The gears in mountain bikes just keep getting more and more intricate. The bikes of today have as many as 27 gear ratios. A mountain bike will use a combination of three different sized sprockets in front and nine in the back to produce gear ratios.
The idea behind all these gears is to allow the rider to crank the pedals at a constant pace no matter what kind of slope the bike is on. You can understand this better by picturing a bike with just a single gear. Each time you rotate the pedals one turn, the rear wheel would rotate one turn as well (1:1 gear ratio).
If the rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then with 1:1 gearing, one full twist on the pedals would result in the wheel covering 81.6 inches of ground. If you are pedaling at a speed of 50 RPM, this means that the bike can cover over 340 feet of ground per minute. This is only 3.8 MPH, which is the equivalence of walking speed. This is ideal for climbing a steep hill, although bad for ground or going downhill.
To go faster you’ll need a different ratio. To ride downhill at 25 MPH with a 50 RPM cadence at the pedals, you’ll need a 5.6:1 gear ratio. A bike with a lot of gears will give you a large number of increments between a 1:1 gear ratio and a 6.5:1 gear ratio so that you can always pedal at 50 RPM, no matter how fast you are actually going.
On a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the gear ratios are so close to each other that you can’t notice any difference between them.
With actual use, bike riders tend to choose a front sprocket suitable for the slope they are riding on and stick with it, although the front sprocket can be difficult to shift under heavy load. It’s much easier to shit between the gears on the rear.
If you are cranking up a hill, it’s best to choose the smallest sprocket on the front then shift between the nine gears available on the rear. The more speeds you have on the back sprocket, the bigger advantage you’ll have.
All in all, gears are very important to mountain bikes as they dictate your overall speed. Without gears you wouldn’t be able to build speed nor would you be able to pound pedals. The gears will move the pedals and help you build up speed.
There are all types of gears available in mountain bikes, all of which will help you build up a lot of momentum if you use them the right way.
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How Mountain Bike Gears Work
Thursday, August 12th, 2010Making Aerobics Work for You
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010Aerobics is one of the many options that you can use to get in shape.
Unlike other methods of dieting and exercise in general, aerobics requires an amount of dedication that many people are simply too afraid to provide.
There are many methods that you can do to prepare yourself for aerobics and to get yourself in that happy mood when it comes to this subject of exercise.
Before you begin your Aerobics session, you will want to find some music that you enjoy. Aerobics generally provides the best results when music is played in the background. Your best bet is to find a style of music that will get you in that “active mood”. Some genres of music to consider for aerobic activity include Pop, Hip Hop, and Rock. If you attend a aerobics class, you may not have a choice in music.
You will have to take this into consideration as you get into the Aerobics mood. There are lots of different types of portable music devices, in a wide range of cost, that will put you in the aerobic mindset with the help of ear bud headphones.
It is also important to get an ample amount of rest before you start your aerobics session. You want your body to be energized and ready to go by the time the session starts. If you become tired early into the workout, your mood will obviously decrease (as tiredness often does to our mood) and your body will encourage you to stop the workout.
Any beverages that contain a high amount of sugar and caffeine should be avoided prior to participating in aerobic activity. These types of beverages are not good for you, and they also deprive your body of what it needs during exercise. It is best to drink a nice glass of refreshing water before starting your aerobics session in (or anywhere else for a matter of fact).
Being adequately hydrated is yet another way on how you can improve your mood for aerobics activity. Getting in the mood for aerobics is aided by a short stretching session prior to starting.
If you skipped a warm up session, and happened to injure yourself doing Aerobics, you might develop a negative attitude toward Aerobics. In order for your body to be prepared for aerobic activity, it is imperative that you allow your body to stretch out. To maintain a good mood in anticipation for your workout, you should participate in a light stretching session.
An intense stretching session may take energy away that would be better used during your aerobics session. This next tip to help yourself into the aerobics mood may be obvious but many people fail to realize it.
You should only participate in a level of aerobics that you are comfortable in. There is nothing worse for your mood than trying to compete in an advanced aerobics class (or in advanced aerobics activity if you are doing solo exercise) when you need to be doing aerobics at an entry level. Knowing the level of aerobics that you can do without damaging your aerobics mood is key for a good session. Finally, comfortable clothing will be your final push into that Aerobics mood. While participating in aerobics, you should wear comfortable clothing that allows you to easily move. The clothing should be well ventilated as a sweaty person, as you know, is not a person who is in a good mood.
Graduating From a Golf Academy Insures Loving Your Work
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010Every student, whether attending a golf school or any other college campus, wishes at some point to have a project assigned that required to be outside. Most golf enthusiasts would rather be on the golf course on a beautiful, sunny day instead of a classroom staring out the window. Students who attend classes at a golf academy have probably heard their teachers tell them to pick up their golf clubs more than once during their college experience. Pursuing a golf degree is not like your typical program. There is a lot of hands-on experience that requires students to spend hours at the golf course.
At a golf academy, students learn the proper techniques to be successful at golf. Some important skills students learn are how to hit a putt, how to manage their way out of a sand trap, what club to use when you need to drive the ball 200 yards and numerous other skills. Students not only receive training on the fundamentals and skills necessary to master the game of golf, but they also learn management skills as well. With a golf degree students can become golf pros at a course or also manage a course. Management is important to students going through this program because it is essential to know how to run the daily operations of a course.
Students attending these schools also learn another valuable skill; which is teaching. While many can drive a golf ball straight down the fairway and score under par, it takes a special person to be able to teach another the skills necessary to be good at the game. Being a golf pro, it is important to be able to reiterate a certain technique to your student. If you can’t relay information and communicate with your student, they are not going to have much success when they try to play golf. A golf academy will enforce the skills and techniques needed to teach golf, because what you learn on the golf course can go to waste if you cannot teach it to your student.
With the sport of golf being such a growing pastime, there are golf positions all over the country and even all over the world. While there are golf courses pretty much in every town in America, there are tourist destinations that revolve around golf. One place is Hilton Head in South Carolina. Tennis and golf are the two most popular sports in that area and you can definitely tell that is the case when you first arrive. There are golf courses and tennis courts pretty much on every corner. With this widespread popularity, it makes it easier for individuals who receive a degree from an accredited school to find a job upon graduation.
More and more people are becoming interested in golf. As the popularity of the sport continues to grow, the career field continues to grow with it. More than 500,000 people work at golf courses around the country. Students can work at the course where professional golfers play or can also help coordinate tournaments. The possibilities are nearly endless with a golf degree. So whether you aspire to work on the Pro Golf Tour or simply would like to manage a golf course, obtaining an associates degree from a Golf Academy can set you on the right road.