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Teaching Children to Ride
Posted: 2010-07-22 22:04:15
Cycling is one of the great joys of life. It is important that an adult (usually a parent) take the time to teach a child how to ride in a safe, caring, patient and encouraging environment. Remember to let the child learn at his/her own natural pace. Pushing too hard can take all the fun of the experience!
Age - a child will usually be ready to ride when he/ she can master basic balancing. On average, this will be about 6 to 7 years of age but the normal range is between 4 and 9 years.
Tricycles, scooters, and bikes with training wheels - cycling involves the basic skills of balancing, pedaling, steering, and braking. On tricycles, children learn how to pedal and steer. On scooters they learn how to steer, and balance and brake while on their feet. On bikes with training wheels, children learn how to pedal, steer and brake. However, a kid who has not used a trike, scooter or bike with training wheels can still learn how to ride a bike - it might just take a little longer.
The traditional, and perhaps, best, way to teach a child is outlined below:
• Make sure the child is wearing a bike helmet and that the helmet is properly adjusted - in Australia, all commercially-sold helmets have to meet the relevant safety standards. (AS/NZS 2063)
• Adjust the saddle so that the child can reach the ground easily with his/her feet.
• Go somewhere quiet with no traffic.
• Have the child stand astride the bike. If the child does not know, show him/her how to steer and brake, steadily. Then have the child sit in the saddle and walk/scoot the bike around to get a bit of a feel for balancing, steering, and braking. If you wish, you can take the pedals off to make it easier for the child. Let the child continue doing this until he/she feels comfortable and appears ready for a new step.
• With the pedals back on, show the child how to “push off” on the bike by moving the left pedal to the 10 o’clock position or the right pedal to the 2 o’clock position. Then have the child push off a few times with you holding on to the back of the saddle to keep the child upright, and walking/running along. Some people find that holding onto the child’s shoulders, rather than the back of the saddle, works better. Assure the child that you will hold them up and tell him/her to just concentrate on steering and pedaling. Keep encouraging the child and tell him/her how well they are going.
• When the child is comfortable pushing off, steering and pedaling with you holding on, take him/her to a gentle slope and have him/her ride or coast down a few times, with you still holding on and running behind. At this point, also teach the child to brake in a nice and steady way while keeping the bike straight.
• When the child shows signs of being able to ride and balance on their own, you can try letting go. Be sure to warn the child beforehand that you will be letting go for a little while and make sure that they are comfortable with the idea. If so, tell the child when you do let go and, after letting go, continue to run along with them, ready to catch them if they fall. Continue to run along with the child, ready to catch him/ her until the child can ride on his/her own.
from Bike North www.bikenorth.org.au
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Is it Dangerous to Exercise if I have a Bad Back?
Posted: 2010-07-15 22:15:04
(from MBF in2Life)
You see a doctor immediately if your back pain:
* follows an injury;
* follows lifting a heavy object;
* is accompanied by a continuous tingling, numbness or weakness in the legs or lower trunk;
* is accompanied by a fever or chills; or
* is accompanied by loss of bowel or bladder control.
If the exercise or movement hurts, stop doing it until you obtain medical advice. If there is moderate to severe pain, wait until the symptoms lessen before starting an exercise program. Each exercise session should be preceded by a gentle warm-up, ideally by walking or riding a stationary bike at easy pace for about 10 minutes to warm the muscles and increase blood flow, making it easier to stretch.
Doctors also recommend that people with lower back pain engage in low-stress activities like walking, cycling/b> or swimming during the first two weeks after symptoms begin, even if the activity makes the symptoms slightly worse. The most important goal is to return to your normal activities as soon as it is safe. Bed rest is usually not necessary and should never last longer than three to four days as this can weaken muscles and delay recovery.
Lower back pain is a common chronic health problem. Sufferers can experience symptoms from a dull ache to intense, prolonged pain. It is believed that many cases of lower back pain are due to unusual stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support the spine. When the body is in poor shape, for example, if spinal and abdominal muscles are weak, they may be unable to support the spine properly during certain types of lifting or physical activity.
