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Mountain bike shoes come in a variety of prices, from the inexpensive $70 range, up to over $400. The amount of money you pay depends entirely on whether or not you are a casual, once-a-month rider, a serious hobbyist, or someone who competes in races - either amateur or professional.

What is it about mountain bike shoes that make them a) important to have and b) so expensive?

Shoes designed specifically for cycling have stiff soles, which helps the cyclist in transferring the power from his legs and feet to the pedals and thence to the chain for greater speed. Since the road cyclist is expected to be on his or her bike at all times without having to do a great deal of walking, they normally have a protruding cleat which slots into the recess on their pedals.

A protruding cleat would be of no use to the mountain biker, who quite frequently has to get off the bike and wheel or carry it around obstacles. So mountain bike shoes have recessed cleats, that won't interfere with walking, and aren't made with a totally rigid sole, but one that will give just a little bit.

There are dozens of mountain biking shoes on the market. Men will find a wider variety of designs then women, nevertheless there are quite a few styles designed specifically for the smaller foot of the average woman.

What makes the mountain bike shoe so important?

The occasional biker usually doesn't bother with toe clips or clipless pedals....they just hop on their bike and they're away. However, the serious cyclist wants to get all the power he or she can out of a pedaling, and with the shoe firmly attached to the pedal - either with a toeclip or by a cleat, the cyclist can pull upward on the pedal as well as simultaneously pushing downward on the other pedal, which increases the speed of the bike.

What makes the mountain bike shoe so expensive?

Well, as with any shoe, the price comes down to what the shoe is made of. The lighter the shoe is, the better for the racer. But, lightness comes expensive. Carbon fiber soles are the lightest soles on the market - carbon fiber is more expensive to produce than injection-molded plastic, or plastic and fiberglass.

However, the average rider should be able to get a pair of mountain biking shoes for less than a hundred dollars.

Alastair Hamilton is a journalist who has written more articles and newsletters on this subject for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . You can find more information and resources on mountain bike reviews at his website.

# posted by ujx @ 8:45 AM 0 comments

Americans are nothing if not selectively fickle. It took almost no persuasion for them to abandon their analog landline technology-based telephones, camera, and record players in favor of digitally based alternatives.

But when it comes to their listening pleasure, Americans have been fighting the digital revolution with as much gusto as they fought the American one. They are however, beginning to come around. Having spotty reception, or none, on long commutes or when in the back country on a recreational outing, or simply because they live in a particularly reception-unfriendly area has finally made many Americans start to take notice of their digital radio options.

The first digital radio alternative is satellite radio. Both Sirius and XM Satellite radio have eliminated the commercials from their digital radio transmissions and are beaming their broadcasts into the automobile receivers of millions of US drivers, no matter where they are located. The glitch is that the service is subscription only, and many older cars do not have the satellite digital radio receivers. And in some large urban areas, the reception is lacking, although Sirius and XM are working on fixes for their problems.

But between them Sirius and XM have still managed to collar only fifteen million of the estimated two hundred and thirty million AM/FM listeners in the US. The two companies have applied to the FCC for permission to discuss a merger, which will cut costs for both. But even a single entity may never move satellite digital radio beyond the niche stage.

The real up-and-comers in the US digital radio field appears to be local radio stations, both because they do not charge their listeners, and because the price of digital radio receivers is beginning to drop rapidly. At the beginning of 2006, a digital radio receiver cost a minimum of $500; now the most expensive are half that. With rebates it is frequently possible to find a digital radio receiver for under $100.

Hybrid digital radio is the result of combining digital power with the regular broadcasting of an AM or FM station. It costs a traditional broadcasting station upwards of $100,000 to make the transition to Hybrid Digital technology, and even then they have to pay royalties to iBiquity, which developed the process. But more than 1300 radio stations have either bought, or plan to buy, the necessary equipment.

You can also find more info on Digital Radio Recorder and Digital Radio Scanner. Digitalradio-review.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Online Digital Radio.

# posted by ujx @ 5:19 AM 0 comments