Friday, December 4, 2009

Online Tire Sales - Consider Total Costs To Save Money

Many people head straight to their local tire store or automotive parts store when they need new tires. But the internet has revolutionized the way many people shop, and you can also find great deals on tires. Before you head out to your local retailer, you should check out the available online tire sales.

Many websites offer information and reviews on different types of tires. This can be helpful if you are unsure of what type of tire you need and don't want to have to worry about a high pressure sales person. Most sites that offer tire information as well as prices from different competitors. You can also visit the websites of your local tire stores to find out what their prices are and if they are currently running any sales.

Knowing what everyone in town is charging for tires gives you an advantage. You only have to make one trip to the store that has the best price. But before you head out, it is beneficial to see if you can find a better deal from an online retailer. It is possible to net big savings if you buy your tires online. Online retailers will often have great prices and can ship your tires fast from a regional warehouse.

You will have to compare the cost of buying tires online plus shipping to the cost of buying them in your local store. If the amount is significantly less for comparable tires then buying online is probably a good choice. The only drawback to buying tires online is that you will have to have them installed, and as long as the cost of installation, tires, and shipping is less than what local retailer are charging you can save some money from buying online. Some online retailers include installation with a tire purchase in a local store, so be sure to check if they have retailers near you.

If you are ready to do some online shopping, there are few sites you should check out for information and prices. These sites can probably answer all your questions about which type of tire is right for you and give you an idea of what price each type of tire is going for.

1010tires.com is a good site to go for information that will make your tire buying experience easier. It contains a wealth of information about all types of tires and explains the situations where specialty tires are needed. You can also get driving tips to make the most of your new tire purchase. You can order tires right from the site as well and they often run sales.

Another site you can go for online tire sales is TheTireRack.com. They have a great selection of tires and also have frequent sales and clearance events. You can also use their site to find a local installer to install the tires you purchased online. You can also get help picking the right size tire for your car as well as other tire related information. They have warehouses in a few different states to facilitate faster shipping and delivery.

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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Creating More Space With Closet Organizers


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Closet organizers are a great way to create more space in your closet. Many homeowners look into their overstuffed closets and wonder what they can do to contain and organize all the stuff that needs to be there. If you are like many homeowners you will decide that purchasing a closet organizer is the most practical way to get a handle on it, this way you don't need to knock out any walls in your home to expand the closet.

One of the first steps that you need to do when you are getting ready to get into this project is to decide if you are going to be able to accomplish this project on your own or do you need to hire a professional to do the job? Doing it yourself will definitely save you money if you feel like you can take the project from beginning to end. Otherwise you may be better off by hiring someone that specializes in closet organization and letting them do the job for you. Either way that you decide to go there are some things that you will need to keep in mind.

Tackling the Job Yourself

If you have decide to go ahead and do it yourself the most important thing to do is make sure that you lay it out properly. This means making sure that you incorporate all the necessary storage items you need and making sure that the system you are purchasing will actually fit in your closet.

When you begin to lay out your organizer make sure that you get everything in the closet that you need. For example if you have lots of shoes make sure that you leave plenty of storage area to accommodate them. This way your closet will not looked overstuffed even after you install the organizer.

When you do your measuring make sure that you leave extra room so that the organizer will actually fit. Many times a homeowner measures right down to the 16th of an inch and forgets to leave some "play" in the measurement. The reason for this is because walls are never perfectly square. They always run out a bit and if you did not leave room for it you will not get your closet organizer to fit properly.

Hiring a Professional

When hiring a professional it is important to make sure that they actually listen to what you need. Many times a professional will try to "up-sell" you and then you end up with the project costing more then what you anticipated. For example an electric tie racks sounds great but they cost a lot more than just a standard tire rack and they each do the same thing.

Make sure that any professional you let in your home is licensed and insured. This is important as often times "fly-by-night" business spring up and they may look professional but you will later find out that the job will be done by not correctly or you will find that your deposit is long gone.

Whether you do it yourself or you hire a professional make sure that you have carefully laid out your plan. With closet organizers preparation is the key to success.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Types of Bike Tire Tube Stems - Do You Care

Buying a bicycle tube is getting just as complex as buying a hamburger these days. Ten questions later and you’re still trying to get back on the road, and all you really care about is getting one that will fit, not blow up on you and let you get back to the serious business of riding.

