Mexico

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News stories from Wikinews. However, the weight and restricted range of gearing compared with a traditional triple chainring and rear derailler setup would seem to make it less suitable for cross-country riding. In the Nahuatl language, from which the name originally derived, the name for Mexico is Mēxihco (International Phonetic Alphabet /meː.ɕiʔ.ko/). This appears to be targeted at downhill and freeride bikes, where it has the advantage that there is no rear derailler that can be damaged by contact with rocks and other obstacles. Méjico on the other hand could easily be mispronounced as well, because the letter j stands for /ʒ/, /dʒ/ or /j/ in other languages. Mountain Bike Action magazine reported in October 2004 that Hayes would manufacture and sell a transmission based on the PeteSpeed design. On the other hand, some Peninsular scholars (such as Ramón Menéndez Pidal) prefer to apply the general spelling rule, arguing that the spelling with an x could encourage non-Mexicans to mispronounce México as /'meksiko/ (as is generally the case in the English-speaking world). Several companies are working on derailler based frame mounted transmissions, but the benefits of these are subject to much dispute.

The mere act of using the j spelling is interpreted by some as a form of colonial aggression. The German company of Rohloff also manufacture and supply a range of internal gearboxes (called the 'SpeedHub') to several bicycle manufacturers and initially also supplied Nicolai. A cultural side-effect of the fact that Mexicans use México /'mexiko/ and Spaniards sometimes use Méjico is the occasional boiling-over of negative sentiment towards the old colonial oppressor. Nicolai use a 'standard' mounting for the gearbox called the G-Boxx, which has also appeared on prototypes from Evil Bikes and Alutech. Also, in the placenames "Oaxaca" and "Xalapa", the x is pronounced as /x/; in "Xochimilco", however, it sounds as a /ʃ/. Nicolai is currently one of the few manufacturers of internal gearbox bikes but other companies such as GT and Alutech have bikes near production. Today, even outside of the country, México is preferred over Méjico by ratios ranging from 10-to-1 (in Spain) to about 280-to-1 (in Costa Rica). These internally geared bicycles are often also referred to as three-speed bicycles.

The Real Academia Española states that both spellings are correct, and most dictionaries and guides recommend México first, and present Méjico as a variant. With the gearing system protected from the elements and from impacts and the weight of the bike held low and central these offer significant advantages over conventional gear systems, particularly for extreme use. Mexicans have tended to demand that other Spanish-speakers use this spelling, rather than following the general rule, and the demand has largely been respected. Frame mounted gearboxes (generally hub gears adapted to fit) are starting to make an appearance in ultra high end mountain bikes. It is regarded as more authentic and less jarring to the reader's eye. With no uphill pedaling to suffer through and the addition of adrenalin, mountain biking becomes fun for anyone. In Mexico, it has become almost a matter of national pride to maintain the otherwise archaic x spelling in the name of the country. The great thing about the park is that anyone can rent a top-quality bike (like Kona Stabs and Norco A-lines) for $100 and ride the lift to the top for $30.

Thus, although xabón is now incorrect and archaic, alongside many millions of people called "Jiménez", there also are plenty called "Giménez" or "Ximénez" — a matter of personal choice and tradition. There are 40 or more trails, rated from very easy (blue) to very scary (double black diamond). Proper nouns and their derivatives are optionally allowed to break this rule. The obvious example is Whistler Mountain Bike Park, which opens during the summer at the populars ski resort Whistler Blackcomb. The old pronunciation is maintained in French "Quichotte", and the English word "quixotic" maintains the spelling while pronouncing it with its English value.). Another important trend is the emergence of bike parks with a lift to the top. (Another example is the old spelling of Don Quixote which is now Don Quijote. Many experienced riders own rigid singlespeed bikes, finding the lack of complexity and the light weight to be attractive qualities.

So, modern Spanish has ejercicio, ejército, jabón, perplejo, etc. These bikes are a celebration of the simplicity of the original mountain bikes of the 1970s at a time in which new innovations in suspension design and implementation are at the forefront of bicycle technology. It was j/g that was chosen. On the other end of the travel spectrum, rigid singlespeed mountain bikes have appeared on the market, including the Bianchi SASS, the Kona Unit, and to an extent, the KHS Solo-One. The coalescence of the two phonemes into a single new one encouraged scholars to use the same letter for the sound, regardless of its origin (Spanish scholars have always tried to keep the orthography of their language faithful to the spoken tongue). Some of the latest trends in mountain bikes include long-travel mountain bikes such as the Santa Cruz V10, and the Specialized Demo 9. The /ʒ/ sound also started to be pronounced this way. This can be due to equipement failure or mis-judgement of behalf of the rider either way adrenaline flows.

Words like Ximénez, exercicio, xabón and perplexo started to be pronounced with a /x/ (this phonetic symbol represents the sound in the word "loch"). Part of the thrill of this sport, besides the beauty of being in the country, is the risk of a spectacular wipe-out. Over the centuries, the pronunciation of Spanish changed.
. These old pronunciations of j and x are still found in Portuguese and Ladino. Popular tire manufacturers include Tioga, Maxxis, Michelin, Panaracer and Nokian. Meanwhile, the letter j (or, rather, the letter i when used as a consonant, since j had not been invented yet) was used for the /ʒ/ sound (as in "vision"), as was g before e or i. Tubeless tires can also be run at lower air pressures which some claim to improve traction while increasing rolling resistance.

