Can I fit a bicycle in a Kia Forte 2019?

Can you transport your bicycle in a compact sedan like a 2019 model Kia Forte?

Is your bicycle 700C in wheel size?

Or a leisure bike with a large basket installed?

Most bicycles can easily be fitted into a car. Kia promoted its Kia Forte as a compact car with roomy trunk. So, you should not have a problem transporting your bicycle in it.  For a 20″ wheel size bike, you can place it on the floor of the backseat. 

If there are children in the car, they can sit comfortably, with their legs crossed on the seat.

If you are transporting larger wheel size bicycle in the boot, you may have to remove one of the wheels or both if you have some stuff in your car.  Watch this video to learn how to remove the front wheel.

Most of our customers tend to have difficulty removing the rear wheel of their geared bikes.  If you have to remove it too, watch this video.

If your bicycles do not have QR mechanism installed, we can replace the axles to a pair of hollow shaft set which are supplied with the QR skewers.

The part you see circled in red on the bicycle is the rear derailleur.  

When transporting your geared bike, do not lie it on floor facing it.   It is a sensitive gear component.  Most of the time, we to have set the gears on our customers' bicycles because they have been transporting their bicycles in the boot the wrong way. They are not aware that when they placed their bicycles in their boots with the rear derailleurs pressing against the floor, it can affect the efficiency of the component.

Watch this video if you want more tips about fitting your bicycle in your car.

Learn how to remove decals on your bicycle

An 18" wheel size bike is perfect for a six years old child if he or she is not tall enough yet for a 20" wheel size bike.  He is likely too tall for a 16" wheel size bicycle, which is possibly what he or she is currently cycling on.

Recently, my disbutributors have 18" wheel size bicycles to offer and I have been stocking them for the bike shop.  These are some models available.

Yesterday, a six years old child came with his parents and grandparents to select a bicycle for his birthday.  It will be a gift from his grandparents.  He likes the above 18" wheel size bike in blue.  However, both the parents and grandparents objected because there were lots of Chinese writings on the bicycle. 

I told them that they should be able to remove the decals on the frame and mudguard by heating over them with a hair dryer.  In the end, they opt to go to another bike shop to try to find another bike to his liking.  

I could tell that the child likes the bike very much so I took the trouble to remove the stickers today.  As I heated the decal with the hair dryer and it loosen up, I used the flat of a knife to push it out further.

It took me sometime to remove them as I also need to remove the sticky residue left behind by using an insulation tape.

I have done my best and I am sure his family members will no longer have any objections to his choice.  I hope to see you back for this bike, kid. 

According to a test ran by The Kitchn, the easiest way to remove sticky stickers is by using vinegar. This is how you should do it:

-soak a paper towel with vinegar.
-place it over the sticker.
-depending on thickness of stickers, let it sit for 5 up to 15 minutes.

-try lifting the sticker off the surface after 5 minutes. 
-leave paper towel with vinegar to sit for a bit longer if it is still difficult to remove the decals.

This information is very useful for parents who bought a pink bike for their daugther whose younger sibling is a boy.

They can remove the pink or girlish decals by following the above instructions I have provided when it is time to pass the bike down to their son.

How can you ride a bicycle without getting tired?

Cycling will not be so tiring if you are able to eliminate the issues you faced. I share here some reasons why you will feel more tired than you should while cycling:

1) You are cycling on a bicycle with the wrong frame size for your height.
2) It could also be that the handlebar reach is either too near or too far for you.
3) Or you may have set your seatpost too low.
4) Your tyres are not fully inflated to run efficiently.
5) You are not using your gears right.
6) The gradient of the roads you chose to cycle on are too steep.
7) You are trying to catch up with fellow riders who have better stamina or who are more efficient cyclists.

If you are cycling on a bicycle with the wrong frame size and you do not intend to replace it, here are minor changes you can make to it that will ease the strains of cycling which will make you tired.
Most stems come in length of 32mm right up to 80mm. If the handlebar reach is too far for you, you can use a stem with shorter length as it will bring the handlebar closer to you.



