How do you protect bicycle tyres from cracking?

If you want to protect your bicycle tyres, avoid doing things to them that will age and dry them out and cause them to crack.

You should:

1) keep bicycle indoor to avoid exposure to the sun's heat or rain.

2) use the proper air pressure (PSI) which is noted on the sidewall of your tyres to prevent overstretching them out.

3) not wash your tyres excessively with chemical cleaners that will remove waxes and other chemical compound the manufacturer used to protect the surface. If you like your tyres looking clean and new, shop around for polish or wax for tyres that will protect or prevent dirt and mud from sticking to them easily.

4) ride on your bicycle regularly so that the tyres are stretched to maintain their flexibility.

5) inflate the tyres at least every 2 weeks even if you are not cycling your bicycle.

6) remove and hang your wheels up if you do not plan to cycle for a long period of time to prevent weight of your bicycle sitting on the tyres. You can also find other ways to store your bicycle, eg, hang it up on the ceiling, like what one of my customers is doing as he rides during the weekends and only when he is free.

Budgeting to buy a bike to mount child seat?

Instead of worrying about meeting your budget, let us talk first about what are available in the market to meet your requirement and how you can make the right choice so that your decision will not compromise the safety of your children while you are ferrying them on your bicycle.

Whatever is trending now will be more expensive. In my country bicycles with tyre size larger than the regular 26” will be more expensive. The old style 28” steel bike, if you can still find it should be cheaper than a 26” MTB. However, it comes with slick tyres which are not suitable for trail ride. I like the fact that it comes with a double kickstand, which makes parking it to seat your child, before you start riding, more stable. There are stands like that for 26″ bike too.

Are you only cycling on flat terrain? If you are, a single speed bike, which is cheaper, will do.  However, on a single speed bike, you will need a lot of leg power to get through riding up slopes with added load. You can stand up on your pedals and grind your way up but if you do that too often, you may have to change your pedals sooner than you should. If you do not mind it, you can always get off your bike and walk when it is too much for you.

Your brake shoes may also wear off faster without the gears to help you slow down, especially when you are cycling downhill with the load. But then it could be a thrilling ride for your kid whenever you have to zoom down slopes.  With these factors you mind, you can now decide on whether you prefer a single speed bike or one with gears.

Since your intention to buy a bicycle is to install a child seat, make sure that the bicycle either comes already installed with a rear carrier or one that have mounting holes drilled on the frame for such. A rear carrier for a 26” bicycle is cheaper than one that is adjustable to fit bicycle of size 26” up to 29”.

However, it will be interesting to note that some larger size bicycles may come with extra mounting holes drilled so that a 26” carrier can also be installed.

If there is no rear carrier on the bicycle of your choice, there are child seats in the market that come supplied with carriers. Models like this usually can carry weight load of up to 22kg and will be more comfortable for a taller child as the seat is larger. Also look at the shape of this rear carrier. See the triangular formation? That is the kind of carrier you want to buy for better weight support.

And, should you opt for a cheaper PVC carrier with no specifications, just make sure that you mount it on a carrier that can withstand weight load meeting that of your child. This PVC seat comes with safety harness and is suitable if your child is obese. However, you can slip in cushions from your stroller for a more comfortable fit for a smaller child.

There are also seatpost mounted child seat in the market and following are some examples.

Check the weight load each child seat can carry before buying. One with a harness is a must if you are ferrying an infant. It will be more costly if you opt for branded ones, like Weeride from Australia, which comes with a platform for the child to rest his/her head.

Something to think about if you can find it second hand if you have a budget concern. Cargo bike. This model is strong enough for you to install a child seat on the rear carrier.

These are other options you can consider when your children are older.

Drop by Jom Johan if you have any other enquiries about installing a child seat on your bicycle.  For first time users of child seats, we will help you to install the child seat you purchased from our shop, so that you have a better idea of how to do it safely and properly.

What should an elderly person be cycling on?

When a customer comes into my shop looking for a suitable bicycle to buy, the first question I will ask is if he will be cycling with a group of friends. If you are joining a group, you should actually consider what they are cycling on.

The reason is, if they are cycling on MTB, you will have a problem joining them when they ride off road if you have picked a road bike or a hybrid. If they are cycling on 29ers, you will have problem catching up with them if you have decided on cycling on a recumbent bike for comfort.

You should select the kind of bicycle the group members are cycling on with similar wheel size and tyre thread. It should be one with gears if you will also be cycling over hilly terrains.

Following are things you should note when checking out bicycles at a shop:

1. Are you still as limber? Try getting on the bicycle. Is it easy for you to get on and off it? Choose a bicycle with lower toptube if that is an issue. Most cruiser and leisure bikes are designed with lower toptube.
2. Do you find the saddle on the bicycle comfortable? Most bicycles are supplied with small narrow saddles. Ask the shop attendant to recommend a more comfortable saddle if you have a wider girth.
3. Straddle over the toptube. Does your leg touches the floor? As you age, your bones become more brittle and may break more easily. So, it is best to choose a lighter weight bike which is not too large for you to handle.
4. Feel the reach of the handlebar as you sit on the bike. Is it too far for your reach? You can request the shop to change a stem with shorter length or one that is adjustable so that the handlebar can be raised up closer towards you.

