View source for Bicycle

{{Short description|Pedal-driven two-wheel vehicle}}
{{About||the butterfly genus|Bicyclus{{!}}''Bicyclus''|other uses}}
{{Redirect|Bike}}
{{Pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox machine
| name              = Bicycle
| image             = Left side of Flying Pigeon.jpg
| alt               = 
| image_title       = 
| image_link        = 
| caption           = The most popular bicycle model—and most popular vehicle of any kind in the world—is the Chinese [[Flying Pigeon]], with about 500 million produced.<ref name="Koeppel2007" />
| classification    = Vehicle
| industry          = 
| application       = [[:Transportation]]
| dimensions        = 
| weight            = 
| fuel_source       = [[Human-powered transport|Human]] or [[motorized bicycle|motor-power]]
| powered           = 
| self-propelled    = 
| wheels            = 2
| tracks            = 
| legs              = 
| aerofoils         = 
| axles             = 
| components        = [[Bicycle frame|Frame]], [[Bicycle wheel|wheels]], [[Bicycle tire|tires]], [[Bicycle saddle|saddle]], [[Bicycle handlebar|handlebar]], [[Bicycle pedals|pedals]], [[Bicycle drivetrain systems|drivetrain]]
| invented          = 19th century
| inventor          = [[Karl Drais|Karl von Drais]], [[Kirkpatrick MacMillan]]
| examples          = 
| free_label        = Types
| free_text         = [[Utility bicycle]], [[mountain bicycle]], [[racing bicycle]], [[touring bicycle]], [[hybrid bicycle]], [[cruiser bicycle]], [[BMX bike]], [[tandem bicycle|tandem]], [[Lowrider bicycle|low rider]], [[tall bike]], [[Fixed-gear bicycle|fixed gear]], [[folding bicycle]], [[amphibious cycle]], [[cargo bike]], [[recumbent bicycle|recumbent]], [[electric bicycle]]
| free_label1       = 
| free_text1        = 
| free_label2       = 
| free_text2        = 
| free_label3       = 
| free_text3        = 
| free_label4       = 
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| free_label5       = 
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}}
{{Sustainable energy}}
[[File:Campana clásica de bicicleta (sonido) 02.wav|thumb|Classic bell of a bicycle]]
A '''bicycle''', also called a '''pedal cycle''', '''bike''', '''push-bike''' or '''cycle''', is a [[human-powered transport|human-powered]] or [[motorized bicycle|motor-assisted]], [[bicycle pedal|pedal-driven]], [[single-track vehicle]], with two [[bicycle wheel|wheels]] attached to a [[bicycle frame|frame]], one behind the other. A {{vanchor|bicycle rider|BICYCLE_RIDER}} is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.

The bicycle was introduced in the 19th century in [[Europe]]. By the early 21st century, there were more than 1&nbsp;billion bicycles.<ref name=Koeppel2007/><ref name=Economist2011/> Bicycles are the principal [[Mode of transport|means of transport]] in many regions. They also provide a popular form of [[recreation]], and have been adapted for use as [[Toy|children's toys]]. Bicycles are used for [[Physical fitness|fitness]], [[Military bicycle|military]] and [[Police bicycle|police]] applications, [[Bicycle messenger|courier services]], [[Cycle sport|bicycle racing]], and [[artistic cycling]].

The basic shape and configuration of a typical [[Safety bicycle|upright or "safety" bicycle]], has changed little since the first [[Chain drive|chain-driven]] model was developed around 1885.{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=200–50}}{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=266–71}}{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|p=280}} However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of [[modern materials]] and [[computer-aided design]]. These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for many types of cycling. In the 21st century, [[electric bicycle]]s have become popular.

The bicycle's invention has had an enormous effect on society, both in terms of [[Bicycle culture|culture]] and of advancing modern [[Bicycle industry|industrial]] methods. Several components that played a key role in the development of the automobile were initially invented for use in the bicycle, including [[ball bearing]]s, [[tire|pneumatic tires]], [[chain-driven sprocket]]s, and [[wire wheels|tension-spoked wheels]].<ref>Heitmann, J. A. ''The Automobile and American Life''. McFarland, 2009, {{ISBN|0-7864-4013-9}}, pp. 11ff</ref>

==Etymology==
The word ''bicycle'' first appeared in English print in ''[[The Daily News (UK)|The Daily News]]'' in 1868, to describe "Bysicles and trysicles" on the "Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne".<ref name=OED>{{OED|bicycle}}</ref> The word was first used in 1847 in a French publication to describe an unidentified two-wheeled vehicle, possibly a carriage.<ref name=OED/> The design of the bicycle was an advance on the [[velocipede]], although the words were used with some degree of overlap for a time.<ref name=OED/><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bicycle |title=bicycle (n.) |dictionary=Online Etymology Dictionary |access-date=10 February 2014}}</ref>

Other words for bicycle include "bike",<ref>{{OED|bike}}</ref> "pushbike",<ref>{{OED|pushbike}}</ref> "pedal cycle",<ref>{{OED|pedal cycle}}</ref> or "cycle".<ref>{{OED|cycle}}</ref> In [[Unicode]], the [[code point]] for "bicycle" is <code>0x1F6B2</code>. The [[Numeric character reference|entity]] <code>&amp;#x1F6B2;</code> in [[HTML]] produces 🚲.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1F680.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1F680.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Transport and Map Symbols |publisher=unicode.org |access-date=10 February 2014}}</ref>

Although bike and cycle are used interchangeably to refer mostly to two types of two-wheelers, the terms still vary across the world. In India, for example, a cycle<ref>{{cite news |date= |title=Why has India's Calcutta city banned cycling? |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-24237390 |access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref> refers only to a two-wheeler using pedal power whereas the term bike is used to describe a two-wheeler using [[internal combustion engine]] or [[electric motors]] as a source of motive power instead of motorcycle/motorbike.

