Sunday, April 29, 2012

Bike shop Downey: Avoiding bike wrecks

As owners of bike shop Downey, there is nothing we hate more than to hear about a cyclist in our community getting injured or killed in an accident.
When you come into our shop, we'll make sure you find a helmet that you like, and that fits, because we know wearing one reduces cycling head injuries by 85%.  But while helmets can help you survive an accident, they cannot prevent one.
We will outfit you with good lights and a reliable bicycle, but those things are not enough either.
Sadly, most of the accidents that happen are not caused by cyclists breaking traffic laws, but by motorists who are not being careful and aware enough of bicycles. So following the law, while encouraged, cannot necessarily prevent all accidents either.
The thing that statistically reduces risk of accidents is defensive cycling- not putting yourself in the position where a driver's failures could take your life. Austin cyclist Michael Bluejay has done a lot of research and put together this excellent website Bicyclesafe.com. He has generously made the info available for free use, so we will be sharing parts of it in our series top ten bike wrecks in the next couple weeks.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Mountain bike Los Angeles: Why full suspension


When people to our shop looking for a mountain bike in Los Angeles, many are undecided about what kind of suspension they need. Previously, we posted about some of the reasons our customers choose hardtail bikes, and today we will talk about the benefits of full suspension.
Full suspension brings unparalleled comfort, as well as traction, and control. There is nothing smoother, and these bikes are designed to blaze up hills, through rough terrain, without sacrificing that smoothness and control. For this reason, they tend to be the preference for technical trail riders. They don't sacrifice much speed for this smoothness, and their comfort on rocky hillsides really is unsurpassed. Not only are they more comfortable, but the control and superior traction of full suspension allows you to cut through crazy terrain that mountain bikers back in the day would have considered unrideable.
With all the advancements
full suspension models have seen in the past ten years, their popularity has skyrocketed. They are now almost as light as rear suspension models. The advent of rear suspension lockout mechanisms made these bikes competitive on uphill climbs, and since then we have seen their popularity explode, even in the pro ranks where historically hardtail ruled due to their feather weight. Now the weight difference is small, so many riders are choosing full suspension for its other benefits. If comfort, control, and traction are important to you, consider our full suspension at Pat’s 605 Cyclery in Los Angeles.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Mountain bike Los Angeles: Why hardtail


When people come to us looking for a mountain bike in Los Angeles, one of their first questions is “which kind of suspension is right for me?”

Today we will talk about the benefits of a hardtail bike. Watch our blog for an upcoming post about full suspension.
A hardtail is a bike with a rigid frame and front suspension only. They were the standard for competitive mountain biking in the 1990's, but some of that has changed with advancement of full suspension technology. People choose hardtail bikes because they are light-weight, economical, and efficient pedalers. They require less maintenance than full-suspension models.
Dirt-jumpers tend to choose from our hardtail models which are fast pedaling and tough enough to withstand daredevil jumps. These bikes also do well for off-road trails, single track, and racing. While full-suspension has seen mounting popularity, hardtail is still preferred by many racers and experienced off-road cyclists who love a light, responsive, no-nonsense ride. Hardtails are great for beginners who want to learn the feel of different terrain and they tend to be less expensive. However, even if you are looking for a budget bike, always look for one with good quality components. A cheap big box store bike will not hold up well to mountain biking, so look for a basic, good-quality hardtail at a local specialty shop where your money will go further.
And, if you’re in the market for a top-notch hardtail with all the latest, best-quality components, we sell those too. :)
We offer several models of Trek hardtails at Pat’s 605 Cyclery in Los Angeles. You can find descriptions and prices on our main website www.pats605cyclery.com

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Bike Shop Los Angeles on Mountain bike evolution


Mountain biking began as a niche hobby. The first bikes were scrapped together from other bike parts, and were basically a modified upright, heavy, balloon tire cruiser. This picture is a prototype of the first special purpose mountain bike designed by Joe Breeze in 1977, from the Museum of Mountain Bike Art and Technology.
Mountain biking has evolved into a popular competitive sport with international championships.
Today’s mountain bikes are light-weight machines with high-tech outfitting. Many variations of the sport have emerged, including crosscountry, endurance riding, single track, technical trail, downhill, and dirt-jumping. Each of these has brought new styles of mountain bike.
If you are new to mountain biking, come into our bike shop Los Angeles and we will help you find the right style of bike for your purposes. All our mountain bikes are made with quality components that will survive tough riding, bringing you years of adventure, unlike what you will find from a large general retail store. Check out the models we have on our website, in a range of styles, options, and prices.