Tips for Choose your Bike through the Saddle, Frame and Tires

With the return of summer, the summer's mountain bike in the garage. Here are our tips for waking up after hibernation. Points to verify the choice of equipment through the saddle, frame, tires, etc. We will explain everything you need to know how to choose your right bike! Now you just have to ride. The saddle To avoid the unpleasant "crush syndrome of the perineum," choose a saddle for wide, perforated and containing gel. Get up to relax muscles from time to time. Brakes V-Brakes or disc brakes? The last harder brake, and gradually work whatever the weather. Their power depends on the selected diameter - 160 mm for XC, freeride 180 mm and 200 mm or more for the descent. With V-Brakes, difficult to hard brake without locking. Stem For sporty driving: a long stem plunging (11 to 12 cm in length and an inclination of 0-5 °). For walking: a shorter stem (9-10 cm) and raised (10 to 15 °) provides comfort. For the descent: a short stem (4-10 cm) inclined 20 to 25 ° for maximum reach. Steel is the reference material, but aluminum is a good compromise strength to weight. Part The inseam (floor to perineum) determines the choice of the size shown in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm). For a classical geometry, it is multiplied by 0.59 for a framework "sloping" by 0.56. Example for a crotch length of 82 cm on right frame: 82 x 0.59 = 48.38 cm or 19 inches. Steel, it is affordable and comfortable. Aluminum, it is more nervous and light. Composite materials are reserved for bikes performance rigid, dynamic light but uncomfortable. Unlike titanium, the ideal bike that is flexible, stainless, lightweight and very comfortable. Fork The firmness of the fork is adjusted with a high pressure pump. It depends on your weight to condition the hardness of penetration divers in the travel available (over 120 mm for freeride). We must also adjust the trigger (the speed at which the fork returns to its original position) usually with a wheel: Increase it to gravel roads, reduce it in raids to avoid being ejected. Tires A physical principle: the greater the width of the tire, the more it sticks. To practice everywhere, 2.30 inches is ideal. The carcass is made of braided nylon son, flexible - thus offering more distortion and shock absorption - or straight. The index of flexibility shown by the number of son per inch: above 100 TPI, a tire is very flexible and high-end. At the back, prefer aggressive crampons to bite the ground and join in the phases of acceleration / deceleration brutal. front, we need aggressive crampons on the edges of the tire to facilitate the adhesion curve. More gum is soft, the better the grip. The tire pressure is generally between 1.5 and 2.7 kg. It depends on the terrain, tires (plus they are wide, there must be less pressure) and preferences of the driver. It should be lower at the front to gain greater traction and rear for more power when accelerating.