Many people are interested in how to pump up a bicycle with their own hands. This is not a difficult matter. First of all, you need to take care of safety. When deciding how to tune a bicycle, you can install additional brakes, a more comfortable sports seat, and headlights. If the bike is not fast and the brakes, accordingly, are pedal rear wheel, then for safety it is useful to set the handbrake to front wheel. When choosing it, you need to make sure that the wire from the brake to the handle is of the appropriate length (do not take it too long, as it will get tangled). In addition, it is worth paying attention to the material of the pressure rollers on the brake itself: the stronger and more elastic it is, the more effective the braking. If there are brakes on both wheels, the bike will not skid much when braking.
You can also install a better seat. It is important that its upholstery is made of genuine leather. You should not take the seats from a large number foam under the upholstery. When driving for a long time, a seat that is too soft will cause fatigue to set in faster. When driving on roads at night, headlights can provide invaluable assistance. To avoid loading your bike with too many wires, you should not take headlights that are recharged by movement. Regular batteries will be sufficient. There should be a white headlight at the front and a red one at the back.
Of course, those who are interested in how to pump up a bike usually have little concern about safety. Therefore, further on changing the appearance of the bicycle, adding individuality to the production model. To decorate your bike, you can remove the heavy metal rear fender and install a small, lightweight plastic one, this will give more sporty look. At the same time, you can remove the trunk and transport baskets. To make your bike unique and unique from any other, you can modify its frame. To do this, you need to cut sheets of metal to the shape of the frame (2 pieces). Weld them on each side, having previously removed the paint and treated the weld area on the frame with a solvent.
Since you do the tuning of the bike yourself, you can do the welding work yourself. With these modifications, the bike will look more like a motorcycle (the resulting capacity is similar to a gas tank). The installed sheets can be decorated with various decorations or wrapped with a thick chain. Fasten massive rivets, or simply apply beautiful graffiti. To make the drawing better, you should think it over carefully, cut out stencils for different layers of paper and only then use them to make a drawing on a bicycle. You can get interesting ideas for images from the Internet. The rest of the frame, front and rear forks, and wheel rims can also be painted in a color to match the graffiti. This way, your DIY bike tuning will be done efficiently and beautifully.
For a mountain bike, the main criterion for the quality of a bicycle is the strength of the frame and its weight. Steel frames are used as standard. This design can be replaced with a frame made of titanium, aluminum or chromium-molybdenum alloys. And recently, frames made using butting technology have become popular. In areas of greatest load, the walls of such a frame are wider than in others.
Seat
Tuning a seat, as a rule, consists of reupholstering the fabric, replacing it with leather, or installing a more comfortable model. Narrow and hard ones are suitable for athletes, while soft and wide ones are suitable for urban travel.
Pedals
When replacing conventional pedals with contact pedals, it is worth remembering that each type of riding requires a separate set. You also need to purchase special boots in the kit.
Suspension forks
The shock absorber forks can be replaced with spring-oil or air-oil ones. Unlike standard spring-elastomer ones, they are more lightweight and functional.
Bushings
The bushings can be replaced with stamped, turned aluminum ones. For models mountain bikes Bushings with non-separable bearings are more suitable; they increase efficiency and are easy to install.
.Sleeve brake
It is better to replace the hub brake with a drum brake, or upgrade it with the additional installation of a cantilever rim or caliper brake. For those who like to take part in competitions, a mechanical disc or hydraulic brake will be useful.
Rims
The rims can be changed from steel to aluminum. This will prevent rust and significantly lighten the design of the bike. In addition, the strength of the wheels will increase and the appearance will improve significantly.
Standard spokes with a diameter of up to 2.3 mm can be replaced with blade-shaped or drawn spokes made of high-alloy steel or titanium. This will increase elasticity and flexibility.
Tires
Tires are one of the essential elements bicycle designs. There are a great many variations of tires. For driving on rough terrain, aggressive tires are more suitable to provide better traction; on rubber of this type, as a rule, load hooks are installed on the side of the tread. winter walks change summer tires to studded ones, which will allow you to safely move on snow and ice.
Upgrading a bicycle is a phenomenon that the vast majority of cyclists with varying riding experience encounter. Moreover, very often, improvement is most likely not that, but only an unjustified desire to change something for something. A full upgrade implies reaching a new high-quality level of equipment operation.
