Striders.. The First Step Into Biking

            Do you have a child? Is this child getting to the age in which he or she may be wanting to bike, but is still a little too young and/or small to bike? This problem is seen in many different situations, which can result in injury due to an early start or a delayed and inexperienced to riding a real bike. Biking can be a very important form of transportation and life skill so why wait to begin learning? Your answer to all of these problems is “Striders”.

            Striders are bikes without pedals or breaks. These types of bikes represent a baby step into biking and require little biking skill or physical strength. These bikes allow the child to use their legs to push themselves across the ground or even have parent push them. This form of learning limits the speed of a child’s bike which prevents risk for injury. Now you may be asking what this form of learning provides compared to just waiting till the child is actually big enough to ride a normal bike? Well these new bikes actually provide the child with a sense of balance on a bike at a young age, which can accelerate learning to ride a normal sized bike.

            Another question that you may be asking, might be, why would you spend money on something that is only going to be used for a short amount of time? Well first of all these bikes are very cheap usually being right around $100. Not only are these pricing very reasonably, but they can also be passed down to a younger child after your child has moved onto a larger bike.

            Many different companies make these bikes which show the popularity and usefulness of these striders. Along with many different companies making these bikes, most of these striders come in some very bright and fun colors that your child will love. Not only will your child be happy to find this bike under the Christmas tree or for their next birthday, but both you and your kid can then enjoy some great outdoor bonding time that will increase the health and fitness of both you and your child.

            So if you’re convinced in this new baby step into biking you can be sure to either find one of these bikes at your nearest bike store, where they will give you good advice, or even on the internet.

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Triathons.. Getting Started Pt 2

            Okay so, now you have read my previous blog, and have found the triathlon that you will be competing in soon, but you still have no idea on how to get prepared, physically, mentally, and the gear that you will need to complete this triathlon.

            Alright well let’s start with the equipment that you will need. Starting with the swim, you will need goggles so that you can see while swimming and a performance swim suit or tri suit, or even a wet suit depending on how cold the water is. In Iowa and generally across America if the water is 72 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, you are allowed and encourage to where a wet suit. A good pair of goggle ($25), a wet suit/swim suit ($30-$150) will bring your swimming equipment up to about 150 dollars. Then comes the bike. I strongly encourage one to buy a road bike that will allow for an enjoyable ride. Along with a road bike, triathlon bikes are also available, but can cost more. A bike can cost pretty much to whatever you want to spend, but most reasonable bikes can cost as least as $800 (base road bike) to up to $10000 (high performance tri bike). Along with a bike a helmet will be needed ($50-$150). These are both required things for triathlon biking portion. Some other things that I would recommend include accessories such as water bottle holder, tri suit, biking shoes/tri shoes, clip pedals, sunglasses, and aero bars. These will yet again make your price goes up depending on what all you get. Finally for the run you will need a good pair of running shoes ($80-$120), and I would also recommend a racing belt for quick transition. So as you can see a triathlon can be pretty expensive, but mainly depends on how much you are willing to spend.

            So now you know what you will need for the triathlon, but you’re still unsure on how to train. Depending on how soon your triathlon, I would suggest running, biking, and/or swimming 6 days a week and increasing your length gradually. For more assistance on how to train for certain triathlons, you can join different triathlon clubs in your area. Well I hope my advice has helped and I wish you great luck in your first or next triathlon on your calendar. See ya out on the race course soon.

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Triathalons. Getting started

                Are you one of those people that is always looking for a challenge and to conquer something new. Some of the greatest physical feats that a person can accomplish include marathons, half marathon, and triathlons. If you have already finished a marathon and are looking for your next challenge, a triathlon might be a great option for you. Unlike a marathon, a triathlon requires a use of all your muscles in a string of three different types of exercise.

            If you’re just interested in completing a triathlon just to say you did or are very interested in getting into the strenuous sport, you will need to be prepared both physically, mentally, financially, and with equipment that will suit the competition that you may be competing in.

