Bicycle wheel

A bicycle wheel is a wheel designed for a bicycle. A pair is called a wheelset, especially in the context of performance-oriented wheels. A wheel consists of a rim connected to the hub by spokes. At the end of each wheel spoke is a nut, called a nipple. Bicycle wheels connect to the frame and fork via dropouts.

Related Topics:
Wheel - Bicycle - Spoke - Nipple - Frame - Fork - Dropout

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The hub uses bearings to reduce friction with the axle. Except in fixed gear bicycles, the rear hub is connected to the freewheel and the rear sprockets. Some bicycle wheels are attached using a quick release for ease of removal from the bicycle.

Related Topics:
Bearing - Axle - Fixed gear bicycle - Freewheel - Quick release

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Bicycle wheels come in many different sizes. Most road and racing bicycles use 700C wheels (approximately 700 mm diameter with a tire mounted) due to regulation, while many mountain bikes use 26 inch wheels. Some mountain bikes use 24 inch or 29 inch wheels (29 inch wheels are in fact identical in diameter to 700C road wheels). Some bicycles designed for triathlon or time trial purposes use 650c wheels.

Related Topics:
Racing bicycle - Mountain bike - Triathlon - Time trial

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Bicycle wheels can also be categorized according to the way in which the tire attaches to the wheel. A tubular wheelset has a round profile on its rims and uses adhesive to attach the tubular tire onto the wheel. A clincher wheelset uses a metal hook around the rims that clinches the tire with the tube inside of the tire. While tubular wheels are lighter, and can be made to operate in a wider range of tire pressures, clincher wheels are easier to service, for example in the case of a flat tire. However, tubulars are popular for bicycle road racing applications and it is argued that it is safer than clinchers in the case of flatting while the bicycle is traveling at high speeds.

Related Topics:
Tire - Bicycle road racing

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