How to Choose The Correct Handlebars

Comfort

The further you bend over your handlebar, the more weight and pressure you put on your hands. On road bikes this pressure is fairly constant because you're bent over the bar almost constantly. However, road bikes have a dropped handlebar that allows your hands a variety of positions, which helps relieve pressure.

Mountain bikes come with a so-called flat or riser bar that allows your hands only one position. However, because you're seated in a more upright position and not putting as much constant pressure on your hands, this one position is generally not a problem. Bar ends can be added to give your hands more variety.

If you do find your wrists or hands going numb on a long mountain bike ride, check your position on your bike.

Make sure you're not too spread out in the cockpit. Your arms should be at shoulder width.
Make sure you're not leaning too far over the handlebar. If you are, you may have to get a shorter stem, move your saddle forward, purchase a riser bar, or do a combination of the three.

Leverage

Archimedes once said that with a large enough lever, you could move the world. Your handlebars are your leverage when steering. The wider the handlebars, the more leverage you have—or so it seems. A lever only performs when the person pulling or pushing the lever has a stable base from which to work. As you make your handlebars wider, you spread your arms out and in so doing, actually lose leverage.

Ideally, your hands should be at shoulder width as you lean over your handlebars. You can go slightly narrower or slightly wider, but certainly no more than two, possibly three inches either way.

Lift

On a road bike, you don't have much call for lift—the ability to raise your front wheel over obstacles. On a mountain bike, lift is one of the cornerstones of excellent handling.

Road Bike - Your center on a road bike is low and somewhat forward. This means you don't have much leverage when you need to pull back on the handlebar—important when climbing hills. Most pros will keep their hands on the top of the handlebar.

Mountain Bike - Your center on a mountain bike is placed further back. This allows you to lift the front of your bike over obstacles. On downhill bikes and now increasingly on cross-country bikes, riders use a riser bar. This places the weight even further back, allowing the rider to get back out over their rear tire—important on steep descents.

Handlebar Mechanics

Most road bikes use drop bars, while most mountain bikes use flat bars. But in between there are wide deviations. Commuters, for example, tend to like riser bars. Cyclocrossers use drop bars. Triathletes use the odd-looking—but very effective—aerobar. What you choose depends on the type of bike you ride and how you ride it.

Once you've determined what kind of bar you want, consider the following three factors when selecting a bar.

Width

Choose a handlebar that most closely matches the width of your shoulders. On drop and carbon fiber flat bars, you're stuck with the width you choose. On aluminum or chromoly flat bars you can cut the ends down for a narrower grip.

Strength

Most bars are now made of aluminum or carbon fiber. They come with flares, tapers and butting to increase strength and save weight. See "Other Considerations: below.

Weight

Carbon fiber is lighter than aluminum and costs more. Both materials are excellent for a handlebar. The key question you need to answer: Does the weight saving justify the cost?

Other Considerations

Flared

This simply means that the bar has a wider diameter towards its middle than at its ends. The width of the handlebar wall does not change on flared bars. Basically it's a way of adding strength by adding material—a larger tube is stronger. It also adds some weight.

Tapered

To save weight, manufacturers will make the handlebar wall thinner as the bar moves away from the stem area to the grips. This puts strength where it is needed most.

Butted

Particularly on riser bars, which are used primarily on downhill bikes, the bars are butted to provided even more strength while shaving weight. The butting usually occurs at the middle of the bar, where the stem holds it and at the second riser bends.

Bar Ends

To add more hand positions to a flat or riser bar, riders will add bar ends. These devices are also good for added leverage on climbs with poor traction. They allow you to get your weight back and your center of gravity lower much like the drops in a drop bar.

How to Shift & How to Change Gears on Your Bike

How to Change Gears on Your Bike :

Knowing when and how to change the gears on your bike is not one of those things that is immediately intuitive to most people. It seems like it should be simple to do, but somehow it ends up more complicated than that and many riders new to a geared bike feel frustration the first few times as they invariably shift into a much harder (or easier) gear than the one they really wanted.

The actual shifting of gears, clicking from one to another is not difficult. It's just a matter of getting the feel for going up or down in the range of gears, and the good news is that being able to shift smoothly is about 80% practice and only about 20% understanding what's happening. In no time at all, you'll be shifting like a pro, changing gears smoothly without even thinking about it.

Why Bikes Have Gears - What Shifting Does :

When it comes right down to it, bikes have gears to allow your pedal speed (your cadence) to stay relatively steady and at about the same level of effort, regardless of if you're going down a big hill or up it. Your speed may change, but having gears means you can climb without killing yourself as well as to go fast on a descent, your pedaling still pushing the bike forward and not just twirling futilely, your feet unable to keep up with the speed of your wheels.

It works like this. If all the riding you ever did was on a flat level road at a constant speed, you wouldn't need gears at all. Your bike would have just one gear, set at just that right spot where where you can keep pedaling at a nice comfortable pace without killing yourself. From the riding you've done so far, you certainly know the feeling when you are cruising along in the cadence that is just right for you - going along at a steady clip but not straining yourself. That's what we're trying to have happen with our pedaling all the time.

