If you’ve ever used your phone for navigation during a ride, you’ve probably wondered: Are Bike Phone Mounts Safe for Smartphones? It’s a fair question. The first time I attached my smartphone to my handlebars, I spent the entire ride glancing down to make sure it was still there. Every bump in the road made…
If you’ve ever tried following a navigation app while riding, you already know why learning how to make a phone mount for a bike can be useful. A few years ago, I found myself stopping every few minutes during a long ride just to check directions on my phone. It was frustrating, especially on unfamiliar…
The first time I rode with aero bars on a road bike, I honestly expected to feel faster immediately. Instead, I mostly noticed how different the position felt. My elbows were tucked in, my chest sat lower, and suddenly the wind that usually pushed against me felt less aggressive. After a few longer rides, I…
If you spend long hours on a road bike, there’s a good chance you’ve thought about adding aero bars at some point. I remember the first time I tried them during a windy weekend ride. My hands were tired, my back felt tight, and every straight section of road seemed endless. After installing a basic…
The first time I rode a road bike with aero bars, I understood immediately why long-distance riders love them. I was riding into a strong headwind on an open highway, fighting to keep my speed up. The moment I lowered myself into the aero position, the bike suddenly felt smoother and faster. It honestly felt…
A few years ago, I showed up for a weekend trail ride with a bike that still had bar ends attached. Within minutes, someone laughed and said, “I haven’t seen those since the early 2000s.” Funny enough, by the end of the ride, two riders asked if they should try them again. That moment perfectly…
Mountain biking has a funny way of exposing weak points you never noticed before. A few years ago, I took my hardtail out on a long forest trail that mixed steep climbs with rough descents. About halfway through the ride, my hands started going numb. My wrists hurt, and I kept shifting my grip every…
If you started riding mountain bikes in the early 2000s, you probably saw bar ends everywhere. They stuck out from the ends of handlebars like little horns, and serious cross-country riders loved them. Today, they are less common, but many riders still ask, “what are bar ends for on mountain bikes?” The answer is more…
If you spend enough time riding trails, sooner or later, you’ll notice your hands feeling sore, slippery, or uncomfortable on the handlebars. That is usually the first sign that it is time to learn how to replace mountain bike handlebar grips. Old grips wear out faster than many riders expect, especially after muddy rides, hot…
The first time I tried removing mountain bike grips, I thought it would take two minutes. Instead, I spent almost half an hour twisting, pulling, and fighting with a pair of old rubber grips that felt glued to the handlebars forever. By the end of it, my hands were sore, and one grip was completely…