Bike Maintenance Class: Week 2, Basic Fit, Component Materials, and Brake System

Bike Maintenance Class: Week 2, Basic Fit, Component Materials, and Brake System

Judging Bike Fit: Stand Over Height

Finding a bike that fits correctly is important, but its also is mostly about personal preference. So what should you look at?
The most basic component of bike fit is stand over height. On the bike its the distance from the top of the top tube to the ground. On the rider this measurement should be at least and inch or two less than the distance from your crotch to the ground. If you don't have that clearance you could really hurt yourself when dismounting. Stand over height differs between bikes that are the same size based on how the manufacture measures size and the bikes geometry.

This will tell you if a bike fits you most of the time. While there are other components to bike fit, most of them are adjustments, which we will cover later in this class.

Frame Materials

Bikes frames are made out of three types of material:

• Steel - If your using your bike on a daily basis and have to lock it up outside sometimes(but never overnight!) steel is what you want. Its can take more abuse than aluminium or carbon and sometimes even be realigned after a particularly hard impact that would total other frames. Avoid frames made of high carbon or high-tensile steel (some times called hi-ten). Instead look for frames made of an alloy such as chromoly (chromium-molybdenum) as they are lighter, stronger, and resist rust better. Also look for double and triple butted tubing which is thinner in the center than at the ends, taking pounds of the weight of a frame. If the frame doesn't have a sticker stating what its made of, there's a good chance is straight gauge high-tensile steel.
• Aluminium - Stiffer and lighter than steel aluminium is ideal for road bikes where you want to be putting down maximum power, or in a bike with suspension where you aren't relying on the frame to absorb road vibration. The thin tubing in nicer aluminium bikes is prone to dents and dings so be careful when your locking it up.

Butted vs Straight gauge: Also look for double and triple butted tubing which is thinner in the center than at the ends, taking pounds of the weight of a frame. If the frame doesn't have a sticker stating what its made of, there's a good chance is straight gauge high-tensile steel.

Saddle and Cockpit Set-Up

Saddle Height and Position

Level

Your saddle should always be about level or tipped slightly towards the front of the bike. Level is measured from the highest point on the rear of the saddle to the hights point on the front of the saddle (the nose). You can change this slightly but if the saddle is tilted to far forward, your going to put extra pressure on your wrists, to far back and the saddle's nose is going to start putting pressure on bits you wish it wouldn't.

Height

When in the saddle (your sit bones should be making

Breaks

System Overview/Styles

Calliper, Cantilever, and Linear Pull

Quick Release

===Replacing Cable and Housing