By Dana Turvey, aka The Mountain Mutt *
August 14, 2007

Almost since the advent of the wheel, humans have been trying to find better ways to roll across the earth’s surface; bicycling is no exception. From the original single speeds to 10-speeds, to the current norm of 30-speeds, cycling companies keep finding ways to improve your riding pleasure.

There used to be only road bikes, then styles grew to include mountain styles, but along the way, comfort remained a big buzz word. Trevor Brown, longtime bike mechanic at Tahoe Sports Ltd, said “Comfort is huge. There must be two jillion million ways now to improve comfort on all kinds of bikes. Gel seats, split seats, padded grips, taller rise stems – everything is aimed at making riding more comfortable now that the average age of cyclists is older.”

Another industry leader, Trek Bikes, has made a big change in its women’s line. No longer simply sloping the top tube and calling it done, women’s bikes are very gender-appropriate.

According to Trek, women exert about 25% more force on their lower backs than men when in the same riding position. Bikes made for a man's frame make most women uncomfortable because they are too stretched out on the bike. This can lead to shoulder pain, lower back pain and numb fingers.

Ouch.

To address this, companies have shortened the stretch to the handlebars, narrowed the placement of brakes and shifters and also compacted the crank arms for a more efficient pedal stroke. Gender aside, if you have an older bike of any sort, there are components you can swap out for those designed to fit you personally.

Other bike buzz words continue to be disk brakes, 29” wheels and compact chain rings. Disk brakes on mountain bikes, similar to those on a car or motorcycle, allow more braking power and control. (Specialized is rolling out a hard-tail option that retails for just $420)

Also in mountain, the standard 26” wheel has been super-sized to 29” - which several manufacturers discovered will roll over trail obstacles more easily. And for a long time, gearing involved five and more rings in the back, plus a triple in front. Now the compact double front rings offer the lowest and highest gear choices, without the often baffling shifting options of a triple chain ring.

Today, the big push is to ‘commuter’ bikes. Specialized, one of the major players in the industry, has created a new, almost logo-free model based on simplicity.

Company owner Mike Sinyard wanted to de-emphasize the brand by making a bike with world-wide appeal that also addresses the global warming issue – hence the name; the Globe. Aimed at comfort, which in turn may encourage people to commute to work, the Globe series is available this fall.

Whatever your bike style or components are, it’s always encouraging to find like-minded cyclists to share the sport. It's also great motivation as the weather starts to cool off; a club will keep you riding until the snow flies. Bike clubs usually offer a range of rides for both mountain and road enthusiasts, and the Reno-Lake Tahoe area is no different.

The UNR Cycling Team is open to all types of riders and all types of bikes. The team communicates mainly through its website, which is www.nevadacycling.com, where you can register and see the upcoming calendar.

Or check with the Reno Wheelmen, which, while offering a variety of road rides for men and women, focuses on some fairly serious competition training. Peddling since 1896, they are at www.renowheelmen.org.

Another Reno-based club, The Procrastinating Peddlers offers a full schedule of non-competitive rides (mostly road, some mountain bike) for all cyclists, and is found at www.peddlers.org.

The long-established Alta Alpina club, which is a bit more road oriented, also lists some mountain rides at www.altaalpina.com. The club covers events and fun rides in Carson City, Gardnerville and Lake Tahoe, plus the club rides are open to non-club members.

The Slow Rollers Bicycle Club of Lake Tahoe is a group that promotes beach cruiser events and rides. The clubs rides are mostly social in nature, and promote enjoying life at a relaxed pace. Check them out at www.slowrollers.net.

Most local bike shops host informal rides weekly or monthly, so when you are asking about those new 29” tires, check the ride schedule, too. For a list of bike shops in the Reno and Lake Tahoe area, check out this story on reno.com.

* Who are the Mountain Mutts?
This week's Mutt is Dana Turvey: she enjoys moonlight serenades and long walks on the beach...but since that rarely happens, she writes about sports in the Lake Tahoe area. Personal favorites are cycling, paddling and snow skiing, and her articles have landed in Ski Racing, Montana, Tahoe Quarterly and Ski Lake Tahoe magazines.