Bicycle

Bicycle: two-wheeled vehicle operated by pedals.
Rear caliper brake: piece that joins the different parts of the rear brake.
Seat post: metal tube that holds the seat.
Saddle: seat.
Cross bar: cylinder that connects the seat tube and the head tube.
Handlebar stem: metal tube used to steer the front wheel.
handle bars: metal tube used for steering.
Brake cable: braided steel cable used to control the brakes.
Brake lever: device used to operate the brake.
Head tube: cylinder that holds the handlebars and which connects the crossbar to the down tube.
Front caliper brake: piece that joins the different parts of the front brake.
Derailleur gear changer: lever used to shift the chain on a multi-speed bicycle.
Fork: piece formed of two parallel tubes, between which the wheel is fixed.
Down tube: cylinder onto which the crank gear is attached and which connects the down tube to the seat tube.
Spoke: long, thin piece of metal connecting the rim of a wheel to its hub.
Hub: central part crossed by the axle.
Rim: circle of metal forming the edge of a wheel.
Tire: hollow, air-filled casing made of rubber-covered fabric and steel.
Tire valve: system used to regulate the air in a tire.
Wheel: round object that turns around a central axle to allow the bicycle to advance.
Pedal: footed operated system used to propel a bicycle.
Crank arm: arm perpendicular to an axle, used to give it circular motion.
Drive chain: set of metal links that is used to transmit motion.
Rear derailleur: apparatus used to transfer the chain from one gear to another, situated at the rear of a bicycle.
Chain stay: part on which the bicycle rests.
Front derailleur: apparatus used to transfer the chain from one gear to another, situated at the front of a bicycle.
Seat tube: cylinder to which the seat is attached and which connects the down tube to the crossbar.

These informations are brought by : http://www.infovisual.info



I'm sure I'll catch flak for saying this, but there's nothing wrong with riding a cheap, department-store bike for getting around town. Sure, I ride a $600 bike now, but I rode a $73 Huffy from Target all through college, ten miles a day, and it lasted me fine for a few years. Sure, it only lasted a few years, but that's less than $25/yr.

But you should at least know what makes a department-store (DS) bike lesser quality.

• Weight. DS bikes are made entirely from steel, so they're a little heavier. Brand-name bikes are often made with aluminum or lighter alloys.
  
  
• Strength. The frame on DS bikes (especially older ones) is typically crimped together instead of welded. This may only be a problem if you carry a lot of weight or bounce down curbs a lot, in which case it could come apart. (It came apart on my old bike because I was routinely hauling lots of groceries, but I was able to fix it by drilling a hole through the pieces and securing them with a bolt.)
  
• Assembly. Bike-store bikes are assembled by trained professionals who know what they're doing. DS bikes are put together by some toy department employee who makes minimum wage and has no professional training. Sure, it's not too hard to put a bike together, but if you're getting a DS bike you'll probably want to get it checked out by a professional to make sure the wheels aren't about to come off and that the brakes work right. Safety matters.
  
  
• Components. The brakes and derailleurs (gear-shifters) are generally lower quality on DS bikes and may need to be replaced sooner. But this is no big deal -- on any used bike you're probably going to have to replace them eventually, and you can always replace them with good parts when you do. Do make sure that the bike you're looking at hasn't been subject to a recall, or if it has, that you get a bike shop to fix the problem.

Here are some popular brands of DS bikes vs. bike-shop bikes.

Speeds

This looks like a great used bike at first glance. But if you look carefully, you will notice that it doesn't have any wheels.

If the terrain where you'll be riding is relatively flat then a one-speed bike may work fine for you, as long as that one speed is a comfortable speed. But if you have any hills, you'll want at least three speeds, though 10 is better. Most modern bikes have 18 or 21 speeds, but it's kind of overkill, since most people don't even use all 10 speeds on a 10-speed bike. There's nothing wrong with a bike with 15, 18, or 21 speeds, it's just not that big an advantage over 10.

Brakes

Most bikes have hand brakes, with brake levers on the handlebars, one for each wheel. You want both brakes to be working, because if you have only one brake, and you're going down a hill, and your one good brake snaps, then you're toast. If the bike you're looking at has only one working hand brake, a bike shop can fix one or add another one for you.

There are three main kinds of brakes. V-brakes give excellent braking power and are easy to adjust, and they're worth looking for. Center-pull brakes are the next best. In last place are side-pull brakes which are often lower quality and harder to adjust. (There are some high-quality side-pull brakes out there, but if you're looking at cheap bikes you're unlikely to run across them.) Side-pull aren't used very much on consumer bikes any more, but ALL bikes used to have them, so if you're looking at used bikes you're liable to run across them.

Most single-speed bikes have a coaster brake, meaning you pedal backwards to brake. This is fine, though you'll probably want one hand brake as well.

V-Brakes (best)
Center-Pull (okay)	Side-Pull (hmm...)

Tune

If the bike doesn't ride the way you want it to, or anything's broken, or it's missing parts, it can be worth having a bike shop give it a tune-up. Be careful to ask the shop for the maximum cost for anything they're going to do to the bike beforehand, or ask them to call you before they replace any parts, because if the bike is in really bad shape, replacing all the parts on it could wind up costing you more than a new bike.

One thing that old bikes often need is to have the wheels trued, meaning tightening & loosening various spokes so that the wheel spins straight. A wheel that wobbles left and right will run into your brakes every revolution and slow you down.

Maintenance

If you can store the bike out of the rain it won't need much maintenance. Here are the basics.

Tires. Check the air pressure a couple of times a month, and add air as necessary.

Brakes. Check the brakes once a month to make sure they're not rubbing.

Chain. Oil the chain every couple of months.

Outside of these things, just take your bike in to a shop about once a year for a tune-up. They'll oil the chain properly, adjust the brakes as necessary, and check the shifting. They'll also examine the hubs (the centers of the wheels), the bottom bracket (where the pedal crank arms turn), and the headset (where the handlebars meet the bike) to see if they need adjustment or regreasing.

___________________________________________________

Winter tips

Cycling in winter can be fun - and keep you warm

Winter is no obstacle to cycling if you choose the right gear.

To keep warm, dry and visible you need a few extra items of kit which are readily available from your local bike shop. See the list of tips below for the equipment you are likely to need. Your local bike shop can advise on specific products – and remember that LCC members get a 10% discount at many London bike shops by showing a membership card. See the links on the right for how to join and a database of shops where you can get a discount.
Clothing

A warm, waterproof and breathable jacket keeps out the weather. Materials like Gortex, Sympatex, and Entrant are both waterproof and breathable enabling you to stay dry and not get sweaty. Most regular winter riders keep a pair of waterproof over-trousers in their panniers. You can also buy over-shoes for the occasional heavy downpour.

Waterproof gloves will keep your fingers warm and dry – the better designs have reinforced and padded palms for comfort.
Visibility

When it's getting dark at 4pm, chances are you'll be cycling in the dark often. Reflective materials on your clothing or your bike help you be visible to other road users.

Modern LED lights are both bright and cheap to run. Halogen lights are more expensive, but are very bright and will usually come with rechargeable batteries. Alternatively you can fit a dynamo which runs on pedal power. Check the link on the right for more information on what lights you should have if you're cycling in the dark.

Thanks for reading. Good luck finding a bike! :)