Bicycling Today

 Created 4/20/2021

Here is a teir 1 Bicycle Site Worth Exploring

I've seen a lot of different bicycles on the road today, indeed there are quite a few different types, and the latest fad of course is electric bicycles, to wit I am not a fan of at all, and yes I'm kind of a bicycle snob when it comes to cycling, motored bicycles just aren't the same things as normal bicycles to me.  To me, it sort of defeats the purpose of bicycles, which have always been a cheap alternative form of local transportation, which did not require anything other than an able body and a few skills to ride, and electric bicycles sort of takes away the need for a healthy body, it introduces laziness to the world bicycles.

Bicycles, by and large, when ridden enough will make the rider fitter, slimmer, and increase their stamina X fold, but they can be painful if you aren't riding it correctly.  You can choose any course or style of bicycling that fits your taste, but ultimately, the end result is your skills will increase in the terrain you have chosen and the bike you have chosen, and electric bicycles are just another choice of bicycle, but they decrease the amount of fitness and stamina you will acquire while riding a real bicycle.

I'm not a gadget lover, I don't want a smart bike, and I believe the human brain is smarter than any computer by miles, provided it's packed with enough knowledge and understanding.  However, keeping abreast of the latest new bicycles may be entertaining, tempting, and fun to learn, but you shouldn't so much on tech as you should riding.

After all, it's actually riding the bicycle that teaches you more, not gadgets, gizmos, but you can also still learn a lot from reading, and that's precisely where this blog comes in, though there are countless blogs and web pages dedicated to bicycling.  This blog is dedicated to serious bicyclist who ride real bicycles every day, they aren't a fad rider, a firster (Gotta have all of the latest greatest stuff), a techy (Loves electronics), they are just bicyclist who enjoy riding, and have been doing so for some time, this is what separates the serious from the fad riders or beginners.

There are also other added benefits to cycling besides getting fit, indeed I saved a lot of money on car insurance by switching to a bicycle (A joke I tell quite often), seriously though, the cost of gas is going up, and I for one would rather rely on my feet than a gas pump to get around, at least I don't have to worry about vehicle maintenance (Expensive!).  Bicycles, traditional / non-electric, are cheap, it's what makes them such a good choice for transportation, besides getting fit as an added bonus, and though bicycles aren't a quality choice for every climate or terrain, I'd rather consider moving to another city than living without a bicycle!

Indeed, in today's era, with a smart phone in hand, you have access to a lot of things, but more importantly, you'll probably be on the go a lot, because you can't make money sitting at home unless you run a business from your home, and that's something beyond most people's means today, because it requires a lot of knowledge and understanding too.  Nevertheless, travelling light is important, heavy bicycles are the bane of bicycling, and that's why the lightest bicycles are so expensive, but you don't need a carbon bicycle (Unless you are a professional racer) to ride.

Indeed, I prefer older tech on my bicycles most of the time, like V-Brakes instead of disc brakes, though manual rear disc brakes are very nice for downhill, and may be necessary if you are a mountain biker, because mountain biking often uses brakes A LOT.  We've also seen a shift to V-Brakes in BMX bikes, thank you bicycle engineers for that one, and though I've ridden almost every bicycle on the market (Except eBikes), I too have developed my own taste for certain types of bikes.

Personally the easiest and best choice is dual sport or comfort bikes, because I only do light trail riding, and commute a lot, and learning to be comfortable is critical to commuting and long rides (10+ Miles One Way), so take the time to learn what style of bike best fits you.  I've seen a lot of kids who ride for fun, they choose basic bicycles, being poorer kids, but they still have a lot of fun even on fixies, beach cruisers, or BMX bikes, which tend to be cheaper, and they work well on flat roads, but are a pain in the neck on steep hill climbs (Forget it!).

The main thing to understand is aluminum bicycles are better all around than carbon fiber, due to price, because shaving off a few grams isn't necessary for most riders, and steel bicycles are just too darn heavy (Especially for women to carry or lift), so make sure you choose an aluminum framed bicycle.  Today however, bicycles have become a bit far too expensive, and by that I mean anything over $300 seems a bit too pricy for what bicycles offer, but if you want a good bicycle that's cheap then you can always shop used.

I have bought, fixed, and sold a lot of used bicycles on OfferUp and Craigslist, bicycles tend to last decades, especially if they are maintained by a mechanic, but bearings, gears, tires, brake pads, and chains do wear out, indeed even cables need to be replaced.  However, if you are planning on riding for a long time, then I'd highly recommend getting cheaper components, like cable housing and cables from a bike shop, also extra spokes for your bike as well, because it will save you a lot of money in the future, and prices just keep going up online too!

