bike or bike or bicycle
For other uses, see bike or bike or bicycle (disambiguation).
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The bike or bike or bicycle, cycle or bike, is a pedal-driven, human-powered
vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other.
First introduced in 19th-century Europe, bike or bike or bikes or bicycles now
number approximately one billion worldwide,[1] providing the principal means of
transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation,
and have been adapted for use in many other fields of human activity, including
children's toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier
services, and cycle sports.
The basic shape and configuration of a typical bike or bike or bicycle has
hardly changed since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885,[2]
although many important details have been improved, especially since the advent
of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a
proliferation of specialized designs for particular types of cycling.
The bike or bike or bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in
both the cultural and industrial realms. In its early years, bike or bike or
bicycle construction drew on pre-existing technologies; more recently, bike or
bike or bicycle technology has, in turn, contributed both to old and new areas.
A common utility bike or bike or bicycle
A penny-farthing or ordinary bike or bike or bicycle photographed in the Škoda
museum in the Czech RepublicContents [hide]
1 History
2 Uses for bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
3 Technical aspects
3.1 Types of bike or bike or bicycle
3.2 Dynamics
3.3 Performance
3.4 Construction and parts
3.4.1 Frame
3.4.2 Drivetrain
3.4.3 Steering and seating
3.4.4 Brakes
3.4.5 Suspension
3.4.6 Wheels
3.4.7 Accessories, repairs, and tools
3.4.8 Standards
3.4.9 Parts
4 Social and historical aspects
4.1 bike or bike or bikes or bicycles in daily life
4.2 Female emancipation
4.3 Economic implications
4.4 Legal requirements
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links
cycle History
Evolution of the bike or bike or bicycle misplacing McCall's velocipede to 1830
instead of 1869
Drais' 1817 design made-to-measureMain article: History of the bike or bike or
bicycle
Several innovators contributed to the history of the bike or bike or bicycle by
developing precursor human-powered vehicles. The documented ancestors of today's
modern bike or bike or bicycle were known as push bikes, Draisines or hobby
horses. To use the Draisine, first introduced to the public in Paris by the
German Baron Karl von Drais in 1818,[3] the operator sat astride a wooden frame
supported by two in-line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his/her feet
while steering the front wheel.
In the early 1860s, Frenchmen Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement took bike or
bike or bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical crank drive
with pedals on an enlarged front wheel. Several why-not-the-rear-wheel
inventions followed, the best known being the rod-driven velocipede by Scotsman
Thomas McCall in 1869. The French creation, wrought of iron and wood, developed
into the "penny-farthing" (more formally an ordinary bike or bike or bicycle),
featuring a tubular steel frame on which were mounted wire spoked wheels with
solid rubber tires. These bike or bike or bikes or bicycles were not, however,
for the faint hearted, due to the very high seat and poor weight distribution.
The subsequent dwarf ordinary addressed some of these faults by reducing the
front wheel diameter and setting the seat further back, necessitating the
addition of gearing, effected in a variety of ways, to attain sufficient speed.
However, having to both pedal and steer via the front wheel remained a problem.
Starley's nephew, J. K. Starley, J. H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem
by introducing the chain drive connecting the pedals held with the frame to the
back wheel. These models were known as dwarf safeties, or safety bike or bike or
bikes or bicycles, for their lower seat height and better weight distribution.
Starley's 1885 Rover is usually described as the first recognizably modern bike
or bike or bicycle. Soon, the seat tube was added, creating the double-triangle
diamond frame of the modern bike.
bike or bike or bicycle in Plymouth at the start of the 20th centuryNew
innovations increased comfort, and ushered in a second bike or bike or bicycle
craze, the 1890s' Golden Age of bike or bike or bikes or bicycles. In 1888,
Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop introduced the pneumatic tire, which soon became
universal. Soon after, the rear freewheel was developed, enabling the rider to
coast. This refinement led to the 1898 invention of coaster brakes. Derailleur
gears and hand-operated cable-pull brakes were also developed during these
years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders. By the turn of the
century, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, and touring and
racing were soon extremely popular.