But there is one feature that will put a quick stop to any motion. That might be the types of bike tire tube stem. If you don’t get the right one not only will it not fit into the valve hole on your rim, but if you go to top up your air pressure you may find that your air pump fitting doesn’t work and you’re stranded with no way to adjust your bicycle tire pressure or fix a flat. Thus it is best to confirm the exact configuration of your of bike tire tube stem BEFORE you need to know what you are talking about.

It is also a critical piece of information when purchasing a bicycle pump as you need to know what fittings are necessary to match pump nipple to the types of bike tire tube stems that you expect to have on your bike.

There are typically two types of bike tube stems. The most common is the Schraeder valve, or sometimes spelt as a shrader or Schrader valve, you pick and the newer, sleeker design of a Presta valve.

The Schraeder valve is the old fashion design you are familiar with on your car tire. It is readily available at most local hardware stores and bicycle shops. It can be filled up with the standard gas station pump, and always has a valve stem that can be removed if you wish to add tire sealant for some level of puncture resistance if that is a feature that you desire.

Presta valves are newer and more aerodynamically designed. The slimmer profile requires a smaller port hole in the bike rim making it particularly important to the road rim manufacturer. The road rim is so thin that the size of air valves port hole can affect significantly the rigidity of the rim,

Too large of a hole to give access to the air valve for tire inflation can create a weak spot on the rim especially when discussing heavy riders or jumpers. The smaller the valve the smaller the hole. Thus presta valve rule here! They do have other advantages as well, but also do have their own problems. Nothing is ever a clean win!

Visit for a more complete discussion of the pro’s and con’s of the various types of bike tire tube stems and bicycle tubes in general, or for that matter anything in connection with bicycle riding.

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Bicycle Designs & Styles - Choosing Between Custom Made Cycles and Factory Built Bikes


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Currently there are many types of bicycles available. Even so, the standard safety bicycle design developed in the 1800's is the basis of our current bicycle designs. The types of bicycle most commonly used today are mountain bikes, cruisers, touring bicycles, racing bikes, BMX's and utility bikes. The class a bicycle falls in hinges on a number of elements; style of construction, number of passengers, gearing and propulsion.

Mountain bicycles were intended for trail and mountain riding where the terrain is tough. The frames are constructed to resist the rough treatment of riding in natural settings. In addition, special tires and gearing make it easier for riders to get the power they require to keep moving.

BMX bicycles are another unique style. These cycles usually have little 16 - 24 inch traction treaded tires. They are small framed, making them easier to maneuver and much faster. BMX bikes are usually used for racing and even for doing fantastic tricks.

Racing cycles are designed for road cycling and they are all about speed. They're light weight and have excellent handling. Racing bicycles use drop handlebars, positioned lower than the saddle. This puts the riders body in the best possible aerodynamic posture. The closeness of the derailleur gear ratios permit the rider to pedal at the most effective cadence.

Touring bikes are unique in that they have racks mounted on them to carry the riders gear. These racks are attached to the frame of the bicycle in front and back. The wheel base is also longer than on a standard bike, which makes it able to carry more weight. Also, features such as wider tires and additional water bottle mounts are commonly incorporated.

Tandem bicycles carry two or more passengers at once. Tandem refers to the way the seats of the bicycle are set up, and not to the number of passengers it will carry. All the passengers of a tandem bike pedal, providing power. In most tandem set ups, the front rider controls the steering just like in a standard bicycle.

Low rider bicycles are normally home-built, extraordinary customized bikes. They have normally got an old-school curled banana seat with a extremely tall sissy bar. Ape-hangers are the norm for handlebars, giving the bicycle a "chopper" look & feel. They're normally chromed to the limit and have glittery, high spoke-count wheels.

Recumbent bikes & trikes are designed so that the rider is reclining back in a low-statured position. Also commonly referred to as 'bents. The seat supports the passengers back and the legs are extended forward to the pedals. The seat and pedals are usually at the same height. Tires used on recumbents are commonly smaller and farther apart than they are on an upright bike. Recumbents can be guided using either over- or under- seat steering.

There are other types of human powered vehicles referred to as "bikes" too. Though they are not technically regarded as bicycles, they work on the same general principles. They include unicycles, tricycles and quadracycles. Fun to ride, no doubt, none of these styles are used very often.

Despite the multitude of bicycles that are commercially available, there are always those that want to construct their own. Building a bicycle, trike, or tandem at home is fun and not awful hard. In fact, nearly anybody with a can-do attitude, a a couple of tools and some simple instruction could build a decent bicycle.

