Mountain Bike Anatomy

One needs a mountain bike before you plan to go for a mountain biking. Different components of a mountain bike are as below:

The bottom bracket attaches the body of the bike to the crank set.

Brake cable is the one which would connect the lever of the brake to the brake mechanism.

Brake lever is the lever that is on the handles and activates the brakes. You have the front bake on the left side and the rear brake on the right side.

Chain is a circular set of links which transfers the power from the ring of the chain to the cogs.

Chain rings are the toothed rings which would link to the crank for holding the chain.

Crank is a lever which extends from the pedal to the bottom bracket, which transfers the power to the chain ring.

The mechanism used for shifting the chain from cog to another is Derailleur.

Down tube is the section of a frame which extends down from the bottom bracket to the stem.

Front shock is for absorbing the shock on the front fork.

Handlebar is a horizontal bar which is linked with the stem and has handgrips on both ends.

Headset is the mechanism that is on the front of the frame which links the front fork to the handlebars and the stem.

Hub is the center part of a wheel to which the spokes are attached.

The lower pulley of the rear derailleur which gives the spring tension for keeping the chain tight is Idler pulley.

Nipple is a threaded receptacle which holds the spoke’s end to the rim.

Pedal is the place to rest your foot to pedal on and this links to the crank.

The rear shock is the shock absorber on the dual suspension kind of bikes for the rear tire.

Rim is a metal ring which holds the spokes from the inside and from outside the tire.

The seat is termed as saddle.

The seat post gives support for the seat.

The metal rod which passes through the hub linking the dropouts of the frame to the wheel is the Skewer.

Spindle is a freely rotating axle which is attached the crank arms and also a part of the lower bracket.

The strong wires that link the rim to the hub is the spokes.

A part which links the steering tube to the handle bar is the stem.

The wheel hub is the center of the wheel to which the spokes are connected, this is essentially one of the important bicycle parts to bear in mind.

Read full articles about bike pedals and cycling at this web.

May 21 2009 | bikes | No Comments »

Custom Low rider Bicycle Scenario

In today’s hot and happening world, the custom low rider bicycle has acquired a special status. Everyone seems to dream of possessing this style of bicycle. Are you wondering why this has happened? Well, simply because riding this bicycle is an experience in itself. One feels a great sense of adventure and freedom while riding this bicycle. No wonder it has become almost a fashion statement to own a custom low rider bicycle.

To put the record straight, these bicycles are not a modern invention. In fact, they go as far back as the ‘The Munsters’, a television show from the 60s. The central character Eddie Munster was the initial owner of this style of bicycle and he seems to have owned a Schwinn Stingray and that too a modified version. Even though this style faded away for some time, today it has bounced back and the Eddie style lowered and elongated look for this bicycle has become a ‘symbol’ of the new century.

The defining characteristic of these low rider bicycles is style. As a result of the rising demand for these bicycles, you have a lot of options in today’s market. No one wants a low rider bicycle just like the ones owned by the others. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that people seek to express their individuality and personality by designing the low rider bicycles according to their desires.

So it is very common to see customized low rider bikes where experimentation has been done on the upholstery, and you have other special features like sound systems, rims, special whitewall tires etc. Some low rider bicycles have risen to the level of art and they are equipped with neon, murals that are hand painted, and even hydraulics and steering wheels. All of these also escalate the prices of these bicycles and people at times spend thousands of dollars on their customized low rider bicycles.

Passion for these bicycles has risen to the extent that clubs have mushroomed in many places for exchanging ideas about low rider bicycles. Riding and creating different personalized designs seems to be the main thrust of these clubs. All the members help each other in the creation process and customized bicycles that are new are displayed as and when available. Clubs in different areas also organize meetings and have fun showing off their latest bicycles.

If you are new to the low rider bicycle scenario, there is no need for you to worry. You can purchase a low end bicycle for as much as $210. If you are interested in adding other features like rims, tires, murals etc. then the cost could go up by a thousand dollars or so. There is no dearth of manufacturers for custom low rider bicycles. You have plenty of options like manufacturing a bicycle particularly for you or getting a simple low rider and enhancing it with hydraulics or murals or special bicycle parts from an expert.

May 20 2009 | bicycle | No Comments »