new task easier and faster like driving then adults. So next time you might come into a situation like the one given, please understand that teens aren’t an exception to driving skills and that actually you were one at one time way back when.

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Teen Cars and My First Car

Oh everyone will always remember their first car and the memories that were made in that car. Adults to this day still continue to talk about there first car and usually how bad it was. A teens first car is like a big dosage of freedom has been injected right into their blood stream. Not only does a first car bring excitement, fun, but it also brings stories.

Most individuals first car is some car that is sitting someone’s lawn with a big “for sale” sign on it or at a sketchy car dealership that is barely getting by on the small scraps of money that come its way from those cheap parents. The first car given to a teen is looked on by society as a car that is slow, slightly rusted, dull, and sometimes even unreliable. This type of idea is given to those teen cars due to the stereotype of all teen drivers that gives them characteristics that would disqualify their particular driving skills and abilities. Although these types accusations and characteristics are true about most teens’ cars, its not always correct.

Some teens do achieve that “dream car” that is thought of by all teens throughout the world. These types of cars including nice new SUVs, sports cars, and trucks are sometimes thought as a bad concept for a teen to obtain. This accusation is given by many adults for reasons that might include, insurance, lack in responsibility, and risk of abuse and damage to the vehicle by those who are jealous. Although as a teen myself who would really like a different car, I would have to agree with some of these thoughts that go through some adults minds. Although many teens can drive irresponsibility which can cause of large insurance fees, I believe that the greatest risk of a teen driving a outstanding car is the risk of damage from other jealous teens.

This type of jealously is not just a false accusation, but is actually true. These types of actions can be seen within the school atmosphere, where nicer and more expensive cars definitely stand out from the others. With the lowly devolved minds of teens jealously and anger can cause some individuals to lash out at others by keying, denting, along with other actions to get back at some more privileged teens. So through all cultural influences, teen actions, and parental wealth, the purchasing of teen cars can be a very hard thing to judge when it comes to the quality and price of a car.

Word count 424

Drinking and Driving

Car crashes throughout the world are and one of the leading causes of death and injury. Along with a handful of distractions including cellular devices, passengers, and bill boards, drinking and driving is the most dangerous and highest risk distraction found within someone behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Not only is drinking alcohol to the point of intoxication irresponsible but it also is very immature and dangerous. On top of the obvious dangers and sometimes immoralities that come with drinking alcohol, some people even go beyond this point and take actions that put both themselves and everyone else on the road in danger.

Driving while intoxicated is probably one of the dumbest actions a person could take. For people who drink recreationally, they sometimes believe that they are still sober enough to drive and they will be fine if they are careful and go slow. See now this is a very large misconception that goes around in many alcoholics mind. One slight misjudgment or error in driving can leave both the driver, passenger, and all the other people on the road in a “world of hurt”.

This topic for instance is very relative to the atmosphere within peer groups of teenagers and can cause many problems. As a person that has never drank, has parents that never drink, and has no intentions in drinking I find very irresponsible to find peers of my own not only drinking, but getting caught drinking while driving and having to face the law.

Drinking first of all reaps no benefits whatsoever, but on top of that it can cause for many larger repercussions than one might think. Some of these long lasting effects of drinking and the risks and repercussions include, deteriorating health, car fatalities which can ripe families apart, and hefting fines for being caught drinking and driving.

Just imagine the next time that your thinking about taking the keys and stepping on the gas after you’ve been drinking, that you could be holding a little lifeless baby or little boy in your hands. So my question to you is why, why, why, would you take all of these risks including fines, jail time, a persons life and well being, and your future, just to act so irresponsibly to take the keys and begin driving while intoxicated? This is not only your life that could be endanger its, that little boy or girl with big dreams and aspirations sitting in that car seat in the back seat of there mom or dads car. Make the right choice. Don’t drink and drive.

Word count 429 

Steroids and Professional Biking

As seen throughout the sporting world, performance enhancing drugs have become increasingly more popular. Within the last 20 to 30 years performance enhancing drugs have shot up in the amount of attention and usage that they receive. Many of these types of performance enhancing drugs including steroids are found within the baseball and football sporting venues. As the number of people being caught for the usage of these drugs has gone up there has been many more investigations and checks that are applied to many of these professional athletes.

Many people might believe that performance enhancing drugs are only used within the sports such as baseball and football., This type of accusation would be largely incorrect, and in fact there are great deals of situations found in the sport of road bike racing that have turned over results that would prove otherwise. Within the professional biking associations many bikers including the most famous Lance Armstrong have been caught using performance enhancing drugs which then allows for the association to reap all credits and winnings of events from these athletes.