Manual labourers and athletes are also susceptible. Rowers, tri-athletes, professional golfers, gymnasts and wrestlers have all been reported to have a high incidence of back injury. Jobs that involve bending, twisting or lifting heavy objects repeatedly, especially when the loads are particularly heavy, are also a major cause of lower back pain.
Preventing backache and injury
While many people will suffer some type of backache at some stage, either muscular, a slight strain or a more severe injury, if you take care of your back and are aware of possible ways of injuring it, the changes of experiencing pain are greatly reduced. Recommendations for preventing initial and recurring episodes of backache include:
Regular exercise to strengthen back and abdominal muscles
• If you are overweight, lose some weight to lessen the strain on your back.
• Lift using your knees, rather than at your waist, and use your leg muscles, not your lower back, to do the work.
• Avoid twisting or bending at the waist while handling or passing a load to someone else.
• Avoid sitting, standing or working in any one position for too long.
• Maintain a correct posture where possible.
• Use a comfortable, supportive seat while driving.
• Sleep on a firm mattress. Sleep in the foetal position or on your back with a slim pillow wedged under bent knees.
• Avoid smoking. Studies have shown that smoking increases degenerative changes of the spine.
• Try to reduce the emotional stress that causes muscular tension.
• Ensure your muscles are thoroughly warmed up before engaging in vigorous exercise.
• Increase exercise gradually when attempting to improve strength or athletic ability.
Sit up and stand tall
The foundation for good neck and back care starts with posture. Bad posture can be the cause of spinal pain, can make existing pain worse and make the pain last longer. Poor posture is also a factor in conditions such as chronic headaches and shoulder pain.
Standing up straight not only imparts a look of self-confidence, but good posture also keeps you from those all-too-familiar knots in your neck and back. Plus, slouching creates other problems, like muscle imbalance, joint dysfunction and a negative emotional state.
Try to keep your body in alignment. Distribute your body weight evenly to the front, back, and sides of the feet while standing. When sitting in an office chair, take advantage of the chair's features, sit up straight and align the ears, shoulders and hips in one vertical line.
Any single position, even a good one, will be tiring. Leaning forward with a straight back can alternate with sitting back, using the back support of the office chair to ease the work of back muscles. Also be aware of and avoid unbalanced postures such as crossing legs unevenly while sitting, leaning to one side, hunching the shoulders forward or tilting the head.
A ‘wall test’ can be performed to help practice good standing posture. Stand with your head, shoulders, and back against a wall and with your heels about 14 centimetres forward. Draw in the lower abdominals, decreasing the arch in your lower back. Push away from the wall and try to maintain this upright, vertical alignment.
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How to get a perfect fit on your mountain bike
Posted: 2010-07-03 10:47:05
By Paul Hayes, What Mountain Bike
Back in the early ’80s, when the first mountain bikes were rolling off production lines, choosing your bike size was pretty easy. There was little difference in geometry and tube sizes – you just straddled the bike, checked you cleared the top tube by an inch or so and noted the length of the seat tube. Job done.
Today, we have many types of bike from the long and low classic cross-country machine to the super-slack, high bottom bracketed downhill weapon. No longer can you just take a look at a single measurement and be sure that a bike will fit.
When we sit on a bike, we make contact in three places: our hands on the bars, our feet on the pedals and our bum on the saddle. It’s the relative position of these three areas that governs how the bike fits, and several variables influence their exact location: top tube length, seat angle, distance from bottom bracket to saddle, crank length, bar height and width, stem length and saddle angle all play a part. The right size for a particular make and model requires knowing a few basic principles, some compromises, and trial and error.
Seat tube and standover height
When a bike is listed as ‘X’ inches, what does that actually mean? In most cases, it’s the distance from the bottom bracket axle to the top of the seat tube, but it can be to the middle of the top tube, or to various other places – there isn’t a universal standard.
Even if there were, it would be no indicator that you could straddle the top tube and clear it, as top tube shape and bottom bracket heights vary substantially. This all relates to ‘standover height’: an important aspect of any bike fit, since it governs the clearance of your crotch!
