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Bicycle
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See also Bicycle (disambiguation), Bike (disambiguation), or Motorcycle.
Bicyclus is a genus of butterflies

The most popular bicycle model—and most popular vehicle of any kind in the world—is
the Chinese Flying Pigeon, with about 500 million produced.[1]
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Classic bell of a bicycle
A bicycle, also called a bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered, pedal-
driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the
other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.

Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe, and by the early 21st
century, more than 1 billion were in existence.[1][2][3] These numbers far exceed
the number of cars, both in total and ranked by the number of individual models
produced.[4][5][6] They are the principal means of transportation in many regions.
They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for use as
children's toys, general fitness, military and police applications, courier
services, bicycle racing, and bicycle stunts.

The basic shape and configuration of a typical upright or "safety bicycle", has
changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885.[7][8]
[9] However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern
materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a proliferation of
specialized designs for many types of cycling.

The bicycle's invention has had an enormous effect on society, both in terms of
culture and of advancing modern industrial methods. Several components that
eventually played a key role in the development of the automobile were initially
invented for use in the bicycle, including ball bearings, pneumatic tires, chain-
driven sprockets and tension-spoked wheels.[10]

Although bike and cycle are used interchangeably to refer mostly to two types of
two-wheelers the terms still vary across the world. In India for example a cycle
refers only to a two-wheeler using pedal power whereas the term bike is used to
describe a two-wheeler using internal combustion engine or electric motors as a
source of motive power instead of motorcycle/motorbike.

Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
3 Uses
4 Technical aspects
4.1 Types
4.2 Dynamics
4.3 Performance
5 Parts
5.1 Frame
5.2 Drivetrain and gearing
5.3 Steering
5.4 Seating
5.5 Brakes
5.6 Suspension
5.7 Wheels and tires
5.8 Accessories
5.9 Standards
6 Maintenance and repair
6.1 Maintenance
6.2 Repair
6.3 Tools
7 Social and historical aspects
7.1 In daily life
7.2 Poverty alleviation
7.3 Female emancipation
7.4 Economic implications
7.5 Environmental impact
7.6 Religious implications
7.7 Manufacturing
7.8 Legal requirements
7.9 Theft
8 See also
9 Notes and references
10 Sources
11 Further reading
12 External links
Etymology
The word bicycle first appeared in English print in The Daily News in 1868, to
describe "Bysicles and trysicles" on the "Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne".[11]
The word was first used in 1847 in a French publication to describe an unidentified
two-wheeled vehicle, possibly a carriage.[11] The design of the bicycle was an
advance on the velocipede, although the words were used with some degree of overlap
for a time.[11][12]

Other words for bicycle include "bike",[13] "pushbike",[14] "pedal cycle",[15] or

"cycle".[16] In Unicode, the code point for "bicycle" is 0x1F6B2. The entity
🚲 in HTML produces 🚲.[17]

History
Main article: History of the bicycle

Wooden draisine (around 1820), the first two-wheeler and as such the archetype of
the bicycle
The "dandy horse", also called Draisienne or Laufmaschine, was the first human
means of transport to use only two wheels in tandem and was invented by the German
Baron Karl von Drais. It is regarded as the first bicycle, but it did not have
pedals;[18][19][20][21] Drais introduced it to the public in Mannheim in 1817 and
in Paris in 1818.[22][23] Its rider sat astride a wooden frame supported by two in-
line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his or her feet while steering the
front wheel.[22]

Michaux's son on a velocipede 1868

The first mechanically-propelled, two-wheeled vehicle may have been built by
Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish blacksmith, in 1839, although the claim is often
disputed.[24] He is also associated with the first recorded instance of a cycling
traffic offense, when a Glasgow newspaper in 1842 reported an accident in which an
anonymous "gentleman from Dumfries-shire... bestride a velocipede... of ingenious
design" knocked over a little girl in Glasgow and was fined five shillings.[25]

In the early 1860s, Frenchmen Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement took bicycle
design in a new direction by adding a mechanical crank drive with pedals on an
enlarged front wheel (the velocipede). This was the first in mass production.
Another French inventor named Douglas Grasso had a failed prototype of Pierre
Lallement's bicycle several years earlier. Several inventions followed using rear-
wheel drive, the best known being the rod-driven velocipede by Scotsman Thomas
McCall in 1869. In that same year, bicycle wheels with wire spokes were patented by
Eugène Meyer of Paris.[26] The French vélocipède, made of iron and wood, developed
into the "penny-farthing" (historically known as an "ordinary bicycle", a retronym,
since there was then no other kind).[27] It featured a tubular steel frame on which
were mounted wire-spoked wheels with solid rubber tires. These bicycles were
difficult to ride due to their high seat and poor weight distribution. In 1868
Rowley Turner, a sales agent of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company (which soon
became the Coventry Machinists Company), brought a Michaux cycle to Coventry,
England. His uncle, Josiah Turner, and business partner James Starley, used this as
a basis for the 'Coventry Model' in what became Britain's first cycle factory.[28]

1886 Rover safety bicycle at the British Motor Museum. The first modern bicycle, it
featured a rear-wheel-drive, chain-driven cycle with two similar-sized wheels.
Dunlop's pneumatic tire was added to the bicycle in 1888.
The dwarf ordinary addressed some of these faults by reducing the front wheel
diameter and setting the seat further back. This, in turn, required gearing—
effected in a variety of ways—to efficiently use pedal power. Having to both pedal
and steer via the front wheel remained a problem. Englishman J.K. Starley (nephew
of James Starley), J.H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem by introducing the
chain drive (originated by the unsuccessful "bicyclette" of Englishman Henry
Lawson),[29] connecting the frame-mounted cranks to the rear wheel. These models
were known as safety bicycles, dwarf safeties, or upright bicycles for their lower
seat height and better weight distribution, although without pneumatic tires the
ride of the smaller-wheeled bicycle would be much rougher than that of the larger-
wheeled variety. Starley's 1885 Rover, manufactured in Coventry[30] is usually
described as the first recognizably modern bicycle.[31] Soon the seat tube was
added, creating the modern bike's double-triangle diamond frame.

John Boyd Dunlop on a bicycle c. 1915

Further innovations increased comfort and ushered in a second bicycle craze, the
1890s Golden Age of Bicycles. In 1888, Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop introduced the
first practical pneumatic tire, which soon became universal. Willie Hume
demonstrated the supremacy of Dunlop's tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first-ever
races in Ireland and then England.[32][33] Soon after, the rear freewheel was
developed, enabling the rider to coast. This refinement led to the 1890s
invention[34] of coaster brakes. Dérailleur gears and hand-operated Bowden cable-
pull brakes were also developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by
casual riders.

The Svea Velocipede with vertical pedal arrangement and locking hubs was introduced
in 1892 by the Swedish engineers Fredrik Ljungström and Birger Ljungström. It
attracted attention at the World Fair and was produced in a few thousand units.

Cyclists' Touring Club sign on display at the National Museum of Scotland

In the 1870s many cycling clubs flourished. They were popular in a time when there
were not cars on the market and the principal mode of transportation was horse-
drawn vehicles, such the horse and buggy or the horsecar. Among the earliest clubs
was The Bicycle Touring Club, which has operated since 1878. By the turn of the
century, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, and touring and
racing became widely popular. The Raleigh Bicycle Company was founded in
Nottingham, England in 1888. It became the biggest bicycle manufacturing company in
the world, making over two million bikes per year.[35]

Bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of private transportation just
prior to the automobile, and the grading of smooth roads in the late 19th century
was stimulated by the widespread advertising, production, and use of these devices.
[9] More than 1 billion bicycles have been manufactured worldwide as of the early
21st century.[1][2][3] Bicycles are the most common vehicle of any kind in the
world, and the most numerous model of any kind of vehicle, whether human-powered or
motor vehicle, is the Chinese Flying Pigeon, with numbers exceeding 500 million.[1]
The next most numerous vehicle, the Honda Super Cub motorcycle, has more than 60
million units made, while most produced car, the Toyota Corolla, has reached 35
million and counting.[4][5][6][36]

Women on bicycles on unpaved road, USA, late 19th Century

A penny-farthing or ordinary bicycle photographed in the Škoda Auto museum in the

Czech Republic

The Svea Velocipede by Fredrik Ljungström and Birger Ljungström, exhibitioned at

the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology

Bicycle in Plymouth, England at the start of the 20th century

Man with a bicycle in Glengarry County, Ontario, [between 1895 and 1910].
Uses
From the beginning and still today, bicycles have been and are employed for many
uses. In a utilitarian way, bicycles are used for transportation, bicycle
commuting, and utility cycling. It can be used as a 'work horse', used by mail
carriers, paramedics, police, messengers, and general delivery services. Military
uses of bicycles include communications, reconnaissance, troop movement, supply of
provisions, and patrol. See also: bicycle infantry.

The bicycle is also used for recreational purposes, such as bicycle touring,
mountain biking, physical fitness, and play. Bicycle competition includes racing,
BMX racing, track racing, criterium, roller racing, sportives and time trials.
Major multi-stage professional events are the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France,
the Vuelta a España, the Tour de Pologne, and the Volta a Portugal.

Bikes can be used for entertainment and pleasure, such as in organised mass rides,
artistic cycling and freestyle BMX.

Technical aspects

Firefighter bicycle
The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception.
These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-
aided design, allowing for a proliferation of specialized bicycle types, improved
bicycle safety, and riding comfort.

Types
Main article: List of bicycle types

A man riding an electric bicycle

Bicycles can be categorized in many different ways: by function, by number of
riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means of propulsion. The more
common types include utility bicycles, mountain bicycles, racing bicycles, touring
bicycles, hybrid bicycles, cruiser bicycles, and BMX bikes. Less common are
tandems, low riders, tall bikes, fixed gear, folding models, amphibious bicycles,
freight bicycles, recumbents and electric bicycles.

Unicycles, tricycles and quadracycles are not strictly bicycles, as they have
respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often referred to informally as
"bikes" or "cycles".

Dynamics
Main article: Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics

A cyclist leaning in a turn

A bicycle stays upright while moving forward by being steered so as to keep its
center of mass over the wheels.[37] This steering is usually provided by the rider,
but under certain conditions may be provided by the bicycle itself.[38]

The combined center of mass of a bicycle and its rider must lean into a turn to
successfully navigate it. This lean is induced by a method known as
countersteering, which can be performed by the rider turning the handlebars
directly with the hands[39] or indirectly by leaning the bicycle.[40]

Short-wheelbase or tall bicycles, when braking, can generate enough stopping force
at the front wheel to flip longitudinally.[41] The act of purposefully using this
force to lift the rear wheel and balance on the front without tipping over is a
trick known as a stoppie, endo, or front wheelie.

Performance
Main article: Bicycle performance

A recumbent bicycle

Balance bicycle for young children

The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms.
The bicycle is the most efficient human-powered means of transportation in terms of
energy a person must expend to travel a given distance.[42] From a mechanical
viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into the pedals is
transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms may reduce this
by 10–15%.[43][44] In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to
total weight, it is also an efficient means of cargo transportation.

A human traveling on a bicycle at low to medium speeds of around 16–24 km/h (10–15
mph) uses only the power required to walk. Air drag, which is proportional to the
square of speed, requires dramatically higher power outputs as speeds increase. If
the rider is sitting upright, the rider's body creates about 75% of the total drag
of the bicycle/rider combination. Drag can be reduced by seating the rider in a
more aerodynamically streamlined position. Drag can also be reduced by covering the
bicycle with an aerodynamic fairing. The fastest recorded unpaced speed on a flat
surface is 144.18 km/h (89.59 mph)[45]

In addition, the carbon dioxide generated in the production and transportation of

the food required by the bicyclist, per mile traveled, is less than 1/10 that
generated by energy efficient motorcars.[46]

Parts
Frame
Main article: Bicycle frame

Diagram of a bicycle
The great majority of modern bicycles have a frame with upright seating that looks
much like the first chain-driven bike.[7][8][9] These upright bicycles almost
always feature the diamond frame, a truss consisting of two triangles: the front
triangle and the rear triangle. The front triangle consists of the head tube, top
tube, down tube, and seat tube. The head tube contains the headset, the set of
bearings that allows the fork to turn smoothly for steering and balance. The top
tube connects the head tube to the seat tube at the top, and the down tube connects
the head tube to the bottom bracket. The rear triangle consists of the seat tube
and paired chain stays and seat stays. The chain stays run parallel to the chain,
connecting the bottom bracket to the rear dropout, where the axle for the rear
wheel is held. The seat stays connect the top of the seat tube (at or near the same
point as the top tube) to the rear fork ends.

A Triumph with a step-through frame

Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of
the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower standover height at the
expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending
load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending.
This design, referred to as a step-through frame or as an open frame, allows the
rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress.
While some women's bicycles continue to use this frame style, there is also a
variation, the mixte, which splits the top tube laterally into two thinner top
tubes that bypass the seat tube on each side and connect to the rear fork ends. The
ease of stepping through is also appreciated by those with limited flexibility or
other joint problems. Because of its persistent image as a "women's" bicycle, step-
through frames are not common for larger frames.

Step-throughs were popular partly for practical reasons and partly for social mores
of the day. For most of the history of bicycles' popularity women have worn long
skirts, and the lower frame accommodated these better than the top-tube.
Furthermore, it was considered "unladylike" for women to open their legs to mount
and dismount—in more conservative times women who rode bicycles at all were
vilified as immoral or immodest. These practices were akin to the older practice of
riding horse sidesaddle.[citation needed]

Another style is the recumbent bicycle. These are inherently more aerodynamic than
upright versions, as the rider may lean back onto a support and operate pedals that
are on about the same level as the seat. The world's fastest bicycle is a recumbent
bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the Union Cycliste
Internationale.[47]

A carbon fiber Trek Y-Foil from the late 1990s

Historically, materials used in bicycles have followed a similar pattern as in
aircraft, the goal being high strength and low weight. Since the late 1930s alloy
steels have been used for frame and fork tubes in higher quality machines. By the
1980s aluminum welding techniques had improved to the point that aluminum tube
could safely be used in place of steel. Since then aluminum alloy frames and other
components have become popular due to their light weight, and most mid-range bikes
are now principally aluminum alloy of some kind.[where?] More expensive bikes use
carbon fibre due to its significantly lighter weight and profiling ability,
allowing designers to make a bike both stiff and compliant by manipulating the lay-
up. Virtually all professional racing bicycles now use carbon fibre frames, as they
have the best strength to weight ratio. A typical modern carbon fiber frame can
weighs less than 1 kilogram (2.2 lb).

Other exotic frame materials include titanium and advanced alloys. Bamboo, a
natural composite material with high strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness[48] has
been used for bicycles since 1894.[49] Recent versions use bamboo for the primary
frame with glued metal connections and parts, priced as exotic models.[49][50][51]

Drivetrain and gearing

Main article: Bicycle drivetrain systems

A bicycle with shaft drive instead of a chain

A set of rear sprockets (also known as a cassette) and a derailleur

Hub gear
The drivetrain begins with pedals which rotate the cranks, which are held in axis
by the bottom bracket. Most bicycles use a chain to transmit power to the rear
wheel. A very small number of bicycles use a shaft drive to transmit power, or
special belts. Hydraulic bicycle transmissions have been built, but they are
currently inefficient and complex.

Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over a narrow range of pedaling speeds, or
cadence, a variable gear ratio helps a cyclist to maintain an optimum pedalling
speed while covering varied terrain. Some, mainly utility, bicycles use hub gears
with between 3 and 14 ratios, but most use the generally more efficient dérailleur
system, by which the chain is moved between different cogs called chainrings and
sprockets to select a ratio. A dérailleur system normally has two dérailleurs, or
mechs, one at the front to select the chainring and another at the back to select
the sprocket. Most bikes have two or three chainrings, and from 5 to 11 sprockets
on the back, with the number of theoretical gears calculated by multiplying front
by back. In reality, many gears overlap or require the chain to run diagonally, so
the number of usable gears is fewer.

An alternative to chaindrive is to use a synchronous belt. These are toothed and

work much the same as a chain—popular with commuters and long distance cyclists
they require little maintenance. They can't be shifted across a cassette of
sprockets, and are used either as single speed or with a hub gear.

Different gears and ranges of gears are appropriate for different people and styles
of cycling. Multi-speed bicycles allow gear selection to suit the circumstances: a
cyclist could use a high gear when cycling downhill, a medium gear when cycling on
a flat road, and a low gear when cycling uphill. In a lower gear every turn of the
pedals leads to fewer rotations of the rear wheel. This allows the energy required
to move the same distance to be distributed over more pedal turns, reducing fatigue
when riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. A higher gear
allows a cyclist to make fewer pedal turns to maintain a given speed, but with more
effort per turn of the pedals.

With a chain drive transmission, a chainring attached to a crank drives the chain,
which in turn rotates the rear wheel via the rear sprocket(s) (cassette or
freewheel). There are four gearing options: two-speed hub gear integrated with
chain ring, up to 3 chain rings, up to 11 sprockets, hub gear built into rear wheel
(3-speed to 14-speed). The most common options are either a rear hub or multiple
chain rings combined with multiple sprockets (other combinations of options are
possible but less common).

