Bicycle mechanics: everything you need to know on how it works
Have you ever tried riding a bike and wondered how exactly the thing works? What is the science behind it, and why is it easy to use it? How can a bike glide through the road and off-road without having too much of a hard time? Well, it is all bicycle mechanics and whatnot, and to learn more about it, it would mean to look at the parts that make up a bicycle, how they work, and their function. There are so many questions about bikes and how to properly make the most out of them that are often unexplained and unknown to a lot of people. However, most of these things are very important and that is why it is necessary to learn about them. To help you learn more about how your bike works, below are the important things you should know.
Why use a bike?
The first question that you might want to answer before anything else would be why many people use bikes and what exactly is so great about it. For instance, you can use a bike without worrying about gas prices is certainly something that you might want to consider. You get to help the Earth by reducing pollution, and you would not need to spend so much money on gasoline. It is efficient in converting the energy that you put into moving the bicycle. Saving money is certainly something that you would want to focus on considering everything that has been going on in the world. Another reason you should use a bike is that you get to keep fit. Most people would use a bike not only for its convenience but also because cycling is easily considered a good exercise for your body.
There are endless reasons why you should prefer using a bicycle over any other mode of transportation. It is said that biking is also related to happiness and brainpower. According to some studies, the benefits of biking include motivating your brain to work better. At the same time, the fresh air you get to experience when you use a bike is certainly above anything else. Doing fun things, like riding a bike, will lighten up your mood. This is also why you must learn more about how a bike works.
Energy input explained
Now that you have gone over some good reasons for using a bike, it would also be important to learn more about how and where your energy input goes. The energy you give to your bike by using your feet to move the pedals matters. To put it simply, your bike is a machine or a device that can help you increase the force that you put into it tenfolds. It converts your energy to another form so that it can move and bring you where you wanna go.
For example, you might feel that it takes more effort to bring your bike uphill versus downhill. This is because of the pull of gravity that you are going up against when you are going uphill, and this means that you will need to input more force on pedalling your bike so that it can overcome the gravitational force that is pulling you down. On the other hand, when you are going downhill, the gravitational force is helping you go down, so you get to put in the minimum amount of force but still move fast.
The mechanism of bicycle frames
An average adult would weigh around sixty to eighty kilos, and the frame of a bike should be able to withstand this weight and not buckle or snap when you ride your bike. This is why bicycle frames are made from steel or aluminum. Bikes made for racing are normally made with carbon fiber which is just as strong but lighter than your regular steel. Bicycle frames are the main framework of your bicycle as it is the one that supports your weight and evenly distributes it.
When you are looking for the best bike, you might want to consider looking at the materials that the parts of your bike are made of so that you can be sure you are going to be getting a good bike. You want frames that will help you out to pedal uphill and would make your ride a lot more comfortable. You should pick one that can absorb the shock that the bike makes when you are riding it to enjoy a smooth ride every time. Of course, there are other factors that you have to consider, but for now, you ought to focus on how to customize your frame to give you the best results.
Wheels at work
One of the things people would often ask is to explain how pumping air into a bicycle tire increases the pressure within the tire, and it might not be as complicated as you think it is. When you pump air into your tire, you put more air molecules inside of it, and as they keep colliding with each other, the pressure inside the tire increases. The science behind it is as simple as that.
Your wheels are one of the most important parts of your bike, and this is the one that is going to support your weight, so you have to consider buying something that you know can carry you. Different manufacturers will tell you how much their wheels can handle, so you need to know about it when you plan to buy one. It would also be important to keep in mind that your bike’s type of wheel matters a lot, depending on how you plan to use your bike. It would be good to understand more about the appropriate wheels for your usage when you get one.
For example, if you are often going to use your bike for off-road places, it would be best to have spikes or at least for it to be tough so that it does not easily get poked and flat. Having a flat wheel is a total headache, so you need to make sure that you figure out what the best tire for your purpose is going to be.
Bicycle gears
Your gears can make or break the way you ride a bike, which means that they can make all the difference in your bike’s performance. This is because the way you change the size of your gear, the more you should be able to figure out what works best for you. A bike can have a different number of gears ranging from 3 to 30, depending on how you plan to modify your bike to suit your plans for it. While bigger wheels ought to bring your faster to where you need to be, when you are planning to use it uphill, you might have a hard time using your bike.
Know your gears and what you need so that you can figure out what to buy in the case that you plan on making your bike from scratch. It might seem impossible for a beginner, but if you put your mind to it, you should be able to make it work the best way possible in the most favorable plan for you.
Bike handles
Now that you know about some of the different parts of your bike, it would also be necessary to learn about your handlebars. Your handlebars are leverage that you can use to make it easier to swing your bike in the direction you want it to go. There are many different types of handlebars that you can choose from, and it is up to you to figure out which works best for you. Depending on your cycling style, you might want to consider one that is quite tight, while others might prefer it to be a little farther apart from each other.
Proper gear
Now that you have learned about the basics of a bicycle and how it actually works, the next thing to do would be to figure out the proper gear that you would want to wear when you are planning to go out and use your bike. This would include your elbow caps, knee caps, and your helmet. Depending on your cycling level, you should be able to opt-out of some of them, but the essential thing that you ought to have is your helmet, as it protects your head from the most dangerous of things, such as hitting your head if you ever fall off your bike.
Learning about the different things about your bike should allow you to properly decide on what the right type of bike is for you as well as the proportions that you think will work best. Understanding how important the parts give you insight into how you want them to be customized in a way that would fit you best. These are the things that you would want to focus on the most when you plan to buy your next bicycle.