Components and Parts
Bicycles though taken to be simple machines, are actually comprised of many parts and specialized components. At Cycle City we stock all the parts and components that your bicycle needs for you to keep on riding.
Derailleurs
A component used to shift between gears on the bicycle by moving the chains from one set of gears to another. They are attached to the bicycle using a mounting bolt on the bicycle’s frame derailleur hanger.
Tube and Rim Tape
Tubes are balloon-like rubber components that are placed under the tyre for inflation. The rim tape is used to protect the tube from being punctured by the spokes on the bicycle. The tape can be either a cloth, PVC or nylon tape.
Rear lights
These are red emitting LED lights found at the back of the bicycle. They are installed for safety reasons i.e the blinking red lights at the rear of the bicycle makes tired drivers behind them see that there is someone in from of them which reduces accidents.
Bicycle Seat and Post
The seat or “saddle” is what the rider sits on as they enjoy their ride. The post is the tube that connects the seat to the bicycle frame.
Bicycle Spokes
These are rods that connect the hub and rim on the bicycle. Their main use is to transfer weight between the hub and rim of the bicycle caused by the weight of the bicycle and the cyclist.
Bicycle Stem
The stem of the bicycle is a component that connects the handlebar to the frame of the bicycle. The stem should be long and sturdy enough to hold the weight of the rider at the front of the bicycle to ensure the cyclists can steer properly.
Bicycle bottom bracket
This is the component that attaches the bicycle frame to the crankset. This allows the crankset to spin independently from the frame.
Crankset
The crankset is connected to the frame by the bottom bracket. It is also connected to the rear cassette by chain to give the power needed to propel the bicycle forward.
Brake Caliper
Caliper brakes are a sub-set of rim brakes that are designed to slow down the bicycle by forcing the rubber pads against the rim of the bicycle which then causes friction. This design is good for road bicycles as it strikes balance between halting power and the power to control the power.
Brake Lever
Located on the handlebars of the bicycle, brake levers are small levers (usually metal) that are used to control the brakes of the bicycle bring it to a stop when necessary. The type of bicycle will determine the type of brakes that are used.
Cable and Housing
The cable is the wires that are twisted together and are located on the inner side of the component. The housing refers to the outer flexible steel wire that is wrapped in a helix. They both need each other to work.
pUMPS
These can be either small hand-held manual pumps or larger ones that are attached to the inner tube to place air into it. During the upward movement, the pump sucks the air from the inner tube and in the downward motion pumps the air into the inner tube to inflate it.
Headlights
There are two categories of headlights “be seen” and “to see”. As the names suggest the lights that a rider needs to be seen are usually illuminating enough for vehicles to see the rider while lights used by the rider for seeing are brighter and help them to see where they are riding.
Pedals
Bicycle pedals are the platform that a rider places their feet and push power to the bike as they push their feet forward in the circular motion. The best pedal for the bicycle depends on the bicycle and what the cyclist wants to achieve from the bike ride.
Handlebar
The handlebar is the handrest that cyclists hold on to when they are riding to steer and to support their weight as they ride. It is where the brake lever is located and the type of handlebar used on a bicycle depends on the type of bicycle as well as the needs of the cyclist.
Hand Grips
These are rubber tubes that a placed at the end of the bicycle handle. This allows the cycle to firmly hold the handlebars of the bicycle for the safe manoeuvring of the bicycle.
Hub
The bicycle hub is the bike component that makes the wheel spin. It is usually metal, round and threaded.