The mountain biking category is one that has won the hearts of youngsters and the not so youngsters in Britain. This culture seemed to take hold in the early 1990s although the bikes from this time look a little dated by today’s standards. With big design improvements by 1997 the mountain biking culture had really taken a grip in the UK.

Today it is proudly represented by people such as the Atherton family. They make up the Animal Commencal team which was formed back in 2007 with three of Britain’s hottest DH riders, Dan, Gee and Rachel Atherton, signed up. Back then the team piloted the Madison distributed Commencal Supreme DH Team bikes which were kitted out with plenty of Shimano components, DT Swiss wheels and Fox forks.

The years that have followed show that the Atherton family have come up trumps in racing and are also ideal as they have been superb at presentation. Their story started back in a small Devon village where the two brothers, Dan and Gee, and sister, Rachel, spent their earlier years riding bikes of all types. The three of them shared a mutual taste for speed and adventure.

The family moved in 2000 to North Wales to find more suitable terrain, which turned out to be a good decision with the two brothers being National Champions in 2004. The three of them since then has gone on to win World Championships, World Cups and also European titles. The Athertons have fans whom follow them all over the world.

Rachel became the first woman to win the Elite Women UCI Downhill World Championship in June 2008 aged only 20 at the time, and with an impressive margin of 12 seconds. She also won the BBC Midlands Sports Personality of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year 2008.

One of the newer design elements to help bikers such as the Athertons is the PST concept of Commencal which came about, as often some of the most important things in life do, from a simple observation. PST stands for Perfect Size Tubing.

A bike rider’s weight will increase according to their height, which means that extra stress is caused from a rider’s weight are higher on the larger sized frames. On these larger sized frames tube deflections are even more important because of longer tube lengths especially on the front triangle. This becomes even more significant on the seat tube and top tube as they are in a direct relationship with 2/3 of the rider’s weight through the seat.

By using this concept for new commencal models such as Meta 4 and Meta 5 frames, the set and top tube diameter have been increased and as well so have the seat post diameter for the large and x large frame sizes. PST greatly improves load distribution which leads to increased stiffness, comfort and efficiency.

Jackie de Burca is co-owner Creative Web Advertising, which is an International internet media consultancy, specialising in Pay Per Click, SEO and web consulting</a

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/why-mountain-biking-and-the-commencal-riding-athertons-are-synonymous-1107396.html

Bicycle riding is an amazing way to improve anyone’s quality of life. It can improve the participant in physical, mental and emotional ways. The best part, is this can all be done while having fun. The physical attributes of bicycling are obvious. It allows you to shed pounds, improve circulation and endurance while decreasing your chances for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, even cancer. For example, bicycling even just 3 hours a week has been shown to decrease the likelihood of coronary heart disease and stroke. When you get involved in cycling, you may even find your diet improving as you determine what foods fuel your body in the best ways, allowing you to perform better. It can help improve flexibility, which will lessen the physical pains and inconvenience of growing older. You will be able to live a happier fuller life and extend the period of time that you can live without assistance. While it is wonderful for adults, bicycling can be just as great for kids. They will build strong healthy bones and learn excellent habits early on in life that will follow them through their lives.

Physical improvements however, are only one of the health benefits of bicycling. People have become more and more aware of emotional health as science has found correlations between emotional problems and physical symptoms. Exercise releases feel good chemicals in the brain known as endorphins. This has been found to lessen depression and other mood related disorders. In addition, spending time with family and friends (and biking is a great activity for that purpose) can also improve moods. Sometimes spending time alone is what you need to de-stress from daily life. Hopping on the bike and going for a ride is a wonderful escape. There has also been research showing the benefits of spending time in nature and getting away from the electronics that rule our daily lives.

Finally, keeping your brain active is one of the main ways in which people can prevent memory related disorders later in life such as Alzheimer’s. Biking is a great way to do this. Planning out routes and staying aware of where you are and how to navigate trails, keeps your brain sharp.

Biking is one of the best investments you can make in your long term health. Make the commitment now, and you will thank yourself for years to come.

Mike Dire is an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. He is also a partner in an online bike rack store.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/physical-and-emotional-benefits-of-biking-1076243.html

 Directions

If you’re coming from the UK, the drive from the French end of the channel, will take from 8 to 10 hours (depending on your speed). We recommend driving through Reims and not through Paris. There are several constantly updating internet sites which provide updates on traffic all over France, which can be reached via cell phone. Making use of this service in order to plan your route as you progress on your way to mountain biking Morzine, will save you precious mountain biking time.   

 French traffic laws

Before setting out on your journey to mountain biking Morzine take another look at French traffic laws. Here are two important French traffic laws that are frequently forgotten:

• Place a sticker indicating your home country on your license plate (GB for Britain).
• Speed limits throughout the French motorways vary, depending on road quality, surroundings and weather. If the weather is fine, the speed limit is usually 130 km/h. If its raining, speed limits are usually reduces to 110 km/h - be sure to drive within the speed limits.

The long drive through France to mountain biking Morzine might seem long. Nevertheless, having your car with you can provide you with many benefits. The main benefits of arriving to mountain biking Morzine with your car is the ability to set out mountain biking Morzine with your own bike.  

 www.morzine-mtb.com

www.morzine-mtb.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/mountain-biking-morzine-driving-to-morzine-957709.html