If you want to buy a new bicycle, there are many factors that affect your choices, such as price, features, riding style, brand factors, and even painting.Sometimes the choice boils down to the choice of frame material. There are four common frame materials: steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber. Materials can affect riding and usage, so you need to know the key differences between different materials.Everything you need to know before buying a new bike. For many people, material selection is as important as accessories and prices, and different materials are suitable for different types of cycling. The frame will be the core of the new car, taking up the main budget, you need to choose wisely.The following analyzes the key characteristics of each material to help you make the right choice.1. AluminumAluminum is the most common material for road bikes, offering a more affordable price. It is also an ideal material for the frame, which can make rigid and lightweight frames. The aluminum frame has been treated unfairly for a long time, such as the cycling feels rough and uncomfortable.WHY BUY ONE: Within your budget, you want a light and hard frame for competition, or you want the best bike at the same price.2. SteelMany years ago, steel was the only frame material. Nowadays, steel frames still exist, which can provide smooth cycling, which is why touring bikes still prefer to use them. But steel will not be used in large-scale manufacturers now. In fact, it is easy to process, so it is often used by manual custom manufacturers. If you want to customize, steel is a good choice.WHY BUY ONE: If you don’t care about its weight, want a custom frame, and you like the smooth cycling quality3. TitaniumTitanium is a very satisfying material. It is comfortable and has a certain shock absorption capacity. At the same time, it is lighter than steel, stronger than aluminum, and will not rust. In fact, its surface can maintain gloss for a long time. But after so many years, titanium frames are still very expensive.Titanium can make high-performance racing bicycles, but can also be designed for long-distance cycling, providing very good comfort.Most titanium uses 3AL-2.5V (representing 3% aluminum and 2.5% vanadium) and 6AL-4V, which is the hardest grade of titanium and can be seen on many expensive frames. Because of its hardness, it is difficult to process 6AL-4V into seamless tubes. For example, rear derailleur hangers and head tubes are often cut.WHY BUY ONE: You want a long-life bike that is light and has smooth cycling.4. Carbon FiberFor many riders, they will not choose other materials except carbon fiber, which is the mainstream in the cycling racing world. Among these four materials, carbon fiber is the lightest and hardest, and it is also very expensive. However, the price of carbon fiber frames has dropped significantly in recent years.Carbon fiber is a very flexible material, giving designers a lot of room to play, and the shape of the tube is not restricted, for example, it can make an aero road bike.Carbon bike frames are completely different. There is a huge difference between cheap and expensive carbon frames. Different carbon fiber materials, different processing methods, and different factories will all have a big impact. Carbon fiber is relatively easy to design and control, allowing the frame to achieve a balance between various characteristics, even lightweight, comfortable, and rigidity.WHY BUY ONE: If you want the lightest and hardest road bike, or the aero bike, you have enough money to buy it.
The knee is the most vulnerable part of the body during exercise. Cyclists know that if the seat height is not adjusted correctly while riding, long-term riding will cause knee pain.Other sports are the same. Protecting the knee is a prerequisite for sports. About the knee, you must know that these knee joints cannot be repaired.In the traditional concept, mountain climbing and stairs are good aerobic exercises, which can help us exercise the muscles of the thigh and buttocks. At the same time, it can exercise our heart and lung functions.But many famous orthopedic experts reminded me: climbing stairs and mountains is the "stupidest sport."Climbing stairs or climbing a mountain is a weight-bearing exercise, and the joints below the waist must bear the weight of your body, especially the knees. When the body climbs up the steps, the weight on the knees will instantly increase to about 4 times the usual.Take a person weighing 60 kg as an example: when walking on a flat road, each knee bears 60 kg. When climbing stairs or mountains, the knee load instantly becomes 240 kg, which is equivalent to carrying a piano on each knee. Moreover, the faster the speed, the greater the pressure on the knee.Besides, this kind of wear on the knees is irreparable! If the wear is too severe, only the joint can be replaced!The life span of the knee joint is only 60 yearsOn the one hand, we need to exercise the muscles of the thighs and buttocks. But on the other hand, we can’t hurt the knee joint as the price.Because the lifespan of the knee joint is determined by genes, most of which are 60 years, overuse will aggravate its wear and tear, and it cannot be repaired.But experts explained that it is not difficult to solve this problem. We only need to change our exercise