Bicycle Friendliest Cities 06/18/2010

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Others do it for health reasons, others as a form of greener transportation, and some do it simply for the lifestyle. But whatever the reason is and whatever type you prefer; mountain bikes, road bikes, or fixie bikes, it is undeniable that the bicycle community is getting larger and larger each year. With this, it is just right to take a look at some of the bicycle friendliest cities all over the world. Virgin Vacations has come up with a list of 11 cities that's bicycle friendliest judged in five categories referred to as the Five Es: engineering, encouragement, evaluation and planning, education, and enforcement created by The Bicycle Friendly Communities Campaign. Let us take a visit to the top 5.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Often dubbed as the bicycle capital of the world, it is to no surprise that Amsterdam made it to the top list. The city boasts 40 percent of its traffic movement is composed of bicycle. Amsterdam has built bicycle routes that ensure the safety and comfort of its bicycle community.

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Portland, Oregon, USA

Portland has bicycle routes including that strategically connect all parts of the city effectively encouraging bicycle use. The city has some of the amazing on and off roads that cater to any riding preference.

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Copenhagen, Denmark

Another European city on the top 5, Copenhagen has bicycle routes that are often separated from general traffic making it safer and more convenient for cyclists. Another highlight is that the city offers free public bicycles with a returnable deposit. Once the bicycle is returned, your money will be fully refunded.

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Boulder, Colorado, USA

The city of Boulder has public programs that encourage the use of bicycles and at the same time help promote safe biking. Boulder shows its support to the city's bicycle riding community by spending 15 percent of its transportation budget for the betterment of its bicycle traffic over the last 5 years.

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Davis, California, USA

The small city of Davis is made up of more than 100 miles of bicycle lanes and paths. Davis' recognition of the need to encourage bicycle usage for transportation and as well as recreation has been a success resulting to 17 percent of its residents using bicycles as the preferred mode of transportation.

See the rest of the list here.

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Downhill Mountain Bikes 03/17/2010

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Downhill mountain bikes, or simply downhill bikes, are not your regular mountain bikes. These rides are built for superior durability to take on tremendous physical stress from steep and rocky terrains. Although heavier than other types of bicycles because of thicker and sturdier frames, downhill mountain bikes are still able to perform well in terms of speed. The conventional frame geometry of downhill mountain bikes lean back farther compared to other mountain bikes which is more convenient when on downhill position.

It is interesting to note that before standard downhill mountain bikes existed, the first bikes that were used for downhills were referred to as "klunkers" or "paperboy bikes". Downhill mountain biking was included in the first Union Cycliste Internationale Mountain Bike Championship held in Durango, Colorado in 1990, marking the sport's coming of age.

Read on urban downhill mountain biking.

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Fixed Gear Bikes And Your Health 03/04/2010

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Our body needs physical activities to keep it in tiptop shape. And we know that cycling is one great way to lose or maintain weight, our just work those muscles out. Cycling has been proven to help prevent certain ailments such as hypertension and heart disease. According to a report by www.leedscyclists.org, a 15 minute cycling routine to and from work  on a normal five day work week can cause you to lose 11 pounds of fat a year. And that is just day to day transportation cycling.




A new kind of bicycle has taken over the biking population as of late. The fixed gear bike or fixie bicycle has developed a cult status and what seemed to only be used by bike messengers before are now flooding the urban streets. A fixie bicycle has its sprocket directly attached to the hub making it impossible for riders to coast. And while the bike is moving, the pedals are continually in motion as well, at the same direction of the wheels.


Fixie bikes have been known to add a twist to health benefits gained from conventional cycling. Fixies have no freewheel therefore the feet of the rider needs to be in sync with the pedals giving it no time to stop, unless stopping the bike itself. This adds more work on the legs and knees which you will love if you want to work out on these areas. Fixie bikes generally have a single speed. This urges riders to exert more effort if they want to go faster and not just shift gears.


Fixies are known to give a whole new biking experience so if you love working out by cycling, try to ride on one.

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