Steering

Bicycle grips made of leather. Anatomic shape distributes weight over palm area to
prevent Cyclist's palsy (Ulnar syndrome)[52]
The handlebars connect to the stem that connects to the fork that connects to the
front wheel, and the whole assembly connects to the bike and rotates about the
steering axis via the headset bearings. Three styles of handlebar are common.
Upright handlebars, the norm in Europe and elsewhere until the 1970s, curve gently
back toward the rider, offering a natural grip and comfortable upright position.
Drop handlebars "drop" as they curve forward and down, offering the cyclist best
braking power from a more aerodynamic "crouched" position, as well as more upright
positions in which the hands grip the brake lever mounts, the forward curves, or
the upper flat sections for increasingly upright postures. Mountain bikes generally
feature a 'straight handlebar' or 'riser bar' with varying degrees of sweep
backwards and centimeters rise upwards, as well as wider widths which can provide
better handling due to increased leverage against the wheel.

Seating

A Selle San Marco saddle designed for women

Saddles also vary with rider preference, from the cushioned ones favored by short-
distance riders to narrower saddles which allow more room for leg swings. Comfort
depends on riding position. With comfort bikes and hybrids, cyclists sit high over
the seat, their weight directed down onto the saddle, such that a wider and more
cushioned saddle is preferable. For racing bikes where the rider is bent over,
weight is more evenly distributed between the handlebars and saddle, the hips are
flexed, and a narrower and harder saddle is more efficient. Differing saddle
designs exist for male and female cyclists, accommodating the genders' differing
anatomies and sit bone width measurements, although bikes typically are sold with
saddles most appropriate for men. Suspension seat posts and seat springs provide
comfort by absorbing shock but can add to the overall weight of the bicycle.

A recumbent bicycle has a reclined chair-like seat that some riders find more
comfortable than a saddle, especially riders who suffer from certain types of seat,
back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain. Recumbent bicycles may have either under-seat
or over-seat steering.

Brakes
Main article: Bicycle brake

Linear-pull brake, also known by the Shimano trademark: V-Brake, on rear wheel of a
mountain bike
Bicycle brakes may be rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the
wheel rims; hub brakes, where the mechanism is contained within the wheel hub, or
disc brakes, where pads act on a rotor attached to the hub. Most road bicycles use
rim brakes, but some use disk brakes.[53] Disc brakes are more common for mountain
bikes, tandems and recumbent bicycles than on other types of bicycles, due to their
increased power, coupled with an increased weight and complexity.[54]

A front disc brake, mounted to the fork and hub

With hand-operated brakes, force is applied to brake levers mounted on the
handlebars and transmitted via Bowden cables or hydraulic lines to the friction
pads, which apply pressure to the braking surface, causing friction which slows the
bicycle down. A rear hub brake may be either hand-operated or pedal-actuated, as in
the back pedal coaster brakes which were popular in North America until the 1960s.

Track bicycles do not have brakes, because all riders ride in the same direction
around a track which does not necessitate sharp deceleration. Track riders are
still able to slow down because all track bicycles are fixed-gear, meaning that
there is no freewheel. Without a freewheel, coasting is impossible, so when the
rear wheel is moving, the cranks are moving. To slow down, the rider applies
resistance to the pedals, acting as a braking system which can be as effective as a
conventional rear wheel brake, but not as effective as a front wheel brake.[55]

Suspension
Main article: Bicycle suspension
Bicycle suspension refers to the system or systems used to suspend the rider and
all or part of the bicycle. This serves two purposes: to keep the wheels in
continuous contact with the ground, improving control, and to isolate the rider and
luggage from jarring due to rough surfaces, improving comfort.

Bicycle suspensions are used primarily on mountain bicycles, but are also common on
hybrid bicycles, as they can help deal with problematic vibration from poor
surfaces. Suspension is especially important on recumbent bicycles, since while an
upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of
suspension, a recumbent rider cannot.

Basic mountain bicycles and hybrids usually have front suspension only, whilst more
sophisticated ones also have rear suspension. Road bicycles tend to have no
suspension.

Wheels and tires

Main articles: Bicycle wheel and Bicycle tire
The wheel axle fits into fork ends in the frame and fork. A pair of wheels may be
called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready-built "off the shelf",
performance-oriented wheels.

Tires vary enormously depending on their intended purpose. Road bicycles use tires
18 to 25 millimeters wide, most often completely smooth, or slick, and inflated to
high pressure to roll fast on smooth surfaces. Off-road tires are usually between
38 and 64 mm (1.5 and 2.5 in) wide, and have treads for gripping in muddy
conditions or metal studs for ice.

Accessories

Touring bicycle equipped with front and rear racks, fenders (called mud-guards),
water bottles in cages, four panniers and a handlebar bag
Some components, which are often optional accessories on sports bicycles, are
standard features on utility bicycles to enhance their usefulness, comfort, safety
and visibility. fenders with spoilers (mudflaps)[56] protect the cyclist and moving
parts from spray when riding through wet areas. In Germany, fenders are called
(Mudguards).[57] The chainguards protect clothes from oil on the chain while
preventing clothing from being caught between the chain and crankset teeth. Kick
stands keep bicycles upright when parked, and bike locks deter theft. Front-mounted
baskets, front or rear luggage carriers or racks, and panniers mounted above either
or both wheels can be used to carry equipment or cargo. Pegs can be fastened to
one, or both of the wheel hubs to either help the rider perform certain tricks, or
allow a place for extra riders to stand, or rest.[citation needed] Parents
sometimes add rear-mounted child seats, an auxiliary saddle fitted to the crossbar,
or both to transport children. Bicycles can also be fitted with a hitch to tow a
trailer for carrying cargo, a child, or both.