habits to extend the life of the knee joint:1. Don't run or skip rope on hard concreteStrenuous exercise on hard ground, such as squatting, leaping, running, and skipping rope, will increase the wear on the kneecap. Especially when you squat down and then stand up, the wear on the joints is greatest.Articular cartilage is about 1 to 2 millimeters in length, and its role is to cushion pressure and protect bones from rupture. If you have to exercise on a hard floor and bounce back under the super reaction force, it will cause considerable damage to the joints and bones. It is recommended to exercise in the rubber sports field.2. Reduce climbing, climbing, and other sports after 50 years of ageWhen climbing mountains and stairs, the knee joints will be under pressure 3 to 4 times more than their body weight.Especially after the age of 50, people’s knee joints will be somewhat worn out. At this time, such exercises should be reduced. For some friends who have suffered knee joint injuries after the age of 40, pay special attention.Orthopedic experts said: Climbing stairs or climbing mountains does have many advantages such as enhancing cardiopulmonary function and burning calories, but the disadvantages are also great, so the gains outweigh the losses. It can be replaced with a walk.The most suitable exercise for the knee joint: swimming, cyclingFor ordinary people, the most beneficial exercise for joints is swimming. In water, the human body is parallel to the ground, and all joints are basically load-bearing.People with chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure swim more, which is good for the whole body. In order to achieve the purpose of physical exercise, you can choose swimming, cycling, gymnastics, and other light-bearing exercises.(Buy the most comfortable mountain bike or road bike)Knee rehabilitation: the most suitable exercise methodWhether you have knee discomfort or not, this exercise will suit you. Because of this exercise: no need to go out, no equipment, no damage to the knee, and exercise to the knee!1. Find a chair that can be backed, sit with your hips back, and lean against the back of the chair. Put your hands behind the chair and cushion your back.2. Put a bath towel under the thigh. You can also bundle several bath towels and towels together, as long as they are thick enough and tied firmly, the purpose is to raise the knees.3, sit upright, back straight, feet hanging down, and sway naturally in tandem. Don’t need to swing too much, just shake it easily!This trick seems very simple, but it is very helpful for strengthening the knee.People with old knee injuries or foot pain can use a healthy foot to drive the painful foot. The healthy foot supports the painful foot while shaking back and forth naturally. This is equivalent to rehabilitation and can gradually restore the knee to health.
1. Excessive aerobic exerciseIf you run a marathon or a triathlon, when it comes to muscle strength and flexibility, your body is likely to be unbalanced.Over time, and repetitive trauma often occurs, it is likely to cause arthritis, which in turn leads to wear and tear of your joints.Cross-training is very important. Let certain muscle groups rest once or twice a week to exercise new muscles, which can reduce injuries.2. Allow weight gainWhen you run, your knee joints bear 7 to 9 times the weight of your body weight.Studies have shown that the body can accept this weight, and runners will not increase the risk of injuries and diseases, such as osteoarthritis. But it is important to control the weight range.From a biomechanical point of view, weight gain itself is great stress. In fact, a British study found that the risk of knee replacement surgery for overweight people is 40% or even higher than for people of normal weight.3. Skip the stretchThe key to joint health? Achieve a balance of strength and flexibility. “As you get older, if you don’t have more free time, it takes as much time to stretch as you do strength training.”why? Because the older the age, the lower the flexibility of the muscles, if the muscles are elastic, it will help keep the joints moving.4. Exceeding physical limitsVigorous exercise, such as HIIT and mud running, is not the only cause of joint damage.Although yoga and Pilates are good ways to improve flexibility and strength, any extreme situations that exceed the range of motion, such as completing movements that the body is not fully prepared to accept, may damage one of your joints.When you exceed the limit of motion, bone spurs (protruding along the edge of the bone) may occur, which may lead to arthritis. Your best option is to change your exercise style and give yourself more time before attempting any action that your body is not ready to accept.Cycling is a healthy and safe aerobic exercise. According to Dr. Han Wei, the director of the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Center, in his experience, there are not many patients with sports injuries caused by cycling, and most of them are patella Inflammation of the cartilage.Pay attention to pedaling frequency. Many people believe that riding at a low cadence frequency can improve strength development, but this will also increase the pressure on the knee.Some riders and friends like to ride with low cadence, pedal harder, and are proud of their