What do all these terms have in common? Lock spacer, head set, case bearings, locking collar, pin spacer, crank, chain stays, front derailleur, down tube, forks, fork rake, extension stem...?
They are all pieces of a bike. Many people can recognize the pedals, the saddle (seat), handlebars and wheels. But there are many, MANY, pieces to a bike, and a lot of them are hidden.
During the 2 hr Bike Well class I attended this past Tuesday evening, I learned about the inner workings of the head set and the bottom bracket. The head set, what connects the handlebars to the bike frame and front wheel has a very simple bearings system which allows it to turn smoothly while taking corners. Picture if you will, your handlebars. They have a tube between where your hands sit, this tube is hollow, and inside it is a long bolt that connects into the headset, that flat part at the front of the frame that usually has the bike's manufacture's symbol be it Giant, Bianchi, Raleigh...it's the bike's hood ornament. This bolt travels through the head set to the fork which is just what it sounds like, 2 fork-like prongs that hold the front wheel in place. Picture 2 fingers like a peace sign, now invert them, this is how the fork holds the wheel.
Now, what makes this whole system turn smoothly, is the ball bearings. Just like BB's, these are metal and need grease to travel in their case. There are a couple other parts, like locking collars that hold it all into place, but you get the idea.
I'll know more when I have to put all these pieces together for myself. For now, I was just watching Kevin, the FreeCycles volunteer describe it all as he took apart a bike.
He also disassembled the bottom bracket which is were the pedals and the crank connect to the bike. This system is very similar to the head set, as there are bearings and locking collars. Both systems need to rotate smoothly and get a lot of wear, so they need to be taken care of. It's important to make sure no sand or debris gets in there, and it happens, so that's why you take it apart occasionally to check the bearings, lube em up and make sure everything is sealed up.
This whole process was interesting to see, all those pieces which allows us to move this thing called a bike.
So, how long does it take to build a bike? Kevin felt that it would take about 5 days of 2 hrs each day to build a bike, depending on how many pieces we needed to dig for. FreeCycles has tons of pieces, all organized into sections around the shop. There are boxes of pedals, brakes, brake cables hang from the wall, next to the PVC tower of cable housing, there are tires (sorted by size) on pegs, there are walls and walls of tires, a shelving unit of cassetts and also derailleurs. It's a little overwhelming when you first walk in. Not only are there these parts in side the shop, there's a whole "bone yard" of donated bikes in various states of assembly, out in the yard surrounding the shop. But where you'll be spending most of your time is in the work space where there are racks to put your frame up onto, and all the tools you'll need for assembly. There's also a tire repair station for the final touches.
FreeCycles is a one-stop shop, you can even paint your frame when the time comes.
So, when will that time come?
The first thing you need to do is decide what you need your bike for? Mountain biking? Commuting everyday to work, or just to cruise to the market on Saturdays? Do you need a fast road bike for racing? I used to use a mountain bike for commuting to school everyday, it was heavy--but not too slow and it could handle off-road and had shocks for jumping curbs. I only took it on an actually mountain biking trail twice.
Cruisers are a popular style, I find them too big, too heavy and slow for my commuting as I"m usually in a hurry, but they're very stable for hauling groceries or holding your coffee in hand as you amble down the street. I've always lusted after the hot and fast road bike I see around town. The Scotts, Marins, Konas and other shiny, super-lightweight beauties that live only in the garage until racing time. You can literally pick them up with one finger. The Kona roadbikes are alittle more common, and folks use them for daily commuting because they're fast and durable.
Then there is the fixie trend that all the trendsters and hipsters are riding. They generally build them themselves with colorful frames and wheels, riding with their tiny U-Lock in their back pocket. Very hip, very simple, very fast.
A fixed gear means just that, you're in one gear and once you start moving the pedals keep going, there's no coasting, you're constantly pedaling. This is a little unnerving at first, but then you find a smooth, even cadence and you haul ass. Stopping is a bit of a challenge at first, you must force the pedals to stop (which can be hard on the knees). This is why you see folks in whats called a brake stand at stop lights, they're on a fixie that wants to keep going, and they're standing on the pedals and using their handlebars for balance as the stay standing until they can start pedaling. Brake stands are one of my goals, and there are fewer moving parts on a fixie, no derailleurs, no cables, no cable housing, no brakes--just pedals, crank, cassette (frame, wheels, handlebars etc) so that's what I'm going build...in 5 days. Piece of cake.
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