You should avoid the stupid that is currently found in the bicycle market, anything over $600 is just obscene, and most bicycles that you buy in retail won't even fetch 1/2 price in the used market, even though they are brand spanking new!  There are some notable exceptions mind you, but the online world also has other used markets for higher quality bicycles, but they are often trying to fetch 60-80% the original cost of retail, and that's often far too much too.

Obviously you aren't going to find a cheap dual suspension mountain bike or eBike almost anywhere, but are you truly a mountain biker?  I've seen hard tails that could handle a lot of off-road just fine, indeed hardtail bikes are better in a lot of ways, and remember it's the rider that makes the biggest difference on bicycles, because weight and skills matter A LOT!  Here is a perspective you should probably entertain if you are looking into mountain biking, I shared this with you because I've seen some very pro riders use hard tails to do some phenomenal stuff, including jumping, and riding down very dangerous mountains, so again it's your skills that matter a lot.

Obviously kids may seek to plead and beg their parents to drop a lot of money on a dual suspension MTB or eBike because they want to impress their friends, but it also sets them up to get robbed or even mugged, and thieves love those expensive bicycles & kids are a very easy target for them, so be warned!  Quality / more expensive bikes are for those who are serious enough about riding that they compete, they aren't for people who just like fooling around on bicycles, and though you may want to have a really expensive bike, please keep in mind that expensive bikes have expensive parts!

Why take a very basic machine and make it expensive?  Already some of the tires are getting close to the cost of real car tires, yes that's entirely absurd too, but you know there are a lot of clueless consumers out there willing to drop some very hard earned money on something as basic as rubber and steel, and that's why a lot of people go broke fast, they are bad with money.  Bicycles on the other hand are a means to save money for most serious commuters / bicyclist, they also are faster than walking, but they aren't for everyone, and I say this because if you are seriously overweight bicycles can be harmful or even deadly to you.

Anyone over 220 lbs runs the risk of damaging their bicycle unless it's built for their weight, they also run the risk of becoming very badly harmed if they fall of at higher speeds, and so again I say, bicycling is not for everyone.  You can however lose a lot of weight while riding, but dropping weight also includes not over eating, and watching your calorie intake on top of exercising too.

I lost 30 lbs last summer riding, unfortunately I gained it all right back in the winter because I started eating more, and it's going to be a pain taking it all off again, but this time I've got a better plan to keep it off, and that includes watching my food intake very closely.  You too can get very fit, especially if you are a person concerned with weight training and taking off fat, and bicycles work out not just the legs, but they also work out the shoulders and hips too.

Just make sure you stretch regularly, because bicycling tends to make your muscles rather hard and stiff, as you use them A LOT, this of course is just basic bicycle 411, and any experienced rider with common sense would understand why stretching matters very much (You don't want to pull muscles and tendons).  Indeed, bicycling today is more than just about fitness, adventure, thrill seeking, or looking cool to all of the local kids, it's about travel too, because where vehicles cannot go, many bicycles can, and they are great tools to go camping with too, because exploring is so much fun too!

Did I mention they can carry weight too while you are just pushing them to your campsite?  Yes, bicycles can even have carts attached to them, either for carrying kids or stuff, so don't overlook all of the cool accessories that bikes have these days, like the ability to charge your phone with a dynamo on your wheel.  I've seen a woman put two dynamos on her trike, she's not just a bicycle enthusiast, she's a hard core commuter who really loves to ride every day, and though that may be a bit too niche for some folks, a few of the bicycle gadgets are cool on any bicycle!

Just don't spend far more than it's worth, by that I mean learn to value $40 well because you can buy used bicycles for $40-$60, therefore anything that cost over $20 is tapping into the far too expensive market, and this is why many markets are flooded with stuff that never sells.  There is good and then there is just far too expensive, good + value is what bicycles are truly all about, when the value is gone, the bicycle or part / gadget is no longer considered good, and it becomes a rich person's toy thing, not selling much at all.  (Demand falls off a cliff)

Most bicyclist aren't rich people, they often are very poor or come from poor families, and so if you want to reach the broke masses, then you have got to make better stuff for cheap, I mean you can buy smart phones and laptops for $60 to $300.  I'm big on value, the reason why I wrote this particular blog post was a 2 part reason, to help other see why the bicycle market has gone the wrong way, and to help people find the better value, because expensive $2,000-$16,000 bicycles are completely asinine to most people.  (They become a rich kids toy when the price exceeds normalcy.)

