Bike

A bike is a broad term that refers to any two-wheeled vehicle that is powered either mechanically or through the pedalling action of the rider. Bikes tread the wide gamut between the humble bicycle and the most powerful sports motorbikes. Both new as well as used bikes are available in shops and garage sales too. While new bikes would of course be sold at official prices, customers are sure to get good bargains at second-hand sales.

Bicycles were first invented in the 1800s in Europe. The overall design of the vehicle underwent many changes in the intervening decades. The modern bicycle is composed of three main parts; wheels, frame and drivetrain. The wheels comprising the rim, hub and spokes are mounted onto the frame through an axle. Judiciously placed bearings allow the hub to rotate freely over the axle.

The frame of the bicycle is built for strength, a feature all the more relevant with mountain bikes that are subjected to extreme stress in the uneven terrain. The actual movement of the bike when the pedals are pumped is initiated with the drivetrain. The pedals rotate the crank arm which results in the sprockets rotating too, turning the chain that is wound around it. Motorbikes have the same functionality except that the movement of the drivetrain is controlled by a two-stroke or four-stroke engine. Quad bikes run on four wheels.