Toe-clips and toestraps and clipless pedals help keep the foot locked in the proper
pedal position and enable cyclists to pull and push the pedals. Technical
accessories include cyclocomputers for measuring speed, distance, heart rate, GPS
data etc. Other accessories include lights, reflectors, mirrors, racks, trailers,
bags, water bottles and cages, and bell.[58] Bicycle lights, reflectors, and
helmets are required by law in some geographic regions depending on the legal code.
It is more common to see bicycles with bottle generators, dynamos, lights, fenders,
racks and bells in Europe. Bicyclists also have specialized form fitting and high
visibility clothing.

Children's bicycles may be outfitted with cosmetic enhancements such as bike horns,
streamers, and spoke beads.[59] Training wheels are sometimes used when learning to
ride.

Bicycle helmets can reduce injury in the event of a collision or accident, and a
suitable helmet is legally required of riders in many jurisdictions. Helmets may be
classified as an accessory[58] or as an item of clothing.[60]

Bike trainers are used to enable cyclists to cycle while the bike remains
stationary. They are frequently used to warm up before races or indoors when riding
conditions are unfavorable.[61]

Standards
A number of formal and industry standards exist for bicycle components to help make
spare parts exchangeable and to maintain a minimum product safety.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has a special technical

committee for cycles, TC149, that has the scope of "Standardization in the field of
cycles, their components and accessories with particular reference to terminology,
testing methods and requirements for performance and safety, and
interchangeability".

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) also has a specific Technical
Committee, TC333, that defines European standards for cycles. Their mandate states
that EN cycle standards shall harmonize with ISO standards. Some CEN cycle
standards were developed before ISO published their standards, leading to strong
European influences in this area. European cycle standards tend to describe minimum
safety requirements, while ISO standards have historically harmonized parts
geometry.[62]

Maintenance and repair

Like all devices with mechanical moving parts, bicycles do require a certain amount
of regular maintenance and replacement of worn parts. A bicycle is relatively
simple compared with a car, so some cyclists choose to do at least part of the
maintenance themselves. Some components are easy to handle using relatively simple
tools, while other components may require specialist manufacturer-dependent tools.

Many bicycle components are available at several different price/quality points;

manufacturers generally try to keep all components on any particular bike at about
the same quality level, though at the very cheap end of the market there may be
some skimping on less obvious components (e.g. bottom bracket).

There exist several hundred assisted-service Community Bicycle Organizations

worldwide.[63] At a Community Bicycle Organization, laypeople bring in bicycles
needing repair or maintenance; volunteers teach them how to do the required steps.
Full service is available from bicycle mechanics at a local bike shop.
In areas where it is available, some cyclists purchase roadside assistance from
companies such as the Better World Club or the American Automobile Association.
Maintenance
The most basic maintenance item is keeping the tires correctly inflated; this can
make a noticeable difference as to how the bike feels to ride. Bicycle tires
usually have a marking on the side wall indicating the pressure appropriate for
that tire. Note that bicycles use much higher pressures than cars: car tires are
normally in the range 30 to 40 pounds per square inch while bicycle tires are
normally in the range 60 to 100 pounds per square inch.

Another basic maintenance item is regular lubrication of the chain and pivot points
for derailleurs and brakes. Most of the bearings on a modern bike are sealed and
grease-filled and require little or no attention; such bearings will usually last
for 10,000 miles or more.
The chain and the brake blocks are the components which wear out most quickly, so
these need to be checked from time to time (typically every 500 miles or so). Most
local bike shops will do such checks for free. Note that when a chain becomes badly
worn it will also wear out the rear cogs/cassette and eventually the chain ring(s),
so replacing a chain when only moderately worn will prolong the life of other
components.

Over the longer term, tires do wear out (2000 to 5000 miles); a rash of punctures
is often the most visible sign of a worn tire.

Repair
Very few bicycle components can actually be repaired; replacement of the failing
component is the normal practice.

The most common roadside problem is a puncture. After removing the offending
nail/tack/thorn/glass shard/etc. there are two approaches: either mend the puncture
by the roadside, or replace the inner tube and then mend the puncture in the
comfort of home. Some brands of tires are much more puncture resistant than others,
often incorporating one or more layers of Kevlar; the downside of such tires is
that they may be heavier and/or more difficult to fit and remove.

Tools
Main article: Bicycle tools

Puncture repair kit with tire levers, sandpaper to clean off an area of the inner
tube around the puncture, a tube of rubber solution (vulcanizing fluid), round and
oval patches, a metal grater and piece of chalk to make chalk powder (to dust over
excess rubber solution). Kits often also include a wax crayon to mark the puncture
location.
There are specialized bicycle tools for use both in the shop and on the road. Many
cyclists carry tool kits. These may include a tire patch kit (which, in turn, may
contain any combination of a hand pump or CO2 Pump, tire levers, spare tubes, self-
adhesive patches, or tube-patching material, an adhesive, a piece of sandpaper or a
metal grater (for roughing the tube surface to be patched), Special, thin wrenches
are often required for maintaining various screw fastened parts, specifically, the
frequently lubricated ball-bearing "cones".[64][65] and sometimes even a block of
French chalk.), wrenches, hex keys, screwdrivers, and a chain tool. There are also
cycling specific multi-tools that combine many of these implements into a single
compact device. More specialized bicycle components may require more complex tools,
including proprietary tools specific for a given manufacturer.

Social and historical aspects

The bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in both the cultural
and industrial realms.

In daily life
Around the turn of the 20th century, bicycles reduced crowding in inner-city
tenements by allowing workers to commute from more spacious dwellings in the
suburbs. They also reduced dependence on horses. Bicycles allowed people to travel
for leisure into the country, since bicycles were three times as energy efficient
as walking and three to four times as fast.