One critical thing to keep in mind when looking at newer bicycles is, are they using old components like grip shifters?  Chances are the bicycle manufacturer is just trying to get rid of overstock of their older components, sadly these same corporations are charging far too much for their old tech on their overpriced bikes too, so watch out for old components, and there's no sense in not using press button / trigger shifters these days, as grip shifters are problematic while riding.  (In multiple ways)

I think I've covered most of the up to date situation in the bike market, though I'd be happy to entertain any comments other bicyclist would care to see posted, and so don't forget to comment and support the blog, thanks!

Thanks for reading, I hope this blog helps you see the truth, and please share a link with others, thanks!.

If you would like to help me continue to help the world see the truth, you can use Pay Pal or CashApp to send me a donation via my email at:  galegtech@gmail.com

Thank You readers for your support!

Copyright © Gale Innes 2022
All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Bicycle Basics (Repairs & Need To Know)

 Created 4/20/2021

Image Source (How To Fix A BikeTire)

In this post, I'll be covering a lot of the basic things every bicyclist needs to learn and know, and by learn I do mean become familiar with enough to overcome the common issues we encounter with bicycles, like flat tires for instance.  I'll be posting a lot of links to quality information, so simply click on the link to watch the video or read the article to learn more.

After you have purchased your bicycle, you are going to need a few things, depending upon your age though, because adults and older teens don't usually ride with elbow and knee pads, those are for kids learning how to ride, but if you do serious mountain biking those things can save your life!  Obviously if you ride on the road front and back lights (Preferably rechargeable ones) are a must have, even if you don't think you'll be riding at night, and even in the day time flashing lights increase your visibility by about 40%, so use them!

A bright colored shirt (Florescent Yellow or Orange), at the bare minimum, is necessary to increase visibility as well, and though it's OK to not use these if you aren't riding on the road, it makes good sense to use them if riding in a forest because people do hunt still today.  Obviously a bicycle helmet is standard safety equipment, they can save your life seriously, and they also help block the harmful sun from scorching your head with massive heat, which leads to profusive sweating too. (Bad idea!)

You will need an air pump that fits on your bike, a quality multi-tool, and a means to repair inner tubes & of course quality tire levers, also a couple extra inner tubes is very nice, so get these these things up front!  It's standard to have at least 1 water bottle holder on your bike with a bottle, you can of course still use multiple water bottles or carry a back pack for drinking water or whatever as well, and be sure to wash out that bottle at least once a weak to kill bacteria!

I would still recommend having a standard bicycle pump though (The bigger ones with a gauge on them) and of course every bicycle needs a bike lock.  Here I would recommend a big cable lock or the U shaped bicycle locks, which are the best hands down, and you need to know that any lock is removable given enough time, so parking your bicycle where there are cameras or a lot of traffic completely dissuades would be thieves.  Please, for the love of your bicycle, don't leave your bicycles outside unattended & unlocked when you go home, keep it inside or at the very least lock it up.

You will at the very least repair inner tubes (Preferably) or replace inner tubes quite often if you ride a lot in city streets, there is a lot of glass and metal found in city streets, and so learning how to repair inner tubes is critical, but there are other means to avoid getting flats.  One means I've seen BMX riders use is using two bicycle tires (I kid you not), but that's rather inconvenient for serious riders, and there are those slime inner tubes, NOT RECOMMENDED!  (Too heavy and annoying!)

How to repair your inner tube with super glue & paper!

There are also slime inserts for your tire, but the best way to protect against flats is to get a puncture resistant tires, standard tires on bicycles that the manufacturer places on most bicycles aren't puncture resistant at all, and so the first things any real cyclist will do is replace the tires with higher grade tires once the original ones become bad, which often doesn't take long at all mind you.  You will probably bend a few rims in your years of cycling, so you will want a spoke tool that fits your bike, unless you have multiple bikes, then you will want a universal one instead, and I'd opt for the non-universal if you want precision, universals tend to be lower quality and strip spoke nipples. (Very bad!)

Learning to true a bicycle wheel is critical, so learn it well, I don't have a bike hanger, most of my repairs happen on the road, and so I opt for the non-professional means to accomplish task, but you can use a rope to hang a bicycle from a large tree limb!  It's far more convenient to just flip your bike up on it's handle bars and bike seat to do repairs more often than not, and that's because most flats or adjustments happen on the road.

Obviously your seat needs to be the right height, depending upon the bike determines how high or low you should put it, on a standard bicycle (Non-BMX or Mountain Bike), you'll want to ensure that when you sit on the bike that (Using your heels) the full extension of your leg is not used when pedaling, give yourself at least an inch or two of slack, and this is to avoid strain to tendons in your ankle & feet.  On BMX bikes, riders and mountain bikes, riders almost always have their seats lowered far beyond what seems correct, and the correct height for these bikes is the seat needs to come up to the bone found in the upper center of your rear end (Butt), the bone between your butt cheeks near the top.

Most bicycles have a means to adjust handle bars, but the best bikes have a means to adjust the height and extension of the handle bars, giving the rider the ability to ride sitting up or leaning forward, and road bikes offer a rendition of this with the 3 position handle bars.  Adjusting your handle bars is the 2nd thing every rider should do before going on their first ride, because you need to be comfortable with how you ride, leaning too much is stressful, especially if you aren't skinny, and riding straight up and down can be harmful to your spine if you ride over serious bumps.

To ensure you are ready for daily riding, make sure you use protective eye wear, preferably shades (For daytime) that cover the entire eye area without blocking or limiting vision at all, and don't wear sun glasses or safety glasses (Clear ones for night) if they block any part of your vision, safety glasses are critical to ensure you don't go blind from bugs and objects that WILL fly at you from time to time.  Gloves are not necessary, but they are very nice if you do a lot of riding, because they too block the sun, and if you don't use long sleeved shirts, then it's time to put on some sun screen, or get skin cancer if you don't!  (I have skin cancer, so I'm telling you from experience, and so you should use 50 proof+ sun screen if you ride more than an hour on any day, even if the sun isn't shining!)

Gloves are also nice to have if you wipe out on the road, but do your self a huge favor and learn how to do shoulder rolls, and I tell you this because landing on your wrist is a great way to end up with broken wrist, it's better to land on your side or do a should roll if you are pitched forward or go flying through the air.  I try to avoid hitting any objects, especially cars and trees or branches, however from time to time you may encounter unknown flying objects (UFOs), no not the conspiracy theory kind everyone tries to get pictures of, but objects that just so happen to fly at you for unknown reasons, like rocks, bugs, or falling timbers / branches / whatever, and I have to warn you that I've been shot by someone shooting a lot of paintballs at me while riding, so expect anything, including fireworks!

Riding a bicycle often becomes a dodging act, except you are on top of a piece of metal with two wheels, and balance is limited to lean left or right or turn your wheel, but turning your handle bars often leads to bad results unless you are moving slower.  Obviously keeping your handle bars straight most of the time is critical, so if those become loose, then make sure you tighten them only enough to ensure they remain straight while riding, and avoid making them so tight that it becomes more difficult to turn the wheel.  (Keep them at zero resistance to turning the handle bars)

Bicycles are a fine tuned instrument, but things become loose after riding for a time, so you'll need to check the tightness of bolts from time to time, also your bike will likely need to be cleaned at least once a month if you ride regularly, or after a serious off road adventure that leaves your bike completely covered in mud or dirt.  Obviously one way to avoid cleaning more frequently is avoiding any kind of water, not to mention your back side will stop getting wet, and that's a nice feature of being smart.

Riding in the rain is not uncommon, so ensure that you have an emergency rain coat if doing long rides and have properly lubed your bicycle, obviously snow riding is out of the question unless you have high traction tires that can handle that, and riding over ice is flat out deadly for any bicycle.  So avoiding disaster is obviously the main checklist of know how for any bicycle, that doesn't just include cars, pedestrians, and objects, because bicycles are in fact a dog magnet, indeed dogs are highly fascinated with spokes and cycling legs too.  (Side Note: do not ride in lightning storms, very bad idea!)

I have been bitten once by a mutt, the lady had like 4 of them in the front yard without a leash too, and I just let it go, but I could have made a big scene over it and called the ambulance and cops if I wanted to.  That's overkill, bicyclist just accept that road hazards exist and include dogs on the loose, and the best way to deal with dogs is doggy snacks, even the mail delivery person can tell you that, but if you keep running into issues with the local dog pound, then pepper spray works too.

There are of course other animals beside dogs, but most of the ones I've encountered are non-aggressive, like deer, possums, racoons, and in my off road adventures I've run into a few snakes, but I never stopped to admire them at all.  (No thanks)  Speaking of stopping, braking is by far one of the most important aspects of a bicycle, because if you can't stop then you are putting your self in danger, and avoiding danger is like a natural skill of any bicyclist!

Therefore, learning to adjust brakes is a standard skill of any cyclist, and so you should take the time to learn how to adjust every type of brake before you head out to ride, I say this because inspecting your bicycle before you ride is critical to having a safe ride.  I've had siblings and malicious people mess with my bicycle out of spite towards me, so expect things not to be "Normal", and take the time to ensure nothing is broken, loose, and everything is properly functioning before heading out on a long ride.

For those who are really into fine tuning their bicycle, especially if they purchased a used bicycle, then learning to adjust derailleurs become an important skill in bicycle repair and maintenance as well.  Obviously there is a lot to learn about bicycles, but I feel like I've covered the very basics here, and further blog post will be more focused on other topics, including more advanced repair topics.

Thanks for reading, I hope this blog helps you see the truth, and please share a link with others, thanks!.

If you would like to help me continue to help the world see the truth, you can use Pay Pal or CashApp to send me a donation via my email at:  galegtech@gmail.com

Thank You readers for your support!

Copyright © Gale Innes 2022
All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Becoming a Hard-Core Cyclist

 Created 4/20/2021

Image Source

Hard core is not for beginners, you definitely need to know how to avoid the motorist / cagers (People who ride in a smoking metal box with wheels on it), you also need to know how to navigate various types of terrain, and how to go the furthest without tiring, because getting to your destination is just as important as the ride itself.  Crossing the finish line is more important than being the first person to cross, because one day you will be the first person crossing eventually, and doing this every day makes you a hard core cyclist, whether you compete or not it makes no difference.

I've read a lot of great tips on cycling on 4Chan's Transportation image board, please keep in mind this site is NOT FOR CHILDREN, and one of those tips is: "If you're on the road, always ride as if car drivers are actively trying to kill you and/or can't see you and they're about to do the most retarded thing imaginable."  You can learn a lot about cycling by socializing or reading forums, every cyclist has their own perspective or opinion on cycling and the life as a cyclist is often rife with turmoil, anguish, and struggles, especially if pressed for time.

Every bicyclist must have basic repair skills, even if you cannot change a front shock, chain, or install new bearings in a hub, basic repair skills will save you a lot of money, and that's because going to a bike shop can get insanely expensive, also you need to know how to properly care for and protect your bicycle.  Obviously I'm referring to more than one thing when I say protect, which also includes ensuring your bicycle is safe from theft (Locked at all times, even in your home) & attached to something that's not easy to move with a bike locked to it, and it's also includes protecting your bike from getting wrecked by foolish riding or mistakes, like braking on gravel, running into obstacles, or riding over deep potholes cause you weren't paying attention.

Hard core cyclist have significant experience riding, especially downhill & jumping, which is where things get dangerous fast, and knowing how to control a bike at higher speeds is critical to becoming a better rider, therefore, you should at the very least know how to avoid gravel and greasy / muddy surfaces unless you have tires equipped to handle that type of environment.  There are of course different styles of bicycles, road / comfort / commuter bikes use slicker smaller tires and require finesse while riding, no sense in going off the sidewalk or road with these, it become dangerous, and that's where riders end up get hurting themselves &/or their bikes. (Improper Tires for the path)

We all learn from mistakes, liking braking while on gravel / sand (use the front brake and you are going down fast), and develop our own skills over time, like learning to how to avoid gravel / sand on turns while on a bike with slick tires.  Skills are necessary to take away a lot of the fear that come with riding, that's even more applicable to mountain biking, which is where things get really dangerous, and unless you can overcome your fears, then your skill level will not improve much.

If you are planning on riding every day, then becoming ultra smart is necessary, and one tip I would definitely leave with the cycling community who ride on the roads, is always travel on the left, that way you can see the cagers / nut jobs coming at you.  (Cagers often will not yield to cyclist!)  Every driver on the road has the potential to end your commuting or road biking life permanently, never forget that, and so you should take riding on the road with extreme seriousness, I cannot tell you how many times I've encountered speeders and people running stop signs in the city.

(Not to mention high speed police chases that ended in terrible consequences for the public.)

When you are a hard core cyclist you kind of figure out for your self what is smart and what isn't, it's a learned thing, and it's only learned from experience, you just cannot teach people how to jump, do tricks, and ride difficult paths, they have to try and fail for themselves.  Even if you have to take it slow at first, until you gain confidence, obviously this doesn't apply to jumping, but you can jump smaller hills at first, till you get more confident at jumping larger ones, and that's exactly why I wrote this blog post, to help you see that bicycling is an experience.

The skills of a hard core cyclist are much higher than your basic riders, you won't see young kids doing what those in their 20s can do on bicycles, older people tend to not be so devil daring, and with good reasons too (We have families to look after), but the worst thing that can happen to a cyclist is they become crippled from wrecking their bike by taking on a challenge too great for them.  The secret to becoming a hard core cyclist is moderation, go slow at first, learn slowly, and eventually build your skills, no need to climb the mountain all at once, and learn to take breaks!

Listen to your body, if you are tired, if muscle or tendons are starting to burn, you are doing too much, take a break, and give your self a chance to heal or rejuvenate, obviously no serious cyclist travels without water or a drink of some sort.  Hard-Core / Daily Riders are cyclist who love to ride, they live for that, and they may seem fanatics to some, but to those who love bicycles they are entirely normal and even cool.

Being able to bust wheelies, do an endo, and other bike tricks sure impresses the hell out of the local kids (Who often need someone to look up to today mind you, considering where are these days), but being a hard core cyclist doesn't mean you can't teach some local kids how to ride, and you might be able to make a few bucks fixing their bikes and also teaching them how to fix their own (Preferably).  To me, bicycling is a lifestyle, it's a multifaceted daily adventure, and you get to encounter a lot of different type of people, especially if you do urban commuting & nature trails.

People are like flowers, sometimes you just got to stop to smell the roses (^.^), indeed you can learn a lot by socializing, which also helps to build a good judgment of character, and you can ask for information which helps you advance faster!  I've run into quite a few shady characters in my life, you can usually tell by their face if they are good or bad, but today a lot of people are wearing those diapers on their face, so it's hard to tell, and that's annoying, but also their demeanor, hair, and clothes are often a big tip off too.  (You wouldn't talk to this guy with his hair sticking up and out, with dirty clothes on, and wild looking / bugged out eyes like he just ate a cat raw, would you?  Me neither!)

I don't like to ride around a lot of cars, the brake dust is far too much, so I stay off of high traffic roads, not to mention many police chases end up on main roads, and that's where cyclist can get killed by accidents, so learn to follow this advice well.  To me, in today's world, where poverty is growing, the cost of gas, cars, and insurance continues to go up and up, well cycling makes much more sense!  

This is precisely why I started this blog, this particular post is to help experienced riders get into the mindset of the cyclist crowd, we just think differently than the cagers, and we respect everyone on the road, especially pedestrians and other cyclist.  It's just that road riding has become pervasively more dangerous for us cyclist, bicycle theft is so common don't even bother calling the cops, and it's not uncommon for cyclist to get robbed for their expensive bikes these days in the cities of America.

I don't know much about life as a cyclist in Europe, Africa, South America, or Asia, I'm sure it's entirely different there, but in poor countries like India, well, it may be the only way to live for many millions of people, and I'm sure that many great cyclist probably came from poor families and countries, so I don't judge cyclist much.  Indeed many cyclist are actually rich people, I had an old boss who owned a business who was a daily commuter, so don't judge a cyclist ever, and you never know who you might run into while riding, some cyclist are actually undercover cops or cops in my city.  Also, some are very intelligent and very nice people, I know because some of the most selfless and intelligent people I know actually ride bicycles, and I don't waste my time with the rude ones, I just keep on riding.

Today, it's important to be remember that cycling is a means to travel (For some), it is not the best form of transportation, but for many it is the only form of transportation, and if you can afford an electric bicycle, that's awesome, but they are way out of most people's budget, that's for sure!  I for one have to chuckle at the people running down the trails on electric bikes, it really does defeat the purpose of cycling off-road, I mean I can see it for daily commuting, but electric mountain bikes?

Anyway, cycling is changing, some people can afford all of the latest and greatest or neatest bicycles, but I for one would never pay over $300 for a bicycle, ever, not even if I had $100,000, it's just obscene to see people drop more than $600 on a bicycle to me, I mean it's not even a dirt bike!  Sure, electric bicycles may be cool and nice, but unless they can go 50+ miles, they aren't worth much to me, and that's because most people would rather use a vehicle to travel over 20 miles, but hard core cyclist may ride 20-40+ miles a day.

Are you ready to start taking cycling seriously?

