All About Road Bikes

Technology related to road bike manufacturing has developed greatly in decades. Designs of road bikes however have still remained the same. In the ancient times the wooden hobby horse was used. The rider had to push the frame with his feet then. Things have changed drastically now, but still some of the basics remain the same. The two wheels and the basic frame are still in existence.

Frames and wheels for road bikes:

Materials used for the making of road bike frames have changed, but the basic frame design remains almost the same. The only thing available in the olden days was wood and later, steel started being used. Materials used for making frames gradually started becoming lighter. Nowadays lighter materials like carbon fiber and titanium are being used out of which carbon seems to be the most popular material. Carbon is expensive as compared to the other materials used but it is strong and light.

Earlier, the wheels of road bikes were made of steel, but later on alloys were used. Nowadays alloy parts with carbon rims are being used and it seems like they are going to be around for a long time. Besides the wheels the other parts of the road bicycle also were made in steel but now you find them in titanium and carbon.

Chains, gears and pedals:

In the beginning when the pedals and cranks were invented, they were connected to the front wheel. Depending upon the size of the wheel the size of the gear too was determined. The chain was invented next allowing you to have the same sized wheels as well. The size of the gear depended on the number of teeth on the sprockets of the back wheel and the number of teeth on the chain wheel at the pedal. The invention of gears meant that you could pedal up and down the hills safely.

Earlier there was just one sprocket on either side of the rear wheel. The rider had to stop and then turn the wheel around to change gear. It was because of the gears that things gradually started changing. You could now start changing gears while on the move! Initially there were just three gears, but now bikers use twenty to thirty gears, which depend on the type of chain you have set. Things have come a long way for these bikes and human ingenuity is by far at its best today.

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Tags: cycling, road bicycles, road bikes reviews

April 24 2010 | cycling | No Comments »

Review Schwinn 7-Speed Loop Folding Bicycle

What a fun small bicycle this is! Schwinn Loop folds easily; they were really creative about the position of everything when folded. It’s really robust. My range on it is around ten miles round travel. That is about as far as I am willing to go. The seat is flexible and it gets up hills easily. Break system (once adjusted) work really good. It rides really smoothly; the gear mechanism is working perfect. Really maneuverable. The seat it comes with is of super solid quality as well as the handlebars. It comes with a carrying bag.

It folds and unfolds quickly with a little practice and it look amazingly attractive. The box came a little bit damaged from shipping but the bike itself was padded and secured in all the right places and emerged pristine and required only small tuning and some more air in the tires. The bike was unpacked and set up in about 15 min. I would recommend this little wonderful bike to anyone.

If you do not have a big budget this is the bike to go. You can visit the local bike shop to make some adjustment, but general it’s a great bike. I ride it to the gym about five times a week. Not too far, but it does the job. The price is really good for the bike. It has a seven speeds. Very easy to fold and I really like the design. It does not ride like a toy, very sturdy and fits perfectly in my trunk.

Easy to get on and off. People are always asking me about it. I think Schwinn should be proud of this. Weighs is about 28 lbs. Did need some gear adjustments when it arrived. I find the 20″ wheels easier to balance on than other folding bikes with smaller wheels. Schwinn Loop, is light weight and easy to lift in and out of the car. I did put a wider more comfortable saddle on it but that is the only change I have needed to make. It’s a great traveler. Nice!

I really like the design of this bicycle. Very good deal for the money. The locks on the chassis and handlebars are hardy, and the bike rides very well for the size. There is just one drawback, the height of the handlebars are a little bit hard to be adjusted, but it is not a big deal. It is perfect for city shopping and upstairs flat living. I would buy Schwinn Loop bicycle over again

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Tags: 7-speed, bike, bikes, city, folding, fun, light, loop, Review, Schwinn, shopping, sport

April 21 2010 | bikes | No Comments »