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Bicycling For Fun and Fitness
Special Bicycles for Racing
Racing Bikes: What is so Special?
For most people who do not give much interest in cycling, they would just assume
that all bikes are generally the same in terms of appearance, composition, and
capabilities.
But that really is not the case. Racing bikes have been made to cater to the
needs of cyclists for speed and adventure.
Want to know more information about racing bikes? Then read along!
What are racing bikes in general?
Racing bikes (or commonly known as road bikes) are made to achieve maximum speed
on smooth surfaces. The riders have to pedal hard to keep themselves from
fatigue. (It can be observed that the crouched position of the rider will tire
the arms easily when the lower limbs exert lesser efforts.) Racing bikes also
have to adjust certain settings to counter forces such as friction and air
resistance.
With these specifications, it can be said that ordinary bikes and special racing
bikes do have a lot of differences.
What are these differences?
Different types of bikes have been made to cater to different needs. And these
can be discussed by specifying bicycle components and their functions.
- Tire size
Racing bikes have narrower tire size. It just ranges from twenty to twenty five
millimeters. Narrower tires produce lesser fiction, thus producing greater
speed. Also, cyclists who participate in bike racing do not need baggage.
Touring bikes on the other hand, require broader tire size because of the weight
that they have to carry.
Racing bikes can also settle for narrow tires because these bikes do not need
large mudguards that mountain bikes use.
- Air pressure in tires
Track bikes usually need up to 14 bar of air pressure for it to perform better.
In racing bikes, only 8 bar of air pressure is needed to fill the tire. To
compensate for the lower pressure, racing bikes use tires with smooth and thin
treads.
- Wheel spokes
Triangular positioning of the wheel spokes (cross-section) is employed to attain
maximum inertia of the wheels when they rotate. It gives aerodynamic edge to the
racing bikes.
Laser number of wheel spokes is also observed in racing bikes to reduce air
resistance.
- Weight
The racing bikes have been made with lightweight materials. It is usually made
up of aluminum alloys. The chains can be composed of carbon fiber.
- Handle positioning and seat level
Racing bikes have lower hand bars and higher seat level to ensure that the rider
maintains a position that is aerodynamic. A streamlined form of the rider is
then achieved to lower the resistance to air.
What are the other bikes that are mistaken to be racing bikes?
Because of the similarities in physical components, some bikes are mistake as
racing bikes.
- Track bikes are racing bikes that have no free wheel. (It only has
one fixed gear.) It can only be stopped by pushing back on the pedals. Its
maximum speed depends on the ability of its rider.
If a user wants to use a track bike on the road, a front brake must be attached
to the bike.
Track bikes are used on velodrome racing.
- Cyclo-cross bikes need higher clearance level than ordinary racing
bikes. Its medium-sized tires range from twenty eight to thirty seven
millimeters. The bike comes with cantilever brakes and lower gears to ensure
that it can cope up with soft surfaces.
Cyclo-cross bikes, like mountain bikes and speed way bikes are used off road.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) standards
To clarify the confusion among bike types, the Union Cycliste Internationale set
some standards for racing bikes.
- Wheels must have a minimum of two strokes
- The handle bar must control the front wheel
- Chains attached to the pedals must power the rear wheel
- The weight must be 15 pounds minimum
- Frame must be confined to a triangle with tubular components
- Wheel must be of equal size (in terms of diameter) and must range
from 55 to 70 centimeters, with a maximum length of 175 centimeters and maximum
width of 50 centimeters.
Now that you know all these elements that make up a racing bike, you know
better. You will never take ordinary bikes as racing bikes again!
>>> Table of Contents
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