When do I need to replace my chain and how do I get the right one? The easiest way to check your chain's condition is by measuring it with a ruler. Rest the ruler alongside the bottom length of chain (beneath the frame) and see if you can measure exactly 12 inches between 2 pins.
If the chain is still in good shape, you'll be able to do this. If you try this and the measurement is 12 1/8 inches or more, it means your chain is worn out and should be replaced.
How to ride safely in groups with other bicyclists.
Based on the principles taught in the League of American Bicyclists effective cycling program.
Cycling with friends, traveling rapidly and safely with confidence in your companions, is a joy. However, there is a certain cycling etiquette, or Rules of the Road, of which you should be aware whenever cycling in a group.
1. Be Predictable – Group riding requires even more attention to predictability than riding alone. Other riders expect you to continue straight ahead at a constant speed unless you indicate differently. Being predictable will make motorists happier and keep you safer.
2. Use Signals – Use hand and verbal signals to communicate with members of the group and with other traffic. Use hand signals for turning and stopping. Extend left arm for left turn and right arm for right turn. Put left hand down at the side with fingers slightly spread for STOP. Use hand signals to change lanes in traffic.
3. Give Warnings – Warn cyclists behind you well in advance of changes in your direction or speed. To notify the group of change in path, the lead rider should call out "left turn" or "right turn" in addition to hand signals.
4. Change Positions Correctly – Generally, slower traffic stays right, so you should try to pass others on their left. Say "on your left" to warn the cyclist ahead that you are passing. If you are approaching someone on the right or need to pass someone on the right, say "on your right" clearly since this is an unusual maneuver.
5. Announce Hazards – When riding in a group, most of the cyclists do not have a good view of the road surface ahead, so it is important to announce holes, glass, gravel, grates, and other hazards. The leader (or rider in front of a group) should indicate road hazards by pointing down to the left or right and call by "hole", "bump", "road kill", etc. where required for safety.
6. Watch For Traffic Coming From The Rear – Since those in front cannot see traffic approaching from the rear, it is the responsibility the riders in the back to inform the others by calling out "car back." Around curves, on narrow roads, or when riding double (side-by-side) it is helpful if those up front call out "car up" to those in the back. When you hear "car back" move right to become a single file line so as not to impede traffic.
7. Watch Out At Intersections – When approaching intersections that require vehicles to yield or stop, the lead rider will say "slowing" or "stopping" to those behind to indicate change in speed. When passing through an intersection, some cyclists say "clear" if there is no crossing traffic. This is a dangerous practice that should be abandoned. It encourages riders to follow the leader, letting others do their thinking for them. Each cyclist is responsible for verifying that the way is indeed clear.
When stopping at an intersection, it is tempting for riders at the rear of the group to ride up next to those at the front, blocking the whole right side of the road. Don’t do it: it’s illegal and discourteous. Stay two abreast or single file.
8. Leave A Gap For Cars – When riding up hills or on narrow roads where you are impeding faster traffic, leave a gap for cars between every three to four bicycles. That way a motorist can take advantage of shorter passing intervals and eventually move piecemeal around the entire group
9. Move Off The Road When You Stop – Whether you are stopping because of mechanical problems or to regroup with your companions, or just shooting the breeze with someone, move well off the road so you don’t interfere with traffic (both cars AND other cyclists). When you start up again, each cyclist should look for and yield to traffic.
10. Ride One or Two Across – Ride single file or double file as appropriate to the roadway and traffic conditions and where allowed by law. Most state vehicle codes permit narrow vehicles such as bicycles to ride double file within the lane. Even where riding double is legal, slow traffic such as bicycles should not impede traffic. On many two lane roads, you should ride single file when cars are trying to pass you.
11. By law, bicycles are required to follow the same rules as motorists. Stop at signs and red lights, signal turns and lane changes, slow traffic stays right, move left to make a left turn, pass when safe and allow adequate distance between yourself and the vehicle being passed.
The League of American Bicyclists is a non-profit association working to protect the rights of cyclist through national advocacy, education and grassroots organizing.
In recent years the quality of bike you can get when buying a compete has steadily been on the rise. Back in the day if you wanted a top of the line bike you had to build it from scratch, piece by piece. Nowadays you can get a great bike at a decent price with some real quality parts on it straight out of a box. But you have to know what you are looking for, so that's where we come in. If you are in the market for a new setup or you are a parent whose kid wants a new ride, check out these ten tips for buying a complete BMX bike. - Fat Tony(RideBMX)
1. Know Your Intentions
There are bikes designed specifically for certain types of riding, so knowing what you will use the bike for is huge when selecting a complete. Do you want to ride mostly street? Park? Dirt? Flaltand? Even though you can technically use the same bike for everything, there are key factors on completes that make certain bikes better for certain disciplines of riding. If you aren't sure which bike is right for which type of riding, then ask other riders at the skatepark or the guys at your local shop for some help.
See? Different.....
2. Look For Chromoly
Chromoly is the type of strong, lightweight alloy metal all high-end BMX frames, forks, and bars are made from. Many complete bikes use steel construction in their frames, bars, and/or forks, which makes the bike less durable and a bit heavier. When looking for a complete bike, pay attention to the amount of chromoly used within a certain price range. For instance, if you see two bikes you like that are both in your price range, compare which one uses the most chromoly in their tubing.