As for Lance Armstrong’s story there has been large amounts of controversy and publicity that has taken hold of the biking associations to check bikers frequently for these drugs. Lance Armstrong was thought to be a hero after his successful recovery of cancer and surge back to power in biking before the findings of his real story. After Lance came back to biking he began to use methods of performance enhancing drugs that allowed him to come back on top and win 7 Tour De Frances. For years this method of usage was put under the radar of the association until later when he admitted to the use of the illegal drugs. This type of enhancement can be reached in many different ways including blood doping which increase oxygen levels, promptly before a race in Lance’s case, and then there are pills which increase muscle mass growth.

So the real question that needs to be asked form all of this is whether the use of performance enhancing drugs should be allowed within the cycling world. Now most people would be totally against this idea because it is immoral and unfair, but other would argue that it is only science/biology and isn’t hurting the body and would be equal and fair if everyone could participate in these acts. Another reason some believe that they should be allowed is because it would create a lot less headache and would wipe out the use of drug checks on athletes. This type of situation is similar to the alcohol prohibition act of the Eighteenth Amendment which illegalized the distribution and usage of alcohol which then increase illegal activity, chaos, and violence. After a few years of this the government went back to the legalization of alcohol. This type of situation presents the idea that allowing the use of performance enhancing drugs would decrease cheating and cause less confusion and chaos. So what do you believe?

Word Count 500 words

Working as a Bike Mechanic

            In society many teenagers are strongly encourage to stay active within many activities including things like sports, school clubs, spiritual organizations, and maintaining a part time job. Many teenagers are very busy and seem to make room for all of these activities while also working. Not only does working give a teen financial support but it also allows them to gain a rich experience within the real world and allows them to gain responsibilities in many ways.

            Many teens in this day and age take jobs that follow a general pathway including those of working at a grocery store, small restaurant, or life guard. Although the majority of the teens today follow through with these types of job applications I however work at a bike store.

            Working at a bike store can sometimes by perceived by an individual as a grimy, boring, and low paying position. These types of stereo types are very false and my job position is about the exact opposite of this description. Although I have only been working at the bike store known as Northtowne Cycling and Fitness in Cedar Rapids for only about six months I have gained large amounts of knowledge and experience in mechanic, sales, finance, and business concepts. As being a bike mechanic I have made my way up through the ranks of this business and continue to learn new things every day that will stay with me for the rest of my life. This job opportunity has given me an outlook on life and the field of work and has strengthened my working ethics along with financial strategies.

            A bike mechanic like me fulfills jobs among the bike store including building bikes, servicing bikes, along with many other misallanious things that help the store and community. Most reviews that I have heard from my friends regarding there employment positions would be dissatisfactory to me. A person working at a grocery store brings in carts and checks peoples groceries as they purchase items for hours on hours at a disappointing minimum wage of 7.25 dollars per hour. Then there are the life guards who believe that their job is just the best thing out there. Although these life guarding positons do pay pretty well at 9 dollars an hour as a starting rate, the large amount of sometimes useless training and financial commitment to gaining a life guarding license can defiantly out way the benefits that life guarding may bring in my point of view. So after talking with friends I am very happy with my position as a bike mechanic as a get paid a even better wage then most teens of my age, obtain better learning experiences rather than transferring and checking  groceries all day, or sitting in a chair watching little kids in the hot sun.

Trestle Bike Park

Throughout the past 30 years from the birth of mountain biking the sport of Downhill Mountain biking has been taking leaps and bounds in not only the technological aspects of the sport but also the population growth and recreational support increase. Although the majority of mountain bike trail systems are funded by donations and built and maintained by nonprofit organizations there has also been the creation of mountain bike parks. These types of mountain bike parks are centrally located in the more mountainous regions including the Rocky Mountains which stretch from northern Canada to the southern most parts of the United States. These types of bike parks are usually located on within Ski resorts that are sprawling with active skiers all winter long along the steep slopes. But during the summer these ski slopes are clustered with winding bike paths that make up the downhill mountain bike park. This downhill mountain bike park idea consists of lifts which carry personnel and bikes to the summit and then are given the opportunity to ride downhill at blistering speeds along with jumps, drops, rugged terrain, challenging obstacles including bridges and logs, and berms which shoot you around the corners. Some of these types of bike parks are world famous, which include Keystone, Breckenridge, Whistler, Jackson Hole, Copper, along with many others.

            One of the largest growing bike parks around the world nestled within the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, which is one of the newest bike parks named Trestle. Trestle bike parks located within the confines of the world renowned ski resort known as winter park, is one of the most popular bike parks along the Rocky Mountain range.  During my visit of Trestle this summer I took in the luxurious views of the wild life that surrounds this mountain bike village along with some of the most beautiful trails I’ve ever seen. This mountain bike park was built and is still being built and modified by mountain bikers themselves which gives this mountain bike park high fun factor. Along with some easier and flowing trails this bike park grasps the needs and wants of some of the most expert mountain bikers seen today. These challenging types of trails include very big jumps and fast moving turns. Along with the high quality bike trails this explodingly vibrant community of mountain bikers has come together to form a small village of condos, hotels, homes, and restaurants known as Winter Park.