Ximénez); consequently, the letter x was used to write down words like Mexitli. Tires and rims are available in either tubed or tubeless designs, with tubeless tyres recently (2004) gaining favor for their pinch flat resistance. The Nahuatl language had a /ʃ/ sound (like English "shop"), and this sound was written x in Spanish (e.g. Among the styles are: slick street tires, street tires with a center ridge and outer tread, fully knobby, front-specific, rear-specific, and snow studded. When the Spaniards encountered this people and transcribed their language, they naturally did so according to the spelling rules of the Castilian language of the time. Manufacturers produce a wide variety of tread patterns to suit different needs. So, Mexico is the home of the people of Mexitli (the Mexicas), co meaning "place" and ca meaning "people". Wheels come in a variety of widths, ranging from standard rims suitable for use with tires in the 26 in x 1.90 in to 2.10 in (559 x 48 to 53 mm) size, to 2.35 and 3.00 in (60 and 76 mm) widths popular with freeride and downhill bicycles.

The Mexi part of the name is from Mexitli, the war god, whose name was derived from metztli (the moon) and xictli (navel) and thus meant "navel (probably implying 'child') of the moon". 29 Inch wheels are for Cross Country only. Mexico is named after its capital city, whose name comes from the Aztec city Mexico-Tenochtitlan that preceded it. 24 Inch wheels are used for dirt jumping bikes and sometimes on freeride bikes, rear wheel only, as this makes the bike more manoeverable. The two most widely known universities in Mexico are Mexico City's National Autonomous University of Mexico, founded in 1551 and Monterrey's Institute of Technology and Higher Studies, both renowned in Latin American education. Inch-sizes for bicycle wheels are not precise measurements - a 29 inch wheel is actually a 700 mm diameter wheel, which has a 622 mm (24.48 inch) bead seat diameter. The Mexican distance learning secondary education is also transmitted to some Central American countries and to Colombia, and it is used in some southern regions of the United States as a method of bilingual education. Most mountain bikes use 26 in (559 mm) wheels, though some models offer 24 or 29 in (520 or 622 mm) wheels.

Schools that use this system are known as telesecundarias in Mexico. Disc brakes are produced by companies as varied as Avid, Hope, Shimano, Hayes and Magura. In 2005 this system included 30,000 connected schools, 3 million students and 300,000 teachers, who use televised lectures and education science programs, pre-recorded and transmitted through "EduSat", via satellite. Hydraulic brakes move brake fluid through a hose or line to squeeze the pads together, while cheaper mechanical brakes pull one pad toward the other with standard brake cable, similar to V-brakes. In the 1970's, Mexico became the first country to establish a system of "distance-learning" satellite secondary education, aimed for the little towns and rural communities. Although disc brakes are more expensive than rim brakes they need less maintenance: pads last longer and can be changed very easily. Even though different bilingual education programs have existed since the 1960s for the indigenous communities, after a constitution reform in the late 1990s, these programs have had a new thrust, and free text books are produced in more than a dozen indigenous languages. Their increased height keeps them out of puddles, and rotors don't get bent as easily as rims do.

Primary and secondary education (9 years) is free and mandatory. Disc brakes offer improved stopping power and modulation over rim brakes. In 2004, the literacy rate was at 92%, and the youth literacy rate (ages 15-24) was 96%. All high level mountain bikes now feature disc brakes. Mexico has made impressive improvements in education in the last two decades. It is now possible to have shocks tuned to individual rider's desires. Scandinavian languages and traditions can also be heard in Chihuahua, like Swedish and Norwegian in Nueva Escandinavia and other Scandinavian colonies in the north of the country. Ironically, as shock manufacturers compete to have the latest 'pedal platform' technology four bar riders are pushed to the most expensive dampers on which it is possible to switch off the pedal platform! With the rise of more complicated shocks and a larger market share of full suspension bikes mountain bike suspension tuners have now arrived.

Another important French village in Mexico is Santa Rosalía in Baja California Sur, where French language and culture/architecture are still found. Many think the tried and trusted technology of the four bar linkage with a comparatively simple shock still offers the best performance. Another important French group were the "Barcelonettes" from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département, whom interestingly the whole town and surrounding towns immigrated specifically to Mexico to find jobs and work in merchendising, they are very notorious in Mexico City, Puebla, and Veracruz. However, these 'intelligent' shocks always have to compromise between their resistance to bob and performance with small bumps. These French immigrants came from Haute-Saône département in France, especially from Champittle and Borgonge. Other companies have followed Progressive's lead (mainly Manitou with it's SPV system based on the 5th Element and Fox's ProPedal which uses a shim stack rather than an air pressurized valve) and a revolution in suspension design is underway. French is also heard in Veracruz, Jicaltepec, San Rafael and Mentideros, where the architecture and food is also very French. Soon after the VPP was introduced, the creation of the Progressive Suspension 5th Element rear shock (based on Currnut's platform damper) near the beginning of the Millennium allowed riders to adjust almost any frame, regardless of design, to be pedaled without the pedal bob that plagued earlier designs.

Other strong German communities lie in Sinaloa (Mazatlan), Nuevo Leon, Chiapas (Tapachula) and other parts of Puebla (Nueva Necaxa) where the German culture and language have been preserved to different extents. The VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) system used by Santa Cruz and Intense, also claims to have reduced the problem of pedal bob. Other German communities lie in Puebla, Mexico City, Sinaloa and Chiapas, with the largest German school outside of Germany being in Mexico City (Alexander von Humboldt school), these represent the large German populations where they still try to preserve the German culture and language. It was this technology that enabled the Specialized Epic to become the very first full-suspension bike to ever win the World Cup. A similar case is that of the Plautdietsch language, spoken by the descendants of German and Dutch Mennonite immigrants in the states of Chihuahua and Durango. The Brain shock, produced by Fox Racing Shocks, has an inertial valve that makes this possible. In Huatusco and Colonia Gonzalez, Veracruz, Veneto is still heard too. This turns the bike into a fully-active full-suspension bike until the lack of additional bumps resets the frame to rigid mode.