==History==
{{Main|History of the bicycle}}The "[[dandy horse]]",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-24/the-resilience-lessons-of-the-dandy-horse-bike |title=How an Ancestor of the Bicycle Relates to Climate Resilience |first=Nicole |last=Javorsky |date=24 April 2019 |publisher=Bloomberg |accessdate=5 April 2022}}</ref> also called ''Draisienne'' or ''Laufmaschine'' ("running machine"), was the first human means of transport to use only two wheels in [[tandem]] and was invented by the German [[Freiherr|Baron]] [[Karl Drais|Karl von Drais]]. It is regarded as the first bicycle and von Drais is seen as the "father of the bicycle",<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle/draisienne-1817-2017-200-years-cycling-innovation-design | title=200 years since the father of the bicycle Baron Karl von Drais invented the 'running machine' &#124; Cycling UK }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEB4GYtmW-w | title=Karl von Drais "Father of Bicycles" | website=[[YouTube]] | date=17 November 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/background/worlddayofthebicycle/index.html | title=DPMA &#124; World Day of the Bicycle }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://scihi.org/karl-drais-mechanical-horse/ | title=Karl Drais and the Mechanical Horse &#124; SciHi Blog | date=29 April 2018 }}</ref> but it did not have pedals.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/world-s-first-bicycle-ride-took-place-200-years-ago-1.3112354|title=World's first bicycle ride took place 200 years ago|last=Scally|first=Derek|date=10 June 2017|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/frames1.html|title=Frames & Materials|website=Science of Cycling|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bikecitizens.net/200th-anniversary-bicycle-changed-society/|title=200th anniversary: How the bicycle changed society|last=Gliemann|first=Jennifer|date=21 March 2017|website=Bike Citizens|language=en-US|access-date=29 March 2020|archive-date=29 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329161540/https://www.bikecitizens.net/200th-anniversary-bicycle-changed-society/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Limebeer|first1=D. J. N.|title=Dynamics and Optimal Control of Road Vehicles|last2=Massaro|first2=Matteo|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2018|isbn=9780192559814|pages=13–15}}</ref> Von Drais introduced it to the public in [[Mannheim]] in 1817 and in Paris in 1818.<ref name=csts>{{cite web |publisher=Canada Science and Technology Museum |title=Baron von Drais' Bicycle |url=http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/cycles2.cfm |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061229213036/http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/cycles2.cfm |archive-date=29 December 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|p=26}} Its rider sat astride a wooden frame supported by two in-line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his or her feet while steering the front wheel.<ref name=csts/>

The [[Treadle bicycle|first mechanically propelled, two-wheeled vehicle]] may have been built by [[Kirkpatrick MacMillan]], a Scottish blacksmith, in 1839, although the claim is often disputed.{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=66–67}} He is also associated with the first recorded instance of a cycling traffic offense, when a Glasgow newspaper in 1842 reported an accident in which an anonymous "gentleman from Dumfries-shire... bestride a velocipede... of ingenious design" knocked over a little girl in Glasgow and was fined five [[shilling]]s ({{Inflation|UK|{{£sd|s=5}}|1842|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13040607 |title=Is dangerous cycling a problem?  |work=[[BBC News]] |date=13 April 2011 |access-date=11 February 2014}}</ref>

In the early 1860s, the Frenchmen [[Pierre Michaux]] and [[Pierre Lallement]] took bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical [[Crank (mechanism)|crank]] drive with pedals on an enlarged front wheel (the [[velocipede]]). This was the first in mass production. Another French inventor named Douglas Grasso had a failed prototype of Pierre Lallement's bicycle several years earlier. Several inventions followed using rear-wheel drive, the best known being the rod-driven velocipede by Scotsman [[Thomas McCall (inventor)|Thomas McCall]] in 1869. In that same year, bicycle wheels with wire spokes were patented by [[Eugène Meyer (inventor)|Eugène Meyer]] of Paris.<ref>''Bulletin des lois de la République française'' (1873) 12th series, vol. 6, [https://books.google.com/books?id=8S0UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA648 p. 648, patent no. 86,705: "Perfectionnements dans les roues de vélocipèdes"] ("Improvements in the wheels of bicycles"), issued 4 August 1869.</ref> The French ''vélocipède'', made of iron and wood, developed into the "[[penny-farthing]]" (historically known as an "ordinary bicycle", a [[retronym]], since there was then no other kind).{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=50}} It featured a tubular steel frame on which were mounted wire-spoked wheels with solid rubber tires. These bicycles were difficult to ride due to their high seat and poor [[weight distribution]]. In 1868, Rowley Turner, a sales agent of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company (which soon became the [[Hillman#History|Coventry Machinists Company]]), brought a Michaux cycle to [[Coventry]], England. His uncle, Josiah Turner, and business partner [[James Starley]], used this as a basis for the 'Coventry Model' in what became Britain's first cycle factory.<ref>McGrory, David. ''A History of Coventry'' (Chichester: Phillimore, 2003), p. 221.</ref>

