Common Family Cycling Things I See

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Ernest

I am always happy to see families out and about enjoying their bikes.  Cycling is such a great family activity for so many reasons. Check out my previous post to learn more about my beliefs.

There are a few things that when I see families out riding really surprise me. It almost seems to be a common theme wherever I ride in on traditional bike paths.

So here they are:

1.)    The family that rides with helmets on their children but not on themselves. Okay so the important part is that the kids have helmets on, that is a great start. (It is a law in the State of Maryland that children under the age of sixteen wear one.) My question is, if it is important enough for your children to be wearing a helmet why aren’t you? Shouldn’t mom and dad be leading by example? The last thing you would want to have happen is an injury to your head that would greatly alter your life, the life of your family and possibly lead to your death. Wearing a helmet is such a simple thing to do and greatly reduces the possibility of a head trauma it is also the number one device in limiting a cycling related head injury. A bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of a serious head injury by up to 88% according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. I mean to me it is a no brainer.

2.)                The family that has helmets on the children that aren’t properly fit or the helmet is outdated. While wearing a helmet is a good start it really should be a properly fit helmet. So many times I am riding by children and the helmets are, too big, too small or simply not even sitting on their heads right. In some cases an improperly fit helmet can cause more injuries if it were to snag on something when your child’s head lands on the ground. I good helmet that properly fits your child’s head is a small investment to make in your child’s future. If you are unsure of the fit of your current child’s bicycle helmet, stop by I will be happy to double check the fit and make any adjustments necessary. Or simply stop by your local bike shop. Remember you should replace a helmet every three to five years (most children out grow them sooner) or after any accident that the helmet has been in.

3.)                Children that are riding bikes that are to small or improperly fit. It is great to see that you and the family are enjoying some quality time together. So why not give them the proper equipment so that they can properly enjoy the activity? You make sure their shoes fit so why not make sure their bicycle fits. In many cases it is as simple as raising the seat to the proper height or inflating the tires to the proper pressure. Teaching the kids how to use the bike pump and properly inflate the tires is a great learning opportunity. Have them take on that responsibility of proper inflation for the family bike rides when they get to the appropriate age. If your child outgrows their bike get them another one that fits. I see it on every ride where the kids are struggling to ride their bikes because they are too small or don’t fit them properly.  These are easy fixes that would increase the fun factor for everyone tenfold. This is one of the reasons we offer our Youth Bike Trade in Program; to make it as easy as possible to keep your children on the appropriate sized bicycle. These trade-in bikes are also great bikes to purchase when you would prefer not to buy a new bike. The program is great for the parents who purchase a new bike, great for the family that purchases a trade in and friendly for the environment by keeping them out of the landfill etc. If you have a question about the fit of your child’s bicycle bring it on by and we will be happy to help you fit your bike. I love to see children out enjoying their bikes and they will have a lot more fun on one that fits them properly.

These are really easy issues to address and in most cases relatively inexpensive. The cost per use of a bicycle is really low when compared to so many other sports and activities.  A quality bicycle will offer hours of enjoyment for your child and for you, while having a much better resale value when it is time to replace the bike or upgrade it.

So get out and ride with your family and create a great story for your family.

See you on the trails!

Ernest Freeland

Crofton Bike Doctor

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Cross Island Trail – Kent Island, Maryland

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Ernest

Amanda and I have been wanting to ride the Cross Island Trail for some time now. We had tried for the last two Sunday’s but the weather and the rain had other ideas. Yesterday however was a different story as we woke up to a gorgeous day, perfect for a bike ride.

We decided to start on the Western most end of the trail at Terrapin Nature Park and head west to Kent Island. We pulled in and for some reason I was expecting the park to be empty but what I found was a parking lot full of cars, lots of them with bike racks and people out and about with dogs. Our initial thought was that this would lead to a crowded trail but that was not the case at all. People were just out and about exploring and enjoying everything the trail and the parks have to offer.

We unloaded the bikes and headed out. What we discovered was a great trail. A little wider than many of the other trails I have ridden on which was very pleasant. As I was riding along I felt more like I was in a beach environment then on Kent Island Maryland. In many ways this sort of riding is my favorite. I find it very relaxing and a great way to see new areas while spending time with Amanda, plus it is her favorite type of riding.

This trail winds along sort of parallel to RT 50 but you don’t really feel that accept for a few occasions. The trail crosses across Kent Island High School and then a park full of ball fields offering the most open sections of area around the trail. The school is 0.9 miles from the nature park and would offer another good starting point for your ride. What the Cross Island Trail offers are a lot of great views at several of the bridges that you cross along the trail. We saw several Blue Herons and more in the waterways along the trail.

We rode to the end and then crossed over Kent narrows using the old Kent Island RT 50. There is a little bit of riding that you can do in this section but there are a bunch of water front restaurants to refuel at before you head back. Once we finished exploring this area we headed back and rode our bikes to the Chesapeake Exploration Center and then out to the point on Ferry Point Park. This park or the Chesapeake Exploration Center would make for a great picnic lunch spot. If you are so inclined bring your fishing rods along and do a little fishing here as well. This was a very popular activity at both of these parks.

We headed back to our car after exploring all of the things at the Eastern end of the park. Once we returned to the Terrapin Nature Park we did a little more exploring. There is a trail in the park that heads down to the Eastern shore of the Bay Bridge offering a great view of the Bay Bridge and some more areas to fish with some small beach areas, there are several access paths to these areas offering you and your family the chance to find some space of your own to enjoy the bay.

I really enjoyed this trail and the little extra width made it that much easier to get around other enjoying the park as well. From end to end the park is only about 5.5 miles long with the additional exploring we did I ended up with 14 miles of riding. I initially thought that the trail would be to short but what we ended up having was a great mid day ride that was perfect.

This trail would be a great trail to ride with the family or for newer riders who want a nice place to ride that isn’t super long.

See you on the trails!

Ernest Freeland

Crofton Bike Doctor

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Tips to Prevent Flat tires

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Ernest

One of the most common repairs that we do is fix flat tires. A flat tire is sure to take some of the fun out of your ride. There are a few simple things you can do to prevent the likely hood of getting a flat.

1.)    Proper tire pressure is the first key. Proper tire pressure reduces the likely hood of a pinch flat which occurs when the tube gets pinched between an object and the rim. A pinch flat looks like a snake bite on the tube, two holes next to each other. You should properly inflate your tires before every ride. It doesn’t matter if you finished riding late one evening and are heading out early the next morning you need to check your tire pressure. Most of us keep our bikes in a non climate controlled area so the changes in temperature will cause your tires to lose air. A little loss of tire pressure can make a big difference

TIP: If you aren’t a morning person like me inflate your tires the night before with an extra five pounds of pressure.

How do I find the proper tire pressure? All tires have the proper tire pressure printed on the sidewall of the tire. Most of them have a range but at the least they have a max pressure printed on them.  You should run near the max pressure if you are riding on pavement. For off road riding you’ll want to ride a little less for comfort.

2.)    Check your tires for debris. After every ride take a few moments and inspect your tires for debris. Sometimes you may not have a flat but you have picked up some pieces of glass or metal pieces that are just waiting to be pressed into your tire on the next ride. Also check for any cuts or other damage to the tires such as bulges or inconsistency in the tire shape. If you see any of these replace your tire.

TIP: I like to place the bike in a stand and simply spin the tire using a metal pick to remove anything I find lodge in the tire. If you are out on a ride and run over glass or something else pull over and run your glove over the tire to dislodge any debris.

3.)    Sometimes it is just time to replace your tires. Tires do wear out and then it is just time to replace them. If you are starting to get a lot of flats your tire may simply be worn out. If there are any signs of dry rot or threads showing on the tire and it is time to replace it. For knobby tires if there are any tire blocks missing it is time to replace the tire. If your tire is worn flat on the top this is generally a sign of wear. Replacing the tire will reduce the likely hood of flats and increase your ride quality especially in cornering. You are probably wondering how many miles you will get out of your tires. That all depends. A high end race tire may only yield 700 miles or so, while most tires you should get 2000 miles or more out of. I’ve seen tires that have lasted for much more than that.

Following these simple practices will greatly reduce your likely hood of getting a flat tire. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to stop by and we will be happy to help. Want to learn to fix a flat please visit here or stop by the store and we will show you how. We’ll talk in the future about tires that offer extra flat prevention.

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Living Green with Quality Products

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Ernest

You can’t do much today without seeing, hearing or reading about being “green.” We are all learning about our “carbon footprint” what it is and how we can reduce it. Never before has being “green” or being environmentally more friendly been more prevalent then it is in today’s world.

There are lots of simple things that each and everyone of us can do to be more earth friendly as we live our lives. Personally I feel there really isn’t any reason to not be doing these things. Then things get a little harder to be green more effort and thought is required on your part. So depending on your commitment and desire to live a more “green life” you may or may not choose to do more.

As our economy struggles to find a direction to head for an extended period of time we hear a lot about living in excess and saving money everywhere you can. When many people sit back and examine their lives I think they will find areas where they would agree that they live or have lived a little excessively.

Another prominent theme in today’s media is ways to save money on everything. You see ads on television, read articles on the internet and in the paper, books are written on the subject.

Continue reading →

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Nice to See this sort of thing.

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Ernest

It’s neat to see people in positions like this help out in new and unique ways for someone in a position such as theirs.

A Pro Ball Player taking an intern position in the off season, not something you hear about every day!

Read about the article on ESPN dot com.

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