Nowadays, most of the people who live in the city of Chipilo (and many of those who have migrated to other cities) still speak the unaltered Veneto dialect spoken by their great-grandparents making the Veneto dialect an unrecognized minority language in the city of Puebla. This makes the frame a hardtail until a bump comes from below. While other European immigrants assimilated into the Mexican culture, the people of Chipilo retained their language. Specialized, long an innovator in the bicycle industry, introduced the Specialized Epic, featuring the Brain(TM) shock. The immigrants that founded the city of Chipilo in 1882 came from the Veneto region in northern Italy, and thus spoke a northern variant of the Venetian dialect. There are several different designs that have come to market with Fox, Manitou (whose SPV Evolve and Intrinsic forks are truly awesome), Rock Shox, and several smaller companies now in the fray. With respect to other European languages brought by immigrants, the case of Chipilo, in the state of Puebla, is unique, and has been documented by several linguists like Carolyn McKay. A stable platform shock is the latest design to hit the market and reduces unwanted bob.

There are also Mennonite colonies in Chihuahua where education is delivered in English. Almost all of the full suspension designs have been able to benefit from advances in new suspension technology. expatriate communities such as those along the coast of Baja California and the town of San Miguel de Allende. It does not do well over small ripples or any kind of large bumps. English is the main language spoken in U.S. The design is currently falling out of favor because it's main benefits - Simplicity and Firm pedaling can both be achieved with other designs with more, and possibly, better suspension. Also, the majority of private schools in Mexico offer what they like to describe as "bilingual" education, both in Spanish and English. Soft tail designs are a variation of the origional Amp Research Mac-Strut design (technically a 3 bar suspesnion design).

border, in big cities, and in beach resorts. The Soft tail is one of the simplest designs introduced. It is also spoken along the U.S. The Soft Tail - Which relys on the flexing of the rear triangle and a rear shock placed in line with the seat stays. As a result, English language skills are much in demand and can lead to an increase in the salary offered by a company. The VPP design can vary and designs from Intense, Santa Cruz, Iron Horse and Haro all exist. Although Spanish is the official language of Mexico, English is widely used in business. The VPP (or Virtual Pivot Point) is a linkage designed bike that is built to activate the suspension differently depending on what inputs the suspension has received.

The Mexican government has promoted and established bilingual education programs in indigenous rural communities. - Four Bar designs include Norco "VPS" bikes, almost all Specialized bikes, Ellsworth, KHS, Turner (although their new 06 Flux has lost the Horst link), and Ventana. Of these Nahuatl, and Maya are each spoken by 1.5 million, while others, such as Lacandon, are spoken by fewer than 100. The importance of this one pivot is heavily debated with supporters on both sides of the debate. The government officially recognizes 62 Amerindian languages. A Faux Bar will be similar but will have a pivot above the drop out instead of in front of the drop out. About 7% of the population speak an Amerindian language. A 'true' Four Bar will have pivots behind the bottom bracket, one in front of the rear wheel drop out, and at the top of the Seatstays.

Spanish is the official language of Mexico and is spoken by the majority of the population. The Four Bar (and it's variant the Faux bar) use several linkage points to activate the shock. Main article: Languages of Mexico. The simplest - the Single Pivot - which Cannondale, Santa Cruz, Mountain Cycle, and even cheap department store bikes still use. Islam is mainly practiced by members of the Arab, Turkish, and other expatriate communities, though there is a very small number of the indigenous population in Chiapas state that practice Islam. Several different full suspension designs are now well established in the marketplace. [4] Judaism has been practiced in Mexico for centuries, and there are estimated to be more than 45,000 Jews in Mexico today^[1]. Technological advances have enabled these machines to be of similar weight and cost of high end hardtails of the mid 1990s.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has a growing presence in the major border cities of northeastern Mexico, and over 1,000,000 members nationwide. For freeride and downhill even more suspension is the norm. [3]. The amount of travel on full suspension bikes has steadily increased with 100 now acceptable for XC race and up to 150mm on trail or enduro bikes. Wolf, the Guadalupe symbol links family, politics, and religion; the colonial past and the independent present; and the Indian and the Mexican. Specialized bought several of Leitner's patents in May 1998 and other manufacturers (ironically now including Nicolai himself) must now pay licence fees to Specialized for the use of the 'Horst Link' suspension design. According to anthropologist Eric R. It became the standard by which all other full suspension designs were judged for the next decade.

The Virgin of Guadalupe has long been a symbol enshrining the major aspirations of Mexican society. This bike was initially marketed under the AMP brand and a version came to the mass market as the Specialized FSR. Some of the country's Catholics (notably those of indigenous background) syncretize Catholicism with various elements of Aztec or Mayan religions. In 1991, while working for AMP Research, (owned and run by another motorcycle racer named Horst Leitner) Karl Nicolai designed a bike that utilized the four bar linkage design and accepted a normal cantilever brake. Also, 6% of the population adheres to various Protestant faiths (mostly Pentecostal), and the remaining 5% of the population adhering to other religions or professing no religion. A lightweight, powerful disc brake wasn't developed until the mid 1990s, and the disc brake used on the RS-1 was its downfall. It is the second nation with the largest Catholic population, behind Brazil and before the United States. Lawwill's design was hindered because it couldn't use traditional cantilever brakes and had to use disc brakes.

Mexico is predominantly Roman Catholic (about 89% of the population). This design solved the twin problems of unwanted braking and pedaling input to the rear wheel, but the design wasn't flawless. The most common reasons for death in 2001 were heart problems (14.6% for men 17.6% for women) and Cancer (11% for men and 15.8% for women). It adapted the A-arm suspension design from sports car racing, and was arguably the first four bar linkage in mountain biking. The mortality rate in 1970 was 9.7/1000 people and by 2001 the rate had dropped to 4.9/1000 for men and 3.8/1000 for women. His bike, the Gary Fisher RS-1, was released in 1990. The lowest levels are found in Chiapas (72.9), Oaxaca (73.2) and Guerrero (73.2 years), although the first two have had the highest increase (19.9 and 22.3% respectively). One of the first successful full suspension bikes was designed by Mert Lawwill, a former motorcycle champion.