Word Count 406

Biker Safety

Everyone has probably seen the license plates that have a figure of a biker on it with the phrase saying “Share the Road”, written on it. But what does the actually mean and what does it mean to you? The term “Share the Road” is referring to the actions taken by BOTH bikers and drivers which is to share the road and be respectful to the opposite side of the seat.

Although cars are usually the main sight of the roads to this day, bikers have just as much of a right to be on the roads. With this bikers actually have more power on the road because the law says that drivers must yield to pedestrians which include bikers. Now you would think that this concept wouldn’t be something hard to understand and put into action, wouldn’t you? Well its not just that easy due to the fact that some drivers cannot get this idea through their thick skulls. To some drivers the scene of a biker on the road isn’t pleasant and angers them greatly causing them to participate in acts like road rage that put bikers in danger. For many bikers less busy country roads are very intriguing and are where a majority of road bikers can be found. The most country roads that bikers are found on are usually not very busy at all and have speed limits of 45mph to 55 mph. Bikers carry out activities like riding on the white line of the right side of the road to share the road and keep themselves safe, and the drivers happy. This action just isn’t enough though because some drivers feel the need to fly by bikers at speeds that usually exceed the speed limit while driving within just a couple feet of the handle bars of the biker even thought there appears to be a clear lane to pass with plenty of space given to the rider. This type of irresponsible and disrespectful action is what causes bikers to be sucked into traffic, get accidentally side swiped, severely injured and many times even killed. Now if your one of these drivers just think…. Is it worth someone’s like to prove that you don’t like bikers and there frequency on roads???

Through my experience as both a rider and a driver I have seen and experienced many of these things through people yelling, honking, and swerving into me while biking on the roads. This type of action goes through my mind every time I decide to hop on my road bike and always keeps the fear of not only crashing but dying on the roads due to a irresponsible driver.

Word Count 446

Transform the World? Biking!

The bike known throughout history as one of the most influential inventions along with many others offers many beneficial characteristics to not only an individual person, but also to society in general.

Some ways in which a biking is beneficial to person participating in this activity is the use of transportation, recreation, and increased health and fitness. Biking has increased in popularity over the last 10 years greatly due to its fun and healthy fitness and aspects. The easy accessibility unlike things like gyms gives it an intriguing force for good. Unlike some other types of exercising like running and weight lifting, biking provides very little stress and impact on the joints. With many different types and styles of biking including competitive biking, casual road, mountain, and cyclocross almost everyone can insure to find some type of biking that they enjoy that all increase health and fitness. Road biking offers endless joy on a smooth surface that can involve exhilarating high speeds or easy cruising. Then there is mountain biking which can range anywhere from the sloping weaving trails of cross country mountain biking to the trails consisting of large drops, big ramps, high speeds, and rocky terrain known as downhill mountain biking. Along with these are many other types of biking that can bring countless hours and days of fun.

Along with the recreational joys and pleasures that biking brings, biking brings in the whole world environment whether it be the ecosystem and pollution or the physical health of humans. Throughout civilization and industrialization, large amounts of pollution have been formed which causes a problem to entire world. Although this is a very large problem it can be fixed through a series of little changes too our lives including the increasing of biking as transportation. With the increase of biking as a main form of transportation it can decrease the use of vehicles on the road that constantly pollute the air across the entire world. As large cities become more bike friendly, by building more bike trails, bike lanes, and supporting the use of bikes it allows for many more people to bike to work and other events. Along with this environmental gain that a transfer to biking can bring it also reaps the health and exercise benefits that are passed over by people in their everyday lives. So what are you going to do to help this cause in improving the environmental health and your fitness?…..Pretty soon the answer will be biking!

Word Count 414

Buying a Bike Dos and Don'ts

            Throughout the bike market across the world there are many different bike companies and types of bikes that vary in price, quality, and performance. Within stores like Walmart and target it appears that they sell bikes that are very flashy and can be used to fool someone unknowledgeable.

