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Biking down great descents generally means that you face a long, uphill climb before you can enjoy the ride down. Long climbs present a challenge for many mountain bikers but learning how to best approach them can make them a bit less…
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In the 1980s, the Mongoose brand of bikes began production on a small scale in California. The company strongly supports BMX racing. It grew quickly and expanded into other bike types, such as mountain bikes. Mongoose produces its bike…
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Mountain bikes and ten-speed bicycles operate on a similar shifting apparatus, although there are basic differences based on the specific uses of each type of bike. Mountain bikes travel on off-road trails, which influences their gear…
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At times, your bicycle will need repair due to wear, and one area often in need is the drivetrain. The rear freewheel is a significant part of your drivetrain and may need to be removed for replacement, lubrication, deep cleaning or ev…
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Located on the left and right handlebars of your mountain bike, near the brake levers, gear levers are key components. They help you get up burly hills and bomb down demanding descents.
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Shimano gears on an older bicycle will differ from newer versions primarily in their design; the gear shifters (called downtube shifters) will be located on the downtube of the frame rather than attached to the handlebar. The two desig…
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If you've been confounded by the process of removing a rear bike wheel, you're probably not alone. Many first time mechanics have taken one look at their rear wheel, firmly enmeshed behind a derailleur, chain and a series of baroque-lo…
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As the only portion of your bicycle in contact with the ground, the wheel receives more than its share of abuse. Punctured inner tubes, broken spokes, worn hub bearings and damaged rims--these are just a few of the wheel repairs a cycl…
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Shifting between gears is paramount for a smooth bicycle ride. Maintaining the shifting system requires continued lubrication, adjustment and an occasional part replacement. One of the common components damaged in a crash is the shifte…
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Like other bikes, Iron Horse Mountain bikes need to be fitted with a chain of proper length. A chain that is too long will never shift efficiently, while a chain that is too short will not be able to access the full range of gear combi…
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Inevitably, time and wear take their toll upon bicycle gears. As shifter cables stretch with use, shifting becomes less precise, or "sloppy." The chain now moves reluctantly from one gear to another, or perhaps not all. Fortunately, yo…
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Without the rear derailleur in place on your bicycle, you'd be hard pressed, frankly, to shift gears any time soon. One of two derailleurs on a geared bicycle, the rear derailleur responds to a shift of the rear gear by moving the chai…
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Like any mechanism, mountain bike gear changers are prone to a gradual decrease in performance because of general use. A typical mountain bike gear changer, or shifter, contains several small inner parts that require proper lubrication…
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For novice cyclists, changing gears can seem a bit intimidating at first. A typical geared bicycle, including many Schwinn models, will have two separate shifters--one on each side of the handlebar--for operating the front and rear gea…
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It is not compulsory for a bicycle to have gears. In fact, the simplest kind of bicycle is the fixed-gear bike, which dates back to the first bicycles ever manufactured. A fixed-gear bike is a single-speed bike that does not have a fr…
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