About a year ago I purchased an entry level hardtail mountain bike
. At the time I did not want to spend a lot of money and I did not want poor quality. So I purchase a bike that had a good frame and basic components.
After riding for a year I have decided that I want to improve the comfort and control of my bike on the trail. Therefore I made the decision to upgrade my front suspension
fork on my hardtail mountain bike.
My initial research concluded that there are a lot of different brands, types and sizes forks on the market so I conceded knew I needed help. After all, suspension
forks are expensive and I didn't want to waste my money.
After talking to different rides, employees at a few bike shops, reading article and posting questions online I put together a couple of bullet points to consider when buying a front suspension fork.
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Determine if your bike has the geometry to support a suspension fork. If it does have the correct geometry try to determine the maximum height fork it can accommodate. I almost bought a fork with 160mm of travel but the seller convinced me not to buy it because he believed my bike did not have the correct geometry. After checking with the factory I determined that he was correct.
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Consider your riding style. Are you a cross country, down hill or a dirt jump rider. Make sure you buy a fork that suites your style of ride. This will help prevent you from buying more fork then you need.
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Determine your budget and stick to it. Suspension forks can vary in price and can be very expensive. However if you ride often spending a little more on a fork might be warranted.
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Determine the size of the bikes
head tube. The size of the tube could limit your selections. Is your head tube 1 inch or 1 1/8 inches, etc?
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Consider buying a suspension fork that is adjustable. Some forks are adjustable at the head and some have a pop lock adjuster that mounts on the handlebars. The adjustable function will accommodate different riding terrains.
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Determine if you need to buy new parts to install your new fork. Do you need a new headset, stem or brakes?
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Consider the installation charges of a new fork. If you plan on installing the fork yourself you will need to press on a bearing and potentially cut the fork tub. This could result in additional tools and time so you want to weigh your options.
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Find out what your friends are riding and ask them their opinion on brand and options. Ask them if you can ride their bike to test out their fork.
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Do you want to buy new or used? Some riders buy great bikes, immediately upgrade them and never use the original parts. You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bike classifieds containing bikes for sale, bike parts and race events.
Keep in mind list above will help you get started in your decision making process and there are more items to consider as you explore your options.
The tips listed above will hopefully help you narrow down your choices before you purchase a new fork. Good luck and see you on the trail.
The symptoms of bladder infection in dogs can be troubling for both pet and owner. Because their bodies are so much smaller than ours, any kind of urinary tract problem can be much more serious for dogs. As distressing as urinary issues may be, there are ways you can treat the symptoms and ease the discomfort for your best friend and even help him to fight off any recurrence.
A build up of bacteria in the urinary tract leads to bladder infection and, if left untreated, can further lead to bladder or kidney blockage. In order to avoid these serious and even life threatening complications, it is important to get all urinary tract issues properly diagnosed as quickly as possible. This means you need to be aware of your dog's regular routine and take immediate action if you notice any change in that routine.
The primary symptoms of bladder infection in dogs are fever, loss of appetite and lethargy. These are also normally the first signs that most owners have that something is wrong. If you notice your dog exhibiting these symptoms, you should get him to the vet as quickly as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.
While most bladder infections begin with these symptoms, other symptoms can also present themselves including trouble urinating, blood in the urine, a need to urinate frequently and urinating in unusual places. Any difficulties or changes in urination habits are a good indicator that something is wrong and the sooner you can get your dog medical attention, the less likely it is that the problem will develop into something more serious.
Once your vet has diagnosed the symptoms of bladder infection in dogs, he is likely to prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear up the problem. While antibiotics can certainly help to ease surface symptoms, they are actually quiet ineffective when it comes to treating the overall problem because they do not address the underlying cause. Also, many antibiotics can have serious side effects, making them a less than ideal option.
Since bladder infection, particularly recurring infection, can lead to a weakening of the immune system, it is imperative that any treatment you use also works to improve immune system function. The best way to achieve this is with the use of homeopathic remedies. Made from a blend of herbs and other plant based ingredients such as Cantharis, Staphysagris and Berberis, these natural products work safely and gently to address symptoms and strengthen the immune system at the same time.
Responsible pet owners should never settle for just treating the symptoms. It is also extremely important to help your dog fight off recurrence by improving overall health and strengthening the immune system. Nothing achieves this end as effectively as homeopathic remedies. And because they are made entirely from plant-based ingredients, these remedies are completely safe, with no harsh side effects. It's just the gentle, healing touch you want for your pet. In addition to treating the symptoms of bladder infection in dogs, they get to the source of the problem, restore the pH of the urine and prevent recurrences.
