Shitheads Dramaturgy
Bikes 101
On this page you will find all the basics about bikes including types of bikes, bike anatomy, and a little on the legendary 6 series created by Izzy!
Types of Bikes
There are many different kinds of bikes, but for the sake of simplicity, we are going to learn about the main three bike types: Road, Mountain, and Hybrid.
Road Bike
Road bikes are designed to be ridden fast on smooth pavement. They have smooth, skinny tires and "drop" handlebars, and can be used for on-road racing. They are usually lighter than other types of bicycles. They can be ridden on paved trails, but most people find them uncomfortable and unstable on unpaved trails. Most road bikes are not capable of carrying heavy loads.
Mountain Bike
Mountain bikes are designed for riding rough off-road trails. They have flat or upright handlebars, and a very low gear range for pedaling up steep trails. Most mountain bikes have some type of shock absorbers or suspension. Mountain bikes with front suspension only are called hardtails; mountain bikes with both front and rear suspension are called full-suspension bikes or duallies. Mountain bikes with no suspension are called rigid. Mountain bikes can be outfitted for use as touring or commuting bikes, although they would not be as light or efficient as traditional touring or commuting bikes.
Hybrid Bike
Hybrid bikes were originally conceived to provide the advantages of both road bikes and mountain bikes. Their large, padded seats and upright handlebars provide a comfortable riding position, and are best for casual riding around the neighborhood or bike paths, short-distance commuting, and errands around town. They can be ridden on paved roads, but are not as lightweight or efficient as road bikes. They are ideal for paved or unpaved bike trails, but are not appropriate for rough off-road mountain bike trails. The tires are usually a medium-width with a semi-smooth tread, to provide a fairly smooth ride on pavement, but enough grip and cushion on unpaved trails. Most hybrid bikes have front suspension to smooth out small bumps, but some are fully rigid.
Information for the above section was taken from Century Cycle's Buyer's Guide.
Bike Frames
So what's the deal with steel vs. aluminum frames? And where does Carbon come in? This article from REI Coop explains a little bit about each type of bicycle frame you can buy.
Bike Anatomy
What's a shifter? Where is the bottom bracket? What do you call the thing that attaches to the chain? Bicycles are machines with MANY different parts, and bike mechanics have to know the names of all of them, and what they do. Above is a video that goes through the different parts of a bike and how they all connect.
Bike Anatomy Diagram
Looking for something specific? Here's a digram of major bike components from Ride On, an Australian cyclist magazine.
Izzy's Six Series
Izzy has created the perfect bike to sell at Bert's shop, and now that you know about all of the different bike parts, building the bike should be easy, right? Below, to the best of my ability, I have linked each of the parts that Izzy has put onto the 6-9 Series Carbon frame (Which, by the way, is modeled after the Wisconsin-Based Trek Bike company which you can check out here.
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Izzy's Bike:
ZIPP 404 FIRECREST WHEEL SET. TUBELESS.
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CARBON FIBER 6.9 FRAME - The KIV tube shaping, tip-to tail integration, and internal cable routing are all descriptions that have to do with the bike frame. Each of these would come with the frame. Izzy didn't modify the frame to have these features. From the playwright:
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"KIV tube shaping is just the proprietary way Trek shapes the carbon tubes on their frame. I think I changed the acronym though, theirs is probably something else. It means the bike is more ergonomically conducive to long rides and charging up hills. Rider tuned gear combination and tip-to-tail integration are both kind of fluff.
Internal cable routing is when the brake cables and the shifting cables are actually run through the inside of the bike frame. You'll see there aren't cables running all over the bike (like on normal bikes) because they're all hidden on the inside. It's purely an aesthetic thing, just makes the bike look cleaner."
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