Crankset
The two arms that the bike pedals are attached to are called the crankset. The crankset
is a very important component. That’s where all the power to propel the bike is
generated. You want to have a crank that’s as strong and stiff as possible. Inflex or
bending of the crank as you pedal translates into wasted effort and power. Again, the
big names in this arena are Shimano and Campagnolo (or Campy, as it’s sometimes
called). Campy has long been known for strong, beautifully sculpted cranksets. Its
philosophy has always been to make cranks stiff; if that means adding a few grams of
weight, so be it. The Chorus and Record cranksets are two of the best-looking, best
performing cranksets to ever grace a bike. They’re good enough for top pros, so they're
definitely good enough for you. On entry-level bikes you’ll find cranksets made by
Sugino or Cyclone. While a strong rider or pro would notice the difference in stiffness
of these budget cranksets as compared to a top-of-the-line crankset, as a novice rider
you’re not likely to feel much difference.
Derailleurs
The derailleurs are the mechanical devices that guide
the chain from one sprocket to another when the
rider shifts gears. They were invented by Tullio
Campagnolo. Shimano’s DuraAce
derailleurs have been Popular among amateur and
pro racers. Sachs also has a small but loyal following. Mavic has introduced an electronically con-
trolled derailleur that is intriguing.
Bicyle Forks
The portion of the bike that fits around either side of the front wheel and attaches it
to the frame is the fork. Many frame builders also make steel forks specifically for their
bikes~steel has nice vibrationabsorbjflg qualities. Even those builders will sometimes
use forks built by other companies, however Carbonfiber forks, such as those made
by Kestrel, Kinesis, and Look, are Popular optional choices. Carbon fiber can be even
better than steel at absorbing vibration giving a bike a very nice ride that’s easy on the
hands. Some riders, however, prefer the stiff ride of aluminum forks. They’re Willing to
put up with a harsher ride in exchange for a bike that doesn’t flex beneath them~flex
that they feel robs them of Power and efficiency.
Getting to know your Bicycles Bits and Bobs
As in most sports nowadays brand names are worn like a badge of honour, and in cycling this is no different, especially amongst the professional cyclists.
Amongsts these brand names there are Moots, Seven, Ellsworth, Turner, Calfee,Lemond, Gary Fisher, DeRosa. There are also brands that are high-quality, not neccessarily classed as boutique Colnago, Ibis, Indy Fab, Trek is known as an upper tier brand. Finally, then you get to the Fuji, Raleigh, GT, Mongoose and many more I havent mentioned.
The point is, it may be worth noting some of the big names in the world of cycling, so you know exactly what your getting. Remember just because I havent mentioned them here doesnt mean to say they are no good.
Bicyle Brakes
High-quality road bike brakes went relatively unchanged from about the mid 1960s to
1990. During that time most were of the “side-pull” design. A side-pull brake consists
of a pair of aluminum calipers joined together at the center with a pivot that also
serves as a bolt to mount the brake to the frame or fork. The cable passes through an
extended portion built into one of the arms, and then attaches to the other arm.
Pulling the brake cable causes the cable to pull on the brake arms, causing them both
to pivot and push the brake pads into the rim. These brakes work and are fairly easy
install and adjust.
In 1990 Shimano introduced the dual-pivot road brake. They’re actuated from one side with an interconnected cable in much the same way as side-pull brakes. These more modern brakes have two pivots, one for each brake caliper. Placing these pivots a couple of inches out from the center allowed each caliper to be made longer for more leverage and more powerful braking action.
The two biggest names in brakes, Campagnolo and Shimano, both use similar dual pivot designs for greater leverage and stopping power. While you’ll still find side pull brakes on lower-priced road bikes, they’re becoming rare as lower-priced dua1 pivot brakes become available.