The ''dwarf ordinary'' addressed some of these faults by reducing the front wheel [[diameter]] and setting the [[bicycle seat|seat]] further back. This, in turn, required gearing—effected in a variety of ways—to efficiently use pedal power. Having to both pedal and steer via the front wheel remained a problem. Englishman [[John Kemp Starley|J.K. Starley]] (nephew of James Starley), J.H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem by introducing the [[chain drive]] (originated by the unsuccessful "bicyclette" of Englishman Henry Lawson),{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=47}} connecting the frame-mounted cranks to the rear wheel. These models were known as [[safety bicycle]]s, dwarf safeties, or upright bicycles for their lower seat height and better weight distribution. Although, without pneumatic tires, the ride of the smaller-wheeled bicycle would be much rougher than that of the larger-wheeled variety. Starley's 1885 [[Rover Company|Rover]], manufactured in Coventry<ref>McGrory, p. 222.</ref> is usually described as the first recognizably modern bicycle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cycle market: Moving into the fast lane|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/cycle-market-moving-into-the-fast-lane-1702191.html |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=26 February 2018}}</ref> Soon, the ''seat tube'' was added, which created the modern bike's double-triangle ''diamond frame''.

Further innovations increased comfort and ushered in a second [[bicycle craze]], the 1890s ''Golden Age of Bicycles''. In 1888, Scotsman [[John Boyd Dunlop]] introduced the first practical pneumatic tire, which soon became universal. [[Willie Hume]] demonstrated the supremacy of Dunlop's tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first-ever races in Ireland and then England.<ref name="Gold Hume">Hume, William (1938). [http://www.thepedalclub.org/archives/goldenbook/u-z/WilliamHume.html ''The Golden Book of Cycling'']. Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403120845/http://www.thepedalclub.org/archives/goldenbook/u-z/WilliamHume.html |date=3 April 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Dunlop time">{{cite web|url=http://www.dunlop.eu/dunlop_uk/what_sets_dunlop_apart/history/|title=Dunlop, What sets Dunlop apart, History, 1889|access-date=27 February 2018|archive-date=2 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402192832/http://www.dunlop.eu/dunlop_uk/what_sets_dunlop_apart/history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Soon after, the rear [[freewheel]] was developed, enabling the rider to coast. This refinement led to the 1890s invention<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sheldonbrown.com/coaster-brakes.html
| title = One-Speed Bicycle Coaster Brakes
| first = Sheldon | last = Brown
| quote = Coaster brakes were invented in the 1890s.
| access-date = 1 December 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129160301/http://sheldonbrown.com/coaster-brakes.html| archive-date= 29 November 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> of [[coaster brake]]s. [[Derailleur gears|Dérailleur gears]] and hand-operated [[Bowden cable]]-pull brakes were also developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders.

The [[Svea Velocipede]] with vertical pedal arrangement and [[locking hubs]] was introduced in 1892 by the Swedish engineers [[Fredrik Ljungström]] and [[Birger Ljungström]]. It attracted attention at the [[World Fair]] and was produced in a few thousand units.

In the 1870s, many [[cycling club]]s flourished. They were popular in a time when there were no cars on the market and the principal mode of transportation was [[horse-drawn vehicle]]s. Among the earliest clubs was [[Cycling UK|The Bicycle Touring Club]], which has operated since 1878. By the turn of the century, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, and touring and racing became widely popular. The [[Raleigh Bicycle Company]] was founded in Nottingham, England in 1888. It became the biggest bicycle manufacturing company in the world, making over two million bikes per year.<ref>{{cite news|title=On Your Bike...|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series2/raleigh_bikes_cycling.shtml|agency=BBC|date=26 February 2018}}</ref>

Bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of private transportation just prior to the automobile, and the grading of smooth roads in the late 19th century was stimulated by the widespread advertising, production, and use of these devices.{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|p=280}} More than 1&nbsp;billion bicycles have been manufactured worldwide as of the early 21st century.<ref name=Koeppel2007/><ref name=Economist2011/> Bicycles are the most common vehicle of any kind in the world, and the most numerous model of any kind of vehicle, whether human-powered or [[motor vehicle]], is the Chinese [[Flying Pigeon]], with numbers exceeding 500 million.<ref name=Koeppel2007/> The next most numerous vehicle, the [[Honda Super Cub]] motorcycle, has more than 100 million units made,<ref name="SuperCub">{{cite web |url=https://www.honda.co.jp/supercub-anniv/ |title=Honda｜SUPER CUB FANSITE｜スーパーカブファンのためのポータルサイト |accessdate= 20 May 2021}}</ref> while most produced car, the [[Toyota Corolla]], has reached 44 million and counting.<ref name=Squatriglia2008/><ref name=AMA2006/><ref name=ABC/><ref name=FoxBusiness/>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Women on bicycles, late 19th Century USA.jpg|Women on bicycles on unpaved road, US, late 19th century
File:Ordinary bicycle01.jpg|A ''[[penny-farthing]]'' or ''ordinary bicycle'' photographed in the [[Škoda Auto]] museum in the Czech Republic
File:Svea Velocipede.jpg|The [[Svea Velocipede]] by [[Fredrik Ljungström]] and [[Birger Ljungström]], exhibited at the [[Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology]]
File:BicyclePlymouth.jpg|Bicycle in [[Plymouth, England|Plymouth]], England, at the start of the 20th century
File:Antônio, Luís and Pedro.jpg|Brazilian princes (from left) [[Prince Antônio Gastão of Orléans-Braganza|Antônio]], [[Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza (1878–1920)|Luís]], and [[Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará|Pedro]] on a triple tandem bicycle during their exile, 1891
File:Man with bicycle (I0002502).tiff|Man with a bicycle in Glengarry County, Ontario between 1895 and 1910
File:The first bicycle.png|The first bicycle by [[Freiherr|Baron]] [[Karl Drais|Karl von Drais]]
File:The London Hansom Cycle 1896.png|Drawing from an 1896 newspaper of The London Hansom Cycle
File:Draisine or Laufmaschine, around 1820. Archetype of the Bicycle. Pic 01.jpg|Wooden ''[[Dandy horse|draisine]]'' (around 1820), the first two-wheeler and as such the archetype of the bicycle
File:Michauxjun.jpg|upright=0.9|left|Michaux's son on a velocipede 1868
File:Old CTC sign.jpg|[[Cycling UK|Cyclists' Touring Club]] sign on display at the [[National Museum of Scotland]]
File:John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg|upright|left|[[John Boyd Dunlop]] on a bicycle {{Circa|1915}}
File:1886 Starley 'Rover' Safety Cycle British Motor Museum 09-2016 (29928044262).jpg|1886 [[Rover Company#Before cars|Rover]] [[safety bicycle]] at the [[British Motor Museum]]. The first modern bicycle, it featured a rear-wheel-drive, [[chain-drive]]n cycle with two similar-sized wheels. Dunlop's [[Bicycle tire|pneumatic tire]] was added to the bicycle in 1888.
</gallery>

==Uses==
Bicycles are used for transportation, [[bicycle commuting]], and [[utility cycling]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fishman |first=Elliot |date=2 January 2016 |title=Cycling as transport |journal=Transport Reviews |language=en |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=1–8 |doi=10.1080/01441647.2015.1114271 |issn=0144-1647|doi-access=free }}</ref> They are also used professionally by [[Bicycle mail|mail carriers]], [[paramedic]]s, [[Police bicycle|police]], [[Bicycle messenger|messengers]], and [[Cargo bike|general delivery]] services. Military uses of bicycles include [[Military communications|communications]], [[reconnaissance]], troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol, such as in [[bicycle infantry|bicycle infantries]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Kindy |first2=David |title=The Black Buffalo Soldiers Who Biked Across the American West |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-black-buffalo-soldiers-who-biked-across-the-american-west-180980246/ |access-date=8 July 2023 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

They are also used for recreational purposes, including [[bicycle touring]], [[mountain biking]], [[physical fitness]], and [[Play (activity)|play]]. [[Cycle sport|Bicycle sports]] include [[Road bicycle racing|racing]], [[BMX racing]], [[Track cycling|track racing]], [[criterium]], [[bicycle rollers|roller racing]], [[cyclosportive|sportives]] and [[time trial]]s. Major multi-stage professional events are the [[Giro d'Italia]], the [[Tour de France]], the [[Vuelta a España]], the [[Tour de Pologne]], and the [[Volta a Portugal]]. They are also used for entertainment and pleasure in other ways, such as in organised mass rides, [[artistic cycling]] and [[freestyle BMX]].

==Technical aspects==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}} 
[[File:Firefighter bicycle.jpg|thumb|Firefighter bicycle]]

The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception. These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for a proliferation of specialized bicycle types, improved [[bicycle safety]], and riding comfort.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game changers {{!}} 12 innovations that changed road cycling |url=https://www.bikeradar.com/features/cycling-innovations/ |access-date=10 January 2023 |website=BikeRadar |date=10 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

===Types===
{{Main|List of bicycle types}}
[[File:A man riding an electric bicycle.jpg|thumb|left|A man riding an [[electric bicycle]]]]

Bicycles can be categorized in many different ways: by function, by number of riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means of propulsion. The more common types include [[utility bicycle]]s, [[mountain bicycle]]s, [[racing bicycle]]s, [[touring bicycle]]s, [[hybrid bicycle]]s, [[cruiser bicycle]]s, and [[BMX bike]]s. Less common are [[tandem bicycle|tandems]], [[Lowrider bicycle|low riders]], [[tall bike]]s, [[Fixed-gear bicycle|fixed gear]], [[folding bicycle|folding models]], [[amphibious bicycles]], [[cargo bike]]s, [[recumbent bicycle|recumbents]] and [[electric bicycles]].

[[Unicycle]]s, [[tricycle]]s and [[Quadracycle (human-powered vehicle)|quadracycles]] are not strictly bicycles, as they have respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often referred to informally as "bikes" or "cycles".

===Dynamics===
{{Main|Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics}}
[[File:Jersey Town Criterium 2011 81.jpg|thumb|upright|A cyclist leaning in a turn]]

A bicycle stays upright while moving forward by being steered so as to keep its [[center of mass]] over the wheels.<ref name="NS2581">{{cite journal|last=Various|date=9 December 2006|title=Like falling off|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19225812.400|url-status=dead|journal=New Scientist|issue=2581|page=93|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204070845/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19225812.400|archive-date=4 December 2008|access-date=27 January 2009}}</ref> This steering is usually provided by the rider, but under certain conditions, may be provided by the bicycle itself.<ref name=MPRS>{{cite journal
| journal = [[Proceedings of the Royal Society A]]
| volume = 463
| issue = 2084
| year = 2007
| pages = 1955–82
| title = Linearized dynamics equations for the balance and steer of a bicycle: a benchmark and review
| last1 = Meijaard
| doi = 10.1098/rspa.2007.1857
| first1 = J.P.
| last2 = Papadopoulos
| first2 = Jim M.
| last3 = Ruina
| first3 = Andy
| last4 = Schwab
| first4 = A.L.
| bibcode=2007RSPSA.463.1955M
| s2cid = 18309860
 | issn=1364-5021 }}</ref>

The combined center of mass of a bicycle and its rider must lean into a turn to successfully navigate it. This lean is induced by a method known as [[countersteering]], which can be performed by the rider turning the handlebars directly with the hands<ref name="Wilson">{{cite book
| title = Bicycling Science
|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780262731546
| url-access = registration
| edition = Third
| last = Wilson
| first = David Gordon
|author2=Jim Papadopoulos
| year = 2004
| publisher = The MIT Press
| isbn = 978-0-262-73154-6
| pages = [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780262731546/page/270 270–72]}}</ref> or indirectly by leaning the bicycle.<ref name="fajans">{{cite journal|last=Fajans|first=Joel|date=July 1738|title=Steering in bicycles and motorcycles|url=http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~fajans/pub/pdffiles/SteerBikeAJP.PDF|url-status=dead|journal=American Journal of Physics|volume=68|issue=7|pages=654–59|bibcode=2000AmJPh..68..654F|doi=10.1119/1.19504|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901081011/http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~fajans/pub/pdffiles/SteerBikeAJP.PDF|archive-date=1 September 2006|access-date=4 August 2006}}</ref>

Short-wheelbase or tall bicycles, when braking, can generate enough stopping force at the front wheel to flip longitudinally.<ref>{{cite book
| title = Motorcycle Dynamics
| edition = Second
| last = Cossalter
| first = Vittore
| year = 2006
| publisher = [[Lulu (company)|Lulu]]
| isbn = 978-1-4303-0861-4
| pages = 241–342}}</ref> The act of purposefully using this force to lift the rear wheel and balance on the front without tipping over is a trick known as a [[stoppie]], endo, or front wheelie.

===Performance===
{{Main|Bicycle performance}}

The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms. The bicycle is the most efficient human-powered means of transportation in terms of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance.<ref>S.S. Wilson, "[https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bicycle-technology Bicycle Technology]", ''[[Scientific American]]'', March 1973</ref> From a mechanical viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into the pedals is transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms may reduce this by 10–15%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pedal power probe shows bicycles waste little energy |url=http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/1999/aug3099/30pedal.html |work=Johns Hopkins Gazette |date=30 August 1999}}</ref><ref name="whitt">{{cite book
| title = Bicycling Science
| edition = Second
| last = Whitt
| first = Frank R.
|author2=David G. Wilson
| year = 1982
| publisher = Massachusetts Institute of Technology
| isbn = 978-0-262-23111-4
| pages = 277–300}}</ref> In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also an efficient means of cargo transportation.

A human traveling on a bicycle at low to medium speeds of around {{Convert|16|–|24|km/h|abbr=on|0}} uses only the power required to walk. Air drag, which is proportional to the square of speed, requires dramatically higher power outputs as speeds increase. If the rider is sitting upright, the rider's body creates about 75% of the total drag of the bicycle/rider combination. Drag can be reduced by seating the rider in a more [[aerodynamic]]ally streamlined position. Drag can also be reduced by covering the bicycle with an aerodynamic [[Bicycle fairing|fairing]]. The fastest recorded unpaced speed on a flat surface is {{Convert|144.18|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="upi">{{cite web
|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/aerovelo-eta-bullet-shaped-bike-sets-new-human-powered-speed-world-record-1582628
| title = AeroVelo Eta: bullet-shaped bike sets new human-powered speed record
| date = 21 September 2016
| website = International Business Times
| access-date = 29 November 2016}}</ref>

In addition, the [[carbon dioxide]] generated in the production and transportation of the food required by the bicyclist, per mile traveled, is less than {{Fraction|1|10}} that generated by energy efficient motorcars.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/advocacy/bike_co2.htm |title=How Much Do Bicycles Pollute? Looking at the Carbon Dioxide Produced by Bicycles |publisher=Kenkifer.com |date=20 November 1999 |access-date=24 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111115130508/http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/advocacy/bike_co2.htm |archive-date=15 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="160px">
Image:Corsa bacchetta.jpg|A [[recumbent bicycle]] 
File:Wooden bicycle for young child.jpg|[[Balance bicycle]] for young children
</gallery>

==Parts==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}}

===Frame===
{{Main|Bicycle frame}}

The great majority of modern bicycles have a frame with upright seating that looks much like the first chain-driven bike.{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=200–50}}{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=266–71}}{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|p=280}} These upright bicycles almost always feature the ''diamond frame'', a [[truss]] consisting of two triangles: the front triangle and the rear triangle. The front triangle consists of the head tube, top tube, down tube, and seat tube. The head tube contains the [[headset (bicycle part)|headset]], the set of bearings that allows the [[bicycle fork|fork]] to turn smoothly for steering and balance. The top tube connects the head tube to the seat tube at the top, and the down tube connects the head tube to the [[bottom bracket]]. The rear triangle consists of the seat tube and paired chain stays and seat stays. The chain stays run parallel to the [[bicycle chain|chain]], connecting the bottom bracket to the rear [[Fork end|dropout]], where the axle for the rear wheel is held. The seat stays connect the top of the seat tube (at or near the same point as the top tube) to the rear fork ends.

Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower [[Frame geometry|standover height]] at the expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending. This design, referred to as a ''[[step-through frame]]'' or as an ''open frame'', allows the rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress. While some women's bicycles continue to use this frame style, there is also a variation, the ''[[mixte]]'', which splits the top tube laterally into two thinner top tubes that bypass the seat tube on each side and connect to the rear fork ends. The ease of stepping through is also appreciated by those with limited flexibility or other joint problems. Because of its persistent image as a "women's" bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames.

Step-throughs were popular partly for practical reasons and partly for social mores of the day. For most of the history of bicycles' popularity women have worn long skirts, and the lower frame accommodated these better than the top-tube. Furthermore, it was considered "unladylike" for women to open their legs to mount and dismount—in more conservative times women who rode bicycles at all were vilified as immoral or immodest. These practices were akin to the older practice of riding horse [[sidesaddle]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cyclist |first=Average Joe |date=10 April 2017 |title=How the Bicycle Became a Symbol for Women's Emancipation |url=https://averagejoecyclist.com/bicycle-became-symbol-womens-emancipation/ |access-date=12 August 2022 |website=Average Joe Cyclist |language=en-US}}</ref>

Another style is the [[recumbent bicycle]]. These are inherently more aerodynamic than upright versions, as the rider may lean back onto a support and operate pedals that are on about the same level as the seat. The world's fastest bicycle is a recumbent bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the [[Union Cycliste Internationale]].<ref>{{cite web|date=1 April 1934|title=History Loudly Tells Why The Recumbent Bike Is Popular Today|url=http://www.recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com/history.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802090926/http://www.recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com/history.html|archive-date=2 August 2003|access-date=24 October 2011|publisher=Recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com}}</ref>

Historically, materials used in bicycles have followed a similar pattern as in aircraft, the goal being high strength and low weight. Since the late 1930s, alloy steels have been used for frame and fork tubes in higher quality machines. By the 1980s, [[aluminum]] [[welding]] techniques had improved to the point that aluminum tube could safely be used in place of [[steel]]. Since then aluminum alloy frames and other components have become popular due to their light weight, and most mid-range bikes are now principally aluminum alloy of some kind.{{Where|date=August 2012}} More expensive bikes use [[carbon fibre]] due to its significantly lighter weight and profiling ability, allowing designers to make a bike both stiff and compliant by manipulating the lay-up. Virtually all professional racing bicycles now use carbon fibre frames, as they have the best strength to weight ratio. A typical modern carbon fiber frame can weigh less than {{convert|1|kg|lb|order=flip|0}}.

Other exotic frame materials include [[titanium]] and advanced alloys. [[Bamboo]], a natural [[composite material]] with high strength-to-weight ratio and [[stiffness]]<ref name="Lakkad">{{cite journal |title=Mechanical properties of bamboo, a natural composite |last1=Lakkad |last2=Patel |journal=Fibre Science and Technology |volume=14 |issue=4 |date=June 1981 |pages=319–22 |doi=10.1016/0015-0568(81)90023-3}}</ref> has been used for bicycles since 1894.<ref name=lukenbill>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/bamboo-bikes/
 |title=About My Planet: Bamboo Bikes
 |author=Jen Lukenbill
 |access-date=14 January 2013
|url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025023815/http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/bamboo-bikes/
 |archive-date=25 October 2012
}}</ref> Recent versions use bamboo for the primary frame with glued metal connections and parts, priced as exotic models.<ref name="lukenbill" /><ref>{{cite news
|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/31/business/bamboo-bicycles-zambia-zambikes/index.html |publisher=CNN |date= 31 May 2012 |title=Made in Africa: Bamboo bikes put Zambian business on right track |author=Teo Kermeliotis }}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/ |publisher=NHK World News in English |title=Bamboo bicycles made in Zambia |date=14 January 2013 |location=Tokyo |medium=TV news |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115214146/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/ |archive-date=15 January 2013 }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="160px">
File:Bicycle diagram.svg|Diagram of a bicycle
File:Triumph Bicycle.JPG|A [[Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd.|Triumph]] with a [[step-through frame]]
File:Trek Y Foil.jpg|A carbon fiber [[Trek Bicycle Corporation|Trek]] Y-Foil from the late 1990s
</gallery>

===Drivetrain and gearing===
{{Main|Bicycle drivetrain systems}}

The ''drivetrain'' begins with pedals which rotate the [[Crank set|cranks]], which are held in axis by the bottom bracket. Most bicycles use a chain to transmit power to the rear wheel. A very small number of bicycles use a shaft drive to transmit power, or special belts. Hydraulic bicycle transmissions have been built, but they are currently inefficient and complex.

Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over a narrow range of pedaling speeds, or [[Cadence (cycling)|cadence]], a variable [[gear ratio]] helps a cyclist to maintain an optimum pedalling speed while covering varied terrain. Some, mainly utility, bicycles use [[hub gear]]s with between 3 and 14 ratios, but most use the generally more efficient dérailleur system, by which the chain is moved between different cogs called chainrings and sprockets to select a ratio. A dérailleur system normally has two dérailleurs, or mechs, one at the front to select the [[chainring]] and another at the back to select the sprocket. Most bikes have two or three chainrings, and from 5 to 12 sprockets on the back, with the number of theoretical gears calculated by multiplying front by back. In reality, many gears overlap or require the chain to run diagonally, so the number of usable gears is fewer.

An alternative to chaindrive is to use a synchronous belt. These are toothed and work much the same as a chain—popular with commuters and long distance cyclists they require little maintenance. They cannot be shifted across a cassette of sprockets, and are used either as single speed or with a hub gear.

[[Bicycle gearing|Different gears and ranges of gears]] are appropriate for different people and styles of cycling. Multi-speed bicycles allow gear selection to suit the circumstances: a cyclist could use a high gear when cycling downhill, a medium gear when cycling on a flat road, and a low gear when cycling uphill. In a lower gear, every turn of the pedals leads to fewer rotations of the rear wheel. This allows the energy required to move the same distance to be distributed over more pedal turns, reducing fatigue when riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. A higher gear allows a cyclist to make fewer pedal turns to maintain a given speed, but with more effort per turn of the pedals.

With a ''chain drive'' transmission, a ''chainring'' attached to a crank drives the chain, which in turn rotates the rear wheel via the rear sprocket(s) ([[cassette (bicycle part)|cassette]] or [[Cogset#Freewheels|freewheel]]). There are four gearing options: two-speed hub gear integrated with chain ring, up to 3 chain rings, up to 12 sprockets, hub gear built into rear wheel (3-speed to 14-speed). The most common options are either a rear hub or multiple chain rings combined with multiple sprockets (other combinations of options are possible but less common).

<gallery mode="packed" heights="160px">
File:Dsb-1.jpg|A [[Shaft-driven bicycle|bicycle with shaft drive]] instead of a chain
File:Shimano xt rear derailleur.jpg|A set of rear sprockets (also known as a cassette) and a [[derailleur]]
File:Hub gear.jpg|upright|Hub gear
</gallery>

===Steering===
[[File:Anatomic bicycle grips made of leather.jpg|thumb|left|Bicycle grips made of leather. Anatomic shape distributes weight over [[hand|palm area]] to prevent cyclist's palsy ([[Ulnar tunnel syndrome|ulnar syndrome]]).<ref>{{Cite journal |pmid = 12860549|year = 2003|last1 = Patterson|first1 = J.M.|title = Ulnar and median nerve palsy in long-distance cyclists. A prospective study|journal = The American Journal of Sports Medicine|volume = 31|issue = 4|pages = 585–89|last2 = Jaggars|first2 = M.M.|last3 = Boyer|first3 = M.I.|doi = 10.1177/03635465030310041801|s2cid = 22497516}}</ref>]]
The [[Bicycle handlebar|handlebars]] connect to the [[Stem (bike)|stem]] that connects to the fork that connects to the front wheel, and the whole assembly connects to the bike and rotates about the steering axis via the [[Headset (bicycle part)|headset]] bearings. Three styles of handlebar are common. ''Upright handlebars'', the norm in Europe and elsewhere until the 1970s, curve gently back toward the rider, offering a natural grip and comfortable upright position. ''Drop handlebars'' "drop" as they curve forward and down, offering the cyclist best braking power from a more aerodynamic "crouched" position, as well as more upright positions in which the hands grip the brake lever mounts, the forward curves, or the upper flat sections for increasingly upright postures. Mountain bikes generally feature a 'straight handlebar' or 'riser bar' with varying degrees of sweep backward and centimeters rise upwards, as well as wider widths which can provide better handling due to increased leverage against the wheel.

===Seating===
[[File:San marco selle1.jpg|thumb|left|A Selle San Marco saddle designed for women]]
[[Bicycle saddle|Saddles]] also vary with rider preference, from the cushioned ones favored by short-distance riders to narrower saddles which allow more room for leg swings. Comfort depends on riding position. With comfort bikes and hybrids, cyclists sit high over the seat, their weight directed down onto the saddle, such that a wider and more cushioned saddle is preferable. For racing bikes where the rider is bent over, weight is more evenly distributed between the handlebars and saddle, the hips are flexed, and a narrower and harder saddle is more efficient. Differing saddle designs exist for male and female cyclists, accommodating the genders' differing anatomies and sit bone width measurements, although bikes typically are sold with saddles most appropriate for men. Suspension seat posts and seat springs provide comfort by absorbing shock but can add to the overall weight of the bicycle.

A recumbent bicycle has a reclined [[Bicycle seat|chair-like seat]] that some riders find more comfortable than a saddle, especially riders who suffer from certain types of seat, back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain. Recumbent bicycles may have either under-seat or over-seat [[Recumbent bicycle#Steering|steering]].

===Brakes===
{{Main|Bicycle brake}}
[[File:Brake.agr-edit.jpg|thumb|upright|Linear-pull brake, also known by the [[Shimano]] trademark: V-Brake, on rear wheel of a [[mountain bike]]]]
Bicycle brakes may be rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the wheel rims; hub brakes, where the mechanism is contained within the wheel hub, or disc brakes, where pads act on a rotor attached to the hub. Most road bicycles use rim brakes, but some use disc brakes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/10/disc-brakes-and-road-bikes-what-does-the-future-hold/ |title=Disc Brakes and Road Bikes: What does the Future Hold? |publisher=cyclingtips.com.au |date=1 October 2013 |access-date=24 February 2014 |author=Wade Wallace}}</ref> [[Disc brakes]] are more common for mountain bikes, tandems and recumbent bicycles than on other types of bicycles, due to their increased power, coupled with an increased weight and complexity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sheldonbrown.com/disc-brakes.html |title=Disc Brakes |publisher=sheldonbrown.com |author=John Allan |access-date=24 February 2014}}</ref>

[[File:BrakeDiskVR.JPG|thumb|left|A front disc brake, mounted to the [[Bicycle fork|fork]] and hub]]
With hand-operated brakes, force is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via Bowden cables or [[hydraulic]] lines to the friction pads, which apply pressure to the braking surface, causing friction which slows the bicycle down. A rear hub brake may be either hand-operated or pedal-actuated, as in the back pedal ''coaster brakes'' which were popular in North America until the 1960s.

[[Track bicycle]]s do not have brakes, because all riders ride in the same direction around a track which does not necessitate sharp deceleration. Track riders are still able to slow down because all track bicycles are fixed-gear, meaning that there is no freewheel. Without a freewheel, coasting is impossible, so when the rear wheel is moving, the cranks are moving. To slow down, the rider applies resistance to the pedals, acting as a braking system which can be as effective as a conventional rear wheel brake, but not as effective as a front wheel brake.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html
| title = Fixed Gear Conversions: Braking
| last = Brown
| first = Sheldon
| access-date = 11 February 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209002353/http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html| archive-date= 9 February 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>

===Suspension===
{{Main|Bicycle suspension}}

Bicycle suspension refers to the system or systems used to ''suspend'' the rider and all or part of the bicycle. This serves two purposes: to keep the wheels in continuous contact with the ground, improving control, and to isolate the rider and luggage from jarring due to rough surfaces, improving comfort.

