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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