Interesting Statistics from Users of this Blog

As the end of 2013 is approaching, I thought to take a look at the statistics that the users of this blog generate. After all, there is no better way to gage the interest in various topics than the vote of the users who read the site.  With that in mind I went to Google Analytics and ran a view of the pages with most access over the last year or so.  Here is the bar graph with the most significant visited pages – as per week 30 of the year.

Bike-52.com Blog Stats

Those statistics do not vary a whole lot in week 10 and in week 45 and 50 of the year.  The top viewed content are the reviews of mountain bikes from the Felt, Jamis, and Pinarello, and the road bikes from Jamis.

With that in mind, I started yet another data base — slowly I plan to add the database of new bikes with their key components.  Here are a few examples:

You will find gradually increasing number of links in the web pages for each of the bike brands.  E.g. take a look in the page for Marin Mountain Bikes – just as one example of a few models listed there.

Happy Holidays ! and Happy Biking!

Holiday Gift Guide for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Well folks the holidays are coming fast – the weather is getting colder (in most places), the stores have been covered in lights and advertisements — so, this must be it – the holidays are almost here. Having said that, many of you are probably thinking "My friend is starting to go mountain biking…what gifts should I consider for him/her?"  

With that question in mind, here is a summary gift guide / suggested list of gifts for the novice mountain biker:

  • Comfortable saddle — may be you recently bought a new mountain bike.  Did you stay with the saddle from the factory configuration or considered a replacement?  I would strongly suggest exploring options for a new saddle. It is a key factor in being comfortable and actually going out on more rides.  How do you get a new saddle??? Well, you go to your local bike shop!  Here is a short article from this blog this is for your female riders
  • Phone holder for your bike. iPhone for example can serve as your bike computer – for maps, navigation, exercise tracking.  In this blog I have listed a number of programs that are available for free from time to time and can help you track your bike rides.  But before you use your phone for that you need to get a solid holder for your bike.  Here is a reference to one model;   See more below

   

  • spare inner tubes – you will need it within the year, trust me.  Especially if you do ride across dirt roads and in the field.  The thorns of various plants have the innate ability to find your tires…  Get also a patch kit.

          

  • Being on the road or off road chances are you will need the bike tool kit and based on all I have heard, read, and used — the Allen multifunctional bicycle tool is the mother of all tools.  
  • Remedy for poison oak and poison ivy – check with your local bike shop for those.  They will be good to have with you as you start exploring the local trails
  • Good biking helmet –  helmet is a must!  Enough said.  Once you understand that, then the next step is which one is the best fitting one…Here is just an example of one option — many more out there to consider:

               

These some of the suggested items to have as part of your mountain biking accessories and tools.  

Biking in Kaua’i – Is it Possible

This past week my family and I decided to make a long planned trip to Hawaii — yes, the trip has been in the planning stage for several years, until all of a sudden it was decided and booked only 3 days prior to departure… The Web is great in that regard – we were able to get it all booked and confirmed – plane tickets, hotel, car rental in a manner of an hour after we finalized the avalable days.

So, we went!  The plan brought us to the "Garden Island" – Kaua'i.  How was it?  In summary — GREAT!  

You can see for yourself — the nature, the weather, everything was extremely beautiful – and we got great weather…!

Hawaii - Kaua'i      Kaua'i Poipu

There you have it – the majestic and rugged mountains of the Napali coast and the great sand Poipu beach…

The rough part — we did not see much of an opportunity or places to go mountain biking.  The one option that we were told about was to do downhill bike ride from the Waimea State Park (the Waimea Canyon – which is spectacular) down to the bottom of the long-long descent which ends in a coastal town.  Here are some views from that

Kaua'i Waimea Canyon please note the elevation.  At some points the road actually may be getting close to 4000 feet.  So quite a rush going downhill on the road then….

Kaua'i Waimea Downhill This is essentially route 550…

Well. more on Kaua'i later…