People around the world need ground transportation for short and long trips alike, and many different vehicles both public and personal can be used for this. Cars, taxis, trains, buses, and more are common, but so are smaller vehicles, too. In fact, bicycles are among the most common, convenient, and beloved of all ground based vehicles today, and they can be used for all sorts of needs. Unlike cars, no one needs extensive training or testing or a license to use one, and many different bicycles exist for riders of both sexes, any age, and any intended purpose. A race bike will look different from an off-road bike, for example, and some bikes are small and stable enough for kids to ride to get exercise.
Better yet, there’s a strong market not only for all those bikes but also their parts and upgrade kids. Replacement brake levers, bike pedal replacement models, bicycle toe clips, and even bike bags or baskets may be found at a local bike shop and installed right onto your bike. Some parts such as brake levers, gears, and the chain must be replaced whenever they’re damaged so the bike can remain operational, and quality new brake levers can make all the difference. What is there to know about buying or fixing a bicycle and getting brake levers or toe clips on the pedals?
Why People Ride Bikes
What’s the appeal of these two-wheeled vehicles? For one thing, bicycles are highly economical, since around 100 of them can be made with the same resources for a single car, and they are much more affordable, too. Even communities in developing parts of the world can easily afford large numbers of bicycles for everyone to use, and in some parts of the world, bicycles replace cars and taxis as the main mode of wheeled, personal transport. Overall, over 100 million bicycles are made every single year, and nearly one billion of them can be found across the world today. They outnumber cars and trucks two to one, in fact, and don’t even need any gasoline or other fuel to run, further cutting costs. This is another attractive aspects to bicycles: no emissions, since they don’t have engines and only need human labor for fuel. Many Americans and Europeans ride bicycles partly because they are helping to cut down on emissions.
In developing parts of the world, bicycles are often ridden by merchants or farmers or other workers delivering their goods to a market or to customers, and often have wide pallets on them loaded with items. But even in the developed world, more and more employees opt to ride bicycles to and from work even if they have access to cars. This is for the benefit of cutting down on emissions and saving on gas, and riding a bicycle makes for fine cardio exercise. Many statistics and studies universally prove that exercise is very good for the human body, and bike riding is a fun and convenient way to get the heart pumping and work out some muscles. A regular bike rider, along with other exercise lovers, may enjoy a slimmer waistline and lower blood pressure, and lower chances of a heart attack or stroke.
Bike Hardware
A bicycle’s appearance and function may reflect how it’s meant to be used. A racing bike, for example, has a light and narrow frame, narrow tires with smooth surfaces, and a narrow and hard seat, or saddle. Such bikes are meant to be raced on pavement, and the rider typically leans forward and puts very little sitting pressure on the saddle. Large wheels make for better movement on pavement, and the narrow saddle won’t snag on the rider’s legs as they go.
Casual bikes have slightly smaller wheels, thicker frames, and wider tires with more grip, and a wider and softer seat for direct sitting. Kids’ bikes are especially designed like this, since kids want comfort and don’t race competitively. But no matter what, a bike rider may want to get replacement parts or upgrades. Worn-out brake levers should be replaced for safety’s sake, and a new chain may be put in or refitted. Meanwhile, new reflective panels may be put on for night riding and a basket may be put on the front for carrying items.