The Federal District has a life expectancy of the same level as Baja California. The problems of pedal bob and brake jack began to be solved in the early 1990s. The states with the highest life expectancy are Baja California (75.9 years) and Nuevo Leon (75.6 years). When a rider hit the brakes, these early designs lost some of their ability to absorb bumps - and of course this happened in situations where the rear suspension was needed most. Life expectancy in Mexico increased from 34.7 for men and 33 years for women in 1930 to 72.1 for men and 77.1 years for women in 2002. Input from hard braking efforts (known as brake jack) also negatively affected early full suspension designs. 4.2% of male immigrants and 3.8% of female immigrants did not have formal education while 20.2% of male immigrants and 17.7% of female immigrants had a college degree [INEGI, 2004. This movement was called pedal bob, kickback, or monkey motion and took power out of a rider's pedal stoke - especially during climbs up steep hills.

More than 54.6% of the immigrant population are 15 years old or younger, while 9% are 50 or older. Early full suspension frames were heavy and tended to bounce up and down while a rider pedaled. The five states with more immigrants are Baja California (12.1% of total immigrants), Federal District (11.4%), Jalisco (9.9%), Chihuahua (9%) and Tamaulipas (7.3%). "Full suspension" mountain bike technology has made great advances since first appearing in the early 90's. The official figures for foreign-born citizens in Mexico are 493,000 (since 2004), with a majority (86.9%) of these born in the United States (with the exception of Chiapas, where the majority of immigrants are from Central America). Well-known suspension fork manufacturers include Manitou, Marzocchi, Fox, Rock Shox, Pace and RST. A clear example of the latter phenomenon is provided by San Miguel de Allende and many towns along the Baja California peninsula and around Guadalajara, Jalisco. Many riders still prefer to ride a hardtail frame, and almost all mountain bicycle riders use a suspension fork.

This may be due to the growing economic and business interdependence of the two countries under NAFTA, and also that Mexico is considered an excellent choice for retirees. More aggressive suspension frames and forks made for downhill racing and freeriding have as much as 8 or 9 inches (200 or 230 mm) of suspension travel. Mexico is the country where the greatest number of U.S citizens live outside the United States. Most suspension frames and forks have about 4 inches (100 mm) of suspension travel. The states of Aguascalientes (0.2%), Coahuila (0.2%), Zacatecas (0.2%) and Nuevo León (0.5%) have the lowest proportion of speakers of indigenous languages ([INEGI, 2004]). Many lock out the rear suspension while the rider is pedaling hard or climbing, in order to improve pedaling efficiency. Judging by the proportion of people speaking indigenous languages, the states with the highest proportion of indigenous people are Yucatán (37.3%), Oaxaca (37.1%), Chiapas (24.6%) and Quintana Roo (23%). Newer suspension frame and fork designs have reduced weight, increased amount of suspension travel, and improved feel.

In 2004, the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatic had estimated this figure to be 12,089,094 (~11.4% of Mexico's population) of indigenous people of which, more than one million do not speak Spanish and almost five million are bilingual (INEGI, 2004). Soon after, some frame designers came out with a full suspension frame which gave riders a smoother ride throughout the ride. However, the Mexican government does not collect racial information during censuses. The first suspension forks had about 1½ to 2 inches (38 to 50 mm) of suspension travel. According to the Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas ("The National Council for the Development of Indigenous People") the Amerindian population in Mexico is approximately 12.7 million. This made riding on rough terrain easier on a rider's arms. In Mexico the biggest foreign colonies are:. In the early 1990s, mountain bikes started to have front suspension forks.

There are also a few Lebanese and Arabs. In the past, mountain bikes had a rigid frame and a rigid fork. Mexico has a sizeable population of Asians numbering around 200,000, many of them Chinese, the majority of which reside in Mexicali, Baja California and Japanese. Many newer mountain bikes have a full suspension design. The PRI governments in power for most of the 20th century had a policy of granting asylum to fellow Latin Americans fleeing political persecution in their home countries. Newer mountain bikes have either 24 or 27 speeds, with 3 gears in the front and 8 or 9 gears at the rear wheel. Mexico is also home for many other Latin American groups: mostly Argentines, but also Brazilians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, Colombians and Venezuelans. Also, many riders are now jumping on mountain bicycles and taking on a more BMX style of riding.

The remaining 1% includes Afro-Mexicans, Asians, Jews, and Middle Easterners. Newer frames are better-designed, lighter, and stronger, with a geometry that allows for much more spirited riding over obstacles like logs, rocks, wooden bridges, and man-made ramps. Some 9% is white (of European descent), the majority being from Spain, though there are also large numbers of people of German, Italian, French, Portuguese, British, Irish, Russian (Molokans), Dutch, Greek, and Scandinavian (particularly in Nueva Escandinavia, Chihuahua) ancestry. Mountain biking has become more mainstream with riding styles becoming more aggressive. According to the CIA World Factbook, about 60% of the population is mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white), another 30% is Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian. Until recently, mountain bicycles had road bicycle style frames and geometry. Mexico is ethnically and culturally diverse. The first mass-produced mountain bikes were produced by Specialized and were configured with 18 gears.

With an estimated 2005 population of about 106.5 million, Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. Also, some of the parts on early production mountain bicycles were taken from the BMX bicycle. Main article: Demographics of Mexico
See also: Indigenous peoples of Mexico. The handlebars were also different in that they were a straight, transverse-mounted handlebar, rather than the dropped, curved handlebars that are typically installed on road racing bicycles. The government is seeking to sign an additional agreement with Mercosur. The designs were basically road bicycle frames with a wider frame and fork to allow for a wider tire. Government authorities expect that by putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements with different countries Mexico will lessen its dependence on the United States. Gary Fisher is normally credited with introducing the first purpose-built mountain bike in 1979.

