A bike spindle refers to one of three things: a bottom bracket spindle crank spindle or pedal spindle. Although the term “bike spindle” is not used amongst industry insiders, I’ll treat it as though it is. I’ll confine the discussion to bottom brackets and cranks, leaving out pedal spindles, and trace the key developments in […]
Bike Spindle Design and Manufacturing (Past to Present) Read More »
The bottom bracket shell on a modern bike is the container into which the bottom bracket is pressed or threaded. Keep reading as we take a detailed look at this humble, yet key, piece of the geometric balancing act that is the modern bike frame. CONTENTS The 9 Tubes Making Up a Bike Frame Types
The Bottom Bracket Shell: Old Designs…and New Read More »
There’s a dizzying amount of advice on torque wrenches for bikes online. To make it easier for you, we’ve put together the complete range of recommended torque wrench tools that you’ll find on the top cycling sites. We’ve also added models, tips, and recommendations of our own. This is your one-stop torque wrench information source whether you’re a cyclist
16+ Excellent Torque Wrenches For Bikes (And How to Use Them) Read More »
The steering tube or steerer, connects the handlebars to the fork blades. The steering tubes of a modern mass-produced fork are of a fixed length. Each is cut to fit a particular bike during assembly. Steerers are either alloy or carbon, and the technique for cutting and installing either the star nut or expander —
What is a Steering Tube (Steerer)? Alloy vs Carbon Read More »
The last few decades has seen an enormous increase in the range of road bike bottom bracket designs. I take a look at the most well-known—and a few not so well-known. I also take a look at a key development with huge implications for the road bike bottom bracket, as we know it, namely the rise
Your Definitive Road Bike Bottom Bracket Guide (Incl E-bikes) Read More »
A bike’s bearings are its most important components — a bike doesn’t move without ‘em. This comprehensive guide examines each category of bike bearing, looking at the characteristics of each, the engineering logic behind their design, and the key components in which they are used. CONTENTS Why is a Bearing Called a ‘Bearing’? Radial and
The Ultimate Guide to Bike Bearings (BB, Headsets, Forks, Hubs) Read More »
Is the advent of the press fit bottom bracket the most sorry chapter in the history of BB design? Some would say yes. Without a doubt. Others are more forgiving to the point of swearing that press fit is the ultimate system. Conversations can become heated, at any rate. Laying out the evolution of the
Press Fit Bottom Bracket (Standards, Tools, Techniques & More) Read More »
A bike frame is a complex of variously shaped tubes, and the angle of those tubes to each other mainly determines how a bike handles on the road or trail. The head tube is not the most important of the tubes (top, down, seat, chain/seat stays); but there is none more important. Over the past century of frame
Tapered Head Tube Design, Manufacturing (and Headsets) Read More »
The sealed bearing headset is the most common type of headset in use on most types of bikes these days. We examine this headset’s technical features through showing how to convert a headset with caged (or loose) bearings into a sealed bearing headset the key points to note when installing an integrated headset The procedure
Sealed Bearing Headset Maintenance, Installation, Removal Read More »
I cover in detail key steps to take in building a bike, whether you: assemble a bike from scratch cobble together a bike from broken down bits of other bikes You’ll also learn which tools are essential, and which are desirable, depending on how seriously you want to get into building bikes. There are also
The 10 Essential Steps in Building a Bike (Ultimate Guide) Read More »
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