| Any place where the terrain is rough and
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| | retrofitted with better brakes and fatter
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| the sky is blue in Dallas, Houston or
| |
| | tires. This group included Joe Breeze,
|
| elsewhere in Texas is a place you'll
| |
| | Otis Guy, Gary Fisher and Keith Bontrager
|
| probably find mountain bikers. The sport
| |
| | among others. It was Joe Breeze who built
|
| of mountain biking usually refers to
| |
| | the first new, purpose-made mountain bike
|
| riding bicycles, which possess particular
| |
| | in 1977.
|
| design characteristics, off-road,
| |
| | Tom Ritchey built the first
|
| although sometimes the term simply refers
| |
| | regularly-available mountain bike frame,
|
| to riding a mountain bike.
| |
| | which was accessorized by Gary Fisher and
|
| It's a tough, demanding sport that
| |
| | Charlie Kelly and sold by their company
|
| requires endurance, good bike handling
| |
| | called MountainBikes. The first two mass
|
| skills and a lot of self-reliance. It's
| |
| | produced mountain bikes, the Specialized
|
| an individual sport that can be performed
| |
| | Stumpjumper and Univega Alpina Pro, were
|
| almost anywhere. There are certain
| |
| | sold in 1982.
|
| aspects of mountain biking that are
| |
| | Mountain bikes differ from road racing
|
| similar to trail running, more so than
| |
| | bicycles in several ways. They have a
|
| regular bicycling. And, because riders
| |
| | smaller and stronger frame, knobby, as
|
| are often far from civilization, there is
| |
| | well as wider and higher-profile tires,
|
| a strong ethic of self-reliance. Seasoned
| |
| | which are mounted on a rim that is
|
| riders have learned to repair their
| |
| | stronger and more durable than a standard
|
| broken bikes or flat tires to avoid being
| |
| | bicycle rim. They also include a larger
|
| stranded in the middle of nowhere. This
| |
| | range of gears, to facilitate climbing up
|
| reliance on survival skills accounts for
| |
| | steep hills and over obstacles; a wider
|
| the group dynamics of the sport. Club
| |
| | flat or upwardly rising handlebar that
|
| rides and other forms of group rides are
| |
| | allows a more upright riding position;
|
| common, especially on longer treks.
| |
| | and, often, some form of suspension
|
| Mountain biking can be roughly broken
| |
| | system for either the front wheel or both
|
| down into five categories: cross country,
| |
| | wheels.
|
| downhill, freeride, dirt jump and trials
| |
| | The inherent comfort and flexibility of
|
| street riding. And, even though there are
| |
| | the modern mountain bike has led to an
|
| five very different terrains to ride
| |
| | estimated 80% market share of bike sales
|
| upon, most mountain bikes have a similar
| |
| | in the United States, United Kingdom,
|
| look: knobby tires, large round- frame
| |
| | Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other
|
| tubing, and some sort of suspension or
| |
| | countries. While it is estimated that
|
| shock absorbers. Mountain biking can be
| |
| | only between 10 and 20% of mountain bikes
|
| done anywhere from a backyard to a gravel
| |
| | are actually ridden off-road, the sport
|
| road, but the majority of mountain bikers
| |
| | of mountain biking has seen an explosion
|
| prefer to ride trails which they call
| |
| | in popularity and diversification.
|
| singletrack -- narrow trails that wind
| |
| | There are environmental concerns
|
| through forests, fields, deserts or
| |
| | regarding a number of outdoor extreme
|
| mountainsides.
| |
| | sports, but properly-built mountain bike
|
| The bicycle has really been no stranger
| |
| | trails have little negative environmental
|
| to off-roading since its invention toward
| |
| | impact. Studies reported in the IMBA
|
| the end of 1800's. The modern sport of
| |
| | (International Mountain Bike Association)
|
| mountain biking originated in the 1970's
| |
| | Trail Solutions manual have shown that a
|
| with several groups of riders in Texas
| |
| | mountain bike's impact is comparable to
|
| and other areas of the U.S. making valid
| |
| | that of a hiker, and substantially less
|
| claims to playing a part in the sport's
| |
| | than that of an equestrian.
|
| birth.
| |
| | But irresponsible use, such as using a
|
| Riders in Crested Butte, Colorado, and
| |
| | trail when it is too wet, can be
|
| Cupertino, California, tinkered with
| |
| | damaging, whether the individual is on
|
| their bikes and adapted them to the
| |
| | foot, bike, or horseback. It's clear that
|
| rigors of off-road riding. Other riders
| |
| | other activities, such as horseback
|
| around the country copied their friends
| |
| | riding and ATV or motorcycle use, are far
|
| who rode motorcycles off-road, and then
| |
| | more damaging. Improper routing or trail
|
| began riding their bikes in a similar
| |
| | construction techniques may result in a
|
| fashion.
| |
| | trail that does not hold up well to any
|
| However, a group in Marin County,
| |
| | kind of use. Riding in rainy conditions
|
| California -- recognized by the Mountain
| |
| | can create ruts and holes in the trail,
|
| Bike Hall of Fame -- played a central
| |
| | making it less usable.
|
| role in the birth of the sport. They
| |
| | Physically demanding sports such as
|
| began racing down Mount Tamalpais on old
| |
| | mountain biking can be a great way to
|
| 1930's and '40s Schwinn bicycles,
| |
| | exercise to maintain good health.
|