However more than 85% of the trade is still done with the United States. It wasn't until the late 1970s and early 1980s that road bicycle companies started to manufacture mountain bicycles using high-tech lightweight materials. Mexico has opened its markets to free trade like few other countries have done, lowering its trade barriers with more than 40 countries in 12 Free Trade Agreements, including Japan and the European Union. The sport originated in California [1]. Trade with the United States and Canada has tripled since NAFTA was implemented in 1994. These were called "repack races" and triggered the first innovations in mountain bike technology as well as the initial interest of the public. dollar. They would bomb (ride fast) down mountain fireroads causing the hub brake to burn the grease inside, requiring the riders to repack the bearings.

Positive developments in 2001 included a drop in inflation to 6.5%, a sharp fall in interest rates, and a strong peso that appreciated 5% against the U.S. Riders used balloon tired beach cruisers and modified them with gears and motocross style handlebars. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, with the United States' economic slowdown appearing to be the principal cause. The earliest ancestors of modern mountain bikes were based around frames from road cruisers such as those made by Schwinn. Income distribution is very unequal, with the top 20% of income earners accounting for 55% of income. At the time, there was no such thing as a mountain bike. Mexico still needs to overcome many structural problems as it strives to modernize its economy and raise living standards. Mountain biking started to evolve in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Private consumption became the leading driver of growth, accompanied by increased employment and higher wages. Designs vary to reflect the challenges of the different disciplines in mountain biking:. A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's decline in 1995 and led the recovery in 1996–1999. Mountain bikes can be classified into three categories based on suspension:. The administration of President Ernesto Zedillo (1994–2000) continued a policy of privatizing and expanding competition in sea ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports which was initiated by his predecessors Miguel de la Madrid and Carlos Salinas. . The number of state-owned enterprises in Mexico has fallen from more than 1,000 in 1982 to fewer than 200 in 1999. In French a mountain bike is called a VTT (vélo tout-terrain: "all-terrain bicycle").

Mexico has a free-market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. There are newer mountain bikes with either 24 or 27 speed derailleur gears. According to the director for Colombia and Mexico of the World Bank, the population below the poverty level has decreased from 24.2% to 17.6% in the general population and from 42% to 27.9% in rural areas from 2000-2004 [2]. The larger wheels supposedly roll better over obstacles but this comes at the expense of less manoeuvrability and significant uptake is stymied by the limited selection of tyres and forks on offer. Since the economic crisis of 1994–1995 the country has made an impressive economic recovery. The bikes normally have 26 in (660 mm) wheels although since 2002, some models have been available with 29 in (737 mm) wheels. According to the World Bank, Mexico ranks 12th in the world in regard to GDP and has the highest per capita income in its region; and it is firmly established as an upper middle-income country. Some mountain bikes are also fitted with bar ends on the handlebars, but with a recent trend in riser handlebars (as opposed to a flat straight handlebar) fewer riders use bar end extensions.

Estimates of the number of dead range from 6,500 to 30,000 (see 1985 Mexico City earthquake). In recent years front suspension has become the norm and full front and rear suspension is becoming increasingly common. On September 19, 1985, an earthquake measuring approximately 8.0 on the Richter scale struck Michoacán and inflicted severe damage on Mexico City. Mountain bikes have fat, knobby tires for extra traction. South of the point, temperatures are fairly constant year round and vary solely as a function of elevation. In contrast, road bicycles aren't rugged enough for such terrain. Land north of the twenty-fourth parallel experiences cooler temperatures during the winter months. A mountain bike, mountain bicycle or ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) is a bicycle designed for mountain biking, either on dirt trails or other unpaved environments.

The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones. They have slack head angles, short chainstays and low bottom brackets for good cornering and acceleration. Mexico's major rivers include the Río Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) and the Usumacinta on its northern and southern borders, respectively, together with the Grijalva, Balsas, Pánuco, and Yaqui in the interior. They run a chainguide on front and gears on the back. The terrain and climate vary from rocky deserts in the north to tropical rain forest in the south. these bikes are either full suspension with 3 to 4 inches of travel, or hardtails, and usually have quite strong frames. Mexico is about one-fourth the size of the United States. 4X racing is a new format, and there are curently bikes emerging to fit into that scene.

(See list of mountains in Mexico). One of the more popular makers of singlespeeds is Surly. The center of Mexico is a great, high plateau, open to the north, with mountain chains on the east and west and with ocean-front lowlands lying outside of them. Often singlespeeds are fully rigid, steel-framed bikes. In the east are the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Campeche, which is formed by Mexico's other peninsula, the Yucatán. The gearing ratio depends totally on the terrain being ridden, the strength and skill of the rider, and the size of the bike (a 29er, a bike with 29" wheels, often requires a different gearing than a bike with standard 26" wheels). Baja California in the west is a 1,250-km peninsula and forms the Gulf of California. Most singlespeed riders choose to ride such bikes out of "a love of simplicity, elegance, and passion" (or just because they are masochists).

Mexico is bordered by the United States to the north, and Belize and Guatemala to the southeast. A singlespeed is just what it sounds like - a mountain bike with one gear. Its width is varied, from more than 2000 km in the north and less than 220 km at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the south. Single-speed Singlespeeding is as much a life style as it is a type of mountain bike. Situated in the southwestern part of mainland North America and roughly triangular in shape, Mexico stretches more than 3000 km from northwest to southeast. Tires on these bikes are usually fast-rolling, slick or semi-slicks. The following is a list of the biggest Metropolitan Areas of Mexico in order of population:. They are typically very strong bikes, with 3 to 6 in (75 to 150 mm) of front suspension, no rear suspension, and one to nine gears.