            The dos and don’ts of buying bikes can be tough to recognize to the average person who doesn’t really known much about bikes. For example the bikes sold at places like Walmart or target along with many other large convenience stores are very heavy, poorly built, and have a very cheap price tag. To some people that low price causes them to buy these types of bikes for their children or themselves without any consolation. These cheaply built bikes including brands like Mongoose and Next are usually built for very little money in large factories. This large production of cheap bikes poses a problem for the quality to the bike. With the large inattention to how the bikes are built many of these bikes have unsatisfactory performance and can sometimes be unsafe. Some of these problems are due to the cheap componentry of the bikes which includes aspects of the bikes including the derailleurs which initiate shifting, the breaking systems, and the weight and construction of the bikes.  Another down side of purchasing a bike from one of these large convenience stores is the little knowledge found within the workers that lack the power to help provide service and recommendations.

            An alternative option to spending, in my mind “a waste of money” on poorly built bikes in places like Walmart and Target is buying a bike at an actual bike store. Unlike convenience stores bike stores offer higher quality bikes along with a tremendous amount of help from the workers allowing for the bike buying experience to be very enjoyable. With the better quality bikes also comes a little higher price tag but this helps to ensure a safe and fun biking experience. The ability to test out an array of bikes is also an option with buying a bike at a bike store allowing insurance that the correct size and bike type will be purchased.  One last way in which a bike store is going to offer a better option is that they provide not only bikes but bike service which a convenience store doesn’t usually offer. So when you’re ready to bike your next bike take some of these considerations into mind.

Word count 411

Electirc Cars? The Cheverolet Volt

Man it sure seems like that all that is heard in this day in age is, pollution prevention, and economic stability within people. With these large topics being focused in this day and age the electric car has become much more popular within the last 15 years.

After looking into the cause for pollution many environmentalist have found that cars are one of the highest producers. With the research of many alternative fuels car companies have come to the conclusion that electric cars are going to be the next big thing. Electric cars have really started to be found in large numbers across the car production. The electric car didn’t just randomly appear one day on the market but made its way gradually to the large production after the production of the hybrid which was partially powered by an electrical source. These new electric cars are only powered off an electric source which produce a very limited environmental impact and appear to be almost silent when they run. Many cars including the Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf, the Smart car, and the Chevrolet Volt have been largely produced along with many others. Among these the majority of them lack power and style which turns many car buyers off. Although this may be the case for most the Chevy Volt offers not only a sleek look it brings a much more sporty and powerful feel to the car.

One might not believe this but some of the fastest cars in the world is powered of only electric which just proves that electric cars aren’t always slow and boring. Although these high performance cars being the Tesla and Lotus cars are well beyond most peoples price range they give the ability to have a fun, powerful, and environmentally friendly car.

With the electric car industry growing, along with many others I believe that electric cars will boom and will become a very large market within the world. As the number of electric cars grows so do the charging ports within cities. In the next 25 years I believe that charging ports will just be an everyday sight and will be everywhere. So with convenience, price and gas savings, stylish looks, and sentimentally friendly characteristics of electric cars there will be a great increase in the health of our world and environment. This technological advance will definitely be the next big thing in the future.

Word Count 401

The Jeep, Not Just another SUV!!

The Jeep. A long known car that presides a car that always has and still does put smiles on peoples faces. Jeep being owned under GM is a company that produces a series of SUVs, but its most famous for its creation of the Wrangler and Wrangler unlimited. The Wrangler is the model that everyone refers to as “The Jeep”. “The Jeep” known as a the off road car with a rugged look that has the ability to become a convertible in almost no time.

Jeeps have always been known for there high ability to perform off road in some of the most rugged conditions. The Wrangler fitted with its high out put V6 is light and powerful allowing for it to conquer obstacles that most other SUVs couldn’t take on. The Wrangler being broken into another sub model being that of the unlimited version which offers the more luxuries options and also is mostly found in the 4 door cars. The Wrangler is available in both a two door version and four door version. Along with these options the Wrangler also gives even more options depending on the need and want of the buyer.

Jeeps can be found in the hands of both an off road enthusiasts mostly being men and then those every drivers who just want a cool and fun car to drive around town. To me the use of the Wrangler as only a everyday car is a waste of money due to the higher prices found within just Jeeps in general. For those everyday drivers Jeep offers a sub model named the Jeep Sahara which gives the driver more comfortable and luxurious ride wheel giving up more off roading and performance enhancing options like bigger tires and better suspension. Now Jeep also offers the Jeep Rubicon Sport which provides more of those performance enhancing options like bigger tires and suspension. These being only the marketed options many Jeep owners outfit their auto mobiles not only with the soft and hard top option but also winches, tow cables, off roading lights, and mud tires along with an on going list that can heighten the experience of owning a Jeep Wrangler. So if your looking for either an everyday fun car or a car that will give you an ultimate off road experience under a reasonable budget than the Jeep Wrangler along with the whole line of Jeep vehicles is a great choice.