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of
private transportation just prior to the automobile, and the grading of smooth
roads in the late 19th century was stimulated by the wide use of these devices.
cycle Uses for bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
Transporting milk churns in Kolkata, India.Main article: Cycling
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles have been and are employed for many uses:
Utility: bike or bike or bicycle commuting and utility cycling
Work: mail delivery, paramedics, police, and general delivery.
Recreation: bike or bike or bicycle touring, mountain biking, BMX and physical
fitness.
Racing: track racing, criterium, roller racing and time trial to multi-stage
events like the Tour of California, Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France, the
Vuelta a España, the Volta a Portugal, among others.
Military: scouting, troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol. See bike
or bike or bicycle infantry.
Show: entertainment and performance, e.g. circus clowns
Cycling has many health benefits and does not directly contribute to global
warming or environmental pollution.
cycle Technical aspects
A half wheeler bike or bike or bicycle at the Golden Gate BridgeSince the first
bike or bike or bicycle, many important details have been improved, especially
with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have
allowed for a proliferation of specialized bike or bike or bicycle types.
cycle Types of bike or bike or bicycle
Main article: list of bike or bike or bicycle types
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles can be categorized in different ways: e.g. by
function, by number of riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means
of propulsion. The more common types include utility bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles, mountain bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, racing bike or bike or
bikes or bicycles, touring bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, cruiser bike or
bike or bikes or bicycles, and BMX bike or bike or bikes or bicycles. Less
common are tandems, lowriders, tall bikes, fixed gear, folding models and
recumbents (one of which was used to set the IHPVA Hour record).
Unicycles, tricycles and quadracycles are not strictly bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles, as they have respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often
referred to informally as "bikes".
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles leaning in a turn
cycle Dynamics
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle and motorcycle dynamics
A bike or bike or bicycle stays upright by being steered so as to keep its
center of gravity over its wheels. This steering is usually provided by the
rider, but under certain conditions may be provided by the bike or bike or
bicycle itself.
A bike or bike or bicycle must lean in order to turn. This lean is induced by a
method known as countersteering, which can be performed by the rider turning the
handlebars directly with the hands or indirectly by leaning the bike or bike or
bicycle.
Short-wheelbase or tall bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, when braking, can
generate enough stopping force at the front wheel in order to flip
longitudinally. This action, especially if performed on purpose, is known as a
stoppie, endo or front wheelie.
cycle Performance
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle performance
A racing upright bike or bike or bicycleIn both biological and mechanical terms,
the bike or bike or bicycle is extraordinarily efficient. In terms of the amount
of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance, investigators have
calculated it to be the most efficient self-powered means of transportation.[4]
From a mechanical viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into
the pedals is transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms
may reduce this by 10-15%.[5][6] In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bike or
bike or bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also a most efficient means of
cargo transportation.
A recumbent bike or bike or bicycleA human being traveling on a bike or bike or
bicycle at low to medium speeds of around 10-15 mph (15-25 km/h), using only the
energy required to walk, is the most energy-efficient means of transport
generally available. Air drag, which is proportional to the square of speed,
requires dramatically higher power outputs as speeds increase. A bike or bike or
bicycle which places the rider in a seated position, supine position or, more
rarely, prone position, and which may be covered in an aerodynamic fairing to
achieve very low air drag, is referred to as a recumbent bike or bike or bicycle
or human powered vehicle. On an upright bike or bike or bicycle, the rider's
body creates about 75% of the total drag of the bike or bike or bicycle/rider
combination.
In addition, the carbon dioxide generated in the production and transportation
of the food required by the bicyclist, per mile traveled, is less than 1/10th
that generated by energy efficient cars.[7]
cycle Construction and parts
In its early years, bike or bike or bicycle construction drew on pre-existing
technologies; more recently, bike or bike or bicycle technology has, in turn,
contributed ideas in both old and new areas.
cycle Frame
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle frame
Diagram of a bike or bike or bicycle.The great majority of today's bike or bike
or bikes or bicycles have a frame with upright seating which looks much like the
first chain-driven bike.[2] Such upright bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
almost always feature the diamond frame, a truss consisting of two triangles:
the front triangle and the rear triangle. The front triangle consists of the
head tube, top tube, down tube and seat tube. The head tube contains the
headset, the set of bearings that allows the fork to turn smoothly for steering
and balance. The top tube connects the head tube to the seat tube at the top,
and the down tube connects the head tube to the bottom bracket. The rear
triangle consists of the seat tube and paired chain stays and seat stays. The
chain stays run parallel to the chain, connecting the bottom bracket to the rear
dropouts. The seat stays connect the top of the seat tube (at or near the same
point as the top tube) to the rear dropouts.
A Triumph with a step-through frame.Historically, women's bike or bike or
bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube
instead of the top, resulting in a lower standover height at the expense of
compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the
seat tube, and bike or bike or bicycle frame members are typically weak in
bending. This design, referred to as a step-through frame, allows the rider to
mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress. While some
women's bike or bike or bikes or bicycles continue to use this frame style,
there is also a variation, the mixte, which splits the top tube into two small
top tubes that bypass the seat tube and connect to the rear dropouts. The ease
of stepping through is also appreciated by those with limited flexibility or
other joint problems. Because of its persistent image as a "women's" bike or
bike or bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames.
A more recent development is the recumbent bike or bike or bicycle. These are
inherently more aerodynamic than upright versions, as the rider may lean back
onto a support and operate pedals that are on about the same level as the seat.
The world's fastest bike or bike or bicycle is a recumbent bike or bike or
bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the Union Cycliste
Internationale[1].
Historically, materials used in bike or bike or bikes or bicycles have followed
a similar pattern as in aircraft, the goal being high strength and low weight.
Since the late 1930s alloy steels have been used for frame and fork tubes in
higher quality machines. Celluloid found application in mudguards, and aluminum
alloys are increasingly used in components such as handlebars, seat post, and
brake levers. In the 1980s aluminum alloy frames became popular, and their
affordability now makes them common. More expensive carbon fiber and titanium
frames are now also available, as well as advanced steel alloys and even bamboo.
cycle Drivetrain
A set of rear sprockets and a derailleurFor more details on this topic, see bike
or bike or bicycle gearing.
Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over a narrow range of cadences, a
variable gear ratio is helpful to maintain an optimum pedalling speed while
covering varied terrain.
The drivetrain begins with pedals which rotate the crank arms, which are held in
axis by the bottom bracket. On a bike or bike or bicycle with shaft drive, a
gear set at the bottom bracket turns the shaft, which then turns the rear wheel
via a gear set connected to the wheel's hub. The rear hub may provide several
different gear ratios.
On a bike or bike or bicycle with chain drive, a crank arm may have one or more
chainrings or sprockets attached. A chainring drives the chain, which in turn
rotates the rear wheel via the rear sprockets (cassette or freewheel). A gearing
system is used to vary the number of rear wheel revolutions produced by each
turn of the pedals.
A bike or bike or bicycle with shaft drive instead of a chainWhen the bike or
bike or bicycle chain shifts to a larger rear sprocket, or to a smaller front
sprocket (a lower gear) every turn of the pedal leads to fewer rotations in the
freewheel (and hence the rear wheel). This allows the force required to move the
same distance to be distributed over more pedal cycles, reducing fatigue when
riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. The reverse process
allows the cyclist to make fewer pedal cycles to maintain a higher speed, but
with more effort per cycle.
Road bike or bike or bikes or bicycles have close set multi-step gearing, which
allows fine control of cadence, while utility bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
offer fewer, more widely spaced speeds. Mountain bikes, touring bikes and many
entry-level racing bike or bike or bikes or bicycles offer an extremely low gear
to facilitate climbing slowly on steep hills. Single-speed bike or bike or bikes
or bicycles have only one gear.
cycle Steering and seating
Conventional dropdown handlebars with added aerobarsThe handlebars turn the fork
and the front wheel via the stem, which rotates within the headset. Three styles
of handlebar are common. Upright handlebars, the norm in Europe and elsewhere
until the 1970s, curve gently back toward the rider, offering a natural grip and
comfortable upright position. Drop handlebars are "dropped", offering the
cyclist either an aerodynamic "crouched" position or a more upright posture in
which the hands grip the brake lever mounts. Mountain bikes feature a straight
handlebar which can provide better low-speed handling due to the wider nature of
the bars.