But the world is not flat, as you know, and there are hills that we go up and down when we ride. Putting gears on the bike allows you to keep pedaling at that sweet point we talked about where you're most comfortable, regardless of the incline.

The tradeoff is that easier pedaling up a hill means you're going to be going slower. And to be able to zoom fast down a hill, you ride in a gear that is much higher than you'd ordinarily be able to start out in or even use to ride on the flat. In both cases your effort pushing on the pedals feels about the same, because the gearing makes adjustments that allow you to either climb easier or go faster than you would if you had just one gear.

Shifting Your Bike's Rear Gears :

Most bikes with gears have between five and nine gears in the back. We are talking about these back gears first because they are the most important to you and where most of your shifting takes place. The shifter for your back gears is usually at your right hand. Get in the habit of using these first.

The shifter on the other side changes the front chain rings. Those are for major shifting that doesn't happen as frequently, but the rear sprockets are what you use almost continuously for small adjustments as you go. It would not be uncommon for you to make several shifts over a couple hundred yards as the terrain goes up and down.

In the back, the biggest sprocket, the one closest to the inside of your wheel, produces your easiest pedaling. The smallest sprocket on your rear wheel, the outermost one, allows you to go the fastest, but is not going to be easy to pedal in unless you're already moving pretty good.

What you're ultimately trying to get the feel for -- and what will become second nature for quickly with just a little practice -- is to shift when you sense that your pedaling is becoming easier or more difficult as it happens, so that you maintain yourself in that perfect and comfortable pedaling spot.

Picture this: the pedaling starts to get just a bit harder because of a small rise in the path and you automatically flip it into an easier gear to maintain your cadence, or pedaling rhythm. Or, the road starts to flatten out and go downhill in front of you and your speed increases, so you flip quickly into a higher gear, and allow yourself to go even faster with the same amout of exertion.

When you notice that you're starting to do this without even thinking is when you'll realize that you've gotten the hang of shifting.

What the Front Gears Do :

Most bikes with gears have two or three big ones up front. Located by your pedals, these are most commonly called chain rings. And you actually won't use them very much at all. Especially when you first get started, you should make a point not to worry about shifting them your front gears at all. Most experienced cyclists will pick one and stay in it probably 90% of the time, and you'll be just fine in picking one and sticking with it.

This is because the big gears in front are for making major shifts in the overall range of your gears. For instance, the smallest chain ring up front is going to give you the easiest pedaling. So if you anticipate a lot of climbing, you'll probably want to operate primarily using the small chain ring in the front, and again, doing most of the actual shifting in your rear gears. If you've got lots of flat riding or down hills, the larger chain ring in front will serve you better. It will allow you to go faster by providing higher gears for you to use, when the bike is already moving fast enough that you can keep the pedals going without the type of exertion it would require if you were going slower or climbing.

Again, the basic premise is to pick one and generally stay there. Youre adjustments should be continuous, smaller shifting through the gears in the back. You'll only shift the between the front rings if the range of gearing in the back, where most of your shifting takes place, is not allowing you to do what you need to do to either climb easily or pedal fast enough on the downhills to keep driving the pedals.

Shifting Tips - A Few More Hints About Changing Gears

Once you've mastered the basics of shifting there are a couple more things to remember that will help you make changing your gears go even more smoothly.

1. Anticipate shifts: It is very difficult to change gears (and bad for your bike) when you pushing the pedals very hard. So get in the habit of downshifting into an easier gear as you come to a stop or begin the approach to a big hill.

2. Don't try to shift when you are stopped. Bikes with traditional gearing are designed to be shifted when the pedals are moving, so don't try to shift when you are stopped. It's bad for the bike to shift when the pedals are not turning, and so you want to remember this and anticipate your stops, shifting to the right gear that you want to be in starting out before you actually stop.

3. Avoid cross-chaining: It's hard on your chain and your sprockets to be at extreme angles. To avoid this, don't shift your bike to a spot where it's on the littlest ring in the front and smallest gear in the back, or vice-versa, on the large ring in both front and back. That puts the chain on opposite extreme ends of the spectrum and if you find yourself in this situation, it's a good sign that it's time for a big shift in the front gear to help bring things back in synch.

How to Change a Bike Tire on a Mountain Bike

Want a fun way to change the character of your bike? Change the tires. A set of smooth tires on your mountain bike, for example, will give a much faster ride on pavement. Tires also wear out, of course, and learning to replace them will save you money. Because tires come in many sizes, take your old tire with you when purchasing a replacement, to make sure you get the size right.

Steps :

1. Turn the mountain bike over onto its back. 
In other words, position your mountain bike in such a way that the seat and handlebars are on the ground and the 2 tires are in the air. The tires should be able to spin freely without any resistance.

2. Remove the faulty tire from the mountain bike. 
Your tire will be kept on the axle by 2 nuts, 1 on each side, and these nuts will need to be loosened and removed.
Depending on the make of your mountain bike, you may also need to undo a quick release lever on the side of the tire.
Disengage the brake cable before pulling out the tire from between the brake pads.

3. Remove the tube from the rim of the wheel.
Locate the valve stem for air input and choose a spot on the opposite side of the wheel. Using the beveled end of a tire iron, separate the tire from the wheel rim and latch the iron onto a spoke.
Repeat with a second tire iron approximately 1 inch away from the first tire iron. Keep doing this around the wheel until you can fully remove the tube from inside.

4. Check and clean the inside of the tire for debris.
 Look for anything that could cause future tears or punctures. In particular, thorns, glass shards, and metal shrapnel should be removed.

5. Locate the holes or tears in the tube. 
To find the holes, you can submerge the tube under water and look for bubbles, or you can pump up the tube and listen for any air leaks.
If a hole is located on a seam or ridge along the tube, the tire patch may not hold well and the tube will be irreparable. In that case, you'll have to purchase a brand new replacement tube.
6Patch the holes using the bike tire patch kit. Roughen the areas of the tube around the holes using sandpaper. Apply a glueless patch to the tube firmly, covering and sealing the hole as tightly as you can.

7. Wait a few minutes for the patch to bond to the tube.

8. Test to see if the patch has held well. 
Pump up the tube slightly and see if there are any air leaks with the new patch. If there are, you may need to try again and apply a new patch, or the tube may be too damaged and you'll need to purchase a new one.

9. Place the tube back into the tire. 
Starting with the valve stem, insert the tube back into the tire. Make sure the valve stem is centered correctly or else it could end up being damaged with future use. Work the tire rubber back into the rim, removing 1 tire iron at a time.

10. Secure the tire into your bike frame. 
Screw the nuts back onto the axle and reconnect the brake cables. Make sure your tire is centered correctly and be sure that your brakes are working correctly.

11. Pump up your new tire.

How to Box Up Your Bike for Shipping

1. What You’ll Need

For this job you’ll need a bike box. Your local bike shop should have one, but it’s a good idea to call ahead with the size of your bike. They should also have some extra fork and axle protectors. Most decent bike shops won’t charge for these materials.
You will also need: packing material such as cardboard, pipe insulation, bubble wrap etc., string or zip ties to fasten padding materials, 4, 5 and 6mm allen wrenches, a 15mm pedal wrench and a 15mm open end wrench if your bike has nutted axles. If you have a bike repair stand, it will make this job a lot easier, but is not necessary.

2. Tire Pressure

First you’ll want to deflate your tires. You don’t have to deflate them completely but just enough so they are soft. This prevents any damage that could occur with changes in air pressure associated with air travel.

3. Pedal Removal

Now remove your pedals. Loosen the right pedal by turning counter-clockwise. The left pedal is a reverse thread, so you’ll have to turn it clockwise to loosen it. See the tutorial titled “How to Replace Your Pedals” for more tips on removing and installing pedals.

4. Brakes

If you have caliper brakes, disconnect your front brake cable and remove the front wheel. For more tips on wheel removal see the tutorial titled “How to Remove and Install Your Wheels“.
5. Front Quick Release

If your wheels have quick release axles, remove the quick release skewer, and thread the end back on in order to keep it together. Press the axle protectors into each side of the front axle. Slide the fork protector up into the fork drop-outs.

5. Saddle Removal

Now, loosen your seat post clamp and pull the seat and post up and out of the frame.

6. Protection

Using the cardboard or bubble wrap, wrap the entire bike frame, crank arms and ends of the rear axle. Use zip-ties, string or tape to hold these in place.

7. Stem Removal

If you have a threadless headset, loosen and remove the top cap of the stem, and then loosen each individual side bolt. Now you can slide the stem up and off the forks steerer tube. Be careful to hold the fork in place so the headset bearings stay in place. Tighten a zip tie around the steerer tube just above the headset, and then thread the top cap back in place and slightly tighten it just enough to keep it in place.
If you have an older quill type stem, loosen the top bolt about a centimeter and then give it a light tap with a hammer to loosen the quill. Now you can pull the stem up and out of the steerer tube.

8. Packing the Box

Rest the bike on the ground and tie the bike wheel onto the left side of the frame, making sure the axle is not touching any part of the frame. Also make sure your left crank arm is carefully tucked into the wheel spokes so that it does not touch the wheel rim.
Rotate the forks 180 degrees so they are facing backwards. Carefully tuck the handlebars into the right side of the frame. You may need to twist them to ensure the package maintains as low of a profile as possible. Fasten them in place with string or zip ties. Use cardboard or padding as needed to ensure no part of the bars or stem are touching the frame or wheels.
Now lift the bike and slide it into the box.
Wrap your seat and seat post for protection and fasten them to the rear wheel so they don’t rattle around the box.
Now place your pedals, quick release, and any other spare parts in a bag or small box and slide it down just behind the fork.
If you have extra materials such as sleeping bags or clothing you can stuff these into the remaining spaces for extra protection.
Now you’re ready to close your box and secure it with packing tape on both the top and bottom. Make sure any holes in the box are also sealed.