If you would like to remove the strains on your shoulders and arms which can tire you out, you can consider installing an adjustable handlebar stem as it will also allow you to sit in a more upright position.

However, if you are cycling on an old bike that uses quill stem, there are extra long models in the market which will increase the height of the handlebar for easy reach so that you can sit in a more upright position.


Your seatpost height must be adjusted so that when you sit on the saddle, your knee is slightly bent while the ball of your foot is resting on the pedal at its lowest position.

Try to inflate your tyres to the maximum PSI shown on its sidewall for a smoother ride.



Make sure that you use tyres with the correct threads for the right terrain you are cycling on. For urban ride, slick tyres like the one shown in the above photo will be more efficient.

Knobby tyres that are usually installed on MTB will be more suitable for rougher terrain.



Learn how to change your gears efficiently so that you will not have to struggle uphill. Avoid cycling over bridges or through routes that are hilly which can tire you out faster than you should. Routes with lower gradients will also put less strains on your body.

If you plan to cycle in a group, check to see if fellow riders are cycling on MTB or roadbike or Hybrid or Fatbike or folding bikes. Try to match what they are cycling on as different types of bicycles have different wheel sizes and tyre threads for different terrains.

Frankly speaking, whatever exercise you do, unless you are doing it half halfheartedly, you should feel some form of fatigue and tiredness. You should feel tired as some exertions in strength is involved in moving your bicycle.

The weather can also wear you out if you are cycling under the hot sun or under a heavy shower without the proper attire and protection. The stress of keeping yourself safe on the road while cycling can also tire you out. If you don’t want to feel tired at all, stop your bicycle for a rest more often and avoid routes that will stress you.

What's so unique about bicycles compared to other forms of transport or recreation for exercise?

When you cycle on a bicycle, you can call yourself “The Champion of the Earth” because you do not require fossil fuel to get you around. It is a recreation where you can get everyone in the family involved because none of you will require a license to start cycling.

For the younger ones, who do not know how to cycle yet, an extension can be added to the bicycle.


You can even bring along a wee one on a front mounted child seat.



When it is too hot to cycle or if it is raining, you can mount your bicycle on a trainer to ride indoor.

Maintenance cost is low as parts and components are generic so you can easily find them in any bicycle shop and get your problem fixed no matter where you are. In fact, some repair work are not too technical that you can learn how to fix them personally.

While you are out exercising on your bicycle, you can also run errands. Just make sure that you have a carrier or a rack installed to hold any purchase.

Here is a solution if you can’t install a carrier or rack.


There are many places in your home or its compound where you can easily store your bicycle as it does not take up too much space. You can even hang it from the ceiling right above your shoes cabinet.



You can ride your bicycle anywhere you want to build up your fitness without worrying about leaving a carbon footprint.

Which is the best bicycle for fitness?

The best bike for fitness depends on the terrain you enjoy riding on. 

If the terrain is hilly, a geared bike will be helpful as you can control the speed when you are cycling downhill and it will help you ride up slopes with lesser efforts.

If you would like to cycle to shops near your home for fitness, you will need a bicycle with a basket or rear carrier installed to carry your purchase.

If you plan to cycle with younger children for fitness, consider a 20” folding bike so that it will be easier to ride along with them as they cycle on their 12”, 16” or 20” bicycles. 

A folding bicycle is also suitable for someone who is less confident about handling a larger bike. It will also enable you to take a bus or a train part of the way if you can bring one onbroad. That way you can bring it to a park or somewhere safer or with less traffic to ride.

Do you know that a 26" to 29" or 700C bicycle can be mounted on a trainer?  

When the weather is bad for outdoor activities, you can cycle it stationary like a gym bike in the comfort of your home. The trainer is also great for beginners who would like to build up their stamina before they hit the road with seasoned cyclists.

Don’t find excuses to stop cycling for fitness. Look out for cycling buddies to ride with. It will be more difficult to back out if you have made an appointment with your buddies to ride.

Just make sure that you are cycling on the same kind of bicycle your buddies are on when you join them as you do not want to be chasing them on your 20″ folding bike if they are cycling on a 27.5″ MTB.