Word Count 406

My Dream Gargage

Everyone has dreamed of having that half of a million dollar sports car or extravagant SUV including me but after coming back to reality your thoughts change about those extremely expensive cars. My dream garage is something that is easily within reach in my further years of life.

For most famines a mini van is a very useful car for the stay at home mom, with the alternative car being the say Toyota Camry for the father. Yah, well this life seems pretty boring, I mean who wouldn’t want to stand out and above everybody else a little bit? Well that’s definitely true for me, I am not going to just be an average person in society and drive some car that goes unnoticed.

My realistic dream garage would put many others cars to shame, consisting of a luxury sport SUV, a high end luxury sedan, and a top end performance sports car. The act of having a large SUV puts the person driving above everybody figuratively and physically! My SUV would be a Land Rover Range Rover. This SUV is not only a head turner but also sports the everyday luxury and optional off road performance that could match up to any other SUV on the market, containing a twin turbo charged V8 with an array of different traction modes and interior comfort settings. My luxury sedan would show the class and professional status of my personality as an adult reflecting not only my social status. The BMW 7 series brings to the table unmatchable luxury along with all wheel drive, and a twin turbo charged v8 that allows for a little fun along your way to work. This car shows the businessman look that gives everyone the impression that your on top of society. Finally along with my everyday cars being the luxury SUV and Sedan I would always obtain a sports car which would most likely be a car that some would call a super call that would be just within a reasonable price range. The Nissan GTR is one of the most mistaken cars of the car performance world. For about 55000 one can purchase a 2 year old GTR with minimal mileage and wear. This car for less than 55000 dollars rivals with some of the fastest production cars in the world. This car not only shows its high state of society in its performance but along with its stunning looks will turn heads of many as its hard lines bring out the mean look of this astounding sports car.

This is not only my dream garage but also a realistic set of cars.

Word Count 441

Northtowne Cycling and Fitness

Bike shops usually get the stereotype of being cool, poorly light, dirty, dusty, and well in a sense very gross and unprofessional. Well when people hear the word “shop” that’s what they think. A bike “ shop” is usually perceived or thought of as a bike repair company that usually is on the downfall and has very little business. Now when a person hears the word “store”, their perceptions of this building and company completely change. This is why most bike companies give themselves the title as a bike “store” rather then “shop”.

Although many bike stores throughout the United States are very exceptional and receive good profits and business one bike store that has largely grown and is still drastically growing and expanding is that of “Northtowne Cycling and Fitness” in Cedar Rapids Iowa. This family owned business that has been passed down through three generations is one of the top 100 most successful bike businesses in the country after being ranked as such for many years in the past. Northtowne not only provides bikes, accessories, clothing, and fitness equipment along with a service department but it also sets itself apart from many other bike businesses by having a goal of helping the community and allowing for a healthy and recreationally friendly Cedar Rapids area.

Within the Cedar Rapids corridor many bike trails and bike friendly roads have been expanding with help from businesses like Northtowne through their support of the well being of the community. Beyond the standard bike store sales, Northtowne provides services to the community such as bike learning seminars, support of community bike events like triathlons, running races, and charity bike rides, along with countless other services.

If you were to walk into Northtowne Cycling Fitness you would be confronted by friendly staff that enjoy to help costumers in any way they can. The clean atmosphere and shiny bikes and fitness equipment line the floor and allow for easy observation of bikes of all levels and riding types. Although as a business of having the goal of selling bikes and being prosperous Northtowne’s main goal for the customers to make strong staff to costumer relationships, set up customers with the service, bike, or fitness equipment needed at the time, and create a healthy and recreational community that strives. As you can see Northtowne’s values and beliefs follow guidelines that will always benefit the community and the people that live within it. So if you would like a question answered by a well trained and knowledgeable staff, need a bike or fitness equipment repair, or are looking to find a new bike or piece of fitness equipment then come on over to Northtowne Cycling and Fitness ranked in the top 100 best bike businesses in the nation located at 1150 Blairs Ferry Road NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

Word Count 472

The Transformation; 650b Tires

Throughout the birth of mountain biking about 30 years ago with the upcoming of the first mountain bike sold on the market being the Specialized Stump Jumper which to this day is a leading mountain bike in the trail bike classification, there have been many advances in technology including huge leaps in suspension, frame design and material, and tire size.  With the first few mountain bikes being made out of beach bikes converted with knobby tires into “mountain bikes”. These first make shift mountain bikes made by hippies have changed greatly throughout the years including a great change in the tire size.