But before you start with any group, make sure that you have the stamina to join them. However, here is a quote to remember from a cyclist who had only learned to ride in his 50’s, “I’ve yet to discover the hill you can’t quite happily walk up. Why kill yourself doing it? I like biking, but I’ve no intention dying from a heart attack dressed in Lycra.”

So, if you find the exertion too much and have to get down to push your bike don’t be embarrassed to do so.

For my customers who are in their 60s, I usually ask if they will be cycling with their grandchildren. If they are, I will recommend them to get a 20” folding bike. That way they could ride along with the grandchildren who are usually cycling on 12” to 20” bicycles.

Moreover, a folding bike with high handlebar means that you do not have to lean forward as much to ride which is good for the back. In fact, one of my customers was advised by her doctor to get a folding bike as she has issues with her back.

Once you have reached a 100 years old, you may want to consider getting a tricycle.

Are there bicycles suitable for overweight cylists?

I noticed that customers who are overweight tend to fear looking awkward on the regular bicycle with narrow tyres. They have a tendency to worry that the wheelset cannot withstand their weight and will break down on them while they are out cycling.

This anxiety can distract them from enjoying the ride and make them feel clumsy on their bikes. Moreover, most of them prefer larger saddles which will look awkward installed on a regular bike.

So, based on the questions asked, I tend to recommend that they get a fatbike.

A cyclist needs to pump his bicycle tubes around once every week or once every fortnight if he does not ride as often. However, for a very heavy rider, he may need to inflate his tubes more often as the tube need to be pumped to the maximum pressure stamped on the sidewall. It can look embarrassing for a larger rider to be cycling on a bicycle with tyres that look flat. So, this can a hassle.

Fatbike runs on 26x4″wheelset. The wider width tyres provides better balance for an overweight person. The air in the tubes is best pumped to the maximum pressure if it is ridden on paved road. You should let some air out if you are cycling it off road. Then the tyres will act like a suspension fork, making the rider feels like he is riding on a 2 wheeler monster truck. This eliminates the requirement to pump air in tubes more often for heavy riders.

Fatbike is not that common yet in Malaysia and this is a feedback from an overweight customer who took my advice to get a Fatbike. He said that it gives him a sense of pride. People are looking at the Fatbike and not him as an overweight rider. Strangers tend to approach him and asked him about his experience on his Fatbike. This encourages him to ride out more often which helps him to reduce some weight.

Which is the best bicycle under RM10K for long distances?

Under RM10K you can get a carbon frame and fork 20 speed road bike with full Shimano 105 groupset.

The manufacturer of this XDS bike is Shenzhen Xidesheng Bicycles Co., Ltd. It is the world’s largest carbon-fiber manufacturing company. Their focus is on ultra-light bicycle technology for carbon or aluminium frame bicycles and parts.

It is also the world’s only company that has its own bicycle-testing base with a laboratory which has been certified by Germany’s TUV.

Since they design and build bicycles for other brands, you may likely see this same model with other brand name on it in your own country.

Padded long cyclist pants as winter wear

Plan to travel to somewhere cold for a holiday?

Though wool can help trap heat and keep you warm, several layers of lightweight clothing are preferable to one thick layer. Wearing tight jeans over your thermal wear can constrict your blood vessels and make movements difficult. Lycra spandex is a lightweight synthetic fiber fabric which stretches well. So, Lycra spandex clothing is best worn over your thermal wear. You can add more layers as the temperature drops.

I wonder if you noticed that most sportswear are made of Lycra spandex. So, before you head off to buy your winter clothing you may want check out if you can pack any of your sportwear with you.

Don’t miss out the padded long cyclist pants. 

I encourage my customers to wear them for their winter holiday overseas. The padding will not show as it will be covered by their long winter jacket and it provides some comfort during the long ride in the plane, train or car.

The leggings of Lycra spandex pants are close fitting and usually with zip enclosures so you can easily wear boots over them.

Do you know that you should buy boots that are one or two size larger than your regular size? 

Bring along your woolen winter socks when you are out choosing your boots. Remember too that you plan to wear them over your thermal wear and Lycra spandex pants.

Why would anyone want a bike with noisy hub?

Only bicycles with higher specifications are installed with hubs that clicks when they turn. I read that the noise comes from the freewheel’s spring-loaded pawls on the hub moving over the ratchet teeth. So, the more pawls a hub has the more engagement points there are, the louder it will sound.

Some of my customers who prefer riding on bicycles with such hubs installed, said that the sound acts like a warning sound to pedestrians and fellow riders on the road. For others, it is the sound of a good hub.

If you check out the technology and design involved in making hubs with more pawls you will understand why they are more expensive.