strength. However, the strength of the human knee joint is limited after all. The anterior cruciate ligament, lateral meniscus, and other parts will bear more pressure and wear under the condition of vigorously trampling, which will make the cartilage thin, expose the subchondral bone, and directly rub the joints, causing pain. , Caton and other issues.Adjust the seat cushion to an appropriate height. The patella is located in front of the knee. When the foot is straightened, the patella will be in a relaxed state. If the foot is bent and straightened repeatedly, the knee joint is constantly rubbed, and the patella cartilage is prone to inflammation.Dr. Han said that the more you bend your knees when riding a bicycle, the greater the pressure will be. Therefore, for the sake of safety, it is not correct for ordinary people to adjust the cushion to the height where both legs can land at the same time. The first step to prevent inflammation of the patella cartilage is to adjust the cushion to an appropriate position.The general formula for calculating the height of the seat cushion is the length of the lower straddle × 0.885 = the height of the seat cushion (from the center of the central axis to the seat cushion), and then fine-tune it according to your riding feeling.The height estimated by the formula is approximately the state where the thighs remain 80% straight when stepping on the bottom.Moderate climbing For cycling and climbing, although many friends are keen on this, remember to be appropriate and moderate.Pay special attention to the cadence when climbing, try to ride with a higher cadence to reduce the pressure on the body joints every time you exert force.If the rider himself has a bad knee and has a related medical history, riding a hill is not necessarily a suitable exercise. Climbing long slopes and steep slopes will put more pressure on the knees, so riding on flat roads is better.
Sometimes it takes us lots of time to prepare. The most important thing is to list a full components needed to build it. Today we are here to help you with a wonderful example. The following eye-catching mountain bike was built by our dear customer.Full components list here for your reference only:FRAME: TRIFOX MFM100 FULL SUSPENSION CARBON MTB FRAMEFORKS: ROCKSHOX SID BRAIN WCSHOCK: FOX FLOAT DOS WITH REMOTE CONTROLGEAR SHIFTERS: SRAM EAGLE 12VCRANKARM: SRAM GXP EAGLE WITH QUARQ POWERMETERREAR DERAILLEURS: SRAM EAGLE 12VCASSETTE: SRAM EAGLE 12VBRAKE: SHIMANO XTR M9000HANDLEBAR: TRIFOX RHB200 INTEGRATED HANDLEBARWHEELS: BIGALS CARBON 33 MTB 29 SP BOOSTTIRE: MAXXIS REAR IKON FRONT ARDENT RACESEATPOST: PMP 31,6 X 400SADDLE: SAN MARCO ASPIDE CARBONPEDALS: CRANKBROTHERS EGG BEATER 3We hope this will greatly help you to build with our MFM100 29er full suspension carbon MTB frame.If you like it, welcome to leave comments. Thanks again for our customer support all the time!
What is a full-suspension mountain bike?Full-suspension mountain bikes refer to mountain bikes with front and rear shock absorbers, and hard-tailed mountain bikes have only one front suspension fork. (In China, full-suspension mountain bikes are usually mistakenly called soft tails, which are actually two types of models.)The full-suspension mountain bike is a very comfortable bike, not only comfortable, these shock absorbers can adapt to various complex mountain terrains and can run more stably and faster on various complex surfaces. A good suspension system provides more comfort control (keeping your wheels on the ground) and enjoyment (riding faster, further, further)Disc brakes, wide handlebars, and wide tires are currently the standard equipment for mountain bikes. Common body materials include carbon fiber and aluminum alloys, as well as steel and titanium bikes. Wheels generally come in 27.5 and 29-inch wheels, depending on personal preference.Generally speaking, the price of full-suspension mountain bikes is more expensive than ordinary mountain bikes. First of all, full-suspension mountain bikes usually use carbon fiber materials. This price is definitely expensive. Mountain bikes usually use more Sulian kits. One A high-end SRAM transmission is enough for you to buy a traditional mountain bike.Buying a bike that combines light weight, strength, and comfort can be expensive. Bikes are like cars, you can probably get a car that does the job for less, or spend a few million on a luxury supercar. How long do full-suspension bikes last?Full-suspension mountain bikes have a long lifespan. Of course, if accidents are not included. Other parts, such as chains, brakes, pads, and tires, must be replaced periodically. The frame, cranks, seat post, and other basic components should last at least 5 to 7 years. Learning to maintain regularly will make the mountain bike last longer, and the cost of regular maintenance is much lower than that of mountain bikes.Should you try a full-suspension mountain bike? Most mountain bikes are more used for long-distance travel, and mountain bikes are rarely used to run on complex road conditions. Compared with the price, hard-tailed mountain bikes are actually a better choice.Hardtail bikes are generally lighter than full-suspension bikes because they have a simpler design with fewer parts. If your riding involves a lot of climbing or long walks, saving weight can be a good thing.