How much you need depends on your riding style. Cross-country whippets may only need a few centimetres, while dirt jumpers would want a lot more. Many brands now list this measurement, but you can’t beat going to a shop and ‘standing over’ the frame.
Saddle height and crank length
The majority of mountain bikes have 170mm or 175mm cranks, which do the job perfectly well for most riders. But if you have short legs you may find the cranks are too long to turn without your knee bending excessively at the top of the stroke, resulting in the wrong muscles being used. Similarly, if you’re long legged you may benefit from a longer crank so you can make the most of your lofty dimensions.
For general trail riding, the saddle should be set at a position that helps you maximise power and efficiency. Too high and your hips will rock from side to side, wasting energy; too low and your muscles won’t deliver power effectively.
Adjust the saddle height so when your heels are on the pedals at the bottom of the pedal stroke, your leg is fully extended – this means when you move your feet to the right position, your knee won’t lock out. If you need more clearance, drop your saddle an inch or two.
Top tube length
The next most important aspect of fit is the reach to the bars and top tube length. Along with the stem length and bar height, this dictates your weight distribution, the angle of your back, bike handling and comfort.
Usually the measurement is taken from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube. However, where it actually joins the seat tube (this can either be low down or just about at the top) determines the distance, so the effective top tube (ETT) length is often quoted.
With the seatpost up, a direct line is measured from the head tube horizontally across to the post, resulting in a handy virtual measurement. As with standover height, what works for you can depend on what style of bike you ride and your personal preference.
A cross-country rider may prefer a long, stretched-out position, but a beginner who has never taken a bike off-road may want to be more upright for extra comfort, with less weight on your hands and wrists.
Your reach is often a compromise between comfort, control and pedalling efficiency. Find what works best for you, but avoid being too hunched or too stretched out, since this can cause discomfort and back problems.
Seat angle and ETT
The cranks (or bottom bracket) are never situated directly below the saddle, and for good reason – if they were, you’d be placing excessive weight on your arms to support your upper body when you lean forward.
Thus the seat tube lies at an angle, which determines how far behind the bottom bracket the saddle will be and how you’re balanced when seated. Too much can be counterproductive, but luckily the range of angles is usually quite narrow so this measurement isn’t normally that important.
If we take two bikes with the same ETT length but different seat tube angles, the slacker-angled machine will have a bottom bracket that’s further forward in relation to your saddle and vice versa. The upshot of this is that you can have two bikes with the same reach that handle differently, due to how they distribute your weight.
One of the biggest mistakes made by beginners is to slide the saddle too far back. While it may be psychologically reassuring to sit well back from the ‘attacking terrain’ position, too little weight on the front of the bike can make the steering feel vague and stop your suspension fork from compressing efficiently.
Sit further forward and you’ll get maximum use of the fork, full use of the front tyre tread and the bike will handle better. This is all assuming that the reach is correct for you. As a general rule of thumb, if you drop a plumb line from the centre of the saddle it should cross the chainstays almost exactly half way between the bottom bracket axle and the rear wheel axle.
Foot position & cleats
With flat or platform pedals, the ball of the foot usually drops into a comfortable position above the pedal axle. However clipless pedals can be more problematic to get right. A good place to start is to find the ball of your foot and place the cleat directly underneath.
Once you’ve found this spot adjust back and forth – minor changes can affect which muscles are utilised and how effectively you pedal. See what works best for you. Lateral positioning is a personal preference: a narrower stance can improve efficiency but be careful that your shoes don’t hit the cranks during the pedal revolution.
The angle of the cleats should match the natural angle of your feet, which you can see easily if you use flat pedals. Many of the latest clipless pedals have built-in float, which helps your foot achieve a natural angle and is a good option if you’re unsure what’s right for you.
Experiment with the final set-up; once you have this sorted the pedal stroke will feel fluid with no twisting of the ankles, knees or hips. This can take a few rides but is worth persevering with – when you hit that sweet spot, draw a line around the cleats for reference when they need replacing.
