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.