Bike building can be done in a shed or garage and it's an excellent small project. For individuals that want a custom-made bike without the custom built cost it's an excellent choice. The bicycle you make could bring back a old-time style or lead the pack into the future of bike construction.

Whether you decide to ride a factory built bicycle or a unique custom bike, the important thing is to get out there and ride! Next time, we'll discuss the important topic of bicycle safety.

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

3 Tips For Finding the Cheapest Tires

If you're looking for the cheapest deals on tires then you need to read this article. We're going to look at 3 tips for finding the cheapest tires.

1. House Brands

A lot of tire dealers offer their own "house brands" that are as good as the major brands like Goodyear, Hancook, Firestone, etc. In fact, many of these house brands are made in the same factories, using the same technologies, as the major brands.

In some cases these tires can even offer better warranties than a major name would. Some tire dealers offer road hazard guarantees on their own brand of tires, for example.

What this means is if a tire is damaged by any kind of road hazard, they'll repair or replace it at no cost to you. This may even apply in extreme cases, like if a piece of shale was to completely shred the sidewall of the tires on your Jeep when you are driving off-road.

2. Buy Online

Like almost everything you want to buy these days, there are lots of websites selling tires online. This ranges from familiar names such as Walmart, to names that might not come to mind right away when you think of tires like Amazon, or even dedicated tire sellers like Tirerack.com.

Buying online is often cheaper because the sellers don't have as much overhead as your local tire store. Their selection is often wider as well, since they can "stock" an unlimited number of brands and models.

The main thing you need to consider when buying online is service and support. How are you going to get the tires mounted? If you can't do it yourself, you will need to deal with a local shop to do the work for you. Most tire stores aren't all that willing to install tires bought elsewhere so check to see if the website has a partnership set up with any local shops who will do the mounting and balancing for you.

3. Watch For Sales

Keep an eye on your local newspapers for sales. If you know you're going to be in the market for new tires, but don't need them right away, you will often find good deals if you watch carefully.

Just keep in mind that you need to be flexible for this to work. You're not going to find deals on snow tires the day after the first big dump of snow!

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Discount Tire Company Review

There's no doubt about it - a big change is happening in the world of tires. With small independent stores ever increasing their prices, more and more people are choosing to buy tires online from a discount tire company.

The reason for the increase in tire prices over the last few years is mainly due to the cost of oil. Back in 2004 prices were around $35 per barrel, just two years later, prices more than doubled to $75 per barrel.

It's clear to see, oil price is at an all time high. This has a huge knock on affect to the US rubber and tire industry.

"If you look at it from a tire manufacturer's perspective, an oil-price increase is a triple whammy for us," said Jim Davis, a spokesman for the world's largest tire maker, based in Ohio.

"Oil is a major ingredient in the production of tires. It affects the cost to make tires, it affects the cost to heat or cool the plant where we make tires and, of course, the trucking cost to ship the tires."

Now this might all seem like doom and gloom, but don't go spending the college fund just yet, as approaching a discount tire company could just be the answer.

A large discount tire company can cut costs in a number of ways, giving them an advantage over more traditional independent tire stores. First of all they tend to buy in bulk, which means they save on the wholesale price. They also focus more towards the Internet market, resulting in smaller staff numbers and less overheads. A discount tire company will probably not fit tires themselves, but partner with local independent garages which do the fitting for them, this can also reduce the end price of your tire.

So which discount tire company to choose? there are many out there, but one which comes highly recommended is The Tire Rack Established in 1979 they are a leading discount tire company with award-winning customer satisfaction and warranty support.

The Tire Rack website is easy to use, even for complete novices. Simply select the model of your car from the drop down menus, and up pops a list of suitable tires. Customers are also encouraged to write reviews on specific tire models, which is a great feature as it gives you an insight into the general opinion.

Installation used to be one of the main deterrents of buying tires online, but Tire Rack now provide a selection of good installation options. Each order comes with full instructions on how to get going, with these easy-to-follow installation guides you should be done within minutes. But if the DIY approach isn't for you, then Tire Rack have partnered with local tire stores to do the fitting for you. Simply enter your zip code on their site and they display a list of recommended installers local to you.

I'd recommend you buy tires online at The Tire Rack.

The future cost of tires might be better than it seems!