The first mountain bikes largely produced until about 10 years ago all ran 26 inch mountain bike tires which allowed for easy handling and sharp turning. With the transformation and production of the 29er wheel size about 10 years ago many bikes including the cross country, and single track bikes gave most bike models the option of having the 29 inch wheel size. This transformation made a huge impact and giant leap in the mountain biking population as more riders found that the 29 inch wheel size had the ability of going faster and carrying speed better. In my case along a select group of others, the 29 inch wheel size wasn’t as appealing as it was being talked up. After riding a 29er for 2 years I found that although the larger wheel size does help with uphill climbing efficiency it is much clumsier around the corners and very awkward when going of the smallest jumps or drop offs. Now with the invention and production of the newest wheel size labeled as the 650b there yet becomes another exhilarating advancement to the mountain biking world. This new 650b wheel size becoming highly produced about 2 years ago is a tire in between the 29er and 26 inch wheel size that allows for a medium between the two extremes.  Although I haven’t been able to try out this new wheel size I would gladly take the opportunity to ride a bike with this qualification. The 650b wheel size allows for the easy maneuverability of the 26 inch wheel while also compensating with the 29 inch wheel size which allows for the ability to carry speed and climb hills more efficiently along with the noticeable increase in ability to roll over roots and rocks easier than the 26 inch wheel. So just based off of other reviews and articles I am very excited about this new leap and invention and would really enjoy testing this out.

 Word Count 427

Beverly Bike Park

Although many people within the Midwest don’t consider mountain biking as a very popular sport there are a large amount of hidden trails and parks around the rolling terrain within this region including many in Iowa, considered the “Corn State”. Within eastern Iowa there are many sets of trails that allow for the recreational activity of mountain biking to take place. One of these secluded plethoras of trails can be found within the confines of the city of Cedar Rapids.

Beverly park, established and preserved by the Linn county preservations committees have allowed for this block of land known as Beverly park to be transformed into a set of mountain bike trails that weave through the endangered native trees and plants of eastern Iowa. The group of people that maintain these trails received the name LAMBA, which stands for Linn Area Mountain Bike Association. This association consists of members throughout the Linn county corridor that share similar beliefs and values centered on the preservation and health of the natural areas of the community and the support of single track mountain biking.  This group plans mountain bike events, builds and maintains trails, and helps and supports the committee in many different ways.  Beverly Park along with many other groupings of trails are headed up by this committee including Thomas Park, Squaw Creek, and Sugar Bottom Park. This group allows for the growth of mountain bike trails within the community and has increasingly taken off in support and activity within the past couple years.

This first set built by LAMBA, being Beverly Park is nestled within a small forest in the middle of the urbanized part of south western Cedar Rapids. Someone might not expect for mountain bike trails to be found right within the confines of a city, but this park is an exception, which allows for easy and quick access to some high quality single track mountain biking. So as I said Beverly Park consists of mostly single track and cross country trials which range in difficulty based on the rider’s capability. With most of the trails oriented towards the intermediate riders the 5 miles of trails found here are easily navigated and can be ridden by most people without any serious injury possibilities. Along with these rolling set of intermediate trails marked as blue squares, there are also many features and technical sections that allow for the expert riders to enjoy a challenge. Some of these features include logs, rocks, small drops, berms, steep inclines/declines, sharp and narrow corners and some small table tops and jumps. These hidden trails snake through a large portion of highly shaded forest along with scattered areas of grass lands. Like many trails in the western United States Beverly Park allows for high quality mountain bike riding within the gates of a city based on many reviews like mine who have ridden there many times and am part of the committee known as LAMBA.

Word Count 490

 

 

 

Eastern Iowa Mountain Biking

As a person living in Iowa it is evident that Iowa is a very flat state with little interesting landscaping to the naked eye. Iowa has the contraception of being the “Corn State”, when really after looking deeper a person can find that Iowa has some very distinct and interesting land features that exemplify needs of many recreational needs.

One sport found within Iowa that contains a very small population is the sport of mountain biking. The sport of mountain biking is growing with great leaps across the country and comes in many different types. Mountain bike supporters across the country are building new trails and donating money to local mountain bike corporations. Along with many local volunteer groups there are also many professional trail building companies that come together to build some of the highest quality mountain bike parks across the world. With the largest proportion of mountain bikers and supporters being in the more mountainous states like Colorado the amount of professionally built trails are centered there. With bike parks like Trestle, Copper, Keystone, and Jackson Hole taking in large amounts of bikers a year, little credit is given to the mountain bike trails within some of the more flat states throughout the country.

Many different types of mountain biking have emerged after the last 30 years presiding the invention of the sport of mountain biking. Some of these different types of mountain biking include cross country, single track, endure, and downhill/free ride. These different genres of mountain biking range from steep downhill terrain with large drops, rocks, and jumps to the more mild side like single track and cross-country mountain biking which is much more flat with challenging up hill climbs and sections of moderate to challenging technical features like logs and rocks.

