Bicycle is one of the oldest vehicles used by man. It consists of a light casing built over two wheels (one following the other, with each of them being pierced with wire), a seat, handlebars (which are counterpart of steering wheel), brakes, and a couple of pedals or a small motor to propel the bicycle. To know and learn about a bicycle, one needs to understand the basic bicycle parts as they work in combination ?
Brake ? They are used to speed down the bicycle. They can be controlled by brake levers that are mounted on the handlebars (as is the case with disc brakes and rim brakes) or they can be functioned by backward pedaling (as is the case with coaster brakes).
Handlebar ? This is the part where a rider places his hands to provide balance to the bike. It can be straight, cylindrical or curved. It has a handle at each end, each of which is fitted with grips to provide firm hold of the bar. It also helps in steering the bike by providing the necessary leverage. Latest handlebars also enable the biker to change body stance during a long ride.
Chain ? It provides the propelling action in the bike by transferring power from the pedals to the wheels. Chains have increased biker safety by allowing the manufacturers to cut down on the wheel size. Recently, breakthroughs have been made to have chains that could provide gearing mechanism to the bikes. In order to achieve good speed, one needs to lubricate bicycle chain from time to time, or else they get rusted.
Wheel ? Bicycles ride on wheels. The wheel pair consists of an outer rim that is connected to the central focal point using spokes. A nut is used to tighten the spokes at both ends.
Tire ? It covers the outer circumference of the bicycle wheel and is inflated with air. Because of its shape (usually circular) and air filled inside, it allows the bike to sail. Right amount of air needs to be filled inside the tire so that it provides optimum friction to the ground, thereby transmitting maximum speed from the pedal to the wheel.
In order to buy and maintain a good bicycle, a person needs to understand what each bicycle part does. Although they might seem trivial when seen separately, but when running in combination, they produce a thrill and experience, one cannot afford to miss.
A bicycle is a simple, machine, but it involves a lot of mechanization. A bicycle is made up of many parts put together. Perfect synchronization in the functioning of all the parts is essential for the efficient working of the bicycle. Modern day bicycles include many new elements, but a standard bicycle has the same main parts. The basic parts of a bicycle comprise; the frame: A bicycle's frame is made up of many tubes welded together.
The front fork holds the front wheel and is movable.
The wheels: wheels include a hub, the spokes, metal rim and rubber tyres. The brakes: they include the actuators on the handlebar, brake cables, brake pads and calipers. The chain and gears: they consist of the front chain wheels, the rear freewheel, the shift levers on the handlebars and the cables. Other bicycle parts include the seat, seat posts, handlebars, handlebar stem, bicycle lights, dynamos, cranks, and pedals.
Gears and ball bearings
Most racing bicycles have gears. Gears basically serve the purpose of reducing the size and diameter of the wheel. Gears adjust the direction of rotation. Multiple gears on a bicycle helps change the distance the bicycle moves forward with each stroke of the pedal. A mountain bike has 24 gears. Chain wheels are the gears at the front. Most bikes have 2-3 chain wheels. The freewheel, at the rear, has 5-9 gears on it. It spins freely in one direction and locks in the other. This enables the bike to coast, when not pedaling. There are front and rear derailleurs to change the gears.
Ball bearings in a bicycle serve to reduce friction. Ball bearings are found in the front and rear hubs for the wheels, the pedals, the fork tube, the bottom bracket and in the freewheel. These bearings need to be periodically cleaned and greased. Expensive bicycles have sealed bearing cartridges that don't need lubrication.
Materials used
Bicycles need to be strong and lightweight. Alloy steel is used for making the frames and fork tubes. The handlebars, seat posts and brake levers are made of aluminum alloy. Aluminum alloy frames are affordable. Carbon frames, titanium and advanced steel alloys frames are also available.
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