Should I do mountain biking, BMX biking, or road biking?

If you love nature, mountain biking is a good choice. 



If you enjoy speeding and bending forward to ride to reduce aerodynamic drag, road biking will be the better choice. 



If you enjoy fully utilising your optimal strength and putting on a show doing twists and turns, a no gear bike like BMX is for you.


This is a video of one of my customers, doing his stuff on his BMX. He is paid to perform at local events.




The best way to choose, if you have not bought any of the above bicycles to experiment with is to watch videos of cyclists doing their stuff on their bike. Do you envision yourself doing the same and enjoying it as much?

How thrilling do you want your ride to be? 

Can you see yourself doing that?  Is fatbike a bicycle that you will now consider?

24 INCH BICYCLES FOR AGE 9-13

A 26" bicycle should be comfortable for any one below the height of 5' 6".  A competent rider of 10 years of age should not have any problem mounting one to cycle.

But if height is an issue, there is always the 24" bicycle to consider.  Just make sure that when the rider straddle over the bicycle, his or her crotch is not rubbing hard against the toptube.  We do not want the cyclist to be hurt badly should he or she take a fall.

Similar 24" bicycles for kids can be purchased online at Amazon.

Old bicycles? Can be enlivened!

What do you do with old bicycles that have past their working capalities?  Start a new hobby with them that will help you decorate your home.

A great way to remember your former love by.

Source of images:
http://www.places-to-go.org.uk/burford2009_bicycle.htm
http://www.shaminir.com/photos.html

Public Bicycle Parking Facility? Let's copy!

The Mauá bicycle station located near the train station is Latin America’s largest 24-hour bicycle parking facility. It was started by Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company) in collaboration with ASCOBIKE, a bicycle riders association.

For R$10.00 (approximately US$5.00) a month members can park their bicycles without fear of them getting stolen and where they can leave their bikes for repair or buy parts and accessories at discounted rates. It is also a place where they can take a break as they have access to showers and restrooms or have refreshment, like cold water or hot coffee before they continue on their journey by train.

It is also a place for their social well being as there are social workers there to provide legal services, insurance plans or provide loans for members to have their bicycles repaired or serviced if their safety riding their bicycles becomes a concern.

 

Can we see this happening in Malaysia?  It is very possible as I read that The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) has helped to develop the bike parking station.

ITDP is a US-based non-governmental non-profit organization that provides technical assistance to cities and local advocacy groups on sustainable transportation development throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas. 

Why should we consider working towards developing bike parking station like this in our country?  Take a look at this chart created by ITDP and you will see the picture.

Let's share this information and hope that the relevant authorities will pick this idea up.

Unfolding your Doppelgänger

If you bought yourself the Doppelgänger folding bicycle from Japan like this model,...

...you need to learn the special safety mechanism it has to unfold one.

  

Yes, they also have full suspension foldable bikes running on 26" wheels.




I know, because they are selling at:

Jom Johan Trading and Services
No 43A, Jalan Prima Saujana 1/1A
Taman Prima Saujana Sek 1
43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 03-87369398 / 012-3867558

Bicycle tales boring? No way!

Who in the world rides bicycles?

Just anyone.  Good...

...or bad.

Anything goes.

Some like to do it with no hands.

Just remember to wear your helmet or you will be (s)creaming your brains out.

With some help from Threadless writing about bicycles is never boring.   

Problem pumping air?

Do you know that most fixies (fixed gear bicycles) have presta valve tyre tube installed? However, most tyre pumps sold in the market are meant for tube with schrader valves. So, what you need to get yourself is a valve adaptor for your tube which will convert your presta into a schrader valve.

Here is a video to show you exactly what I mean.

 


 This tyre tube adaptor

is sold in my shop at

Jom Johan Trading and Services
No 43A, Jalan Prima Saujana 1/1A
Taman Prima Saujana Sek 1
43000 KajangSelangor
Tel: 03-87369398

Don't leave your valve adaptor screwed on the tyre tube of your bicycle.  It can go missing on you.