A Selle San Marco saddle designed for womenSaddles also vary with rider
preference, from the cushioned ones favored by short-distance riders to narrower
saddles which allow more room for leg swings. Comfort depends on riding
position. With comfort bikes and hybrids the cyclist sits high over the seat,
their weight directed down onto the saddle, such that a wider and more cushioned
saddle is preferable. For racing bikes where the rider is bent over, weight is
more evenly distributed between the handlebars and saddle, and the hips are
flexed, and a narrower and harder saddle is more efficient. Differing saddle
designs exist for male and female cyclists, accommodating the genders' differing
anatomies, although bikes typically are sold with saddles most appropriate for
males.
A recumbent bike or bike or bicycle has a reclined chair-like seat that some
riders find more comfortable than a saddle, especially riders who suffer from
certain types of seat, back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain. Recumbent bike or
bike or bikes or bicycles may have either under-seat or over-seat steering.
cycle Brakes
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle brake systems
Linear-pull brake on rear wheel of a mountain bikeModern bike or bike or bicycle
brakes are either rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the
wheel rims, internal hub brakes, in which the friction pads are contained within
the wheel hubs, or disc brakes. Disc brakes are common on off-road bike or bike
or bikes or bicycles, tandems and recumbent bike or bike or bikes or bicycles.
A front disc brake, mounted to the fork and hubWith hand-operated brakes, force
is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via Bowden
cables or hydraulic lines to the friction pads. A rear hub brake may be either
hand-operated or pedal-actuated, as in the back pedal coaster brakes which were
popular in North America until the 1960s, and are still common in children's
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles.
Track bike or bike or bikes or bicycles do not have brakes. Brakes are not
required for riding on a track because all riders ride in the same direction
around a track which does not necessitate sharp deceleration. Track riders are
still able to slow down because all track bike or bike or bikes or bicycles are
fixed-gear, meaning that there is no freewheel. Without a freewheel, coasting is
impossible, so when the rear wheel is moving, the crank is moving. To slow down
one may apply resistance to the pedals.
cycle Suspension
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle suspension
This mountain bike or bike or bicycle features oversized tires, a
full-suspension frame, two disc brakes and handlebars oriented perpendicular to
the bike's axisbike or bike or bicycle suspension refers to the system or
systems used to suspend the rider and all or part of the bike or bike or
bicycle. This serves two purposes:
To keep the wheels in continuous contact with rough surfaces in order to improve
control.
To isolate the rider and luggage from jarring due to rough surfaces.
bike or bike or bicycle suspensions are used primarily on mountain bike or bike
or bikes or bicycles, but are also common on hybrid bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles, and can even be found on some road bike or bike or bikes or bicycles,
as they can help deal with problematic vibration. Suspension is especially
important on recumbent bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, since while an upright
bike or bike or bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the
benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot.
cycle Wheels
Main article: bike or bike or bicycle wheel
A bike or bike or bicycle wheel is almost always built up from a hub, rim, and
spokes, and fitted with rubber pneumatic tires.
Spokes are steel or stainless steel, and can be replaced if broken. Hubs and
rims can be aluminum or steel, but steel wheels are becoming rare in most
countries. Aluminum rims are lighter and give much better braking in wet
conditions. Typically they are anodized except for the braking surfaces. With
disc brakes, the whole rim can be anodized, usually in black or silver. Wheels
may also be cast or molded in one piece from aluminum alloy, plastic, and carbon
fiber for various specialty bikes; plastic, for example, was once favored for
BMX bikes.
The wheel axle fits into dropouts in the frame and forks. A pair of wheels may
be called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready-built "off the shelf",
performance-oriented wheels.
Tires vary enormously. Skinny, road-racing tires may be completely smooth, or
(slick). On the opposite extreme, off-road tires are wider and thicker, and
usually have a deep tread for gripping in muddy conditions.
cycle Accessories, repairs, and tools
Touring bike or bike or bicycle equipped with head lamp, pump, rear rack,
fenders/mud-guards, water bottles and cages, and numerous saddle-bags.