Since upgrading for the sake of upgrading is an inherently meaningless exercise, let’s try to analyze a rational strategy for upgrading a bicycle based on
achieving reliability, better work and aesthetic perfection. These are the three main components of a proper upgrade.An upgrade that is not related to improving functionality and increasing the reliability of components, or generally based on bringing the bicycle to a Feng Shui state, is either a simple repair masquerading as an upgrade or artistic creativity, which, if you have talent, can be applied in other areas. When you replace a broken component with the same one without changing
functionality, reliability and aesthetics, we can immediately say that such a replacement of a failed part is not an upgrade. If, when replacing a part with another one, better side If one of the three components listed above changes, then we can call it an upgrade, although sometimes forced.It’s easier to understand the strategy for upgrading a bicycle and systematize the elements that will be improved; all components of the bicycle can be divided into groups:
- depreciation: fork, shock absorbers;- transmission and shifting: cassette, system, chain, switches, shifters, cables, etc.;
- wheels: rims, spokes, bushings, tires, tubes, etc.;
- brake system: calipers, rotors, brake levers, adapters, brake assemblies, etc.;
- controls: pedals, saddle, grips, steering wheel, etc. In approximately this order (someone may have a different opinion) you need to develop a strategy for upgrading a bicycle when something in it is not satisfactory. The list above does not mention anything about the bicycle frame. When buying a bicycle, the choice of frame is decisive and everything starts from there.
If you upgrade the functional part, that's all key points. One more important point The purpose of an upgrade is to prevent a distortion in the class of equipment; with a large difference in the class of equipment, instead of improving, on the contrary, functionality suffers, it looks, to put it mildly, funny and the aesthetic side suffers. You need to invest financially in an upgrade, and if you don’t have enough money to make a balanced, comprehensive upgrade, then it’s better to spend your pennies on cycling clothing, tools or accessories, but not become a victim of a partial upgrade.LED backlight bicycles are modern systems design and tuning, which are easy to install and very beautiful. The use of such bicycle tuning is recommended in many countries for road safety. Animated wheels. Flat and ultra-light panels that attach directly to the spokes of a bicycle wheel. A built-in computer and infrared sensors control the image during rotation. Bright fantastic patterns or text appear synchronously on the wheel.
Each panel already contains 6 design options, as well as the ability to enter text up to 16 characters long. The image is clearly visible even at low speeds. The more panels on the wheel, the more unique patterns you can create yourself. The panels are suitable for all types of wheels, recommended diameter from 24 inches. The patterns are visible on both sides already at a speed of 7 wheel revolutions per minute. Colors - red, green, yellow, orange, blue, rainbow. Several control modes. Net weight 170 grams. Installed with a screwdriver; Waterproof and shockproof housing. Operates continuously on three AA batteries for at least 48 hours.
Colored wheels. Universal LED attachments for bicycles and scooters that attach directly to the nipple. The wheels are completely filled with a bright glow of different colors. Motion activated! Colors - blue, green, purple, red, rainbow.
Chrome plated waterproof housing and increased service life. The kit contains everything you need, including batteries.. .Accessories for bicycle tuning. Small devices for beautiful lighting of pedals, handlebars, frames, signal attachments and much more. A great addition for your bike!
If you sell or produce bicycles, you have a real opportunity to increase your sales and attract new customers.
Be sure to make sure that all the added bells and whistles do not interfere with your ability to control the bike and do not affect its maneuverability. Otherwise, all tuning achievements will only hinder you when moving. Tuning and pumping up a bicycle with your own hands is such an exciting activity that the flight of your thoughts is completely unlimited. Use all the materials you can get your hands on and make your wildest fantasies come true.
For example, the bicycle body itself can be painted in one color, and the frame and trunk in another. Choose a color scheme according to your own taste. In addition, stickers can come to your aid, which are abundantly available in the store’s assortment for tuning cars or motorcycles. Good options tuning and upgrade - this means covering a bicycle with carbon fiber or applying airbrushing, converting it into an electric bicycleBicycle parts wear out over time and require replacement. Experienced athletes recommend doing a seasonal technical inspection annually and always checking the performance of the bike before the first ride of the season.
If certain parts of the bicycle fail, they must be repaired or replaced. Hydraulic brakes most often need replacement. When performing repairs or routine inspections, you can try to fully bleed your bike.
Quick navigation through the article
Bleeding the brakes
The cause of hydraulic brake failure may be:
- Air entering hydraulic lines due to mechanical damage to parts. This is easy to notice as oil (or brake fluid) will leak out through the resulting holes.
- Seal wear. It becomes hard and brittle at low temperatures (frost) and even with careful use requires replacement every few years.
- Air entering the hydraulic lines when the bicycle is turned over (wheels upside down).
First of all, it is necessary to exclude the cause of the depressurization of the hydraulic brakes, and then bleed them (so that the air comes out). At the same time, you need to add or replace brake fluid or oil (taking into account the properties of the brakes).
Oil
Oil-fueled brakes typically have a separate reservoir. To update such brakes, you need:
- Open the expansion tank cap.
- Add oil to the reservoir while pressing the brake handle. When the air is completely out, the tank will be filled with oil.
- Finish the procedure and tightly close the tank with the lid.
Brake fluid
To bleed a bicycle running on brake fluid, you will need new suitable fluid, as well as special syringes and tubes with fittings. To upgrade brakes with an integrated reservoir, you must:
- Remove the screws from the cylinder and caliper. Syringe fittings are screwed in their place. Brake fluid is supplied through syringes from bottom to top. In this case, the old liquid comes out along with the air, being replaced by a new one.
- Screw the screws in tightly.
Since brake fluid is toxic, it is important to avoid direct contact with it by using protective equipment.
Tuning
During the seasonal technical inspection, you should check the condition of the remaining elements of the bicycle. If you wish, you can update it, namely:
- Replace the seat with a more comfortable one.
- Install headlights to make driving easier in the dark.
- Install safer pedals.
- Upgrade the frame, fenders, etc.
When tuning a bicycle (especially for decorative updates), you should remember about riding safety - all parts must remain functional and not impede movement.
Usually, after riding a popular mountain bike a little, a person realizes that he prefers fast riding on smooth asphalt. What to do?
How to make a bike faster?
Firstly, I don’t want to change my bike, and secondly, road bike is quite expensive.
There is a solution: improve technical specifications your mountain bike.
Aerodynamic drag is important for driving fast
About bicycles
The most popular are mountain bikes, which appeared in the 70s.
Their appearance is associated with improvements in the quality of materials and inventions in braking and mechanical devices.
Among mountain bikes there are several subtypes. All models have much in common:
hard steering;
brakes on both wheels;
often two transmission switches.
Most often, aluminum hardtail models with suspension front forks are purchased.
They are designed for a medium landing and are equipped with disc brakes And additional equipment: trunk, fenders, etc.
The following factors influence the speed of a bicycle:
aerodynamic drag;
condition of the road surface;
wind strength and direction;
technical characteristics of the bike.
Experienced cyclists advise ways to improve the technical characteristics of a bike.
Tires have a big impact on driving speed.
Regular mountain bikes have tires with spikes. It has a small area of adhesion to the asphalt, so it dampens the bike’s roll.
For asphalt roads, slick tires with a smooth surface and drainage grooves are effective, which provide the bike with high inertia and do not slip on a wet road.
![](https://i2.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/slik.jpg)
There is a rubber option - semi-slick, which has a smooth surface in the middle and spikes only at the edges. Wheels with such rubber stabilize the bike well when cornering.
With slick tires, the cyclist spends less energy on accelerating and maintaining speed, the bike travels a longer distance without pedaling, and the speed increase can reach up to 10 km/h.
It sways while driving suspension fork, therefore the cyclist’s efforts are dampened and the speed does not increase.
If you install a rigid (rigid) fork or a shock-absorbing fork with locking, the speed will increase.
The carbon rigid fork is lightweight and lightly cushioned due to the elasticity of the material.
An aluminum fork is stiffer, costs less, but weighs more.
When replacing, the size of the rigid fork is selected to match the geometry of the frame, and the existing angle of the steering column is maintained.
![](https://i2.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/vilka.jpg)
The speed of the bicycle depends on the condition of the large sprocket. As a rule, it is replaceable.
For maximum speed a large sprocket is installed at the front.
On a traditional bike it has 42 teeth.
After installing a 48-tooth sprocket, the driving speed increases.
![](https://i0.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/zvezda.jpg)
When riding, the cyclist presses the pedal with one foot, while the other leg does not work.
Pedals have been developed to improve foot performance.
Contact models, which use a special cleat on the shoe and a groove on the pedal, use both feet.
When one foot moves its pedal down, the other foot pulls the second pedal up.
There are pedals that fix the legs in the stirrups (toe clips).
This fastening can be easily made with your own hands from a thin strap.
The speed of the bicycle increases if the “trampling” pedals are replaced with pedals that fix the legs.
![](https://i1.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/tuklips.jpg)
The resistance to the headwind, and therefore the speed, depends on the cyclist’s position.
A horizontal landing is considered ideal, which can be achieved in various ways.
Firstly, they raise or move the saddle, secondly, they change the stem of the steering wheel or lower it, and thirdly, they shorten the handlebars to shoulder width.
In addition, there are sun loungers for the steering wheel. They have armrests for ease of control.
![](https://i0.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/posadka.jpg)
The riding speed depends on the technical condition of the bike. If you decide, provide quality service.
To make it move faster, you need to:
once a season, go through all the nodes;
replace worn bearings;
adjust the brakes so that they do not touch the rim;
clean the derailleur stars and rollers;
wash the chain with gasoline and lubricate it with liquid lubricant;
tighten the chain.
![](https://i0.wp.com/velodelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/obsluzivanie.jpg)
In conclusion, it should be noted that speed depends not only on the condition of the bicycle. First of all, a cyclist must have good physical training.
High speed accessible if you ride a lot and watch your weight. So you've learned how to make a bike faster.