3. Pick The Proper Size Fractions of an inch seem miniscule, but can actually change the feeling of a bike drastically. Many complete bikes come with 20" top tubes, which can be on the small side for a lot of riders. Luckily since companies have been stepping up their game recently, they have started to make complete bikes with 20.5" or 20.75" top tubes too. Also in the past handlebars on complete bikes have been notoriously low and/or narrow. If you have the luxury of going to a shop to buy your bike, test out the bike in the parking lot and make sure you feel comfortable on it. If the bike comes with wide bars, you can always cut them down to your liking for free, but you can't make narrow bars wider without dropping some extra cash for a new set.
The size of the top tube is measured from the middle of the head tube to the middle of the seat tube.
4. Don't Expect Things To Last Forever
Things wear out, parts break, and the harder you ride (or crash), the faster your bike will start to fall apart. This is just a part of the game. Also, you get what you pay for so don't expect a $250 complete to hold up to as much abuse as a $1,000 bike. Be prepared to have things go wrong, but don't let that discourage you. Learn to work on your bike, and refer to #9 on this list. Also, things on a new complete will have to break in or settle, so parts like headsets, chains, and spokes will need to be tightened shortly after your first few sessions.
Loose chain? No problem. The bike ain't broken, just pull back the back wheel and tighten it.
5. Small Parts Make A Big Difference
The components on a bike can make the complete really good, or really bad. It can also make the bike be really expensive, or really cheap. So check out all the parts on the bike to see what kind of quality you are getting. If the bike is spec'd with name brand parts like Shadow, Odyssey, or SNAFU, you know you are getting something better than generic parts. Also, on the "small" topic, look for a small gearing. A small sprocket in the front means less metal to get in the way of certain tricks, and less weight. At the same time, you don't need a 25t sprocket to be cool. A 30t sprocket will still do the trick. However, if the bike comes with a 45t, watch out because the whole bike is probably outdated.
Big generic sprocket...not as good. Small name brand sprocket...better.
6. Know Your Price Point If this list was in any kind of order, this point would probably be at the top. Once you figure out what kind of riding you'll be doing (which will help you decide the style of bike to look for), you need to figure out how much money you can spend. Set your limit, and do some hardcore comparisons of each complete in that price range. You can use mail order web sites, company Web sites, or company catalogs to get a good look at each of your options. Don't get all worked up over the $1,200 complete if you can only afford to spend $500.
Big generic sprocket...not as good. Small name brand sprocket...better.
7. Look For Weight
We aren't saying that you have to have a super light bike to be a good rider, but a lightweight complete bike usually means it has some good parts on it, and is made from good materials. Most quality aftermarket parts are lighter (and stronger) than the generic steel parts. Likewise, a stronger chromoly frame is lighter than an all-steel frame. Many people feel that a light bike can help you keep control over it better, and will allow you to ride longer without getting as tired.
A good, average weight for a complete is somewhere around 25lbs, give or take a few.
8. Don't Get Sold On Gimmicks Or Colors Sure you want your bike to be clean and have a certain look you are into, and it's perfectly fine to want to match some parts or have specific colors on your bike. However you shouldn't buy a bike solely based off of the color scheme or some kind of gimmick. You don't see it as much anymore, but lots of completes used to come with pad sets, number plates, or "flashy" stickers that were designed to draw attention to the bike in hopes of making you fall in love with it. Those days are mostly gone, but just keep in mind not to get sold on a bike just because it has wild looking graphics with lots of bells and whistles. Remember, you can always paint your frame or parts later...
Flashy and eye catching frame? Yep. Practical and strong? Absolutely not.
9. Look For A Shop Service Plan
A lot of bike shops offer a free service plan when you buy a complete bike. It may be six months, or it may be a year, but whatever it is, take advantage of it. By bringing in your bike for some routine maintenance, you'll keep her running smooth, and you may even learn some tips on how to work on your bike yourself. When you bring it in for a tune up, the shop will do things like tighten the chain, spokes, and bolts, dial in the brakes, and tell you if anything needs to be replaced.
If your shop's mechanic is as fuzzy as this photo, go to another shop. But for the most part, shop employees know how to work on bikes so let them dial it in for you.
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10. Build It Up Right
If you order a complete from a mail order site the bike isn't showing up ready for you to jump on. It'll come in a box and you'll need to put on the pedals, front wheel, and handlebars. You'll also have to set up the brakes. If you don't feel like you know how to build up a bike properly, bring it to a friend or your local bike shop that can help. You'll be bummed if you mess up your new bike before you even get a chance to ride it.
11. Look For Sealed Bearings
Sealed bearings in wheels (hubs), bottom brackets, and headsets will allow your bike to roller smoother for longer. Unsealed bearings are much cheaper and require a lot more maintenance for them to work well. If you have unsealed bearings and they become loose and start to wobble, then your entire bike will feel like crap and you won't even have fun riding it after a while. Did we say ten tips? Oh well...whatever.
Bonus Tip For The Parents: Don't Try To Guess What Your Kid Wants Don't try to guess what kind of bike your child wants. The last thing you want to do is waste money on something that Timmy isn't stoked on and doesn't want to ride. Have your kid go to the shop with you, talk with him and the guys in the shop, and get something that your he will be stoked to ride every day.
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