            There are many different distances of triathlons including sprint, Olympic, half iron man, and the iron man. As a beginner I would strongly suggest beginning with the shortest of them, being the sprint triathlon. A sprint triathlon consists a 500 meter swim, a 15.5 mile bike, and a 5 kilometer run to cap things off. If your still unsure about doing a full one yourself, something that might be a good preview for you would be to do one with a team in which each person only does a segment of the triathlon, being the run, bike, or swim.

            Okay so by now you probably have a pretty good idea of what a triathlon may entitle and whether you are still committed to doing one. So if you’re still saying “Yes yes yes!!!” to this whole idea, it’s time to think about what you will need in the sense of equipment to be prepared for this great physical feat and accomplishment.

            Okay, never mind I think we will have to go over were you can even sign up for one of these triathlons, and how much they will cost. Well if you’re interested in doing triathlons it is very important that you do some deep researching that’s suits your interest and ability to travel. Once you have found one that looks appealing you must sign up well in advance to ensure that you can get a spot before the race is full. The more busy triathlons can fill up within 5 months before the race so it’s crucial to start registering early. And finally the cost, a cost of a triathlon usually ranges anywhere from 40-95 dollars.  

Okay well if you’re still thinking that you want to conquer this beast of a race, than I suggest that you read my next blog that will give you advice on what to do to get prepared for your race day.

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Transition of Power

As you may have seen in one of my blogs last week. I talked about how while times change, so do cars. Now id like to talk about a specific part of how these cars have changed through out the years. And that is the engine.

Throughout much of the 1900s larger engines could be seen in most cars including everyday cars. Much of this power being made with large big block v8s was being wasted due to inefficiency and the weight of the cars. As time has gone on many car companies have devised ways to make cars both lighter and more efficient, hence forth the production of cars including high performance cars that have much smaller engines including “pimped out” 4 cylinders, and 6 cylinders. The newer cars exemplifying these characteristics give the car a much lighter stance. Some of the most famous cars based on this efficiency include the Nissan GTR, and the Subaru Impreza.

One example that can be seen within the last even couple weeks can be seen in the re design of the long famous Ford GT. The Ford GT has been made since the mid 1900s and has become an icon amongst both cars and American history. Up until recently the Ford GT held a engine that produced around 500 horse power. After the previously famous super charged v-8 loosed some of its fame, the people at the Ford ownership formulated the newest Ford GT concept that was just recently unveiled as a production car for 2016. The new Ford GT now contains a twin turbo charged v6 that produces 150 horsepower more than the previous supercharged v-8.

This example right here is just another item that gives support to the increase in infancy of smaller engine cars. Along with this change of engine type in high performance cars/super cars, the change can also be seen in everyday cars. The 4 cylinder car has become widely popular after its debut in the Mini Cooper. The 4 cylinder engine these days offers very good gas mileage and a lighter feel to the car. One example of this can be seen in the most popular car in the world… The Toyota Camry.

The transition of times again can be seen in all aspects of life including the hidden things in life that we now take for granted including the always useful auto mobile that will always have a footprint on this world we call earth.

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Acura NSX Concept Becomes Reality

Bringing history into modern reality is what many car companies have been doing in the last few years and that is exactly what Acura has just done. With concepts being formulated and ideas being thrown around the engineers and innovative minds Acura have finally settled on a top of the line sports car that will bring back the older but not forgotten idea of the Acura NSX. After not making a real sports car for many years Acura has just unveiled its new plans for the brand new 2016 Acura NSX.

Not only does this reformation of a historical car bring back those embedded memories, but it also squeezes in the highest new technology in the history of automotive vehicles. Along with the innovative advances under the hood the new Acura NSX packs the future of cars inside of the car with a very futuristic look inside along with outside of the walls of the car.

