Bicycles are a great way to maintain your exercise routine and keep yourself active. A bike is both a fun way to exercise and a means of transportation. It’s important for you to know how to maintain your cycle so that it rides smoothly.
Bike maintenance takes relatively little time and can make your bike last a lot longer. The following bike parts are some of the most important, so it’s good to know what they do:
Frame
The frame of your bike holds all the other bike parts together as one unit. The bike frame also protects the bike parts, making them less susceptible to damage from potential falls or bike crashes.
Forks
The bike forks are attached to the bike’s front wheel and hold the handlebars in place. When shopping for bike forks, you should make sure that they match up with your bike’s size; a good bike shop will be able to help you find bike forks that fit your bike properly.
Handlebars
The bike handlebars are attached to the bike’s front wheel and allow you to steer the bike. There are different types of bike handlebar designs, including straight, level, rise and drop bars. You should choose bike handlebars that feel most comfortable to you.
Handlebar Grips
The bike handlebars can get slippery when your hands are wet, so bike handlebar grips will keep you from losing control of the bike. You can choose a bike handlebar grip that feels best for you and make adjustments as necessary.
Saddle
The bike saddle is where you’ll be sitting on while riding your bike. You can choose bike saddles that are more comfortable for you.
Seat Tube
The bike seat tube is the bike part that connects the bike frame to the bike seat.
Seat Post
The bike seat post holds your bike’s saddle securely in place and allows for quick adjustment of the saddle height to suit your body type.
Pedals
The bike pedals are attached to the bike’s crank and allow you to push off from the bike’s seat and keep pedaling. The bike pedal types available include platform, clipless and toe clip bike pedals. You should choose bike pedals based on your cycling skill level.
Crank
The bike crank is the bike part that allows you to move the bike pedals. The bike crank can be adjusted according to your size and bike riding skill level.
Cassette & Cog Set
The bike cassette and cog set are bike parts that allow for different sized bike chain links to be used. You can change the bike’s cog/sprocket size to fit your bike tire size.
Tires & Tubes
The bike tires and bike tubes are the bike parts that come in contact with the ground, allowing for bike movement. The bike tire size should match your bike rims properly.
Rims
The bike rim holds the bike wheel tight with no air leaks when properly attached to your bike frame. Bike rims also hold bike tires in place when properly clamped.
Hubs & Skewers
The bike hub and bike skewer are bike parts that hold the bike wheels tight to the bike frame with no air leaks. You should have your bike hubs checked for wear before every bike ride. Not doing so can cause bike crashes.
Chain
The bike chain is a bike part that moves the bike chain from bike gear to bike gear. You can choose bike chains based on bike gears and bike systems, such as Shimano or Campagnolo bike parts.
Chain Rings & Chain Guard
The bike chain ring and bike chain guard are bike parts that attach the bike crank arms to the bike frame. The bike chain ring should be adjusted according to bike riding skill level.
Chain Ring Bolts
The bike chain ring bolts are bike parts that hold the bike chain rings in place. You should inspect your bike chain for wear and tear before every trip.
Bottom Brackets
The bike bottom bracket is the bike part that holds your bike pedals in place when they rotate.
Brakes
The bike brakes are bike parts that slow down your bike speed and allow you to come to a stop. The front bike brake, called a linear pull brake, bike brake is the bike part that pulls on bike cables, also called bike brake cables.
Brake Levers
The bike brake levers are bike parts that you can use to pull your bike’s front and back bike brakes. The bike brake levers should be adjusted according to your bike riding skill level. If properly adjusted, you shouldn’t be able to move bike brake levers with your bike hands.
Rear Derailleur & Front Derailleur
The bike rear derailleur and bike front derailleur are bike parts that allow for the bike chain movement between bike chain rings. You can choose bike rear/front derailleurs based on bike gears, bike systems and bike rings.
Headset
The bike headset is the bike part that connects the bike’s fork to the bike stem and allows for steering. To prevent an unpleasant bike ride, a bike headset should be inspected before every ride.
Crossbar
The bike crossbar is the bike part that holds the bike’s front wheel in place. The bike crossbar allows for quick adjusting of the bike seat height to suit your body type.
Brake Pad
This is the part that comes in contact with the bike wheel as you apply pressure on your bike pedals. You bike pads should be replaced when bike pad wear reaches the halfway mark.
Brake cable
It is the part that connects the bike lever to the bike’s front and rear brakes. Before every bike ride, make sure the brakes are in proper working order. Leaving them unkept can cause a lot of problems while biking.
Brake housing
It is the part that attaches the bike brake cable to the bike’s front and back brakes.
Rear Wheel
The bike rear wheel is a bike part that holds the bike tire in place.
Tire valve
This controls air flow into the bike’s tire. The air pressure in the bike’s tires should be checked before every ride, or else it could result in a bicycle crash.
Bicycles are bike parts that allow for bike maintenance and bike riding. You should watch out for wear on your bicycle, as this can lead to accidents if not monitored or repaired before every ride.