Patch kit with tire levers, a tube of glue, a metal grater to clean off an area
of the tube around the puncture, round and oval patches, a piece of chalk to
mark the puncture location, and a tire boot.Some components, which are often
optional accessories on sports bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, are standard
features on utility bike or bike or bikes or bicycles to enhance their
usefulness and comfort. Mudguards, or fenders, protect the cyclist and moving
parts from spray when riding through wet areas and chainguards protect clothes
from oil on the chain. Kick stands keep a bike or bike or bicycle upright when
parked. Front-mounted baskets for carrying goods are often used. Luggage
carriers and panniers can be used to carry equipment or cargo. Parents sometimes
add rear-mounted child seats and/or an auxiliary saddle fitted to the crossbar
to transport children.
Toe-clips and toestraps and clipless pedals help to keep the foot planted firmly
in the proper position on the pedals, and enable the cyclist to pull as well as
push the pedals. Technical accessories include cyclocomputers for measuring
speed and distance. Other accessories include lights, reflectors, security lock,
mirror, water bottles and cages, and bell.[8]
bike or bike or bicycle helmets may help reduce injury in the event of a
collision or accident, and a certified helmet is legally required for some
riders in some jurisdictions. Helmets are classified as an accessory[8] or an
item of clothing by others.[9]
Many cyclists carry tool kits. These may include a tire patch kit (which, in
turn, may contain any combination of a tire pump or CO2 cartridges, tire levers,
spare tubes, self-adhesive patches, or tube-patching material, an adhesive, a
piece of sandpaper or a metal grater to clean off a section of the tube,[10] and
sometimes even a block of French chalk.), wrenches, hex keys, screwdrivers, and
a chain tool. There are also cycling specific multi-tools that combine many of
these implements into a single compact device. More specialized bike or bike or
bicycle components may require more complex tools, including proprietary tools
specific for a given manufacturer.
Some bike or bike or bicycle parts, particularly hub-based gearing systems, are
complex, and many cyclists prefer to leave maintenance and repairs to
professional bike or bike or bicycle mechanics. In some areas it is possible to
purchase road-side assistance from companies such as the Better World Club.
Other cyclists maintain their own bike or bike or bikes or bicycles, perhaps as
part of their enjoyment of the hobby of cycling or simply for economic reasons.
cycle Standards
A number of formal and industry standards exist for bike or bike or bicycle
components, to help make spare parts exchangeable:
ISO 5775 bike or bike or bicycle tire and rim designations
ISO 8090 Cycles—Terminology (same as BS 6102-4)
ISO 4210 Cycles—Safety requirements for bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
cycle Parts
For details on specific bike or bike or bicycle parts, see list of bike or bike
or bicycle parts and category:bike or bike or bicycle parts.
cycle Social and historical aspects
The bike or bike or bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in
both the cultural and industrial realms.
cycle bike or bike or bikes or bicycles in daily life
A commuting bike in Amsterdam Around the turn of the 20th century, bike or bike
or bikes or bicycles helped reduce crowding in inner-city tenements by allowing
workers to commute from more spacious dwellings in the suburbs. They also
reduced dependence on horses, with all the knock-on effects this brought to
society. bike or bike or bikes or bicycles allowed people to travel for leisure
into the country, since bike or bike or bikes or bicycles were three times as
energy efficient as walking, and three to four times as fast.
A bike-sharing station in Barcelona Recently, several European cities have
implemented successful schemes, known as Community bike or bike or bicycle
programs or bike-sharing schemes. These initiatives are designed to complement a
city's public transport system and offer an alternative to motorized traffic to
help reduce congestion and pollution. Users can take a bike or bike or bicycle
at a parking station, use it for a limited amount of time, and then return it to
the same, or a different, station. Examples of such schemes are Bicing in
Barcelona, Vélo'v in Lyon and Vélib' in Paris.
A man uses a bike or bike or bicycle to cargo goods in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
(2007)In cities where the bike or bike or bicycle is not an integral part of the
planned transportation system, commuters often use bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles as elements of a mixed-mode commute, where the bike is used to travel
to and from train stations or other forms of rapid transit. Folding bike or bike
or bikes or bicycles are useful in these scenarios, as they are less cumbersome
when carried aboard.
bike or bike or bikes or bicycles also offer an important mode of transport in
many developing contries. Until recently, bike or bike or bikes or bicycles have
been a staple of everyday life throughout Asian countries. They are the most
frequently used method of transport for commuting to work, school, shopping, and
life in general. As a result bike or bike or bikes or bicycles there are almost
always equipped with baskets and back seats.
cycle Female emancipation
Woman with bike or bike or bicycle, 1890sThe diamond-frame safety bike or bike
or bicycle gave women unprecedented mobility, contributing to their emancipation
in Western nations. As bike or bike or bikes or bicycles became safer and
cheaper, more women had access to the personal freedom they embodied, and so the
bike or bike or bicycle came to symbolize the New Woman of the late nineteenth
century, especially in Britain and the United States.
The bike or bike or bicycle was recognized by nineteenth-century feminists and
suffragists as a "freedom machine" for women. American Susan B. Anthony said in
a New York World interview on February 2, 1896: "Let me tell you what I think of
bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in
the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and
rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free,
untrammeled womanhood." In 1895 Frances Willard, the tightly-laced president of
the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, wrote a book called How I Learned to
Ride the bike or bike or bicycle, in which she praised the bike or bike or
bicycle she learned to ride late in life, and which she named "Gladys", for its
"gladdening effect" on her health and political optimism. Willard used a cycling
metaphor to urge other suffragists to action, proclaiming, "I would not waste my
life in friction when it could be turned into momentum."
Columbia bike or bike or bikes or bicycles advertisement from 1886 Male anger at
the freedom symbolized by the New (bicycling) Woman was demonstrated when the
male undergraduates of Cambridge University showed their opposition to the
admission of women as full members of the university by hanging a woman
bicyclist in effigy in the main town square. This was as late as 1897.[11] The
bike or bike or bicycle craze in the 1890s also led to a movement for so-called
rational dress, which helped liberate women from corsets and ankle-length skirts
and other restrictive garments, substituting the then-shocking bloomers.
cycle Economic implications
bike or bike or bicycle manufacturing proved to be a training ground for other
industries and led to the development of advanced metalworking techniques, both
for the frames themselves and for special components such as ball bearings,
washers, and sprockets. These techniques later enabled skilled metalworkers and
mechanics to develop the components used in early automobiles and aircraft. J.
K. Starley's company became the Rover Cycle Company Ltd. in the late 1890s, and
then simply the Rover Company when it started making cars. The Morris Motor
Company (in Oxford) and Škoda also began in the bike or bike or bicycle
business, as did the Wright Brothers.[12] Alistair Craig whose company
eventually emerged to become the engine manufacturers Ailsa Craig also started
from manufacturing bike or bike or bikes or bicycles in Glasgow in March 1885.
In general, U.S. and European cycle manufacturers used to assemble cycles from
their own frames and components made by other companies, although very large
companies (such as Raleigh) used to make almost every part of a bike or bike or
bicycle (including bottom brackets, axles, etc.) In recent years, those bike or
bike or bicycle makers have greatly changed their methods of production. Now,
almost none of them produce their own frames.
Bike on beach in Goa, IndiaMany newer or smaller companies only design and
market their products; the actual production is done by Asian companies. For
example, some sixty percent of the world's bike or bike or bikes or bicycles are
now being made in China. Despite this shift in production, as nations such as
China and India become more wealthy, their own use of bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles has declined due to the increasing affordability of cars and
motorcycles. One of the major reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bike
or bike or bikes or bicycles in foreign markets is the lower cost of labour in
China.[13]
cycle Legal requirements
Reflectors for riding after darkThe 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of
the United Nations considers a bike or bike or bicycle to be a vehicle, and a
person controlling a bike or bike or bicycle is considered a driver. The traffic
codes of many countries reflect these definitions and demand that a bike or bike
or bicycle satisfy certain legal requirements, sometimes even including
licensing, before it can be used on public roads. In many jurisdictions it is an
offence to use a bike or bike or bicycle that is not in roadworthy condition.
In most jurisdictions, bike or bike or bikes or bicycles must have functioning
front and rear lights when ridden after dark. As some generator or dynamo-driven
lamps only operate while moving, rear reflectors are frequently also mandatory.
