10 - Wednesday, Jane 7, 1989 - Cspitano Chronicle MOUNTAIN BIKES ; are being seen in local streets and trails more and more often as the sport grows in popularity. In order to lessen chances of accident or injury, wear a helmet and follow the traffic safety tips found on the previous page. photo Mike Waretietd Mountain bikes are proving popular with all MOUNTAIN BIKES — those fat-tired, sturdy bikes that are showing up on streets, trails and schoolyards — have far surpassed their road bike counterparts in sales and general popularity. “You can't sell road bikes anymore,’’ says Mark Peters, owner of the 16-year-old Lynn Valley Cycles. According to Dave Lewis of Reckless Rider, mountain bikes took over from road bikes about three years ago, because they're easy to ride, simple to usc cad comfortable. The rider of a mountain bike is in a more upright position than when on a 10-speed, allowing greater visibility. Versatility is also a feature, as the mountain bikes, with their fat tires, are equally adaptable to street riding and to off-roading on trails or logging roads. And when confronting the North Shore’s hilly terrain, the 18 or 21 speeds offered by most mountain bikes are, for many cyclists, a necessity if they’re going to make it to the top of the more challenging climbs. According to Tony da Roza of Sportsmen’s Bike Supplies in Edgemont Village, it’s the bike’s ability to go off-road that is mak- Protect your bike from thieves BICYCLES AND bicycle parts are, unfortunately, often an easy mark for thieves, The parts are costly, and, in the case of quick-release front wheels and saddles, easy to remove quick- ly.. There. are;. however, several things bike owners can do to safe- guard their investment. © Use a high-quality lock. of case hardened steel. Poor quality locks or cables can be cut in seconds. ® Lock your bike in a well-lit and * busy area, securing it to an im- movable object. with the lock through both wheels and the frame. © Have your bicycle and ac- cessories identified with your driver’s licence number or social insurance number. Bicycle iden- tification decals and engravers are available from the RCMP. © Keep a file at your home detail- ing the bike’s type, make, color, serial number, and any special equipment or identifying marks. Hand this information over to the police in the event of your bike be- ing stolen. © Never leave parcels or bike ac- cessories on your unattended bicy- cle. © If you suspect a person is about to steal a bike, call the RCMP. Remember — it could be your bike next. tee eta at Wasa Acer, Ler aw a Fue a eee a, ing it popular with families who are concerned about riding in street traffic. While many of his customers buy bikes for the whole family, usually in the $300 to $400 range, he also gets a range of single peo- ple, from teenagers who spend $600 for a bike to 60-year-olds who . :rchase a mountain bike to take to their cabin at Whistler. “Even the elderly people are getting into it,"’ agrees Robert Edworthy of Cap’s Bicycles on Marine Drive. Edworthy doesn’t see the moun- tain biking boom as a fad that’s going to fade. ‘‘It isn't something that’s going to run out,” he says confidently, Last year alone, his store sold close to 2,000 mountain bikes. . The only people buying road bikes now, he says, are competitive riders and triathletes. When picking out a bike, buyers will find themseives faced with a wide range of prices, from the mid-$200s up to $2,500 — or more if the bike is custom-made. While there is no need for most rders to buy at the top of the r-ige, Edworthy advises that “‘if under $400, it’s not a mountain hoo f “it's kind of foolish to spend less than $600 this year,’’ he says, explaining that the hyperglide gears that usually come on the $600-and-up bikes allow riders to shift gears much more easily, and will no doubt be on all bikes in the future. At Reckless Rider, most of the first-time mountain bikers buy in the $600 to $°°0 range, says Lewis. While mai, people are buying the bikes simply for recreation or transportation, Edworthy has a tip for those who are interested in im- proving their level of fitness. Keeping up your cadence — or number of pedal revolutions per minute — is “‘real important” in developing cardiovascular en- durance, he emphasizes. While racers are often pedalling at 110 rpms, Edworthy advises recreational cyclists to learn to work the gears in order to keep their cadence at a minimum of 60 rpnis. Other experts recommend a cadence of between 80 and 100. peo ad Photo Mike Wakefield PROTECT YOUR investment against unscrupulous thieves by using a good lock and taking other precautions to guard against theft. WE CAN SUPPLY. YOU WITH: ° Professional Repairs * Custom Built Wheels e Clothing, shoes, tights jerseys, shorts and wet weather gear &, ie a wssivew Cycle e Caine ete ane Chad 1985 LONSDALE, N. ve 988: 5411 AgROsS : "FROM. Neen ae ne en Ee enn ee eae i i i H } ; De ts Steere eS ARNE ee fio: enema ratte imple nein mentees we ‘ emanates ete ttt in tema AA nt ttn at lL ees my wnt HA pacar yaamaene ve: