I live in Northeast Georgia where the horizon is hidden from view by Billions of trees, and impressive mountains in all directions. We pay in loss of sight distance for cooler summers than the remaining sections of the state.

This is where the trip to the mail box becomes healthy. My mailbox is approximately 1.2 Miles from my house, and three times weekly I ride my mountain bike on gravel roads out to the black top where our mailboxes are located.

I park my bike, open my mail box, then retrieve mail  which I stuff into a black pouch which I wear around my waist for this purpose. Then I make the return ride which includes a fairly long steep climb which ends just before reaching my driveway.  As I dismount I am high as a kite, and thank the Lord for my good fortune for first of all; being a Southern born American, and second Living in the mountains.

WallyGater

[affmage source="amazon" results="10"]mountain bike[/affmage]
[affmage source="overstock" results="10"]suspension mountain bike[/affmage]
[affmage source="cj" results="10"]mountain bikes[/affmage]

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

I’m fairly new to the mountain biking sport.  I’ve been working out on my bike for six years now due to knee’s wearing out from running heavily during my military career and afterward. I now take triple strength Glucosamine + Chondroitin to maintain cushion in my joints, which is very effective. That said I must pass on the up-hill-stall I experienced this morning while climbing a steep graveled road in the north Georgia mountains.

The weather is extremely beautiful this morning; a cloudless, crystal clear sky and sunshine bright with the temperature in the upper sixties. During my revelation of a wonderful, but taxing, ride before me I began to climb at least a 30 degree hill on one of our graveled roads, I was standing on my pedals for power, not paying much attention to where any loose gravel was accumulating when I spun out due to stones being torn from the compacted road eliminating any friction with the drive tire causing an instantaneous loss of forward momentum.

I braked quickly and lowered my left foot to the ground.  I dismounted to check on the spot on the road that bore the scars of the spin.  I noticed there had been a cluster of rocks three to four inches square just under the surface of the run that were obviously not compacted enough to hold together while being forced down hill by the torque of the drive wheel.  I made a mental note to always pay attention to the surface conditions at all times.

WallyGater

[affmage source="amazon" results="10"]mountain bike gear[/affmage]
[affmage source="overstock" results="10"]mountain bike wheels[/affmage]
[affmage source="cj" results="10"]suspension mountain bike[/affmage]

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Choosing a Shimano Mountain Bike Component

Mountain bike components are designed to withstand more abuse and extreme riding conditions. These components are heavier, sometime larger and more durable then road bike components. Sometime you are riding on dirt, rock, or in water, etc and the components need to be durable enough so they can withstand abusive treatment.

It just so happened that my rear derailleur broke on my full suspension mountain bike. I was riding a down hill trail and lost control of my bike. The rear of the bike ended up hitting the face of a rock and I was left with a mangled rear derailleur. So I looked at the positive side of the accident and said to myself now is the time to upgrade.

I could find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which is a mountain bike classifieds website and lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events but I was in the car with my bike so I decided to go to the store.

On the way home from the trail I stopped at my local bike store to buy a new derailleur so I can resume riding as quickly as possible. I told the bike shop guy my situation and she asked me which aftermarket Shimano derailleur I wanted to buy. Not knowing anything about the different categories in the Shimano product line I asked for help and this is what she relayed to me.

Shimano Deore is their entry level category. These products are inexpensive and meant for the occasional or enthusiast rider. These components are stocked on entry level mountain bikes.

Shimano Deore LX is their next level in higher quality. This category level consists of a more durable product. The main difference that I noticed is that Deore LX is lighter then Deore. My derailleur was a Deore LX and it has shown me proven quality and reliability for many years.

Shimano Deore XT was referred to as their heavy duty category. This product category is not considered race quality performance but they are light weight and more durable then the LX category. The price difference between the LX category and the XT category was noticeable.

Shimano XTR is considered their high performance category. Again these parts are lighter then the XT category. As a consumer I took notice to the price increase from XT to XTR. It appeared to me that this category appeals to the racers that demand light weight and high performance.

Keep in mind that this is not a complete list of Shimano’s product line. It is the list that my bike store carried.

So in my quest to buy a new derailleur I decided to purchase the Shimano Deore XT because of its light weight, durability and price. I had the bike shop install it for me and I was back on the trail in no time.

Posted by Bike Servant: Experience with full suspension and hardtail mountain bikes, bike parts and organizing race events for mountain biking.

[affmage source="amazon" results="10"]full mountain bike[/affmage]
[affmage source="overstock" results="10"]mountain bike derailleur[/affmage]
[affmage source="cj" results="10"]mountain bike parts[/affmage]

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites