Bicycle
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The '''bicycle''', '''cycle''', or '''bike''' is a [[bicycle pedal|pedal-driven]], [[human-powered transport|human-powered vehicle]] with two [[bicycle wheel|wheels]] attached to a [[bicycle frame|frame]], one behind the other.
Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide.<ref>DidYouKnow.cd. [http://www.didyouknow.cd/bicycles.htm There are about a billion or more bicycles in the world.] Retrieved [[30 July]] [[2006]].</ref> They are the principal means of transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of [[recreation]], and have been adapted for such uses as children's [[toy]]s, adult [[Physical fitness|fitness]], [[military]] and [[police]] applications, [[courier]] services, and [[bicycle racing|competitive sports]].
The basic shape and configuration of a typical bicycle has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885.<ref name="herlihy">{{cite book
| title = Bicycle: the history
| last = Herlihy
| first = David V.
| publisher = Yale University Press
| id = ISBN 0-300-10418-9
| pages = 200-250}}</ref> Many 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 bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in both the cultural and industrial realms. In its early years, bicycle construction drew on pre-existing technologies; more recently, bicycle technology has, in turn, contributed both to old and new areas.
[[Image:Brosen city bicycle.jpg|thumb|A common [[utility bicycle]]]]
[[Image:Ordinary bicycle01.jpg|thumb|A ''[[penny-farthing]]'' or ''ordinary bicycle'' photographed in the [[Škoda museum]] in the [[Czech Republic]]]]
==History==
[[Image:Bicycle evolution-en.svg|thumb|Evolution of the bicycle misplacing McCall's velocipede to 1830 instead of 1869|300px|right]]
[[Image:Draisine1817.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Drais' 1817 design made-to-measure]]
{{main|History of the bicycle}}
Several innovators contributed to the history of the bicycle by developing precursor human-powered vehicles. The documented ancestors of today's modern bicycle were known as push bikes, [[Dandy horse|Draisines]] or hobby horses. The Draisine was introduced to the public in Paris by the [[Germany|German]] [[Freiherr|Baron]] [[Karl Drais|Karl von Drais]] in 1818.<ref name="CSTM">{{cite web
| title = Canada Science and Technology Museum: Baron von Drais’ Bicycle
| year = 2006
| url = http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/cycles2.cfm| accessdate = 2006-12-23
}}</ref> Its rider 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 bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical [[Crank (mechanism)|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, made of iron and wood, developed into the "[[penny-farthing]]" (more formally an ''[[penny-farthing|ordinary bicycle]]''). It featured a tubular [[steel]] frame on which were mounted wire [[spoke]]d wheels with solid [[rubber]] tires. These bicycles were difficult to ride due to their very high seat and poor weight distribution.
The ''dwarf ordinary'' addressed some of these faults by reducing the front wheel diameter and setting the seat further back. This necessitated the addition of gearing, effected in a variety of ways, to attain sufficient speed. Having to both pedal and steer via the front wheel remained a problem. Starley's nephew, [[John Kemp Starley|J. K. Starley]], J. H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem by introducing the [[chain drive]], connecting the frame-mounted pedals to the rear wheel. These models were known as ''dwarf safeties'', or ''safety bicycles'', for their lower seat height and better weight distribution. Starley's 1885 Rover is usually described as the first recognizably modern bicycle. Soon, the ''seat tube'' was added, creating the double-triangle ''diamond frame'' of the modern bike.
[[Image:BicyclePlymouth.jpg|thumb|left|Bicycle in Plymouth, England at the start of the 20th century]]
Further innovations increased comfort and ushered in a second [[bicycle craze]], the 1890s' ''Golden Age of 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 [[Bicycle brake systems|cable-pull brakes]] were also developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders. By the turn of the century, [[cycling club]]s flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, and touring and racing became widely popular.
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.
==Uses for bicycles==
[[Image:BicyclesMilkChurnsKolkata gobeirne.jpg|thumb|right|Transporting milk churns in [[Kolkata]], [[India]].]]
{{main|Cycling}}
Bicycles have been and are employed for many uses:
[[Image:Working bicycle.jpg|thumb|left|Working bicycle in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]].]]
*Utility: [[bicycle commuting]] and [[utility cycling]]
*Work: [[mail|mail delivery]], [[paramedic]]s, [[Police bicycle|police]], and [[Delivery (commerce)|general delivery]].
*Recreation: [[bicycle touring]], [[mountain biking]], [[BMX]] and [[physical fitness]].
*Racing: [[Track cycling|track racing]], [[criterium]], [[bicycle rollers|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: [[Reconnaissance|scouting]], troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol. See [[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.
==Technical aspects==
[[Image:Half Wheeler - bike.JPG|right|thumb|A [[trailer bike|half wheeler bicycle]] at the [[Golden Gate Bridge]]]]
The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception. These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for a proliferation of specialized bicycle types.
===Types of bicycle===
{{main|list of bicycle types}}
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 bicycle]]s, [[mountain bicycle]]s, [[racing bicycle]]s, [[touring bicycle]]s, [[cruiser bicycle]]s, and [[BMX]] bicycles. Less common are [[tandem bicycle|tandems]], [[Lowrider bicycle|lowriders]], [[tall bike]]s, [[Fixed-gear bicycle|fixed gear]], [[folding bicycle|folding models]] and [[recumbent bicycle|recumbents]] (one of which was used to set the [[Hour_record#IHPVA_Hour_record|IHPVA Hour record]]).
[[Unicycle]]s, [[tricycle]]s and [[quadracycle]]s are not strictly bicycles, as they have respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often referred to informally as "bikes".
[[Image:Tuftscriterium.jpg|thumb|Bicycles leaning in a turn]]
===Dynamics===
{{main|Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics}}
A 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 bicycle itself.
A 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 bicycle.
Short-wheelbase or [[tall bike|tall 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.
===Performance===
{{main|Bicycle performance}}
[[Image:RacingBicycle-non.JPG|right|thumb|A racing [[upright bicycle]] ]]
The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms. The bicycle is the most efficient self-powered means of transportation in terms of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance.<ref>"Bicycle Technology", S.S. Wilson, [[Scientific American]], March 1973</ref> 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%.<ref>
[http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/1999/aug3099/30pedal.html "Johns Hopkins Gazette"],
[[30 August]] [[1999]]</ref><ref name="whitt">{{cite book
| title = Bicycling Science
| edition = Second edition
| last = Whitt
| first = Frank R.
| coauthors = David G. Wilson
| year = 1982
| publisher = Massachusetts Institute of Technology
| id = ISBN 0-262-23111-5
| pages = 277-300}}</ref>
In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also a most efficient means of cargo transportation.
[[Image:Corsa bacchetta.jpg|thumb|left|A [[recumbent bicycle]] ]]
A human being traveling on a 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 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 bicycle]] or [[human powered vehicle]]. On an upright bicycle, the rider's body creates about 75% of the total drag of the 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.<ref>[http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/advocacy/bike_co2.htm How Much Do Bicycles Pollute? Looking at the Carbon Dioxide Produced by Bicycles<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
===Construction and parts===
In its early years, bicycle construction drew on pre-existing technologies. More recently, bicycle technology has in turn contributed ideas in both old and new areas.
====Frame====
{{main|Bicycle frame}}
[[Image:Bicycle diagram-en.svg|thumb|250px|Diagram of a bicycle.]]
The great majority of today's bicycles have a frame with upright seating which looks much like the first chain-driven bike.<ref name="herlihy">{{cite book
| title = Bicycle: the history
| last = Herlihy
| first = David V.
| year = 2004
| publisher = Yale University Press
| id = ISBN 0-300-10418-9
| pages = 200-250}}</ref>
Such [[upright bicycle]]s almost always feature the ''diamond frame'', a [[truss]] consisting of two [[triangle]]s: 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 (bicycle part)|headset]], the set of bearings that allows the [[bicycle fork|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 [[bicycle chain|chain]], connecting the bottom bracket to the rear [[Dropout (bicycle part)|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.
[[Image:Triumph Bicycle.JPG|left|thumb|A [[Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd.|Triumph]] with a [[step-through frame]].]]
Historically, women's 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 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 bicycles continue to use this frame style, there is also a variation, the ''[[Step-through frame#Mixte|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" bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames.
Another style is the [[recumbent 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 bicycle is a [[recumbent bicycle]] but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the [[Union Cycliste Internationale]]<ref>http://www.recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com/history.html</ref>.
Historically, materials used in 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]].
====Drivetrain and gearing====
[[Image:Shimano xt rear derailleur.jpg|right|thumb|A set of rear sprockets (also known as a cassette) and a derailleur]]
{{details|bicycle gearing}}
Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over a narrow range of pedalling speeds ([[Cadence (cycling)|cadence]]), a variable [[gear ratio]] helps a cyclist to maintain an optimum pedalling speed while covering varied terrain. As a first approximation, [[utility bicycle]]s often use a [[hub gear]] with a small number (3 to 5) of widely-spaced gears, [[road bicycle]]s and [[racing bicycle]]s use [[derailleur gears]] with a moderate number (10 to 16) of closely-spaced gears, while [[mountain bike|mountain bicycles]], [[hybrid bicycle]]s, and [[touring bicycle]]s use dérailleur gears with a larger number (15 to 30) of moderately-spaced gears, often including an extremely low gear (granny gear) for climbing steep hills.
Different gears and ranges of gears are appropriate for different people and styles of cycling. Multi-speed bicycles allow gear selection to suit the circumstances, e.g. it may be comfortable to use a high gear when cycling downhill, a medium gear when cycling on a flat road, and a low gear when cycling uphill. In a lower gear every turn of the pedals leads to fewer rotations of the rear wheel. This allows the force required to move the same distance to be distributed over more pedal turns, reducing fatigue when riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. A higher gear allows a cyclist to make fewer pedal cycles to maintain a given speed, but with more effort per turn of the pedals.
The ''drivetrain'' begins with [[bicycle pedal|pedals]] which rotate the [[Crank set|cranks]], which are held in axis by the [[bottom bracket]]. Most bicycles use a chain to transmit power to the rear wheel. A relatively small number of bicycles use a shaft drive to transmit power. A very small number of bicycles (mainly [[single-speed bicycle]]s intended for short-distance commuting) use a belt drive as an oil-free way of transmitting power.
[[Image:Dsb-1.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Shaft-driven bicycle|bicycle with shaft drive]] instead of a chain]]
With a ''chain drive'' transmission, a ''chainring'' attached to a crank drives the [[bicycle chain|chain]], which in turn rotates the rear wheel via the rear [[sprocket]](s) ([[cassette (bicycle part)|cassette]] or freewheel). There are four gearing options: two-speed hub gear integrated with chain ring, up to 3 chain rings, up to 10 sprockets, hub gear built in to rear wheel (3-speed to 14-speed). The most common options are either a rear hub or multiple chain rings combined with multiple sprockets (other combinations of options are possible but less common).
With a ''shaft drive'' transmission, 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. There is some smallish loss of efficiency due to the two gear sets needed. The only gearing option with a shaft drive is to use a [[hub gear]].
====Steering and seating====
[[Image:Profile-2000-Aerobars.jpg|right|thumb|Conventional dropdown handlebars with added [[Triathlon bars|aerobars]]]]
The [[Bicycle handlebar|handlebars]] turn the [[bicycle fork|fork]] and the front wheel via the [[Stem (bike)|stem]], which rotates within the [[headset (bicycle part)|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.
[[Image:San marco selle1.jpg|thumb|left|A Selle San Marco saddle designed for women]]
[[Bicycle saddle|Saddles]] 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, 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 men.
A [[recumbent bicycle]] has a reclined [[Bicycle seat|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 bicycles may have either under-seat or over-seat [[Recumbent bicycle#Steering|steering]].
====Brakes====
{{main|Bicycle brake systems}}
[[Image:Brake.agr-edit.jpg|thumb|Linear-pull brake on rear wheel of a [[mountain bike]]]]
Modern 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 bicycles, [[tandem bicycle|tandem]]s and [[recumbent bicycle]]s.
[[Image:Scheibenbremse-magura.jpg|thumb|left|A front disc brake, mounted to the [[Bicycle fork|fork]] and hub]]
With hand-operated brakes, force is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via [[Bowden cable]]s 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 bicycles.
[[Track bicycle]]s 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 bicycles are [[Fixed-gear bicycle|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.
====Suspension====
{{main|Bicycle suspension}}
[[Image:Mountainbike.jpg|thumb|This '''[[Mountain bike|mountain bicycle]]''' features oversized tires, a full-suspension frame, two disc brakes and handlebars oriented perpendicular to the bike's axis]]
Bicycle suspension refers to the system or systems used to ''suspend'' the rider and all or part of the 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.
Bicycle suspensions are used primarily on [[mountain bicycle]]s, but are also common on [[hybrid bicycle]]s, and can even be found on some [[road bicycle]]s, as they can help deal with problematic vibration. Suspension is especially important on [[recumbent bicycle]]s, since while an upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot.
====Wheels====
{{main|Bicycle wheel}}
A 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 [[Anodizing|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|BMX bikes]].
The wheel axle fits into [[Dropout (bicycle part)|dropouts]] in the [[bicycle frame|frame]] and [[bicycle fork|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 tire|slick]]). On the opposite extreme, off-road tires are wider and thicker, and usually have a deep tread for gripping in muddy conditions.
====Accessories, repairs, and tools====
[[Image:Reiserad-beladen.jpg|right|thumb|Touring bicycle equipped with [[Bicycle lighting|head lamp]], [[bicycle pump|pump]], rear [[Luggage carrier|rack]], fenders/mud-guards, water bottles and [[Bottle cage|cages]], and numerous saddle-bags.]]
[[Image:Puncture-repaire-kit.jpg|right|thumb|Puncture repair kit with tire levers, sandpaper to clean off an area of the inner tube around the puncture, a tube of rubber solution (vulcanising fluid), round and oval patches, a metal grater and piece of chalk to make chalk powder (to dust over excess rubber solution). Kits often also include a wax crayon to mark the puncture location.]]
Some components, which are often optional accessories on sports bicycles, are standard features on [[utility bicycles]] to enhance their usefulness and comfort. [[Mudguard]]s, or [[Fender (vehicle)|fender]]s, protect the cyclist and moving parts from spray when riding through wet areas and [[chainguard]]s protect clothes from oil on the chain. [[Kick stand]]s keep a bicycle upright when parked. Front-mounted [[bicycle basket|baskets]] for carrying goods are often used. [[Luggage carrier]]s and [[pannier]]s 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 [[Bicycle pedal#Clipless pedals|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 [[cyclocomputer]]s for measuring speed and distance. Other accessories include [[bicycle lighting|lights]], reflectors, [[Bicycle lock|security lock]], mirror, water bottles and [[Bottle cage|cages]], and bell.<ref name="bicycleuniverse"> {{cite web|url=http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/accessories.html#safety |title=Safety Accessories |accessdate=2006-09-13 |last=Bluejay |first=Michael |work=Bicycle Accessories |publisher=BicycleUniverse.info}} </ref>
[[Bicycle helmet]]s 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<ref name="bicycleuniverse" /> or an item of clothing by others.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa041098.htm |title=The Essentials of Bike Clothing |accessdate=2006-09-13 |work=About Bicycling |publisher=About.com}} </ref>
Many cyclists carry ''tool kits''. These may include a tire patch kit (which, in turn, may contain any combination of a [[Bicycle pump|tire pump]] or [[Carbon dioxide|CO2]] cartridges, [[tire lever]]s, spare [[Tire#Inner_tube|tubes]], self-adhesive patches, or tube-patching material, an adhesive, a piece of sandpaper or a metal grater<!-- Note to AWB editors, this is the correct spelling of the device used to clean off a section of the tube. --> to clean off a section of the tube,<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://sheldonbrown.com/flats.html#patching
| title = Sheldon Brown: Flat tires
| accessdate = 2008-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.bikewebsite.com/bikeop.htm
| title = BikeWebSite: Bicycle Glossary - Patch kit
| accessdate = 2008-06-20}}</ref> and sometimes even a block of [[French chalk]].), [[wrench]]es, [[hex key]]s, [[screwdriver]]s, and a [[chain tool]]. There are also cycling specific [[multi-tool]]s that combine many of these implements into a single compact device. More specialized bicycle components may require more complex tools, including proprietary tools specific for a given manufacturer.
Some bicycle parts, particularly hub-based gearing systems, are complex, and many cyclists prefer to leave [[repair and maintenance|maintenance and repairs]] to professional [[bicycle mechanic]]s. In some areas it is possible to purchase road-side assistance from companies such as the [[Better World Club]]. Other cyclists maintain their own bicycles, perhaps as part of their enjoyment of the [[hobby]] of cycling or simply for economic reasons.
====Standards====
A number of formal and industry standards exist for bicycle components, to help make spare parts exchangeable:
* [[ISO 5775]] Bicycle tire and rim designations
* [[ISO 8090]] Cycles—Terminology (same as BS 6102-4)
* [[ISO 4210]] Cycles—Safety requirements for bicycles
====Parts====
For details on specific bicycle parts, see [[list of bicycle parts]] and [[:category:bicycle parts]].
<!-- *[[Bicycle brake systems]] -->
<!-- *[[Bicycle lighting]] -->
<!-- *[[Bicycle physics]] -->
==Social and historical aspects==
The bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in both the cultural and industrial realms.
===Bicycles in daily life===
[[Image:BikesInAmsterdam 2004 SeanMcClean.jpg|right|thumb|A commuting bike in [[Amsterdam]]]]
Around the turn of the 20th century, bicycles helped reduce crowding in inner-city tenements by allowing workers to [[Bicycle commuting|commute]] from more spacious dwellings in the suburbs. They also reduced dependence on horses, with all the knock-on effects this brought to society. Bicycles allowed people to travel for leisure into the country, since bicycles were three times as energy efficient as walking, and three to four times as fast. [[Image:Estacio bicing bcn.jpg|left|thumb|A [[bike-sharing]] [[Bicing|station in Barcelona]]]]
Recently, several European cities have implemented successful schemes, known as [[Community bicycle program]]s 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 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]].[[Image:Person mit fahrrad feb07.jpg|thumb|A man uses a bicycle to cargo goods in [[Ouagadougou]], Burkina Faso (2007)]]
In cities where the bicycle is not an integral part of the planned transportation system, commuters often use bicycles as elements of a [[mixed-mode commuting|mixed-mode commute]], where the bike is used to travel to and from train stations or other forms of [[rapid transit]]. [[Folding bicycles]] are useful in these scenarios, as they are less cumbersome when carried aboard.
Bicycles also offer an important mode of transport in many developing contries. Until recently, bicycles have been a staple of everyday life throughout Asian countries. They are the most frequently used method of transport for [[Bicycle commuting|commuting]] to work, school, shopping, and life in general. As a result bicycles there are almost always equipped with baskets and back seats.
<br style="clear:left;" />
===Female emancipation===
[[Image:Woman with Bicycle 1890s.jpg|thumb|Woman with bicycle, 1890s]]
The diamond-frame safety bicycle gave women unprecedented mobility, contributing to [[Emancipation of women|their emancipation]] in Western nations. As bicycles became safer and cheaper, more women had access to the personal freedom they embodied, and so the bicycle came to symbolize the [[New Woman]] of the late nineteenth century, especially in Britain and the United States.
The bicycle was recognized by nineteenth-century [[feminist]]s and [[suffragist]]s 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 Bicycle'', in which she praised the 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."
[[Image:Columbia Bicycles 1886 Advertisement.svg|left|thumb|200px|[[Columbia Bicycles]] advertisement from 1886]]
Male anger at the freedom symbolized by the New (bicycling) Woman was demonstrated when the male undergraduates of [[University of Cambridge|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.<ref>[http://www.newn.cam.ac.uk/about/about_history2.shtml Newnham College Cambridge: The History of the College<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The [[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 (clothing)|bloomers]].
===Economic implications===
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 [[Bearing (mechanical)|ball bearings]], [[washer (mechanical)|washer]]s, and [[sprocket]]s. These techniques later enabled skilled metalworkers and mechanics to develop the components used in early [[automobile]]s 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 Auto|Škoda]] also began in the bicycle business, as did the [[Wright Brothers]].<ref>
{{cite web
| title = The Wrights' bicycle shop
| year = 2007
| url = http://www.nasm.si.edu/Wrightbrothers/who/1893/shop.cfm
| accessdate = 2007-02-05
}}</ref> Alistair Craig whose company eventually emerged to become the engine manufacturers [[Ailsa Craig Engines|Ailsa Craig]] also started from manufacturing 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 bicycle (including bottom brackets, axles, etc.) In recent years, those bicycle makers have greatly changed their methods of production. Now, almost none of them produce their own frames.
[[Image:Bikeinindia.JPG|right|thumb|175px|Bike on beach in [[Goa]], [[India]] ]]
Many 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 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 bicycles has declined due to the increasing affordability of cars and motorcycles. One of the major reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bicycles in foreign markets is the lower cost of labour in China.<ref>[[The Economist]], [[15 February]] [[2003]]</ref>
===Legal requirements===
[[Image:Bicycle.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Reflectors for riding after dark]]
The 1968 [[Vienna Convention on Road Traffic]] of the [[United Nations]] considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and a person controlling a bicycle is considered a driver. The traffic codes of many countries reflect these definitions and demand that a 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 bicycle that is not in roadworthy condition.
In most [[jurisdictions]], bicycles must have functioning front and rear [[bicycle lighting|lights]] when ridden after dark. As some generator or dynamo-driven lamps only operate while moving, rear [[retroreflectors|reflectors]] are frequently also mandatory. Since a moving bicycle makes little noise, some countries insist that bicycles have a warning bell for use when approaching pedestrians, equestrians and other bicyclists.
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==See also==
{{wikibookspar||Bicycle repair}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|EN_Bicycle.ogg|2007-12-07}}
{{Portalpar|Sustainable development|Sustainable development.svg}}
* [[Cycling]] - use of bicycles
'''General'''
* [[Bicycle commuting]]
* [[Bicycle industry]] and [[List of bicycle manufacturing companies]]
* [[List of bicycle and human powered vehicle museums|Bicycle and human powered vehicle museums, list of]]
* [[Bicycle lighting]]
* [[Bicycle lock]]
* [[List of bicycle parts|Bicycle parts]]
* [[Bicycle tools]]
* [[Trampe bicycle lift]]
'''Special uses and related vehicle types'''
*[[Balance bicycle]]
*[[Beach cruiser]] - type of bicycle
*[[Bicycle trailer]]
*[[Boda-boda]]
*[[Cycle rickshaw]]
*[[Bicycle fairing|Faired bicycle]]
*[[Freight bicycle]]
*[[Bicycle infantry|Infantry bicycle]]
*[[Quadricycle]]
*[[Shaft-driven bicycle]]
*[[Tandem bicycle]]
*[[Trailer bike]]
*[[Tricycle]]
*[[Utility cycling]]
*[[Unicycle]]
*[[Velocipede]]
*[[Workbike]]
'''Other'''
* [[Human-powered transport]]
* [[List of environment topics|Environment topics, list of]]
* [[Safety standards]]
* [[Timeline of transportation technology|Transportation technology, timeline of]]
==Bicycle Brands==
For a list of bicycle manufacturers see:[[List of bicycle manufacturing companies]]
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
<!-- The following notes were found to not be in use when converting to cite.php:
*3 "The Stability of the Bicycle", David Jones, "Physics Today", April 1970: pp.34-40 (external link, below)
*4 Townsend (external link, below)
*6 "Cities for Cyclists" (external link, below)
*8 [[Effective Cycling]], John Forester
-->
==References==
* ''All About Bicycling'', Rand McNally.
<!--* ''The New Columbia Encyclopedia'' (This reference is overly broad) -->
* [[Richard Ballantine]], ''Richard's Bicycle Book'', Pan, 1975.
* Caunter C. F. ''The History and Development of Cycles'' Science Museum London 1972.
* Daniel Kirshner. ''Some nonexplanations of bicycle stability''. American Journal of Physics, 48(1), 1980. The abstract reads "In this paper we attempt to verify a nongyroscopic theory of 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 Bicycle Book'', Adams Media Corporation, 1997
* {{cite web | title=Randonneurs USA | work=PBP: Paris-Brest-Paris | url=http://www.rusa.org/pbp.html |date=March 31 | year=2005}}
*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, ''Bicycle: The History'', Yale University Press, 2004
* Frank Berto, ''The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Dérailleur Bicycle'', San Francisco: Van der Plas Publications, 2005, ISBN 1-892495-41-4.
* ''The Data Book: 100 Years of Bicycle Component and Accessory Design'', San Francisco: Van der Plas Publications, 2005, ISBN 1-892495-01-5.
* {{cite web|url=http://www.didyouknow.cd/bicycles.htm |title=Bicycle facts |accessdate=2006-07-25}}
==External links==
{{commons|Bicycle|Bicycle}}
* A range of [http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/tal/cyclefacilities/ Traffic Advisory Leaflets] produced by the [[Department for Transport|UK Department for Transport]] covering cycling.
* [http://www.OldRoads.com/ Menotomy Vintage Bicycles] - Databases of antique bicycle photos, features, price guide and research tools. Very large archives.
* [http://gotoes.org/bikestuff/index.htm The Bicycle - Worlds most efficient form of transportation] Discussion of the Bicycle and its advantages over motor vehicles
* [http://sheldonbrown.com/ Brown, Sheldon] (2005). Extensive Online [http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html Bicycle Glossary]
* Hudson, William (2003). [http://www.jimlangley.net/ride/bicyclehistorywh.html Myths and Milestones in Bicycle Evolution]. Retrieved [[March 30]] [[2005]].
* [http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/cycles.cfm A History of Bicycles and Other Cycles] at the [[Canada Science and Technology Museum]]
* Jones, David E. H. (1970). [http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~fajans/Teaching/MoreBikeFiles/JonesBikeBW.pdf The Stability of the Bicycle]. Scanned in copy for download for personal use.
* [http://www.bicyclecity.com Bicycle City]
* [http://www.ibikeu.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page The ibikeu Wiki], a wiki site intended to document everything bike.
* [http://bicycletutor.com/ The Bicycle Tutor] Learn how to fix your own bike with step-by-step video tutorials.
* [http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/awheel/awheel.html The World Awheel: Early Cycling Books at the Lilly Library]
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[[Category:Consumer goods]]
[[Category:Cycling]]
[[Category:Cycle types]]
[[Category:Human-powered vehicles]]
[[Category:Sustainable technologies]]
[[Category:Appropriate technology]]
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