This car is expected to be prices around the Audi R8 and Nisan GTR, and will be able to perform right with many of the best super cars in the world. With a twin turbo charged v6 that produces around 450 horsepower along with suspected electric motors, this car with its sleek design will be a very fast car. With the large amount of power that this very efficient engine produces, one might expect a very high end transmission which this car definitely exemplifies. With a 9 speed auto manual transmission this car will fly through its gears with smooth power transitions. This is just a prime example of modern power and efficiency that many cars have transferred to. I am very excited to see how this new car performs and formulizes across the buyers. The Acura NSX also features all wheel drive creating little slip with the wheels and allows for many people who live in wet conditions to drive this car more often.

With excitement hitting people across the world this car has already made a name for itself and has very large expectations. This kind of car is the kind of car that really intrigues me, based on its smaller more efficient engine under a sleeker looking car. So if have a little pocket change that will suffice to 150,000 dollars and are looking for a car that will blow your mind the then the 2016 Acura NSX would be a great car for you.

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Best Kids Bike

Do you have a child that ranges in age between 4-12? Are these kids and or kid beginning to get interested in riding a bike, but your unsure of what kind of bike to get them and are looking for some advice? Well I’ve got the answer to all of these kind of questions.

As a worker at a bike store I have seen how many different kids bikes have sold and been ridden and the reviews that come back from the customers on their purchases. Many different bike companies make kids bikes ranging from this age range, but one bike company seems to stick out as the best for me. The company named specialized seems to come out on top, especially when it comes to children’s bikes. Through the past specialized has produced a bike named a Hot Rock. This Hot Rock, is then divided into many different frame sizes, wheel sizes, and performance levels that will be sure to allow for you to find one that fits your budget and child’s needs.

The Hot Rock that is aimed towards the younger kids gives the option of training wheels and has a low wheels base with just 12 inch wheels. Along with this little kid bike gives an option for a pedaless bike called a strider that can be an entry bike for balancing. The next step into age groups bring me to the 16 inch wheel size with a larger frame that also features training wheels. Now after your child has grown out of the training wheels the next step would be a 6 speed 20 inch wheel bike that gives a child the full amenities of a standard bike. And finally the largest hot rock made, aimed towards the 12 year old is the hot rock 21 speed, with 24 inch wheels.

This array of bike sizes of the same model of bike gives a price and sizing range that will fit all kids craving a new bike. These bikes will give your child a quality look into the world of biking and the freedom that they have always wanted. With prices ranging from 200-1500 dollars, these bikes allow you to pick your poison. So if your looking in buying a bike for your kid but are unsure where to go and what to buy, I would highly recommend consulting a bike dealer that sells specialized bikes and ask them about the newest Specialized Hot Rocks.

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Bike Store Cycle

Bike stores across the country right now are planning and getting ready for the start of spring and complete rage of summer. But you may ask, what does this actually mean for the people working at those places. Well I’m here to give you a personal experience of what is happening at this time in the winter season at the bike store that I work at part time year round (Northtowne Cycling and Fitness).

As the leaves change and the temperatures begin to drop in the fall here in Iowa, bike sales tend to decrease and preparation for the next busy season begins. Along with this preparation limited bike sales still take place along with ongoing service projects. As winter begins to set in Iowa temperatures begin to plummet therefore reducing the amount of riders within the community. The bike store becomes less busy and is a able to take a breather and let all the compressing stress let out in one big sigh of relief. This sigh of relief doesn’t last long though as the production and sales of both fitness equipment (stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, etc.) and snow bikes also known as (Fat boys) begin to liven. With the delivery, sales, maintenance, and preparation for next summer going on a place such as Northtowne remains very busy. With the store busting out hundreds upon hundreds of new bikes for the busy season the warehouse becomes jammed to the gills with new inventory of sparkling new bikes hanging from the sealing and lining the rafters.

As the snow blanketing the ground begins to melt across the state, bikers everywhere are awakening from their slumber and are coming into bike stores, to get their spring tune up or new ride. With this flourishing activity, marks the beginning of the “summer” or busy season for bike stores everywhere. As bikes on the show room floor are making their way out the doors, bikes are being pulled from the ware house to fill the empty spots on the show room floor. As the summer heat sets in and the long light of the summer days come even more bikes are being fixed and sold daily. As the summer comes to an end the final sales are made and the store begins to give that sigh of relief once again as the ongoing cycle of a bike store starts itself yet again for another season.

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Recollection of Cars

Have you been taking your driving for granted? Have you ever thought about what goes into your car? Have you ever come to realize the sense of freedom that a car brings to you and billions across the world? Where would the world be without cars and other automobiles?

Throughout history, cars have come a very long way in our constituently advancing world of technology and innovation. Before the early 1920s, being only about 85 years ago, the main form of transportation was either public transportation being by train, or by horse and buggy. This type of transportation meant that most people usually never lingered more than 60 miles from where they were born. This sense of experience largely limit’s the ability to observe the world.

Then came the invention of the auto mobile by Henry Ford in the early 1920s. Wait, wait, now let me rephrase that. Henry Ford didn’t actually invent the auto mobile but only reinvented the concept of the car by transforming the previous ideas of a car. Before the invention of Henry Fords first car being the Model T, cars were only a luxury to the very very rich peoples of society. The transforming ideas of car production introduced by Henry Ford that helped lower the price and increase the production of cars, such as the assembly line not only effected car production, but had a lasting rippling effect on the production of all things made and would effect America and other countries forever. This iconic time in history shows just how much the introduction of cars became so exponentially important to the whole world’s future. Okay, okay back to the topic at hand, cars.

So after the invention of the reasonably priced Model T, came the popularity of cars. Women, kids, and all men were learning how to run, operate, and maintain these new modes of transportation. This new form of transportation brought along with it both freedom and excitement. Those people that previously were unable to travel 60 miles from their birth place, now had the ability to travel the entire country along with being able to move away from the city and movie into suburban areas that gave some distance from their work places. The car is what brought the country of the US and many others around the world to what they are today. So ill ask you again, where would we be with out the invention of the car?

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Traffic Cameras... Constitutional?

Have received a letter in the email from the DOT saying that you owe a fine to the government for a violation that you are totally unaware of? Well if you have, you might recall that this traffic violation was a speeding ticket found on a speed camera.

For a growing amount of locations across the United States, traffic speed cameras and traffic light cameras have began to be implemented. This new system of catching speeders across the nation has got many people sprung out of sorts with rage. Some people and groups have deemed this type of law enforcement is unconstitutional. I though believe that is completely constitutional for this form of law enforcement to be used against people across the nation. As a citizen of Cedar Rapids Iowa I have experienced and observed the use of these cameras and seen the reactions that come with this type of enforcement. Although this new technology of giving tickets may seem sneaky to some people I believe that if your breaking the law it shouldn’t matter whether your caught by a person or camera. As I’ve seen many visitors to places such Cedar Rapids have become very mad after receiving a ticket in the mail for speeding on the interstate through Cedar Rapids. Many of these foreigners claim to not know that this law enforcement wasn’t being implemented on them. This type of claim shouldn’t give any reason for change in the accusation by the state because the convicters were clearly braking the law no matter the factors involved. Not only does this give support for the state but, another thing that supports the fact that these cameras should be allowed comes to the fact that warning signs can be seen well before any type of camera may appear in the future on that particular road. So this is pretty much saying “ hey there is a “Cop” ahead so slow down”, so I don’t understand how much more up front the government can be with the this system. And yet another thing that gives support for the constitutionality of this action is the room for error with the speed cameras. The speed cameras depending on the application allow for up to a 9-11 mph error in the driver before giving a ticket. So I just don’t understand why anyone might deem this unconstitutional given all of these precautions to a upcoming speed enforcement system.

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