Upgrade Tyres?

Contential Travel Contact Tyres
Now my riding trends and preferences tend to be at present a combination of trail ways and cycle paths. Additionally I was also cycling to my work at least a couple of times a week (weather permitting). Hence my dilemma about considering upgrading my tyres.

My GT Agressor XC03 bike was factory fitted with a standard set of unbranded 'knobbly' tyres. They performed well off road and dirt track, but were hard work on-road or cycle path.
I conducted some research and discovered a "best of both worlds" tyre. The Contential Travel Contact

In short this tyre is a slick type tyre in the centre and has grip and "knobals" on the outer edges and shoulders.
Plus it has a Kevlar strip on the inside of the tyre centre, which provides extra protection against punctures.
Rolling resistance on-road is minimal and the extra speed and roll you get for no extra effort on the pedals is really noticeable. Also it has a very low tyre hum. So highly recommended for riding on-road.
But what about cycle paths and woodland paths or trail ways? Again very pleasing, the grip is surprising good in a straight line and really comes into it's own when corning, even at speed.
Value for money was again excellent. I found a package saving at Halfords. For less than £20 I purchased one tyre and received a Contential inner tube free.
The look on the bike is fantastic, with the Contential branding and colouring on the tyre wall quite prominent and eye-catching

As you may notice there is a subtle reflective type weave patten that runs around the outer tyre wall, which in my opinion enhances the style.
The installation and fitting of the tyres was simple and straight forward. Tyre pressures I used was high and this was the first time I had used Presta valves. Which now I have used Presta valves ould never use anything else!
The feel of the tyre is very hard and gave me great confidence in the quality and longevity of this purchase.
My rides were now much longer and my commute much quicker. So far I have ridden over 600 miles on these tyres and as yet I have had NO punctures and have not had the need to re-inflate the tyre pressure. They are a highly recommended tyre.
The only concern I have with them is how they perform in very muddy conditions. I do accept that this is not there purpose or design. I have tested this out, when I had to take a detour off of my normal trail way route and venture onto a woodland track. The tyre performed well in a straight line, but did start to slip and slide on muddy corners or twisting trails.
In summary I would highly recommend these tyres if your ride is mainly commuting or on cycle paths.

Accessories & Updates for a GT Agressor XC03 Mountain Bike

GT Agressor XC03
I purchased a GT Agressor XC03 mountain bike from Halfords a little over two years ago. My purchase decision was driven by a number of factors.

1. The purchase was to be made on a Cycle to Work employment scheme which limited my choice to just the range stocked by Halfords
2. I had not owned or ridden a bike in over 15 years
3. Research and expert opinion/ advice from friends was to look for certain features (hydraulic disc brakes, suspension front forks and be fairly light weight)
4. My budget was £350

The make and model that ticked all of these requirement boxes was the GT Agressor XC03

I took delivery a few days later and my initial delight and expectations were more than met, even exceeded.

Value for money box - BIG TICK

Went out for a few rides and really had lots of fun. Only downside was two rear wheel punctures in two days when I ventured a little further afield to ride some great downhill countryside paths that were mainly gravel and small rock based.
That aside the bike and ride was more than adequate.
My passions ignited to the wonderful world of mountain biking, then fuelled my thirst for information of how to get as much fun and enjoyment out of riding my bike as possible.I read lots of magazines, online articles and spoke with friends and work colleagues who rode.
This is where and when I started to upgrade selected parts of my standard bike. Hence this blog post to show how, what and why I chose to purchase and fit selected accessories and my conclusions, findings and experiences with them.

Phase One (Comfort)
As you can see from my profile and posts, I am late comer to the joys of mountain biking and I am not as young as I once was!
Therefore the first upgrade and change I made to was to the seat! The factory fit saddle was quite unforgiving for me, particulary as my rides were now becoming longer and more frequent. So I visited my local bike shop and asked for their recommendations. Their advice was really good and most helpful. Hence I chose a Body Fit Tourlite Gel, which cost me £17.99

I can not express fully how much of a difference this new saddle made to my riding comfort. Weight difference was minimal but it did allow me to ride for longer without any discomfort at all.

As a side note I would like to state the importance and value of your local independent bike shop. Their advice, guidance and knowledge is generally excellent. The easy and popular option is sadly to just visit the big online resellers, look for a great price and an attractive picture and hit the buy now button. But for selected items, in my case explaining the different types and options for saddles, was invaluable and most helpful from my local shop.

Tracking Your Ride

1. How do you monitor how far you have ridden your bike?
2. Do you know how fast you travelled?
3. What was your average speed?

Just a few of the questions I used to ponder! But not anymore, as I have discovered the joys and fascination with a free app that I have downloaded to my phone.
It is called Sports Tracker and I can not recommend it highly enough. Check it out at http://www.sports-tracker.com/

It is so simple to use. Initially set up is very quick. Enter your name, age, weight and preference for measurement (mph, kmph, metric weight etc).
Then select what activity you are intending on starting. These choices are quite extensive and a little niche, but hey who I am to complain or judge!
The choices are.....

• Running
• Walking
• Cycling
• Mountain Biking
• Hiking
• Roller Skating
• Downhill Skiing
• Skiing
• Paddling
• Rowing
• Golf
• Indoor

Select your activity and away you go. A very clear dashboard shows you time, speed and distance, as well as a map of your current location.
Now for the safety bit! Please just tuck your handset away in a pocket or bag. No need to keep checking it out and becoming distracted.
Just enjoy your ride, then when you arrive either back home or at your destination, just hit the STOP button.



Then the fun part - have a look at your average speed, top speed, distance travelled, speed vs time, altitude vs distance and a really detailed map of your route.
Now you need to share your ride with your friends! This is presented to you as a simple set of options. Firstly give your ride a title, then select if you want to share your ride details just on Sports Tracker website or with Sports Tracker, Face book and Twitter.

The Sports Tracker website is very simple to navigate and easily shows all of your activities in a really nice graphical format. Plus you can upload photos and make friends in a community style if you wish.

Hope this helps

SPD Pedals, my Ezine Article

Why should you consider upgrading your standard bike pedals to SPD pedals? This is the question I asked and answered myself quite recently!
I am a late comer to the joys of cycling and mountain biking! Being in my late 30's I was tempted at work with the launch of their cycle to work scheme.
Feeling like I should get a little more active, and that the 6 mile ride to work could be quite enjoyable (or at least an alternative to sitting in the same traffic queue day after day!), I visited my local Halfords store.
To cut a long story short, I purchased a GT Aggressor XC3, being mid price (£329) and had a good set of features (front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes etc).
This bike then ignited my new found passion and enthusiasm for getting on my bike and out of my car!
The more I rode the more I enjoyed it, the more it created a thirst for knowledge on how I can get more enjoyment and go further on my bike. So I researched online, at various bike related websites, forums and blogs.
Which then allowed me to decide to upgrade, selected components, to make my ride more enjoyable, or more efficient, or more effective, but most of all more enjoyable, but always on a cost-effective budget!
To date I have upgraded the following components...
• Pedals - to Shimano M424 SPD pedals
• Tyres - to Contential Travel Contact
• Seat - to Bodyfit Tourlite Gel
Additionally I have purchased....
• Cats Eye basic cycle computer for speed and distance
• Lights (front and rear)
• Saddle pack for basic essential storage (spare inner tube, multi-purpose tool and tyre levers)
The Shimano M424 pedal is a fantastic introduction to SPD pedals. Why did it appeal to me?
Well in short it was a versatile pedal, that gave me the option of riding 'clipped in' or not. This is due to the plastic resin 'cage' that surrounds the SPD cleat housing, that then allows it to become a standard 'platform' type pedal, as the SPD 'binding' is spring mounted so it allows it to be pushed flat into the resin 'cage' when you require.
Ideal for when you are wearing trainers, or if you (like me) are riding in a situation where you need the reassurance of not being 'clipped in' if and when you need to put your foot down.
I choose this model and make of pedal due to cost >£30, as well as the numerous positive on-line customer reviews, forum comments and personal recommendations from my local bike shop staff.
Very simple to fit, plus they look great on my bike, the black resin 'cage' matches and integrates neatly on my GT Aggressor X3.
Set up (adjusting the SPD binding) to your personal preference is again very straight forward. My pedals were fitted and being tested in under 15 minutes.
Now that I have committed to SPD pedals, I am an advocate. Clipping in and out of the bindings has become second nature and is almost an involuntary action, every time I come to halt I am already un-clipping myself by gently (but firmly) performing an outward movement of my foot away from the bike.
Additionally to clip in is just as straight forward, by just pressing your foot down on the pedal, the SPD cleat and binding meet and then engage with a little downward pressure