Fine-tuning
Once you have your basic position sorted, see what adjustments can be made. The stem, bars and saddle can all usually be modified or changed to fine-tune your final riding position. The saddle typically slides at least 10mm back and forth on the rails, and some seatposts can actually be bought with built-in set back – but be aware of how this changes your posture.
This is especially true of stems, as not only is the reach and your weight distribution changed but also the front-end handling, as a shorter stem quickens the steering responses. This is one reason why many bikes now have longer than average top tubes and steeper seat angles but shorter than average stems.
Your hands will be in the same position but the bike will react more quickly to your input with more weight over the front. This is useful for bikes with long forks and slacker head angles, which have a tendency to make steering feel sluggish.
Similarly, wider bars can add control and leverage but don’t go too wide or it will feel unnatural. Bars can also be rotated to factor in the back-sweep. Backswept and upswept bars (measured in degrees) govern the angle of your wrists: certain positions may instinctively feel better than others.
The controls (ie gear shifters and brake levers) can be slid across the bars as well as adjusted for angle – and most brake levers have reach adjustment, usually a screw or cam, which brings the brake lever closer to the handlebar for easier operation.
Women’s specific
A fairly recent development in the world of mountain biking has been the introduction of female-specific bikes and geometry. As women usually have different dimensions to men for a given height (ie. longer legs, shorter upper body and the position of sit bones), the profile of some models was altered to give a better fit.
Look closely, however, and you’ll see that many models have exactly the same frames as the men’s equivalent, and others only vary in the fine detail. Any one particular model won’t suit all women and some will find that a man’s bike is better fitting.
Most have several things in common, such as thinner grips, lighter sprung forks, women’s saddles and narrower bars. But it isn’t just the ladies who can benefit – men can also take advantage of this thinking and should check them out if they have small hands or narrow shoulders, for example.
Kids’ specific
Many of the same rules apply for the young ’uns, whatever their age, but there are also a few extra considerations to be aware of. The bikes are usually sized by their wheel diameter, from 12in up to 26in. As with an adult, top tube clearance and reach are very important.
However, unlike most adults it’s essential a child can reach the floor when seated for control and safety. Never be tempted to buy a size up for ‘growing room’ – it can be both uncomfortable and dangerous. Take a look at the controls: can they reach and operate them effectively?
It’s paramount that the brakes work well and can be easily squeezed with weaker hands. Take a look at the shifters too: are they struggling to push a thumb lever? If so, go for twist grip-type gears as many kids find the ergonomics easier to handle.
Gears and cranks are also often overlooked, with a considerable number of bikes sporting adult length cranks and full-sized chainwheels – look for a good range of smaller gears instead, which will ensure they don’t struggle on the inclines.
Six steps to perfect fit
When trying out a bike for fitting in a shop, always wear the clothes and shoes you would normally ride in. Consider what type of bike and riding style you’re after and how that may affect your position on the bike. Take as much information about yourself and your riding as you can with you; something as simple as an inside leg measurement can rule bikes out (or in) in an instant.
Stand over the bike: Straddle the centre of the top tube with your feet flat on the floor and check clearance — aim for a minimum of 2in, or more if you prefer a larger safety margin.
Sit on the bike: Adjust saddle to full riding height. The angle should be about level to start with; excessive nose ‘up’ or ‘down’ should be avoided, but minor alterations can be beneficial to comfort.
Reach for the bars: With a little help from a friend, keep your feet on the pedals with the cranks horizontal and lean forward to the bars. If you’re stretching too far try a smaller size; if you feel bunched up try a larger one. Feel how the weight on your back and hands changes between different sizes. The bars should be at a height that gives you a comfortable back and neck angle — you don’t want to be craning your neck. Can they be altered or even swapped for a different model?
Test it out: Go for a ride! Most shops will let you test ride your shortlisted bikes, even if it’s just a spin round a car park. This can give you invaluable feedback on fit and handling characteristics.