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General Grabber HTS - Best SUV Tire

I've been researching the best tires for my SUV and I am very impressed with the General Grabber HTS.Consumer Reports and the Tire Rack rate this tire best. Tires are the most important safety feature of your vehicle - it is important to get a top performer. These tires are outstanding. Tire Rack ran 22 tests on these next to Bridgestone and Pirelli - no slouches in tire performance. The Grabber HTS was highest in EVERY test. Not only that but General engineered these with low rolling resistance meaning better gas mileage and better for the environment. AND they are priced affordably. Bottom line is that this tire has the best of all worlds.

I had assumed that low rolling resistance meant poor stopping - after all how can you have low resistance and still grab the road to stop. General figured it out. I can personally attest to the stopping power and grab of these tires. They performed exceptionally in a couple emergency situations. Reports indicate that the Grabber HTS also does well on snow and ice. Best yet, these tires are less expensive than many of the tires that perform worse. For me putting my wife and family on the best tires at the best price is a no brainer.

External Testing

The Grabber HTS is an SUV and Light Truck tire in the "all season tires" grouping.

This tire places General at the top of the list by Consumer Reports. Often there are trade offs between traction, rolling resistance, noise factors and comfort but the Grabber seems to be able to roll all the best qualities into one tire.

Consumer Reports is not the only source rating this tire highly though. FourWheeler Magazine tested the tires on the Ford F-150 4WD. Even though this is not a snow tire, they found the Grabber HTS to be very good in snow.

If you want to save money on your tire purchase these tires are priced on the lower end of the spectrum enven though their performance is tops. I found the Grabber HTS for under $100 I am looking at a 235 70R 16 for my Pilot and they are $96 each. I was looking at tires with worse performance in the $150 range from other tire dealers. My local tire dealer would have mounted them for me but the wait was too long that day. I drove to a big box retailer across the street to have my tires mounted. I saved money and got a lifetime balance and rotation. And I'll be able to find one of these stores wherever I go.

Tested against two top brands, the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenze and the Pirelli Scorpion, the General Grabber HTS was the clear leader. The Grabber bested these two top of the line tires in every category (except one tie with the Bridgestone in cornering).

Tested against the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza and the Pirelli Scorpion STR - the General Grabber HTS was the WINNER in EVERY TEST below except the tie noted

Testing Categories

Ride comfort - winner

Noise Comfort - winner

Handling - winner

Overall Road Rating - winner

Performance - Dry Track - winner

Cornering Stability - winner

Steering Response - winner

Braking Modulation - winner

Handling Predictablity - winner

Overall Track Rating - winner

Performance - Wet Track - winner

Cornering Stability - winner

Steering Response - winner

Braking Modulation - winner

Handling Predictablity - winner

Overall Track Rating - winner

Slolam Time Dry - winner

Slolam Time Wet - winner

Lap Time Dry - winner

Lap Time Wet - winner

Stopping Distance Dry - winner

Stopping Distance Wet - winner

Average Cornering (g-force) Dry - tie with Bridgestone

Average Cornering (g-force) Wet - winner

Consumer Survey Results:

Rated against 68 other Light Truck / SUV Highway All-Season tires and based on consumer experience, the General Grabber HTS is the highest ranked among consumers purchasing this type of tire.

Tire Technology

Beside the performance the HTS demonstrated on the road, General also engineered the tire with a lower rolling resistance to get better fuel economy and thereby dropping CO2 emissions.

Major Tire Performance Technologies

The Grabber HTS is the flagship of the General Grabber line and it incorporates 4 key technologies that enhance the performance of this tire.

1. Duragen - Ultra-high strength steel belts, micro fiber casing reinforcements, and broader tire contour provides even wear, longer mileage and confidence in challenging conditions.

2. Adaptive Performance - Response Grooves, Stabilink Bars and 3 kinds of siping for enhances steering response and reliable performance

3. Comfort Balance - a tread cushioning and noise capturing system for a quieter, more comfortable ride.

4. Eco-Ride - Improved tire compound increases fuel economy and minimizes CO2 emissions.

Best Tires - General Grabber HTS

I love these tires. I honestly didn't expect to experience a big difference in ordinary driving. I saw the tests and statistics and recognized that in emergency situations, bad weather and such that the Grabbers have tested to function the best. That is valuable to me because when I am driving in bad rain or have to stop quickly I want my tires to perform. However, improved responsiveness was evident immediately to me. The next thing I experienced is a noticeably quieter ride.

These tires get 2 thumbs up. My hearty recommendation!

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