No-one likes to deal with the painful and frustrating symptoms of bladder infection but now there is something you can do to help your dog fight back. Consider all your options and consult with your vet about the safe, gentle, all-natural alternative. You and your dog will both feel better for it.
Laura Ramirez is a caring researcher of herbal remedies that heal urinary problems and keep pets vibrant and healthy. Get more information about natural remedies and
By: Laura Ramirez
This is how Twilight works (COMIC)
How Twilight Works
A few weeks ago I had the miserable experience of reading Twilight.A friend bought it for me and I took it with me to read on a long flight from Seattle to Houston. I knew it was going to be crappy, but I thought it would be a guilty pleasure kind of crappy - where you know it's bad but you still get enjoyment out of it. I actually managed to power through around 400 pages until I gave up and started reading Sky Mall. I've been seeing Twilight everywhere lately, especially with Vampire Teens II New Moon's release, so I thought I'd break down why chicks go apeshit for it.
First off, the author creates a main character which is an empty shell. Her appearance isn't described in detail; that way, any female can slip into it and easily fantasize about being this person. I read 400 pages of that book and barely had any idea of what the main character looked like; as far as I was concerned she was a giant Lego brick. Appearance aside, her personality is portrayed as insecure, fumbling, and awkward - a combination anyone who ever went through puberty can relate to. By creating this "empty shell," the character becomes less of a person and more of something a female reader can put on and wear. Because I forgot her name (I think it was Barbara or Brando or something like that), I'm going to refer to her as "Pants" from here on out.
So after a few chapters of listening to Pants whine about high school, sucking at volleyball, and being the center of attention, the second major character is introduced. Imagine everything women want in a man, then exaggerate it by ten thousand - and you've got Edward Cullen. The level of detail that the author goes into while describing Edward's appearance is remarkable. At one point while reading I started counting the number of times the author used the expression "Edward's perfect face," and it was far into the double digits. The author excruciatingly details his muscular pecs, clothing, hair, eye color - even his goddamn breath (I'm not joking).
Edward intensely listens to everything Pants has to say, even if she's bitching about she had diarrhea on Christmas or her preferred method for cutting a sandwich in half. As far as the reader is concerned, Edward cares about nothing in the world more than Pants. What the author has done is created a perfect male figure - a pale Greek statue which the reader can worship and in turn be worshipped by.
So what about men that like Twilight?
If you're male and you like Twilight, you're gay. I don't mean that in the derogatory sense, I mean it in the "you want to put your testicles against another man's testicles while gripping handfuls of chesthair" kind of way.
And the movie?
The movie is just the same uninspired crap shat out onto a film reel. If you like the taste of horse manure on your bologna sandwiches, you're probably gonna like it on your birthday cake as well. The same principle applies with Twilight.
Beyond that, it's just a romance novel with the occasional vampire teen drama bullshit peppered here and there. It doesn't really break any new ground in the realm of vampire fiction, other than portraying vampires as a family of uncomfortable retards who prance around the woods eating deer and bunny rabbits. There's lots of nervous lip-biting, tender kisses between Pants and Edward, and lengthy descriptions of every feature of Edward's body. Pants is a static character who never really progresses beyond being an insecure vampire fangirl who obsesses over Edward. Whether her character grows beyond that is unknown to me, I'd stopped reading by then and shifted my attention to an electric butt-massaging chair in Sky Mall.
Eleven Great Edited for Television Movie Lines
I can’t say I actually watch many movies on television. Not because I don’t enjoy films, because I do. But you often get a bastardized version of the film on broadcast television filled with commercials and edited content, both in sight and sound. Sometimes it makes you wonder if its even the same film. I don’t consider myself a movie snob, but I’d rather just have the real thing. Though there’s a strange hypocrisy when networks keep in all the violence, but deem it necessary to edit out even the mildest curses.
Still, occasionally you come across some re-dubbing of a profane line or lines that leads to unintentional hilarity. And those moments stick with you. The Powers that Be were not content to substitute freak for every f-bomb, they instead went above and beyond in a whole different direction. Wouldn’t you want to be that guy who comes up with the most absolutely idiotic re-dubbing for inappropriate movie language? Here are eleven (sue me, I couldn’t decide which one to cut) classic examples with a few goodies at the end:
