7 Steps to Winter Prep

Here Are 7 Key Adjustments To Make Your Winter Riding The Most Fun It Can Be

 (thanks to Global Cycling Network)

10 tips for winterproofing your bike:

1. Replace Tires

Old worn out tires are far more likely to puncture, especially in the winter months when rain or wind has brought more debris onto the roads, sidewalks, and trails.

There's not much worse than trying to replace a flat tire on the side of the road when it's cold and rainy.

If your budget allows, try to pick up some new tires for the winter season that are a bit wider and grippier to lessen your chances of getting puncture flat.
To even FURTHER reduce your chance of puncture, pick up a tire liner like :        .

2. Check Brake Pads
In gritty conditions, the pad can (and probably will) wear much faster than in great weather. Make sure to check them more regularly and replace if necessary.

3. Buy A Set Of Winter Wheels

Because of that same grit, the braking surface of your rim can see some extra damage too. Winter wheels are designed to be extra durable in this and other areas. It may be a good idea for you to pick up some wheels for this purpose.

 
 
4. Mount Fenders

Not only does it keep the spray and mud off of your face, hands, feet, and backside, it also protects your frame, your headset, and your drivetrain which will help these components to last longer.

5. Use Lights

Of course, it's important to use lights during the dark hours of all seasons. In winter months, however, it is a good idea to run some inexpensive lights at all times of the day, as it can quickly become dark and gloomy.

 
6. Replace Worn chains

Buy an inexpensive chain that you can replace more often, as the grime and debris from the road will get into the track and ruin your other drivetrain components faster.

7. Keep Moving Parts Greased and Lubed

Moving parts such as headset bearings, hubs, pedals, chain and bottom bracket. Not only will this be help your moving parts keep working properly, but it will also help prevent moisture from penetrating.

What else do YOU do to get ready for winter riding?

Top 5 Motivations For a New Helmet

Got a Questionable Helmet? Just Replace It.

 But we should remember why we wear helmets in the first place. Protecting that all-important noggin. Now, obviously, if you have been in a crash, or if the helmet is in two pieces, you will have to get yourself a new one. But maybe you haven't considered one of the reasons on this list. Be informed. Be safe.

 

5. It's not a cycling helmet

It's a good idea to wear a different helmet for each sport you participate in. Even if you ride BMX, or if do some activity where you crash regularly like skateboarding, you may not want to wear that helmet for road or mountain cycling, as it could be less prepared for the types of falls that can occur when riding.

4. Helmet manufacturers recommend replacing helmets every five years. 

And it's not so they can sell a bunch of new ones. It's because the materials in a helmet break down over that time causing the helmet to lose some of it's impact-absorbing ability, which means in a crash, you're at risk!

3. Helmets are constantly improving. 

Today's designs are drastically superior to those we were wearing just a few years ago. Helmet manufacturers have engineered features like better cooling vents, feathery weight, and extra protection against concussions, all of which make it worthwhile to upgrade regularly.

2. Significant Accidents or Falls

EPS foam is made to compress upon heavy impact. This disperses the force of the impact sothat the helmet, not your skull, is taking the brunt of the blow. However, EPS foam does not completely regain its shape after a major impact. The bottom line from every source is that, if the helmet has been in an accident, replace it, even if it does not look damaged.

1. The outside is just foam or cloth instead of plastic, or it doesnt have a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker inside, or you just can't get it to fit!

Obviously foam and cloth are not protective enough, but there are still some helmets floating around out there that aren't up to the safety code that manufacturers established in the 1990s. And anything that doesn't fit is probably not good for your ride.

[VIDEO REVIEW] 2014 Trek Dual Sport 8.3

The Bike That Does It All!

Lloyd from Bumstead's Bicycles in Ontario, CA brings you a review of one of Trek's most versatile bikes: the 2014 Dual Sport 8.3.

This model has a lightweight aluminum frame. One of the things you will notice is that Trek has spent a lot of time doing hydroformed tubing. The tubes are not round, they are custom shaped in order to be as light and strong as possible. They also have designed the tubes to give you the best strength to weight ratio.

Because it is a dual sport bike, it has front suspension for the possible light trails you may encounter on weekends with your buddies, as well as the potholes and broken sidewalks you will definitely see in the city. If you are on nicely paved roads and don't need the suspension, there is a very simple lockout lever located on the fork. Trek also put disc brakes on the Dual Sport bikes this year, which are much better in wet or muddy conditions.

Shimano Acera 8-speed rear derailleur, with rapid fire shifters which are going to last and are just right for most riders. Shimano's crank also includes a slight chain-guard to protect your clothing or legs from chain grease.

If you're looking for a bike to do a little bit of everything, this is the best one you could possibly get.

Come in to Bumstead's Bicycles today to take a test ride! We'll be seeing you!

Bumstead's Bicycles

 Located at 1038 W. 4th St. in Ontario, CA. 
You can reach us by phone at (909) 984-9067

www.bumsteadbikes.com

How To Pick The Right Mountain Bike

How can you possibly choose the right mountain bike when they come in so many different shapes and sizes, and are used for so many purposes?

Numerous manufacturers provide bikes that are specifically developed to tackle tough terrain and rigorous riding. The most important factor when determining which mountain bike to get is your personal riding preference.

The first thing you have to do is ask yourself a few questions.

Are you going to ride in the mountains?

Are you going to just ride on some dirt roads?

Do you just like the idea of a mountain bike and you're just going to ride on the street?

All of these things will determine which is the right mountain bike for you.

Let's start with the easiest of those.

You like the look and style of a mountain bike, but the reality is the most you will be doing with it is going on some dirt roads. At that point anything that we carry that is basic and looks like a mountain bike is going to be a good buy. It's still going to have a more dual purpose tire that will be knobby, but it will still roll smooth on the street.

That would be the first thing. Most of the time you will have 21 speeds, an aluminum frame, Shimano or SRAM components. Pretty basic. At this point you don't even need disc brakes. You can get a linear pull brake or a v-brake, and you'll be fine. It would be much better for you to get an upgrade in components than to opt for an upgrade to disc brakes at the entry level. 

Take the 2013 Trek 8.2 Dual Sport for example. It's a go-anywhere machine that is road-bike fast, hybrid-bike capable and fun everywhere. It's lightweight aluminum frame and 63mm travel suspension fork so it floats over roads and paths. 21-speed Shimano Gears and safe, grippy brakes are at your disposal. 

Or the 2013 Trek 3500 Disc! Trek's Silver Series aluminum frame makes for nimble handling, easy 

acceleration and quick climbing. 80mm travel suspension fork dispatches bumps with ease, grace, and confidence. Quick shifting 21-speed Shimano Drivetrain that will make easy work of the hills. Bontrager tires and disc brakes in all conditions and any weather.

For the ladies, Trek has their 2013 Skye. It's a fun, all-around bike ready for any and all adventures. It's got their great-riding, lightweight aluminum frame in a relaxed, upright riding position. The downtube is not as tall as the boys frame, allowing you to stand over the bike easier. It comes in "Washed Denim," and "Canary Yellow."

Next, for the guy or girl that wants to do a little bit of mountain biking, but not to do extreme jumps or dropoffs. Maybe you just want to hit some local trails with your friends. One of the first features you'd look for is: an adjustable front fork. You want a front shock that has enough travel and enough adjustability to hit those bumps and take up the shock and abuse of hitting rocks and potholes and rain-ruts. The next thing would be looking into disc brakes. The more serious you get about riding, the better brakes you're going to need because of the dirt, mud and grime. You will need better stopping power in those dirty conditions and on steeper descents. You will probably still get an aluminum frame but will get an upgrade from 21 gears to 24(8 gears in the rear). Going up and down hills requires a little more precise shifting than just on flat ground. On this type of bike you can go mountain biking often and expect it to live up to the use or abuse on the trail.

A good example of this type of bike is The 2013 Trek 4300 Disc. It's perfect for this category because it has the Gold aluminum frame, and is plenty tough to hold its own in the durability department. It has been bumped up to a 100mm-travel SunTour suspension fork for control, easy pedaling 27-speed Shimano drivetrain, a plush seat, and versatile tires on dependable wheels. It aso comes with Hayes disc brakes. 

The next level up means you have been riding the trails a bit and now you need a new bike. You're going mountain biking every weekend, hitting all the local trails and going to harsher conditions to ride. At that point you're going to be looking for something with longer travel on the front fork that will be larger in diameter. You may get many more features on the front fork, including lockout or damping control. The better the front fork, the better the bike will handle in adverse conditions. You may want to go to hydraulic disc brakes even rather than cable disc brakes, kind of like upgrading to  power brakes on a car. The rims on the better quality bikes are double walled, and the spokes come out of a reinforced  "eyelet" rather than just a hole in the rim. This makes them much stronger and better able to handle rougher terrain. At this point you may want to get that full suspension bike, whereas for a first time rider would want to stick to a hardtail. 

Read about the 2013 Trek Fuel EX here

Another consideration when purchasing a mountain bike would be whether to get 26" or 29" rims. This is completely based on preference. The larger diameter (29") wheel is gaining popularity amongst experienced and novice alike. Having 29" wheels allows for better traction due to a larger contact patch with the ground as well as the ability to roll over trail obstacles with more ease while maintaining momentum. The novice rider may find more confidence riding through technical terrain.

The trade-offs with bigger wheels are slower acceleration and increased weight due to the mass of the larger wheels and tires. 

The last consideration is weight. When you are selecting a mountain bike for racing, it's important to keep the weight of the bike down. Mountain biking at a higher level requires riding up and down hills of all sizes, over obstacles with frequent braking and acceleration. The lighter your bike, the easier it is to accomplish these feats. Never sacrifice strength and durability for weight. 

Remember that you can always come in and demo a bike to find out what works for you. We have a lot of options and sometimes you just need to sit on different bikes to figure it out.

Another great bike not listed here is the 2013 Trek Mamba 29er. Learn all about it here.

We are Bumstead's Bicycles, located at 1038 W. 4th St. in Ontario, CA. If you come by the shop we can discuss your needs and plans for your mountain bike and let you test the one that catches your eye. 

Or, you can give us a call at: (909) 984-9067

Visit our website here.