In built up cities around the world, urban planning uses cycling infrastructure
like bikeways to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.[66] A number of
cities around the world have implemented schemes known as bicycle sharing systems
or community bicycle programs.[67][68] The first of these was the White Bicycle
plan in Amsterdam in 1965. It was followed by yellow bicycles in La Rochelle and
green bicycles in Cambridge. These initiatives complement public transport systems
and offer an alternative to motorized traffic to help reduce congestion and
pollution.[69] In Europe, especially in the Netherlands and parts of Germany and
Denmark, bicycle commuting is common. In Copenhagen, a cyclists' organization runs
a Cycling Embassy that promotes biking for commuting and sightseeing. The United
Kingdom has a tax break scheme (IR 176) that allows employees to buy a new bicycle
tax free to use for commuting.[70]

In the Netherlands all train stations offer free bicycle parking, or a more secure
parking place for a small fee, with the larger stations also offering bicycle
repair shops. Cycling is so popular that the parking capacity may be exceeded,
while in some places such as Delft the capacity is usually exceeded.[71] In
Trondheim in Norway, the Trampe bicycle lift has been developed to encourage
cyclists by giving assistance on a steep hill. Buses in many cities have bicycle
carriers mounted on the front.

There are towns in some countries where bicycle culture has been an integral part
of the landscape for generations, even without much official support. That is the
case of Ílhavo, in Portugal.

In cities where bicycles are not integrated into the public transportation system,
commuters often use bicycles as elements of a mixed-mode commute, where the bike is
used to travel to and from train stations or other forms of rapid transit. Some
students who commute several miles drive a car from home to a campus parking lot,
then ride a bicycle to class. Folding bicycles are useful in these scenarios, as
they are less cumbersome when carried aboard. Los Angeles removed a small amount of
seating on some trains to make more room for bicycles and wheel chairs.[72]

Urban cyclists in Copenhagen in Denmark at a traffic light

Some US companies, notably in the tech sector, are developing both innovative cycle
designs and cycle-friendliness in the workplace. Foursquare, whose CEO Dennis
Crowley "pedaled to pitch meetings ... [when he] was raising money from venture
capitalists" on a two-wheeler, chose a new location for its New York headquarters
"based on where biking would be easy". Parking in the office was also integral to
HQ planning. Mitchell Moss, who runs the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy &
Management at New York University, said in 2012: "Biking has become the mode of
choice for the educated high tech worker".[73]

Bicycles offer an important mode of transport in many developing countries. Until

recently, bicycles have been a staple of everyday life throughout Asian countries.
They are the most frequently used method of transport for commuting to work,
school, shopping, and life in general. In Europe, bicycles are commonly used.[74]
They also offer a degree of exercise to keep individuals healthy.[75]

Bicycles are also celebrated in the visual arts. An example of this is the Bicycle
Film Festival, a film festival hosted all around the world.

Poverty alleviation
Main article: Bicycle poverty reduction

Men in Uganda using a bicycle to transport bananas

Experiments done in Uganda, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka on hundreds of households have
shown that a bicycle can increase a poor family's income as much as 35%.[76][better
source needed][77][78] Transport, if analyzed for the cost-benefit analysis for
rural poverty alleviation, has given one of the best returns in this regard. For
example, road investments in India were a staggering 3–10 times more effective than
almost all other investments and subsidies in rural economy in the decade of the
1990s. What a road does at a macro level to increase transport, the bicycle
supports at the micro level. The bicycle, in that sense, can be an important
poverty-eradication tool in poor nations.
Female emancipation
See also: Bicycling and feminism

"Let go – but stand by"; Frances Willard learning to ride a bicycle.[79]

The safety bicycle gave women unprecedented mobility, contributing to their
emancipation in Western nations. As bicycles became safer and cheaper, more women
had access to the personal freedom that bicycles embodied, and so the bicycle came
to symbolize the New Woman of the late 19th century, especially in Britain and the
United States.[8][80] The bicycle craze in the 1890s also led to a movement for so-
called rational dress, which helped liberate women from corsets and ankle-length
skirts and other restrictive garments, substituting the then-shocking bloomers.[8]

The bicycle was recognized by 19th-century feminists and suffragists as a "freedom

machine" for women. American Susan B. Anthony said in a New York World interview on
2 February 1896: "I think it has done more to emancipate woman than any one thing
in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel. It gives her a
feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away
she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood."[81]:859 In 1895 Frances Willard,
the tightly laced president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, wrote A
Wheel Within a Wheel: How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle, with Some Reflections by
the Way, a 75-page illustrated memoir praising "Gladys", her bicycle, for its
"gladdening effect" on her health and political optimism.[79] Willard used a
cycling metaphor to urge other suffragists to action.[79]

In 1985, Georgena Terry started the first women-specific bicycle company. Her
designs featured frame geometry and wheel sizes chosen to better fit women, with
shorter top tubes and more suitable reach.[1]

Economic implications

Columbia Bicycles advertisement from 1886

Bicycle manufacturing proved to be a training ground for other industries and led
to the development of advanced metalworking techniques, both for the frames
themselves and for special components such as ball bearings, washers, and
sprockets. These techniques later enabled skilled metalworkers and mechanics to
develop the components used in early automobiles and aircraft.