Much of the capital city's metropolitan area overflows the limits of the Federal District. Dirt Jumping, Urban and Street Mountain Bikes lie somewhere in between a trials bike, a BMX bike and a freeride bike. It enjoys more limited local rule than the nation's "free and sovereign states": only since 1997 have its citizens been able to elect a Head of Government, whose powers are still more curtailed than those of a state governor. Some people consider trials bike not to be truly mountain bikes.
The Federal District is a special political division in Mexico, where the national capital, Mexico City, is located. This makes maneuvering the bike much easier. Each state has its own constitution and its citizens elect a governor as well as representatives to their respective state congresses. These bikes are significantly lighter than almost all other mountain bikes, ranging from 15 to 25 pounds.

Mexico is divided into 31 states (estados) and a federal district. Some trials bikes have no seat at all, or a vestigial pad, as the rider spends all of his time out of the saddle. The three most important political parties in Mexico are the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the National Action Party (PAN), and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). They typically have no suspension at all and only one gear, making them functionally more like an oversized BMX bike than a conventional mountain bike. His victory ended the Institutional Revolutionary Party's 71-year hold on the presidency. Trials Mountain Bikes that are set up very specifically for the purpose of bicycle trials. Fox began his six-year term on December 1, 2000. The head angle can be as slack as 64 degrees.

The PRI did not lose a senate seat until 1988 or a gubernatorial race until 1989.[1] It wasn't until July 2, 2000, that Vicente Fox of the opposition "Alliance for Change" coalition, headed by the National Action Party (PAN), was elected president. The suspension is set up to sag at least 3 inches, making for incredible traction through bumpy corners. After it was founded in 1929, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) monopolized all the political branches. They are very strong (but not as strong as a freeride bike) and (because of typically large, high gears and long, soft travel) are suitable only for riding down dedicated downhill trails and race courses. There is no vice-president in the republic. However heavy they may seem, they are built as light as possible for racing. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a six-year term and may not hold office a second time. Downhill Mountain Bikes tend to be very heavy at over 40-50 pounds (18 to 23 kg) and have 8 in (200 mm) or more suspension travel.

The president also legislates by executive decree in certain economic and financial fields, using powers delegated from Congress. Freeride bikes range in weight from the low 30 to upper 50 pounds. Congress has played an increasingly important role since 1997, when opposition parties first formed a majority in the legislature. All frame angles are a bit steeper than a DH bike in order to make manoevering on narrow obstacles possible. Historically, the executive is the dominant branch, with power vested in the president who promulgates and executes the laws of the Congress. Many freeride bikes more closely resemble downhill bikes and weigh as much, though they are usually designed to be easier to pedal than a downhill bike. The 1917 Constitution provides for a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. They are designed to be able to cross distances (although not as quickly or efficiently as an XC bike, and with great effort on the part of the rider) and able to take on dangerous and technical downhill trails (though not as quickly or effectively as a specialist downhill bike).

Mexico’s political model has much in common with that of the United States. They tend to have 7-8 in (170-200 mm) of travel, and are built from stronger, heavier materials. On March 23, 2005, the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America was signed by the elected leaders of those countries. Freeride Mountain Bikes are a step up again (in suspension travel) from Enduro bikes. On January 1, 1994, Mexico became a full member of the North American Free Trade Agreement, joining the United States of America and Canada in a large and prosperous economic bloc. They are designed to be able to ascend and descend the mountains, integrating some of the lightweight climbing attributes of cross-country bikes and the strengths of downhill/freeride bikes. In 2000, after seventy years, the PRI lost a presidential elections to a candidate of the National Action Party (PAN), Vicente Fox. Enduro (or "All-Mountain") Bikes are generally heavier than XC bikes at between 30 and 35 pounds (14 to 16 kg), and have more suspension travel, between 100 and 150 mm of front and rear travel.

Through the electoral reforms started by president Carlos Salinas de Gortari and consolidated by president Ernesto Zedillo, by the mid 1990s the PRI had lost its majority in Congress. XC bikes can weigh as little as 20 pounds (9 kg), up to around 30 pounds (14 kg). It was not until the 1980s that the PRI lost the first state governorship, an event that marked the beginning of the party's loss of hegemony. This is achieved through the use of lightweight materials and suspension is typically provded by air shocks. Accused many times of fraud, the PRI's candidates held almost all public offices until the end of the 20th century. Cross Country (XC) Mountain Bikes tend to have only a small amount of suspension (usually 80-100 mm) on the front and rear, and weigh comparatively little. However the management of the economy collapsed several times afterwards. Dual or Full suspension - front suspension fork and rear suspension integrated into the frame.

This was in spite of falling foreign confidence in investment, first through the assumption of mineral rights and subsequent nationalisation of the oil industry into Pemex during the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas del Río. Fully Rigid - sub-type of hardtail, with a rigid fork. During the next four decades, Mexico experienced impressive economic growth, and historians call this period "El Milagro Mexicano", the Mexican Miracle. Hardtail - frame with no rear suspension, often has a front suspension fork. The creation of the National Revolutionary Party (which later became the Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI), in 1929 ended the struggles, uniting all generals and combatants of the revolution. Revolutionary forces defeated the federal army, but were left with internal struggles, leaving the country in conflict for two more decades.

His fraudulent victory in the 1910 elections sparked the Mexican Revolution. Growing social inequalities, restricted freedom of the press, and his insistence to be reelected for a fifth term led to massive protests. His mandate, however, was mostly undemocratic and benefited the middle and upper classes, while the Amerindian indigenous population continued to live in precarious conditions. This period of relative peace and prosperity is known as the "Porfiriato".

Foreign investment allowed the development of the oil industry and the construction of a railroad system across the country. After Juárez's death, Mexico experienced economic growth under the liberal and pro-European rule of Porfirio Díaz. From then on, Juárez remained in office until his death in 1872. In mid-1867, following repeated losses in battle to the Republican Army, Maximilian was captured and murdered by Juárez's soldiers, along with his last loyal generals, in Querétaro.