In states with geographical features similar to Iowa cross country and single track mountain biking are very popular and have largely grown in the number of miles of trails. In just the Cedar Rapids area there contains up to 12 miles of single track trails and another 10 miles of trails within a 30 minute drive. These parks include those of Beverly, Squaw Creek, Thomas Park, and Sugar Bottom. These linkages of trails range in difficulty beginning with the green trails and going all the way to expert trails being the double black diamonds. This type of trial labeling in mountain biking is similar to that of skiing. The trails in the Cedar Rapids corridor like others around the country provide a healthy, active, and recreational life style within the community.

Word Count 427

Personal Felt F5 Road Bike Review

As you may have seen in another blog post I had reviewed a mountain bike of mine, considering this I think its time for me to talk about a higher performance road bike that I have and still owed. The advantage of reviewing a bike or car that has been owned by that specific person is a true and throe review of the product. Road bike enthusiasts are usually looking for a bike that will give them the fun and enjoyment they strive for a price that wont brake the bank. As being a teenager I also had to search for a road bike that was suitable to my needs as a rider but had to keep it under a somewhat tight budget. Many road bike advocates ride or look for a bike that is between 1,500 and 2,500 dollars. My main goal in purchasing my bike was to fulfill my aspirations of a full carbon frame a a more top of the line component set. After endless hours of research and test rides last spring I came to the conclusion of buying a 2014 Felt F5.


 The Felt F series is a bike used in many of the professional racing leagues which make their appearances in the Tour de France among many other professional races. This bike is usually appealing to those riders that are looking for a more performance oriented bike that gives the ride a bit of an aggressive riding feel. The F series base model starts out at a price of around 1250 dollars and escalates through a range of models and prices to the grand daddy of the them all the Felt F1 which costs close to 11000. This variance in aluminum to full carbon bikes brings many different people buying this bike based on their budget and performance needs. The base model being the F75 is equipped with a light weight aluminum frame and Shimano 105 shifting components with allows for a light and smooth ride. Now if this model doesn’t satisfy all of your hunger for bike then the next level up brings to the table a full carbon frame and similar shifting components. This model being the Felt F5, which I own comes in at a price around 1,800 which allows for a budget for future upgrades and pedals.


 So whether you’re a professional rider and seek time cutting technology and have no price range then The Felt F1 would definitely satisfy all your needs, but if you’re just a cyclist looking to enjoy a fast and enjoyable bike to ride in times where speed is an encouragement and glory then any of the Felt F series models would fulfill your thirsts to ride without breaking the budget.





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The every day Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry the top most selling car for the last several years is a car that has been rated as one of the most affordable and reliable sedans on the market. The Toyota Camry offers good gas mileage along with considerable safety measures packed into this small car. This car has been made for many years and still today rivals with some of the more economic family cars on the road. This car is the most seen car on the road today due to its longevity and popularity among both American and Japanese societies.


 Now in saying this I don’t really prefer this car and I actually strongly dislike this car based on its everyday appearance on the roads. To me this car has no intriguing features including the interior, exterior and everything under the hood. The simplicity of the exterior features make this car blend in with every other car that is found on the roads today and doesn’t show any characteristics that set itself apart from any other cars. The interior although can be rather “luxurious” in the upper level models cannot match the luxury brands like Mercedes and Audi. So with this in mind why would you spend more money on a car that appears very boring on the outside with nicer interior features when you could just get a Mercedes or an Audi for a much similar price? So if your not convinced in my view point that this car is about one of the most boring and simple cars that you could buy than keep reading this blog post.


Under the hood there appears to be nothing special either. The base model Camry comes with a 2.5 liter inline four cylinder engine that produces a slim 176 horse power while the more expensive models being packaged with a 3.5 liter v6 produces around 270 horse power which cant even be put to any use or way of fun do to the front wheel drive that pulls this car across the road.


 So if your satisfied with looking like every other person on the road today by driving this drab Japanese piece of you know what then go right ahead and by the new 2014 Camry, but in my opinion I would steer clear of this car and buy something a little more unigue, luxurious, sporty, and fun car like a Nissan Maxima or Chevy Malibu which clocks in around the same price range.



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2011 Giant Trance x2

Throughout the internet there don’t seem to be too many bike reviews that are based off of a bike that has actually been put through its paces but this blog is here to change that. The bike being reviewed by me, the personal owner of a 2011 Giant Trance x2 has become one of the most cost effective mountain bikes that you can buy in my point of view.


 As for me I bought this bike new but a year after it first made its appearance on the market. The original retail for this bike was 2,750 in the year 2011 but when I bought this bike I stole it for right at 2000 dollars which for many avid mountain bikers is a very good price for the amount of bike that you are getting when purchasing this bike. Along with this bargain for a price it brings to the table a light aluminum frame decorated with some of the higher end components. My residency being in the mostly flat and rolling hills of eastern Iowa I don’t need excess suspension and ruggedness in my mountain bike, but this single track bike allows for many types of riding whether your shredding some knurly single track in the mountains or cruising through the most difficult trails in Iowa. This bike can take on about anything and is equipped with a very strong frame and full suspension that allows for you to glide across rugged terrain including rocks and logs. Along with this highly technologically advanced fox shocks system, this bike features some very responsive avid elixir hydraulic braking system which allows for you to stop on a dime. This single track ready bike also presents some of the most rugged single track 26 inch tires that can be found which allow you to shred berms and keep your line without any slipping around the loose corners that can be encountered.


Along with this phenomenal performance found on the trail this bikes shows style in class in the frame, with the curved bottom tube and black frame with just a taste of some electrical blue and white signatures across the entire bike. So after owning this bike for over 2 years I am proud to say that I still own this bike and I would defiantly recommend this bike to any single track mountain biker that is looking for a bike that is a bang for your buck.



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Nissan GTR

Are you looking to purchase a super car but don’t have the doe to afford such an extravagant care? Super cars across the world have some very relative qualifications that describe a car as a “super car”.  There are many different ways a car can qualify as a super car including, the exotic form of the car (limited additions), speed and performance, and luxury. Some people generalize super cars as being overly expensive and unreasonable to the slightly above average person to buy. Most people think that the only people that drive super cars such as a Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Bentleys, high end Audis and BMWs, and Bentleys are those famous singers and sports players but they would be wrong.


 One car that slips between the cracks due to its inexpensive nature and its non-exotic company name. This car that doesn’t always gets the attention that it deserves is the Nissan GTR. The Nissan GTR comes in a few different levels varying slightly in pricing and performance. The brand new GTR Nismo being the highest end performance model comes in around 150000 dollars, while the base model GTR showing little differences in performance comes in at around 110000 which is considered very cheap for a brand new car that can compete with the best super cars in the world. An older model can be found for about 60000 dollars which is a very reasonable price for many car enthusiast that make slightly over the average pay.


 The Nissan GTR when compared to other super cars comes in near the top with a 0-60 time in just under 3 seconds with a 2.8 time. This pure speed is generated by the highly technologically advanced all-wheel drive system which is one of the best in the world, with a 3.8 liter twin turbo charged v6 pushing its way across the road bringing this beast up to around 570 horse power which would rival with some of the top contenders. Very few super cars bring the table just a v6 but most including many Lamborghinis have v10 and v12 engines.


 The reason that this car only containing a twin turbo charged v6 can rival with these competitors for much under the usual 500000 dollar super car is because it is packed so defiantly. Nissan, a very common car company found in every day cars has come together to make this astounding sports car that can compete with the performance of many other super cars at a price that is affordable to many and cannot be beat.         

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Infiniti G35

Today I will be talking about a car that doesn’t seem to get much credit and lime light for the attention it deserves. The Infiniti G35 isn’t always seen on the road everyday, but that definitely shouldn’t give it a bad rep. As I think about it I think that they are unique and are a car that bring themselves away from the average sport sedan seen everyday like the Toyota Camry or Corolla.


 The G35 comes in many different sub models ranging any where from the base model, to the all wheel drive sport sedan, to the rear wheel drive sport coupe. Along with a smooth riding and spacious interior the G35 comes equipped with enough get up and go that would satisfy the average persons needs. Along with its all wheel drive in the x edition this car gets up to 27 miles per gallon with high way driving with a combined miles per gallon of 22. Now you may be thinking that a car with this good of a gas mileage cannot be very enjoyable on those long curvy roads that are thirsty for drivers to tear around the corners. But if you were thinking that than you would be very wrong.


 This sporty sedan comes equipped with a 3.7 liter v6 engine with dual air intakes that would blow the hats off of most sport sedans found in the same class as this particular dream car of mine. This powerful engine produces a whopping 306 horse power that gets the car from 0-60 in around 5.2 seconds. Factors that bring this car up to speed so quickly include the technologically advanced all wheel drive feature that gets the car off the line at break neck speed, along with the efficiently packed Nissan engine also found in the Nissan Maxima. This car as you can see is not only a reliable and fuel efficient beast, but also comes containing many features that bring in the fun and speed of driving including a auto manual sport mode that gives the driver the feeling of driving a high performance car.


 Now you may also be thinking that this kind of car with all these bells and whistles would break the budget but the base model for this car comes in around 32500 which is a very small amount compared to the pure ability of this car. So as you can see along with its luxurious and fuel efficient ability it sports many fun features that can really bring the car up to speed with out breaking the budget.
 

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