A road bike or an MTB Bike? Suffering from "choice difficulty" when choosing between different types of bikes? How can I choose the bike that is best for me?Just as the saying goes, each bike has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a bike, it depends more on our "taste". Riding environment and distance are all factors in the choice. Without further ado, here is a list of different bike types:1. The road bike"Light" is a synonym for a road bike, which also makes it the first choice for pavement road high-speed travel, big wheel diameter, and narrow tires make it very low road resistance, provide a higher road speed, but also lets its grip is reduced, and extremely vulnerable to the sidewalk, vertical drainage channels and other "traps" damage; As a result of besides bike owner, the thief also loves them very much, make bike disadvantageous park is kept, have bearing capacity almost, riding posture is more aggressive, comfortable sex is inferior, suit sport, competition to use only.Advantages: lightweight, high speedDisadvantages: more aggressive posture (more prone), lower passability, no bearing capacity2. The Mountain BikeMountain Bike (MTB), as the name implies is for the rugged mountain forest road and born; Disc brake, rough tires, high strength, and full shock absorbers, let more bike friends find adequate riding confidenceAll sorts of technology of mountain bikes are pair of mountain road and targeted research and development, if bike friend your "ambition" is not off-road, choose other types of bicycle may be more suitable, the mountain bike on the pavement highway not only drag feet, and the technology that heavy money buys also "martial arts all waste".Advantages: strong braking force, passability, cross-country performance, can cross the mountain forest roadDisadvantages: heavy, flat tire performance is very drag, low speed3. Crossover model — "flat bar road bike"Flat bar road bike is different from the traditional bent handle bike, the basic characteristics of the flat, swallow, and the use of highway 700c wheel diameter with wide tires, can not only more to meet the demand of the road, and wide tires also can provide better comfort level, bicycle equipped with "V" brake, "road clip" and even a mountain bike with disc brake.Low-end "flat bar road bike" transmissions are mainly used in the internal three variable speed, mountain variable speed kit, while high-end models are more high-speed internal variable speed or dedicated "flat bar road bike" variable speed kit; Road Bike is designed for comfortable, fast and light riding on the road, mainly used for sports, leisure, entertainment, outing, travel, transportation, and commuting.Advantage: have a speed that compares road bike, comfortable riding postureDisadvantages: basically consistent with the road bike4. Crossover type — "mountain road bike"The basic definition of "mountain road bike" is: the use of a conventional mountain bike modified into paved road flat running high-speed mode is equipped, the original shock absorbers fork into a hard fork, bare tire, and other elements used to brush the road (only on the paved road), do not participate in the off-road.But inevitably, the mountain road bike has neither the off-road performance of a real mountain bike nor the speed and lightness of a road bike, making it an awkward place to cross from a mountain bike to a road bike.Advantages: possess the comfortable riding posture of a mountain bike, and can be replaced by accessories to "return to normal"Disadvantages: speed, weight are not a "flat road bike", less than the passing of the mountain bike, "decathlon, everything is not good"5. Urban BicyclingThe most attractive feature of Urban Bicycling is its simplicity. The bicycle structure is very simple, and it almost has the huge advantage of being "maintenance-free". In recent years, Urban Bicycling is moving closer to "restoring ancient ways". It is exquisite, comfortable, and has a "literary style", which has also become a unique landscape line in the city.Advantages: practical, elegant, indestructible (high reliability)Disadvantages: also due to its leisure transport main function, resulting in its "heavy and slow" characteristics6. Touring bikeTouring bike is "on the list" in the category, practical row, and the second model! Professional long-distance touring bikes are mainly steel frame, equipped with road bike 700C or more popular mountain bike 26-inch wheelset, targeted design makes it has very high strength, durability, and strong ability to mount also let it can easily "pull home with a family", carrying supplies for months, equipment on the journey.Advantages: high strength, strong durability, strong versatility, large bearing capacityDisadvantages: high weight, short-distance use more cumbersome.7. E-bikeThe biggest difference between E-bike (Electric Bike) and ordinary bicycles, lies in its unique "hybrid"; "Electric power" is an organic combination of the trample torque and the motor torque, the trample torque is active, the motor torque is auxiliary, the motor can be closed to ride, stop the trample but will not move forward, unlike a simple electric bike, turning the handle will automatically move forward.Isn’t riding a bicycle a human step? Why do we need other forces to help us move? Mountain biking not only allows riders to enjoy a long downhill ride but also encourages riders to pedal uphill in their own right. The reality, not every point is pro cyclists (especially women), have a long time to exercise, leg strength, and fitness, before enjoying the pleasure of mountain road cycling downhill, which may well have been an uphill road to death, and downhill riding frank at the same time, still need the knight’s enough physical control car, so, it will cut out most of the fun riding, and E–Bike, it is will be a long distance, the mountain road riding fun magnified "best toys".Advantages: any rider can easily enjoy a variety of riding fun.Disadvantages: need to be recharged, the body is heavier, and more expensive than conventional bikes.8. Folding bikesFolding bikes are the best for short bike rides, commutes, and hybrid biking.The folding bike is the most popular model among commuters in big cities. A compact folding bike can even sit under a desk. In some cities in China, folding bikes can be connected by buses, subways, and other means of transportation during rush hour, making it the best solution for urban transportation.Advantages: compact, the top choice for city commuters.Disadvantages: passability, handling, strength, rigidity, comfort, and other "performance indicators" have decreased.9. Extension model of the folding bicycle — "small wheel bicycles""Small wheel bicycles" has long been popular "inch gold scale earth" in Beijing, and widely, in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions such as dozens of years, its frame is like a road bike scaling petite, it significantly reduced parking space occupied at home, not only meet the metropolis person pursuit of speed, also suitable for more than the big wheel bicycle for riders with low altitude(including women).Advantages: compact, suitable for low altitude, and limited family spaceDisadvantages: handling, comfort, and other "performance indicators" are not as good as the conventional large-wheel bicycle models.10. Gravel Bike (road bike)Gravel Bike is not equivalent to cyclo-cross /CX. It is a one-bike "all-purpose road" that can be used for commuting, biking, hiking, training, grocery shopping, and even racing (long-distance endurance). Simply speaking, it is the combination of road racing (configuration) and endurance racing (comfort geometry). Its unique taste, quickly forming a wave of popularity, among North American, and Canadian riders' love, can also be seen from the brand manufacturers in recent years to change the model, Gravel has gradually eliminated the original endurance, long-distance, comfortable road models.The cost of building or purchasing an entry-level Gravel Bike is not much different from that of the "mountain bike", but instead it has better-paved road speed, lower total bicycle weight, greater comfort, and the same strong passability. Why not?Advantages: have less than the speed of road bike, less than XC mountain bike through sex, off-road ability, comfortable geometric designDisadvantages: does not have heavy off-road performance, and the coarse tooth tires will also reduce their speed on the pavement road11. Fixed GearThe rear Gear and rear Wheel Hub of the Fixed Gear (Track Bike) are completely Fixed, and the freewheels of the ordinary bicycle are "alive". The Fixed Gear bike is also known as a "dead flying bicycle" because which freewheel is "dead", and the rider can control the rear wheel through the pedal to slow down and brake; Of course, the accident rate of Fixed Gear bike is significantly higher than that of other models every year, which are still very dangerous when the brakes are not installed, which is so harmful to traffic, so some countries have already banned the non-braking fixed-gear bikes on the road.12. "Extreme Sports""BMX", "climbing bike", "DJ bikes", "slope bike" and so on are the representatives of bicycle extreme sports, because their emphasis is more on technology and action style, and the common bicycle use is far from.