Life is changing, you better get smart, I saw this coming 8 years ago.

Hard Core Cross Country Bicyclist Can Teach You Something Too!

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Copyright © Gale Innes 2021

All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Bicycling For Kids

 Created 4/19/2021

Everyone who ever wanted to ride a bicycle probably saw their sister, brother, relative, or friend riding one, and from that moment on they decided they wanted to try it, because it looked so fun!  Indeed, bicycling is indeed a lot of fun, it truly can be a very invigorating experience, also it's healthy for you too, and everyone really gets a thrill out of riding, even if it's just for a short trip to a friends house or the store to pick up some snacks.

However, bicycling really isn't for everyone, little kids around ages 3-6 can start learning how to ride with training wheels or use a balance bike, but they aren't ready for a real bike until around 7-9 years old, of course with enough experience riding they'll be able to fly up and down sidewalks with ease, but of course the streets aren't for beginners, neither the off road trails, nor mountain biking.  Parents naturally should refrain from allowing their kids to go riding alone, because cars are more likely to see a bunch of kids riding rather than one, and friends can warn the other kids who are oblivious to the oncoming traffic of the danger they are in, but once a child reaches the ages of 10-12 years old, then they'll probably want to explore more alone.  (Just make sure they aren't ever alone!)

I would refrain from allowing my children to go bicycling alone until the ages of 16+, only because the streets are dangerous, and it's easy to get robbed, even and especially on off-road trails because often homeless and drug addicts may hang out in the woods.  Teaching your children to be safe while riding is a must, don't just expect them to follow the rules, make sure they really know their stuff and listen to you before you allow them to go riding off with their friends, and safety isn't just important, it's saves lives too.

Before you choose to go bicycling of course your first obligation of course is to pick out a bike, if it's a kid, then any basic BMX (Bicycle Motocross) Bike will do, no sense in spending a lot of money there, and if you are smart, you'll buy a used one, as there are tons of used kids bikes found online or at garage sales.  I would highly recommend buying used bikes to learn with, because respect for bicycling must be earned, and kids tend to tear up bikes FAST, so do your self a favor and save your wallet the trouble!

Many kids decide rather quickly that bicycling is just far too much "Work" and put the bike down never to pick it back up, while others decide to make it a means to get around, and others might get serious about it and focus on racing or mountain biking, either way you'll figure out pretty quickly if your kid is really into bicycling in their first few months of cycling.  There are retail stores you can buy basic safety equipment for your kids, like helmets, elbow/knee pads, etc., and of course every parent should at the very least learn to fix flat tires, otherwise the bicycles will become useless once the kid has skidded their brakes enough to rub their tires bald (Which leads to flat tires & often too).

Choosing a the right bike depends on the age of the kid and their interest, if they just want to ride around the neighborhood, then any basic BMX bike will do, but if they want to go off-road & off the pavement sidewalks to travel on the off beaten paths, like gravel roads or light trails, then they are going to need a bicycle with some tires that can handle the off-road situation, and that means either changing their BMX Tires to Off-Road or investing in a kid's mountain bike, which is more expensive than a BMX bike (Unless they have an expensive BMX Bike that is.).

Obviously children won't be riding road bikes / fitness bikes until they are into their later teens (Like 14+), I personally would avoid fixed gear bikes, other than BMX / freestyle bikes, but that's because I love using gears, and any BMX with only 3 gears is far better than a single gear BMX, and when talking about MTBs (Mountain Bikes) they will obviously come with gears naturally.  Freestyle are trick bikes, some kids like to do tricks on bikes, but those kids are generally over the age of 10, and some like to race bikes (Usually it's a competition thing between boys), while others just like rolling around with the neighborhood kids.

What your kid chooses for a bicycle tells you a lot about them, their intentions with bicycling, and if they will likely become serious or not is something you will learn as they grow in age, just make sure they don't hang out too much with their friends!  I say this because often when kids hang out too much they start to get into trouble or worse, trouble finds them, and I'm not saying put a limit on your kid's friends, I'm saying just make sure you take notice of how much they hang out.

Of course all children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by someone over the age of 12-16 depending upon your state, so make sure that you don't let a bunch of senseless kids go riding around alone, and I say this because then you've crossed into the legal neglect of children category of the law.  Once your kid has chosen their bicycle (Please let them pick it out, it's a personal thing really!), make sure you spend the time to teach them what they can and cannot do on bicycles, teach them that jump curbs leads to bent rims (As in hitting the curb with your back tire), and teach them that instead of just dropping the bike down on the ground, that they should learn to treat their bicycles with a bit more respect (Especially if they don't want to see it get stolen, so make sure they put them away!).