Napoleon III of France, Emperor of France, returned Maximillian as Emperor of Mexico from 1864 to 1867. However, after his death, the city was lost in early 1863, following a renewed French attack which penetrated as far as Mexico City, forcing Juárez to organize an itinerant government. General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French Army (arguably the most powerful in the world at the time) at the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862, celebrated as Cinco de Mayo ever since. The Second Mexican Empire was then overthrown by President Benito Juárez, with diplomatic and logistical support from the United States and the military expertise of General Porfirio Díaz.

In the 1860s, the country again suffered a military occupation, this time by France, seeking to establish the Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria as Emperor of Mexico, with support from the Roman Catholic clergy and conservative criolloss. Mexico was defeated by the United States, resulting in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo, where the United States purchased the remaining disputed territories for $15 million, from which were formed the modern states of California, Nevada, and Utah, and most of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado (see Mexican-American War). This resulted in the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848. Mexico then also declared war on 23 May.

Polk requested a declaration of war and the US Congress voted in favor on 13 May 1846. President James K. Mexican troops then attacked and captured one of the American detachments near the Rio Grande. Mexico saw this as an US intervention on internal affairs by supporting a rebel province.

The US government sent troops to Texas in order to secure the territory ignoring the Mexican demands of withdrawal. In 1845, voters in Texas approved to be annexed by the United States, and was passed by Congress and signed into law by President John Tyler. Texas won its independence in 1836, further reducing the territory of the fledgling republic. The inhabitants of Tejas, calling themselves Texans and led mainly by relatively recently-arrived English-speaking settlers, declared independence from Mexico at Washington-on-the-Brazos, giving birth to the Republic of Texas.

While negotiations eventually brought Yucatán to again recognize Mexican sovereignty, Santa Anna's army turned to the northern rebellion. Both areas sought independence from the Mexican government. As president, in 1834 Santa Anna abrogated the federal constitution, causing insurgencies in the southern state of Yucatán and the northernmost portion of the northern state of Coahuila y Tejas. The first Republic was formed with Guadalupe Victoria as its first president, followed in office by Santa Anna.

The Empire soon fell to rogue republican forces led by Antonio López de Santa Anna. It also forbade the importation of slaves, a condition that, like the others, was largely ignored. Soon after achieving its independence from Spain, the Mexican government, in an effort to populate its sparsely-settled hinterlands, awarded land grants in a remote area of the northernmost state of Coahuila y Tejas to hundreds of immigrant families from the United States, on the condition that the settlers convert to Catholicism and assume Mexican citizenship. After independence, Spanish possessions in Central America which also proclaimed independence were all incorporated into Mexico from 1822 to 1823, with the exception of Chiapas.

Then, as the war escalated, the objective changed to independece from Spain. The initial intention of the movement then, was to be obtain independence from France, but still being part of Spain. Actually, Hidalgo declared the independence from France, as José Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother), also known in Mexico as Pepe Botella (Spanish: Bottle Joe, as he had a fame of a heavy drinker), was ruling Spain at that time. On September 16, 1810, independence from Spain was declared by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest in the small town of Dolores, causing a long war that eventually led to the official recognition of independence from Spain in 1821 and the creation of the First Mexican Empire.

At the end of the 16th century, New Spain was an underpopulated country with abandoned cities, which would be the main cause of collapse of the Mesoamerican cultures. Of the estimated 15 to 20 million of the original prehispanic population, less than two million survived. There were three separate epidemics that decimated the population: Smallpox (1520-1521), measles ( 1545-1548) and typhus (1576-1581). Most of the settlers had developed an immunity from childhood, but the indigenous peoples had not.

Spanish settlers brought with them smallpox, typhus, and other diseases. Louis) and "Vera Cruz" ("True Cross"). Numerous churches and other buildings were constructed in the Spanish style, and cities were named after various saints and objects of veneration, such as "San Luis Potosí" (after St. During the following centuries, under Spanish rule, a new culture developed that combined the customs and traditions of the indigenous peoples with that of Catholic Spain.

In modern México, mestizo has became more a cultural term, since a Native American that abandons his traditional ways is considered a mestizo, also most Afromexicans prefer to be considered mestizo, since they feel more identified with this group. Mestizos, while they no longer have a separate legal status from other groups, comprise approximately 60% of the population. With independence, the caste system and slavery were abolished. Mestizos and criollos were not allowed in the upper levels of the government, and eventually they joined forces for the independence of México.

Those who were wealthy enough also tried to have a Spanish wife, who was sent to give birth in Spain to prevent their children from becoming criollos. The Spanish "peninsulares" tried by all means to keep their status, even if they took native women. Mestizos and then mulattos were next, followed by the unmixed natives, zambos (amerindian mixed with black), and blacks, respectively. There were even two different kinds of whites, those born in Spain, or "peninsulares", and in a lower level, those born in America, or "criollos".

Each different mix had a name and different privileges or prohibitions. A system was created to keep each mix in a different social level: "El sistema de castas" (the caste system). But even if mixes were allowed, the white population tried to keep their status. As a result of these unions, as well as concubinage, a vast class of people known as "Mestizos" and mulattos came into being.

However, they eventually mixed with the population resulting in only a few black communities left to date (see Afro-Mexican). After the native population was decimated by epidemics and forced labor, black slaves were imported, and for a time in certain areas they even outnumbered the white populations (few modern Mexicans are aware of or acknowledge this). The first Spanish colonists were mainly only males, so they took native women, and although rarely, also black women. Unlike the English-speaking colonists of North America, the majority of the Spanish colonists married the natives, and were even encouraged to do so by Queen Isabella during the earliest days of colonization.