Tune in: How did it feel? Use the adjustments to fine-tune your position, and don’t be afraid to ask the shop to swap over components to your preference. Try out different stem lengths — even a difference as small as 10mm can have noticeable effects on how the bike steers, longer stems generally feeling slower to react to your input. However, if you find you have to make very large changes to the stem or saddle for reach, consider trying a different bike or size.
Final touches:
Even after buying a bike there will be a period of ‘bedding in’ and adjusting to its specific characteristics. Now is the time to set and test the suspension, cleat position and bar controls, noting changes as you ride.
Bike sizing is more an art than a science. There are no magic formulae, equations or charts that will tell you if a bike will fit or suit your riding. But with some background knowledge of the fundamental principles and the time to test out a few models, you should be fully confident that you’ll find a bike and size that’s right for you.
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Stop the White Knuckle
Posted: 2010-06-27 08:31:36
From mountain.bike198.com
MTB Tip - Loosen Your Grip
A group of us were sitting around eating tacos after a humid ride the other day and we got to talking about riding tips. The conversation really started to center around tips and tricks that apply to 99.9% of the riders out there as we had several different riding styles at the table.
Then it hit me…there is one tip for riding your mountain bike that every rider needs to do and it is one of the most abused mistakes in riding. If every mountain biker on the trail would take this one tip to heart, their riding would improve drastically.
Loosen Your Grip and Prevent White Knuckling
The natural tendency within every mountain biker is to tighten up their grip when things start to get rough on the trail or they start to climb. I am pretty sure it all stems back to the brain wanting to protect the body by making sure your hands don’t come loose from the bars. However, when you do this, you create problems for yourself on the trail that not only keep you from riding at your best, but also create dangerous situations on the trail.
What Goes Wrong When You White Knuckle
So what exactly does keeping too tight of a grip do to your riding on the trail?
1 – You Are Exerting More Energy
When you grip the bars too hard, you are exerting much needed energy on the top half of your body that could be used later down the trail. Think about it…when you grip your fist, your arms tension, your shoulders get tighter and everything else in your upper body starts to use energy just because you don’t want to loosen that grip. If you start adding this up over the course of your entire ride, that is a lot of wasted energy that could have been used somewhere else.
2 – Your Body Tenses and Locks Up
Just as you observed the energy being wasted in your upper body when you made a fist, your upper body also tenses up and prevents fluid movement when you put the white knuckle, death grip on your bars. This creates a dangerous situation on the trail as your biggest suspension component (your arms) and your ability to move the bike up and around obstacles is basically gone. As you navigate rocks, roots and other trail features, you are not going to be able to make the necessary adjustments as your upper body has minimal movement available.
Fight The Urge…Loosen Your Grip
The trick…you have to consciously remind yourself while you are riding to loosen your grip during climbs and downhills. After awhile, you will start to do it naturally and it will become less of a forced action and more second nature. So what happens when you loosen the grip on your bars while you are riding?
1 – You Save That Energy
All of that energy you were wasting previously on removing all of the blood from your hands by gripping the bars too hard is now preserved for other riding activities…like getting over that stupid steep climb. I like to think of my body much like the gas tank in my truck. I start each ride with a set amount of fitness in the tank, and once it is gone…bonk. So anything I can do to use that fitness efficiently…the better I perform on the trail.
2 – You Open Up Your Entire Upper Body
When you loosen your grip, you open up your largest amount of suspension travel and the ability to move the bike fluidly under your body. Your arms are the #1 most important riding tool outside of your legs. It is not about the equipment…it is all about how you move that equipment on the trail and your ability to adapt the bike to changing trail conditions. The bike is not meant to stay perfectly in line with your body while you ride. It needs to move left, right, forward and backwards in relation to your body in order to function correctly and safely. Loosening up your grip enables you and the bike to accomplish this.
There are times that I keep an extremely loose grip on the bars where it feels like they are floating around the grips to keep the bike completely fluid underneath my body. There are also times…on climbs…where I physically take my hands off the grips and rest them on the sides of the bars to make sure I do not tighten up from being tired. You have to find what works for you, but…in the end…if you loosen up your grip on the bars…you will ride a hell of a lot better on the trail and have more energy to finish out the ride strong.
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