Not every kids will enjoy bicycling, those who really want to get into mountain biking, will need to be accompanied by an adult until they learn all of the dangers of what they are doing, and just because a friend is doing it is NOT a good enough reason to just hand your kid a mountain bike and say have at it!  That is unless you want to see your kid come home with broken bones, a serious rash all over their body (Wiping out on a bunch of pants can get REAL NASTY), or worse, but I'm not going to get into that, and you know what I mean by worse, because it happens.  (Here are some interesting stories!)

If your kid is under 8, then they need to stay on the sidewalk at all times, and those over 8 need to at least demonstrate a strong awareness of cars, traffic, and the dangers of riding around in the streets, before they are permitted to go riding off with their friends.  Of course taking your kids to a park with a bicycle path is a fabulous way to spend a day in the park, just make sure you can see them at all times, and if they want to ride around in the big parking lot, that's fine, but make sure they are full aware of cars before they can go flying around alone.

Helping your children adjust to the bicycling environment is critical, it's not just about the bike, it's about learning how to ride, grow in awareness, and understanding bicycles, because there is a lot to learn for both the parents and the kids!  I've seen older men who have been bicycling for quite some time take their kids out riding for the first time, you could see the misery and horror in the kids faces as it was raining on them when they were coming home, and indeed I suspect one of them slipped and fell while riding (The rain is dangerous on slick tires).

Because the best way to learn bicycles is through experience, you can't just read a book and learn how to ride, the kids have to have a bicycle to learn with, for little kids they have what is known as balance bikes, that have no pedals at all, and these teaches them how to ride some safely, but it's definitely not like the real thing until they get going down hill. (With no brakes, lol!)  I probably shouldn't laugh, because some of them do have brakes, thankfully, and yes your kids are going to wipe out, so you should have some boo boo first aid not far from your front door.

Teaching your children how to ride is a great bonding experience, they enter in a respect for their parent's knowledge, and it helps them adjust to being parented with direct support from their parent.  Unlike schools, where the parents are absent, and bicycles are something that still yet today many adults and older kids are still riding every day, weather permitting.

I brought up the weather for a reason, you obviously shouldn't let your kids go riding in the rain, especially not during a thunderstorm, or when there is a lot of wind either, it's simply too dangerous, and too risky for them, because cars don't brake well in the rain & it's very muddy & slippery too!  There is so much to cover for kids, I mean you want to make sure they are protected well, they get on a comfortable bike that fits, obviously little kids don't belong on big bikes, and not every type of bike is right for a kid, obviously children don't need a dual suspension mountain bike until they are at least 14+ & only if they are seriously into mountain biking & off road hill jumping (A hardtail is sufficient for most MTB excursions for kids).

Road bikes and fitness bikes are really built for commuting and racing on the road, they don't make for good all around bikes for kids, but a gravel bike on the other hand is good for more than just basic commuting and racing, though most kids don't need this style of bike, and it's still a great choice for older kids (Over 13).

Be sure to leave a comment if you feel like I've left off anything important:

Links to other pages on the web about bicycling for Kids:

How to teach your kid how to ride a bicycle

How to choose Kids' Bikes (Sizing Is Important!)

Starting & Stopping (Beginner's Guile by Sheldon Brown)

Bicycle Safety For Kids (A Must Read)

10 Best Kids Bikes (Our Favorites)

21 Best Kid's Bikes 2021 (Keep in mind this is marketing!)

Why Bicycling For Kids is VERY IMPORTANT TODAY!

10 Tips for Kids Learning To Ride Bicycles

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Copyright © Gale Innes 2022
All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Welcome to Gale's Bicycling Blog

Created 4/19/2021

Welcome to Gale's Bicycling Blog

Thanks for visiting, this will be my premium blog on bicycling for the internet, I'll be covering a lot of things, and providing custom links to high quality information, including videos and other great stuff to help people learn a lot about bicycling!

Before you get started reading the blog, please keep in mind that this blog is brought to you by donations from readers like you, and the blog needs financial support in order to keep it going, though the blog will remain up even after I'm gone.

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Those interested in donating to aid in the continued growth of this blog may do so by sending PayPal or CashApp Donations via email:  galegtech@gmail.com

Copyright © Gale Innes 2022
All Rights Reserved Worldwide