Wilbur and Orville Wright, a pair of businessmen, ran the Wright Cycle Company
which designed, manufactured and sold their bicycles during the bike boom of the
1890s.[82]

They also served to teach the industrial models later adopted, including
mechanization and mass production (later copied and adopted by Ford and General
Motors),[83][84][85] vertical integration[84] (also later copied and adopted by
Ford), aggressive advertising[86] (as much as 10% of all advertising in U.S.
periodicals in 1898 was by bicycle makers),[87] lobbying for better roads (which
had the side benefit of acting as advertising, and of improving sales by providing
more places to ride),[85] all first practiced by Pope.[85] In addition, bicycle
makers adopted the annual model change[83][88] (later derided as planned
obsolescence, and usually credited to General Motors), which proved very
successful.[89]

Early bicycles were an example of conspicuous consumption, being adopted by the

fashionable elites.[90][91][92][83][93][94][95][96] In addition, by serving as a
platform for accessories, which could ultimately cost more than the bicycle itself,
it paved the way for the likes of the Barbie doll.[83][97][98]

Bicycles helped create, or enhance, new kinds of businesses, such as bicycle

messengers,[99] traveling seamstresses,[100] riding academies,[101] and racing
rinks.[102][101] Their board tracks were later adapted to early motorcycle and
automobile racing. There were a variety of new inventions, such as spoke
tighteners,[103] and specialized lights,[98][103] socks and shoes,[104] and even
cameras, such as the Eastman Company's Poco.[105] Probably the best known and most
widely used of these inventions, adopted well beyond cycling, is Charles Bennett's
Bike Web, which came to be called the jock strap.[106]

A man uses a bicycle to carry goods in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

They also presaged a move away from public transit[107] that would explode with the
introduction of the automobile.

J. K. Starley's company became the Rover Cycle Company Ltd. in the late 1890s, and
then simply the Rover Company when it started making cars. Morris Motors Limited
(in Oxford) and Škoda also began in the bicycle business, as did the Wright
brothers.[108] Alistair Craig, whose company eventually emerged to become the
engine manufacturers Ailsa Craig, also started from manufacturing bicycles, in
Glasgow in March 1885.

In general, U.S. and European cycle manufacturers used to assemble cycles from
their own frames and components made by other companies, although very large
companies (such as Raleigh) used to make almost every part of a bicycle (including
bottom brackets, axles, etc.) In recent years, those bicycle makers have greatly
changed their methods of production. Now, almost none of them produce their own
frames.

Many newer or smaller companies only design and market their products; the actual
production is done by Asian companies. For example, some 60% of the world's
bicycles are now being made in China. Despite this shift in production, as nations
such as China and India become more wealthy, their own use of bicycles has declined
due to the increasing affordability of cars and motorcycles.[109] One of the major
reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bicycles in foreign markets is the
lower cost of labor in China.[110]

In line with the European financial crisis, in Italy in 2011 the number of bicycle
sales (1.75 million) just passed the number of new car sales.[111]

Environmental impact
One of the profound economic implications of bicycle use is that it liberates the
user from oil consumption. (Ballantine, 1972) The bicycle is an inexpensive, fast,
healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. Ivan Illich stated that
bicycle use extended the usable physical environment for people, while alternatives
such as cars and motorways degraded and confined people's environment and mobility.
[112] Currently, two billion bicycles are in use around the world. Children,
students, professionals, laborers, civil servants and seniors are pedaling around
their communities. They all experience the freedom and the natural opportunity for
exercise that the bicycle easily provides. Bicycle also has lowest carbon intensity
of travel.[113]

Bicycles in Utrecht, Netherlands

Religious implications
The proper Islamic bicycle for the Iranian women is a topic of heated discussion in
both Sunni and Shia Islam.[114][115][116]

Manufacturing
See also: List of bicycle manufacturing companies
The global bicycle market is $61 billion in 2011.[117] As of 2009 130 million
bicycles were sold every year globally and 66% of them were made in China.[118]

EU28 Bicycle market 2000–2014[119]

Year production (M) sales (M)
2000 14.531 18.945
2001 13.009 17.745
2002 12.272 17.840
2003 12.828 20.206
2004 13.232 20.322
2005 13.218 20.912
2006 13.320 21.033
2007 13.086 21.344
2008 13.246 20.206
2009 12.178 19.582
2010 12.241 20.461
2011 11.758 20.039
2012 11.537 19.719
2013 11.360 19.780
2014 11.939 20.234
EU28 Bicycle market 2014[119]
Country Production (M) Parts Sales (M) Avg Sales (M€)
Italy 2.729 491 M€ 1.696 288 488.4
Germany 2.139 286 M€ 4.100 528 2164.8
Poland .991 58 M€ 1.094 380 415.7
Bulgaria .950 9 M€ .082 119 9.8
The Netherlands .850 85 M€ 1.051 844 887
Romania .820 220 M€ .370 125 46.3
Portugal .720 120 M€ .340 160 54.4
France .630 170 M€ 2.978 307 914.2
Hungary .370 10 M€ .044 190 8.4
Spain .356 10 M€ 1.089 451 491.1
Czech Republic .333 85 M€ .333 150 50
Lithuania .323 0 .050 110 5.5
Slovakia .210 9 M€ .038 196 7.4
Austria .138 0 .401 450 180.5
Greece .108 0 .199 233 46.4
Belgium .099 35 M€ .567 420 238.1
Sweden .083 0 .584 458 267.5
Great Britain .052 34 M€ 3.630 345 1252.4
Finland .034 32 M€ .300 320 96
Slovenia .005 9 M€ .240 110 26.4
Croatia 0 0 .333 110 36.6
Cyprus 0 0 .033 110 3.6
Denmark 0 0 .470 450 211.5
Estonia 0 0 .062 190 11.8
Ireland 0 0 .091 190 17.3
Latvia 0 0 .040 110 4.4
Luxembourg 0 0 .010 450 4.5
Malta 0 0 .011 110 1.2
EU 28 11.939 1662 M€ 20.234 392 7941.2
Legal requirements
Main article: Bicycle law
Early in its development, as with automobiles, there were restrictions on the
operation of bicycles. Along with advertising, and to gain free publicity, Albert
A. Pope litigated on behalf of cyclists.[85]