Since a moving bike or bike or bicycle makes little noise, some countries insist
that bike or bike or bikes or bicycles have a warning bell for use when
approaching pedestrians, equestrians and other bicyclists.
cycle See also
Wikibooks' [[wikibooks:|]] has more about this subject:
bike or bike or bicycle repairListen to this article (info/dl)
This audio file was created from a revision dated 2007-12-07, and does not
reflect subsequent edits to the article. (Audio help)
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bike or bike or bicycle lock
bike or bike or bicycle parts
bike or bike or bicycle tools
Trampe bike or bike or bicycle lift
Special uses and related vehicle types
Balance bike or bike or bicycle
Beach cruiser - type of bike or bike or bicycle
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Tandem bike or bike or bicycle
Trailer bike
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cycle Notes
^ DidYouKnow.cd. There are about a billion or more bike or bike or bikes or
bicycles in the world. Retrieved 30 July 2006.
^ a b Herlihy, David V. (2004). bike or bike or bicycle: the history. Yale
University Press, 200-250. ISBN 0-300-10418-9.
^ Canada Science and Technology Museum: Baron von Drais’ bike or bike or bicycle
(2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-23.
^ "bike or bike or bicycle Technology", S.S. Wilson, Scientific American, March
1973
^ "Johns Hopkins Gazette", 30 August 1999
^ Whitt, Frank R.; David G. Wilson (1982). Bicycling Science, Second edition,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 277-300. ISBN 0-262-23111-5.
^ How Much Do bike or bike or bikes or bicycles Pollute? Looking at the Carbon
Dioxide Produced by bike or bike or bikes or bicycles
^ a b Bluejay, Michael. Safety Accessories. bike or bike or bicycle Accessories.
bike or bike or bicycleUniverse.info. Retrieved on 2006-09-13.
^ The Essentials of Bike Clothing. About Bicycling. About.com. Retrieved on
2006-09-13.
^ Sheldon Brown: Flat tires. Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
^ Newnham College Cambridge: The History of the College
^ The Wrights' bike or bike or bicycle shop (2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ The Economist, 15 February 2003
cycle References
All About Bicycling, Rand McNally.
Richard Ballantine, Richard's bike or bike or bicycle Book, Pan, 1975.
Caunter C. F. The History and Development of Cycles Science Museum London 1972.
Daniel Kirshner. Some nonexplanations of bike or bike or bicycle stability.
American Journal of Physics, 48(1), 1980. The abstract reads "In this paper we
attempt to verify a nongyroscopic theory of bike or bike or bicycle stability,
and fail".
David B. Perry, Bike Cult: the Ultimate Guide to Human-powered Vehicles, Four
Walls Eight Windows, 1995.
Roni Sarig, The Everything bike or bike or bicycle Book, Adams Media
Corporation, 1997
Randonneurs USA. PBP: Paris-Brest-Paris (March 31).
US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. "America's
Highways 1776-1976", pp. 42-43. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office.
David Gordon Wilson, Bicycling Science, MIT press, ISBN 0-262-73154-1
David V. Herlihy, bike or bike or bicycle: The History, Yale University Press,
2004
Frank Berto, The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Dérailleur bike
or bike or bicycle, San Francisco: Van der Plas Publications, 2005, ISBN
1-892495-41-4.
The Data Book: 100 Years of bike or bike or bicycle Component and Accessory
Design, San Francisco: Van der Plas Publications, 2005, ISBN 1-892495-01-5.
bike or bike or bicycle facts. Retrieved on 2006-07-25.
cycle External links
bike or bike or bicycleA range of Traffic Advisory Leaflets produced by the UK
Department for Transport covering cycling.
Menotomy Vintage bike or bike or bikes or bicycles - Databases of antique bike
or bike or bicycle photos, features, price guide and research tools. Very large
archives.
The bike or bike or bicycle - Worlds most efficient form of transportation
Discussion of the bike or bike or bicycle and its advantages over motor vehicles
Brown, Sheldon (2005). Extensive Online bike or bike or bicycle Glossary
Hudson, William (2003). Myths and Milestones in bike or bike or bicycle
Evolution. Retrieved March 30, 2005.
A History of bike or bike or bikes or bicycles and Other Cycles at the Canada
Science and Technology Museum
Jones, David E. H. (1970). The Stability of the bike or bike or bicycle. Scanned
in copy for download for personal use.
bike or bike or bicycle City
The ibikeu Wiki, a wiki site intended to document everything bike.
The bike or bike or bicycle Tutor Learn how to fix your own bike with
step-by-step video tutorials.
The World Awheel: Early Cycling Books at the Lilly Library