Abstract

I picked road bicycle as my object to finish my technical description. I have searched the backgrounds of bicycle; I also wrote the formal description of the bicycle, and a short paragraph of comparison between road bicycle and cruiser bicycle. Last but not least, I explained each part of road bicycle with certain graphics with a decent conclusion.

Technical Description

Road Bicycle

 Created by Qichen You

     Writing for Engineers 21007

Professor Davidow

Table of contents

Introduction

1. Timeline
2. About racing

Technical Description

1. Description 
2. Comparsion
3. Exterior Parts
4. Mechanism

Conclusion

References

Self-Reflection

  Introduction

Timeline

The goal of many inventors over the past 6 centuries was to discover a device for fast and easy road transport. Here are some of the most important points in the long history of bicycle:

In 1493, one of the earliest bicycle sketches was found during the 1960s restoration of the Leonardo da Vinci’s “Codex Atlanticus” (Timeline of the Bicycle History). In 1680, German inventor Stephan Farffler created a first known tricycle. This model did not feature pedals, but it was propelled with the use of hand crank (Timeline of the Bicycle History). In 1817, German Baron Karl von Drais created the precursor to today’s bicycle. His invention known as Laufmaschine (Draisine in England and Draisienne in France) represented the first commercially successful human-powered, two-wheeled, steerable transport machine (Figure 1) (Timeline of the Bicycle History). In the 1860s, during the 1860s-decade bicycle one of the most important improvements of all time (Timeline of the Bicycle History). During the 1980s, the use of Mountain Bikes and BMX became popular. They introduced multiple gears and much lighter construction frames made from aluminum alloy or carbon fiber (Timeline of the Bicycle History).

About Racing

Road cycling is a professional sport with competitors who represent national teams at annual world championship races and the Olympics as well as sponsored trade teams, whose members often are on national teams (Sport Rec, 2019). Cycling first became popular in European countries, then entered the Olympic Games and quickly spread around the world. Because it is a form of competition, inventors are more rigorous and careful in their choice of structure and materials. Then came the birth of road bicycle, which is more suitable for racing.

  Technical Description

Description

Road bike innovations have been vast since the sport’s early   days. Suspension forks, suspension frames, multiple gearing, better aerodynamic design for bikes, gear-like helmets and lightweight materials like carbon fiber make the modern road bike easier to power (Sport Rec, 2019). However, most people find them uncomfortable and unstable on unpaved trails. Most road bikes are not capable of carrying heavy loads, so are not very suitable for commuting or touring (Bicycle types).

Comparison

A road bicycle (Figure 2) is suitable for racing, which is entirely different from other kinds of bicycle. Because this model belongs to the competitive category of bicycles, its manufacturing materials are much more advanced than ordinary bicycles; the price is prohibitive. Cruiser Bikes (Figure 3) are much cheaper and safer. However, the difference between one for leisure and one for sport is stark.

Exterior Parts

I: Frame (Figure 4)

The frame is the heart of any bike, and road bike frames are usually aluminum or carbon.

II: Wheels (Figure 5)

Road bikes generally have thin tires, which reduces friction and makes them faster. However, because of the reduced resistance, such a bike is more likely to roll over, so it is generally suitable for racing or better track or road.

III: Chain set (Figure 6)

The most common road bike has two gears on the middle and six gears on its rear wheels. Your bike’s chain on different gears can increase or decrease the bike’s speed. The converter is on the handles.

IV: Cassette (Figure 7)

Road bikes use gears that are more tightly packed together to help you pedal at the ideal speed . Most road bikes, apart from entry level ones, now have 11 sprockets (bikeradar,2013).

V: Handlebars (Figure 8)

Dropped handlebars mark out a road bike and offer several positions. The tops, with your hands either side of the stem, are used for steep climbs or cruising. The hoods are the brake lever covers and provide a comfortable stretch and good leverage for climbing out of the saddle. The drops are the lower parts of the bar, used for a lower position at speed (bikeradar,2013).

VI: Saddle and seatpost (Figure 9)

Road saddles are generally long, narrow, thin and sparsely padded. Recent research has shown that saddles should fit with your sit bone width, so many brands are now offering various saddle widths (bikeradar,2013).

VII: Brakes (Figure 10)

     Road bikes use dual-pivot brakes, although disc brakes are beginning to make an entrance on some models. Dual-pivot brakes are compact, light and powerful, but are only suited to road riding because they have no mud clearance at all (bikeradar,2013).

  Mechanism

A road bicycle consists of frame, tires, pedals, brakes, chains, and other components. First of all, the structure is the most important, because it carries the weight of objects or people. The rest are separated into three different parts, which are steering system, moving system, and brake system. A steering system is one in which a rider can steer a handlebar to maintain balance. A moving system is one in which the force exerted by a person’s foot on a pedal is used to keep the bicycle moving through chains, shafts, and other parts. The brake system means that the rider can control the brake at any time to slow down, stop and ensure the safety of driving.

  Conclusion

From the birth of the bicycle, it not only exists as a means of transportation but also as a cultural symbol. It has experienced the evolution of the industrial revolution, social mobility, women’s liberation movement and the wave of urbanization. Nowadays, people’s expectation for bicycles is not just a means of transportation. It needs to be comfortable, lightweight and even intelligent, practical functions, but also in the sense of design and texture to meet the needs of different groups. Because of the widespread use of bicycles, I think the future of bicycles will be significantly changed and improved.

  References

“Bicycle Types: How to Pick the Best Bike for You”, Century Cycles, Century Cycles, Inc. https://www.centurycycles.com/buyers-guides/bicycle-types-how-to-pick-the-best-bike-for-you-pg9.htm

Bikeradar, “What is a road bike?”, Bikeradar, BikeRadar, April 05, 2013 https://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/what-is-a-road-bike-36865/

“Timeline of the Bicycle History”, Bicycle History, 2019 – Bicycle History, http://www.bicyclehistory.net/bicycle-history/bicycle-timeline/

Linda Tarr Kent “History of Cycling and Road Bikes”, Sports Rec, Copyright Leaf Group Ltd, Updated February 21, 2019 https://www.sportsrec.com/423014-history-of-cycling-and-road-bikes.html