The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of the United Nations considers a
bicycle to be a vehicle, and a person controlling a bicycle (whether actually
riding or not) is considered an operator. The traffic codes of many countries
reflect these definitions and demand that a bicycle satisfy certain legal
requirements before it can be used on public roads. In many jurisdictions, it is an
offense to use a bicycle that is not in a roadworthy condition.[citation needed]

In most jurisdictions, bicycles must have functioning front and rear lights when
ridden after dark. As some generator or dynamo-driven lamps operate only while
moving, rear reflectors are frequently also mandatory. Since a moving bicycle makes
little noise, some countries insist that bicycles have a warning bell for use when
approaching pedestrians, equestrians, and other cyclists, though sometimes a car
horn can be used when a 12 volt battery is available.[citation needed]

Some countries require child and/or adult cyclists to wear helmets, as this may
protect riders from head trauma. Countries which require adult cyclists to wear
helmets include Spain, New Zealand and Australia. Mandatory helmet wearing is one
of the most controversial topics in the cycling world, with proponents arguing that
it reduces head injuries and thus is an acceptable requirement, while opponents
argue that by making cycling seem more dangerous and cumbersome, it reduces cyclist
numbers on the streets, creating an overall negative health effect (fewer people
cycling for their own health, and the remaining cyclists being more exposed through
a reversed safety in numbers effect).[120]

Theft
Main article: Bicycle theft

A bicycle wheel remains chained in a bike rack after the rest of the bicycle has
been stolen at east campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Bicycles are popular targets for theft, due to their value and ease of resale.[121]
The number of bicycles stolen annually is difficult to quantify as a large number
of crimes are not reported.[122] Around 50% of the participants in the Montreal
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation survey were subjected to a
bicycle theft in their lifetime as active cyclists.[123] Most bicycles have serial
numbers that can be recorded to verify identity in case of theft.[124]

See also
Sports portal
icon Transport portal
Bicycle and motorcycle geometry
Bicycle-sharing system
List of bicycle types
Outline of bicycles
Outline of cycling
World Bicycle Day
Notes and references
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^ Jump up to: a b Herlihy 2004, pp. 200–50.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Herlihy 2004, pp. 266–71.
^ Jump up to: a b c Herlihy 2004, p. 280.
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assemblies") subcommittee, has published the following standards:[citation needed]
ISO 4210 Cycles – Safety requirements for bicycles
ISO 6692 Cycles – Marking of cycle components
ISO 6695 Cycles – Pedal axle and crank assembly with square end fitting – Assembly
dimensions
ISO 6696 Cycles – Screw threads used in bottom bracket assemblies
ISO 6697 Cycles – Hubs and freewheels – Assembly dimensions
ISO 6698 Cycles – Screw threads used to assemble freewheels on bicycle hubs
ISO 6699 Cycles – Stem and handlebar bend – Assembly dimensions
ISO 6701 Cycles – External dimensions of spoke nipples
ISO 6742 Cycles – Lighting and retro-reflective devices – Photometric and physical
requirements
ISO 8090 Cycles – Terminology (same as BS 6102-4)
ISO 8098 Cycles – Safety requirements for bicycles for young children
ISO 8488 Cycles – Screw threads used to assemble head fittings on bicycle forks
ISO 8562 Cycles – Stem wedge angle
ISO 10230 Cycles – Splined hub and sprocket – Mating dimensions
ISO 11243 Cycles – Luggage carriers for bicycles – Concepts, classification and
testing
Other ISO Technical Committees have published various cycle relevant standards, for
example:
ISO 5775 Bicycle tire and rim designations
ISO 9633 Cycle chains – Characteristics and test methods
Published cycle standards from CEN TC333 include:
EN 14764 City and trekking bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
EN 14765 Bicycles for young children – Safety requirements and test methods
EN 14766 Mountain-bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
EN 14781 Racing bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
EN 14782 Bicycles – Accessories for bicycles – Luggage carriers
EN 15496 Cycles – Requirements and test methods for cycle locks
Yet to be approved cycle standards from CEN TC333:
EN 15194 Cycles – Electrically power assisted cycles (EPAC bicycle)
EN 15532 Cycles – Terminology
00333011 Cycles – Bicycles trailers – safety requirements and test methods
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^ Shaheen, Susan; Guzman, Stacey; Zhang, Hua (2010). "Bikesharing in Europe, the
Americas, and Asia". Transportation Research Record. 2143: 159–67.
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^ Shaheen, Stacey; Stacey Guzman (2011). "Worldwide Bikesharing". Access Magazine.
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^ Shaheen, Susan; Zhang, Hua; Martin, Elliot; Guzman, Stacey (2011). "China's
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^ Damien Newton (16 October 2008). "Metro Making Room for Bikes on Their Trains".
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^ "In Almost Every European Country, Bikes Are Outselling New Cars". NPR. 24
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^ Jump up to: a b c d Norcliffe 2001, p. 23.
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^ Jump up to: a b c d Norcliffe 2001, p. 108.
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^ Norcliffe 2001, p. 145.
^ Babaian, Sharon. The Most Benevolent Machine: A Historical Assessment of Cycles
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^ Norcliffe 2001, p. 121.
^ Jump up to: a b Norcliffe 2001, p. 123.
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^ Norcliffe 2001, p. 214.
^ Jump up to: a b Norcliffe 2001, p. 131.
^ Norcliffe 2001, p. 30.
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^ Norcliffe 2001, p. 128.
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Sources
Herlihy, David V. (2004). Bicycle: The History. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-
300-12047-9.
Norcliffe, Glen (2001). The Ride to Modernity: The Bicycle in Canada, 1869–1900.
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Further reading
Max Glaskin, Cycling Science: How Rider and Machine Work Together 2013, University
of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0-226-92187-7
Raymond Huttier. Le roman de la bicyclette, du célérifère au vélo moderne. (Bicycle
history) 139 p. illustré. Editions Susse, Paris. 1951.
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