A bicycle (aka a bike) is a very practical and convenient vehicle that has tightly entered the life of a modern person. Every year, the number of cyclists on city streets is growing, which is good news. In addition, there are people for whom the bike is not just a mobile means, but the meaning of life and the main way of earning. The number of professional sports using a bicycle today is also quite large.
Whatever the bike (and it has quite a few types), its basic design remains unchanged. Despite the fact that it is quite simple, as in any other technique, there are a number of nuances. Today we will analyze in detail the structure of the bicycle and the elements of its construction.
Frame
Like a car, a bicycle has a supporting structure on which all other elements are mounted. This design is called a frame. It is the type of frame that determines the purpose of the bicycle, and its quality affects its life.
The frame is a diamond-shaped frame, welded from the following elements:
- Front pipes (upper, lower).
- Seatpost.
- Upper feathers.
- Lower feathers.
How they connect can be seen in the illustration below.
In the modern bicycle market, you can find a huge number of frame options. They are divided into the following classes:
- Urban.
- Mountain.
- Highways.
- Sports.
- Stunt.
The difference between the types of the bicycle frame can be expressed not only in its appearance, but also in the materials of manufacture, strength characteristics, as well as weight.
Full size and folding
Bicycles can be full-size and folding. The difference between the latter is expressed by the presence of at least one joint along which the frame can be folded. Therefore, they are easier to transport in public or private transport. To put a regular bike, for example, in the luggage compartment of a passenger car, it will have to be disassembled. Folding bikes are good in terms of transportation, but they are inferior to full-size models in driving performance and reliability. As a rule, these are amateur city bicycles, which do not have high requirements for speed and strength. Folding bike "Stealth" is especially popular among amateur cyclists. In fairness, it is worth noting that it is possible to disassemble a modern bike for transportation in cars in a few minutes. The collection will take a couple of minutes more. Therefore, folding bikes are bought much less often.
Frame material
The material from which the frame is made is the most important indicator of a bicycle and determines its value. For modern bicycles, steel, aluminum and carbon frames are used.
Steel is most often used for urban bikes. The material is characterized by high strength and resistance to mechanical stress. The disadvantage of the steel frame is its weight and poor flexibility. All this badly affects the dynamics of the bike.
Aluminum is a durable, lightweight and flexible material. Aluminum frames, in comparison with steel counterparts, have better dynamics and cushioning. Their price is also higher.
Carbon is carbon fiber that is used to make expensive bicycle frames. Compared to metal counterparts, carbon frames are particularly strong, durable, impact resistant, lightweight and maneuverable.
Wheels
An important part of the bike is the wheels. They hold the frame upright and rotate the bike into motion. The wheel is pretty simple. It consists of a sleeve, a rim, a camera and a tire.
The hub is the central part of the wheel, consisting of an axle, bearings and washers. The main task of the sleeve is to set and maintain torque. At the rear hub, the internal device is more complicated than the front, as it is involved in spinning the wheel. On road models of simple design, a brake mechanism is additionally integrated into the rear hub. The structure of the rear wheel of a high-speed bicycle is characterized in that gearshift sprockets are mounted on the hub. A hidden gearshift mechanism is also placed in the planetary hubs.
Rim - a ring that is attached to the sleeve through the spokes. The geometry of the rim and the level of tension of the spokes determine the resistance of the wheel to dynamic loads and damage. The rims for the bicycle wheel are made of aluminum, and the spokes are made of light alloys. The heads for adjusting the tension of the spokes are located on the side of the rim.
The chamber (tire) is a rubber hollow product that rests on the rim and is inflated with air. A tire is superimposed on top of the camera. Thus, the only element of the chamber that contacts the “outside world” is the nipple through which the chamber is pumped with air. To prevent the tire from being damaged about the knitting needles, a rubber flipper is applied to the inside of the rim.
Tire - a shell that protects the tire from mechanical influences and creates traction of the wheel with the road. The tire consists of sides, sidewalls and a protector. Depending on the purpose of the bike, it is equipped with one of four types of tires:
- Slices and half slicks. Used on road bikes for smooth roads.
- Road. Has an average tread pattern. Suitable for both highway and dirt roads.
- Aggressive. They have a pronounced tread pattern and are intended for mountain roads.
- Hybrid. A bit more aggressive than road tires, but not as passable as mountain tires.
For the visibility of the bicycle in the dark, reflective elements are placed on the spokes - reflectors of orange or red color.
Fork
The bike is controlled through the steering unit. It consists of the following elements:
- Fork.
- Steering column.
- The removal of the steering wheel.
- Directly steering wheel.
