A mountain bike is a lot of fun although it does require some maintenance.  You should always lube your bike 15 hours or so before riding, as quick jobs right before you take off normally doesn’t get everything lubed.  Some lube jobs will last  for more rides, although if things get loud or  shifting gets sticky, it’s time to lube.

Here is how to lube your bike:

1.  The chain Apply a generous amount of mountain bike lube to  your chain as you move the pedals around backwards. It also helps to find a spot to steady your hand such as the frame while you move the pedals around and around.  Make sure you watch out for the cranks and chain rings as they move around.

2.  Front Deraileur On the front defaileur, lube the pivots.  Use a  spot of lube everywhere you can see movement when you move the shift lever.

3.  Rear deraileur Just like the front deraileur, lube the pivots.

4.  Pedals There are some types of clipless pedals that will  need to have the release mechanism lubed.  You  should only lube this mechanism if you have this  type of pedal.  Read more...

Speed skating has become a very popular winter sport, but some critics claim it is simply too dangerous for people to be engaging in. Many people enjoy watching speed skating during the Winter Olympics and then want to engage in the activity on their own without proper training. The speed of a person in this type of sport can be more than 30 miles per hour so when they fall down or collide with someone else it is quite powerful.

In order to reduce the risk of injuries during speed skating, it is vital that safety gear is worn at all times. This includes a helmet that fits properly, knee pads, and elbow pads. It is best for this sport to take place on an ice rink that has been specifically designed for it instead of out there on a frozen pond somewhere.

In professional speed skating there are pairs of competitors on the ice. Each track has two lanes and each person in a pair will get a colored band. This tells the judges which lane they started at for the beginning of the competition. The skaters have to change lanes at a given location along the track to ensure both skaters are covering the same amount of distance.  Read more...