Bartolome later repented when he saw the treatment given to the black slaves. Due to some horrifying instances of abuse against the indigenous peoples, Bishop Bartolome de las Casas suggested bringing black slaves to replace them. Although officially they could not become slaves, the system, known as encomienda, came to signify the oppression and exploitation of natives, although its originators did not set out with such intent. Eventually, the natives were declared minors, and forbidden to read and write, so they would always need a white man in charge of them to be responsible of their indoctrination.

The Mesoamerican sex education system was set aside and replaced by church education; even some foods associated with religion, like amaranto, were forbidden. Hundreds of thousands of codices were destroyed, priests and teachers were persecuted, and the temples and statues of the gods were destroyed. As a result, a second wave of missionaries began a process attempting to completely erase the old beliefs, and thus wiped out many aspects of Mesoamerican culture. While it was an important god, because it was the god of the conquerors,they did not see why they had to abandon their old beliefs.

The colonists brought with them the Catholic faith, to which the population seemingly converted rapidly, but soon they found that the natives had adopted "the god of the heavens", as they called it, as just one of their gods. Particularly fierce were the "Chichimeca wars" in the north of Mexico (1576-1606). After the fall of Tenochtitlan, it would take decades of continuous war to pacify Mesoamerica. The arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century and their defeat of the Mexica in 1521 marked the beginning of the 300 year-long colonial period of Mexico as New Spain.

The small Spanish force was reinforced with thousands of indian allies, who were schooled on European warfare. Tlaxcalteca and other nahuatl nations were forced into such wars, so they joined the Spaniard forces against the Aztec. In order to acquire captives in time of peace, the Aztec resorted to ritual warfare, or flower war. This penchant for human sacrifice proved to be the undoing of the Aztecs, for when they confronted the Spaniards, who fought to the death, their less effective weapons made resistance difficult.

As a result, Aztec warfare was conducted with an aim to only injure the enemy, so that he could later be sacrificed, and weapons were constructed with this in mind. This belief was common throughout nahuatl people. The Aztecs' religious beliefs were based on a fear that the universe would cease functioning without a constant offering of human sacrifice. There were two types of schools: the telpochcalli, for practical and military studies, and the calmecac, for advanced learning in writing, astronomy, statesmanship, theology, and other areas.

The Mexica, one of the Aztec groups, were the first people in the world to practice mandatory education for all people, regardless of gender, rank, or station. For them, highly-civilized arts, sculpture, architecture, engraving, feather-mosiac work, and the invention of the calendar were due to the former inhabitants of Tula, the Toltecs, who reached the height of their civilization in the tenth and eleventh centuries. Latecomers to Mexico's central plateau, the Mexica, or Aztec, as they were sometimes called in memory of Aztlán, the starting point of their tribes wanderings, never thought of themselves as anything but heirs of the brilliant civilizations that had preceded them. Many made war with them, but almost all found themselves within these four spheres of influence.

Other regional power players made economic and political alliances with these four civilizations over the span of 4,000 years. They consolidated power and distributed influence in matters of trade, art, politics, technology, and theology. These four civilizations extended their reach across Mexico and beyond like no others. While many city-states, kingdoms, and empires competed with one another for power and prestige, Mexico had four major, unifying civilizations: The Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec, and the Aztec.

In turn, they radiated influence outwards onto neighboring cultures. These cities, among several others, blossomed as centers of commerce, ideas, ceremonies, and theology. At different points in time, three different Mexican cities were the largest cities in the world: Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, and Cholula. In fact, the later Mexican civilizations would all carefully build their cities and ceremonial centers according to specific astronomical events.

These very early and ancient count-markings were associated with astronomical events and underscore the influence that astronomical activities had upon Mexican natives, even before they possessed civilization. Archaic inscriptions on rocks and rock walls all over northern Mexico (especially in the state of Nuevo León) demonstrate an early propensity for counting in Mexico. These indigenous civilizations are credited with many inventions: pyramid-temples, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, writing, highly-accurate calendars, fine arts, intensive agriculture, engineering, an abacus, a complex theology, and the wheel. For more than 3,000 years, Mexico was the site of several Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Aztec, the Olmec, Teotihuacan, the Toltec, Mixtec, Zapotec and the Mayan.

and the beginning of intensive farming between 1800 and 1500 BC. Evidence shows the explosion of pottery works by 2300 B.C. Ancient Mexicans began to selectively breed corn plants around 8,000 B.C. Hunter-Gatherer peoples are thought to have discovered and habitated its territory more than 28,000 years ago.

. It is the northernmost and westernmost country in Latin America, and also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The United Mexican States or Mexico (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México; regarding the use of the variant spelling Méjico, see section The name below) is a country located in North America, bordered by the United States to the north, and Belize and Guatemala to the southeast. ISBN 0844227838.

"When in Mexico, Do as the Mexicans Do." In depth information about life in Mexico, including culture, history, economy, language and more in 176 comprehensive pages. Kernecker, Herbert. Beezley, editors, The Oxford History of Mexico, 736 pages, Oxford University Press 2000, ISBN 0195112288 – 20 essays, also covers cultural history. Meyer, William H.

Michael C. Maciel, Mexico's Cinema: A Century of Film and Filmmakers, SR Books 1999, ISBN 0842026827 – comprehensive survey. Joanne Hershfield, David R. Julia Preston and Samuel Dillon, Opening Mexico: The Making of a Democracy, Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2004, hardcover, 608 pages, ISBN 0374226687 – recent history since the Tlatelolco massacre of 1968 told by two journalists.

A history of Modern Mexico 1810-1996, 896 pages – Perennial 1998, ISBN 0060929170 - standard work by a renowned Mexican author. Enrique Krauze, Mexico: Biography of Power. Cockcroft, Mexico's Hope: An Encounter with Politics and History, 320 pages, Monthly Review Press 1999, ISBN 0853459258 – leftist view of Mexican history. James D.