The structure of the bicycle fork is not particularly difficult. The fork is an intermediate unit between the front wheel and the steering wheel. Using the rod, it is installed in the front glass of the frame. The steering wheel is inserted inside the forks, and the wheel is attached to it through the ears of the legs (dropouts). In order for the fork to rotate freely during a turn, a steering column is installed in the glass. It consists of: upper and lower cups, bearings, as well as retaining rings. Cups are either pressed in or screwed into the internal thread of the glass. The rings are mounted on a rod, which is firmly fixed in the steering column.
Steering wheel
The steering wheel consists of two elements: a horizontal pipe and a vertical rod (stem). Depending on the bend of the horizontal pipe, there are such types of bicycle handlebars :
- Straight.
- Curved down.
- Bent up.
- "Ram".
The extension is an intermediate part between the horizontal steering pipe and the adjusting pipe. It determines the distance between the steering wheel and the frame. The longer the takeaway, the more horizontal the position of the cyclist will be during riding. On bicycles of simple design, the take-off is not set.
Depreciation
Depreciation refers to the ability of a bicycle to dampen vibrations and soften bumps. The traditional suspension system is located in the front fork. Suspension forks come in several forms:
- Spring loaded.
- Spring-elastomeric.
- Air-oil.
- Spring-oil.
The fork stroke length, rebound speed and blocking are regulated by means of special structural elements. Forks that are not equipped with a cushioning system are called rigid. They are used for road and road models. In addition to standard depreciation, mountain bikes can be equipped with an additional rear shock absorber, which eliminates frame vibrations when driving irregularities.
Transmission
Transmission refers to the elements without which a bicycle cannot ride. The structure of this node, in comparison with others, is complex and has a large number of mechanisms. The latter include:
- Carriage.
- Leading stars.
- Connecting rods.
- Pedals.
- Chain.
- Led stars.
- Gear shifters.
- Coins.
The carriage assembly is located in the lower glass of the frame. The structure of the bicycle carriage is simple. It serves as a connecting node between the chainring and the connecting rod pair. Due to the fixed bearings on which the through axis is mounted, the carriage provides stable pedal rotation without cranking. There are two types of carriages: cartridge and open bearings.
Cranks are designed to connect the carriage with the pedals. They can be mounted on a square or spline mount. The connecting rods come complete with a front sprocket (or sprockets), which is mounted on one of them (right).
Pedals are foot supports that transmit mechanical energy through the connecting rods to the carriage. Depending on the application, the pedals are of the following types:
- Classic. Mounted on amateur bikes. The engagement of the shoes is purely due to the frictional force.
- Contact. They have special inserts for contact with bicycle shoes.
- Extreme Differ in a wide surface and inserts clamps.
- With a strap.
- Mini pedals.
Transmission rear stars are attached to the rear hub. Several back stars fall on one front. Small stars are responsible for high gears, and large stars for low.
The chain plays the role of a link between the front (leading) and rear (driven) stars. The structure of a high-speed bike is different in that it has several stars in front and behind. With the help of switches, the chain is transferred from one star to another. The switches are controlled by coins located on the steering wheel. Contact between coins and switches occurs via drive cables. Types of speed switches on a bicycle are few: coins can be lever and drum. On a bicycle with a single gear, there are no switches, and there is one star in front and rear.
The brakes
Brakes are the most important system, without which it is highly recommended not to operate the bike. The structure of the brakes can be different. There are three types of bicycle brake systems :
- Rim (they are "Vi-break" or "ticks").
- Disk.
- Drum and sleeve.
Rim brake - a device equipped with pads that clamp the wheel rim when you press the lever located on the steering wheel. "Ticks" are installed at the place of attachment of the wings (shields protecting the cyclist from litter flying from the wheels). Such brakes can be used both independently and in tandem with other types.
The disc brake is more complex. It consists of a disk (brake surface mounted on the wheel hub), caliper and drive (lever with cable). The brake pads are attached to the caliper, which clamp the disc when pressing the handle located on the steering wheel. Disc brakes are more “responsive” to pressing the lever, as their pads have a lower stroke. Such brakes can be either simple mechanical or more sophisticated - hydraulic.
Drum-brakes are a relic of the past, but are still installed on simple road bikes. The drum is located directly in the rear hub. When turning the pedals back, he spreads the pads, which, coming into contact with the working surface, stop the wheel.
Saddle
This is the simplest element, but without it you cannot imagine a bicycle. The structure of the saddle is almost identical for different types of bikes. Differences can be in shape, width, length and softness. On sports bikes, saddles are narrow, oblong and firm. And on amateur ones, such as the Stealth folding bike, for example, they are wide and soft. Some models are additionally spring-loaded from below. The saddle is mounted on the seat post, which enters the pipe of the same name and is clamped by a special mechanism. The position of the pin in the pipe determines the height of the fit.
Conclusion
As you can see, a bicycle, the structure of which we examined in detail today, is not so simple. According to the scheme described above, all bikes work. And even the most original designs of homemade bicycles differ from it only in the presence of additional elements.