Bicycle suspensions are used primarily on mountain bicycles, but are also common on hybrid bicycles, as they can help deal with problematic vibration from poor surfaces. Suspension is especially important on recumbent bicycles, since while an upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot.

Basic mountain bicycles and hybrids usually have front suspension only, whilst more sophisticated ones also have rear suspension. Road bicycles tend to have no suspension.

===Wheels and tires===
{{Main|Bicycle wheel|Bicycle tire}}
[[File:Cykeldäck - Bike tyres - 2025.jpg|thumb|Two tires of the same make and tread pattern, the lower one completely unused, the upper one has rolled over {{convert|1500|km|mi|order=flip|sigfig=1}} on varying surfaces.]]
The wheel axle fits into fork ends in the frame and fork. A pair of wheels may be called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready-built "off the shelf", performance-oriented wheels.

Tires vary enormously depending on their intended purpose. [[Road bicycles]] use tires {{convert|18|to|25|mm|in|order=flip|1}} wide, most often completely smooth, or [[slick tire|slick]], and inflated to high pressure to roll fast on smooth surfaces. Off-road tires are usually between {{convert|38|and|64|mm|order=flip}} wide, and have treads for gripping in muddy conditions or metal studs for ice.

===Groupset===
[[Groupset]] generally refers to all of the components that make up a bicycle excluding the bicycle frame, fork, stem, wheels, tires, and rider contact points, such as the saddle and handlebars.

===Accessories===
[[File:Loaded touring bicycle.JPG|thumb|Touring bicycle equipped with front and rear [[Luggage carrier|racks]], fenders (called mud-guards), water bottles in [[Bottle cage|cages]], four [[pannier]]s and a handlebar bag]]

Some components, which are often optional accessories on sports bicycles, are standard features on utility bicycles to enhance their usefulness, comfort, safety and visibility. [[Fender (vehicle)|Fenders]] with spoilers (mudflaps) protect the cyclist and moving parts from spray when riding through wet areas. In some countries (e.g. Germany, UK), fenders are called mudguards. The [[chainguard]]s protect clothes from oil on the chain while preventing clothing from being caught between the chain and [[crankset]] teeth. [[Kick stand]]s keep bicycles upright when parked, and [[bike lock]]s deter theft. Front-mounted [[bicycle basket|baskets]], front or rear [[luggage carrier]]s or racks, and [[pannier]]s mounted above either or both wheels can be used to carry equipment or cargo. Pegs can be fastened to one, or both of the wheel hubs to either help the rider perform certain tricks, or allow a place for extra riders to stand, or rest.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Parents sometimes add rear-mounted [[Baby transport|child seats]], an auxiliary saddle fitted to the crossbar, or both to transport children. Bicycles can also be fitted with a hitch to tow a [[bicycle trailer|trailer]] for carrying cargo, a child, or both.

[[Clipless#Clipless pedals|Toe-clips]] and toestraps and [[clipless pedals]] help keep the foot locked in the proper pedal position and enable cyclists to pull and push the pedals. Technical accessories include [[cyclocomputer]]s for measuring speed, distance, heart rate, GPS data etc. Other accessories include [[bicycle lighting|lights]], reflectors, mirrors, racks, trailers, bags, water bottles and [[Bottle cage|cages]], and [[Bicycle bell|bell]].<ref name="bicycleuniverse">{{cite web|url=http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/accessories.html#safety |title=Safety Accessories |access-date=13 September 2006 |last=Bluejay |first=Michael |work=Bicycle Accessories |publisher=BicycleUniverse.info| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061008024853/http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/accessories.html| archive-date= 8 October 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref> Bicycle lights, reflectors, and helmets are required by law in some geographic regions depending on the legal code. It is more common to see bicycles with bottle generators, dynamos, lights, fenders, racks and bells in Europe. Bicyclists also have specialized form fitting and high visibility clothing.

Children's bicycles may be outfitted with cosmetic enhancements such as [[Bicycle horn|bike horns]], streamers, and [[spoke beads]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kicinski-Mccoy |first1=James |title=The Coolest Bike Accessories For Kids |url=https://www.mothermag.com/bike-accessories-for-kids/ |website=MOTHER |access-date=30 April 2020 |date=3 August 2015}}</ref> [[Training wheels]] are sometimes used when learning to ride, but a dedicated [[balance bike]] teaches independent riding more effectively.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Blommenstein |first1=Biko |last2=Kamp |first2=John |date=2022 |title=Mastering balance: The use of balance bicycles promotes the development of independent cycling |journal=British Journal of Developmental Psychology |language=en |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=242–253 |doi=10.1111/bjdp.12409 |issn=0261-510X |pmc=9310799 |pmid=35262200}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mercê |first1=Cristiana |last2=Branco |first2=Marco |last3=Catela |first3=David |last4=Lopes |first4=Frederico |last5=Cordovil |first5=Rita |date=2022 |title=Learning to cycle: From training wheels to balance bike |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |language=en |volume=19 |issue=3 |page=1814 |doi=10.3390/ijerph19031814 |issn=1660-4601 |pmc=8834827 |pmid=35162834 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

[[Bicycle helmet]]s can reduce injury in the event of a collision or accident, and a suitable helmet is legally required of riders in many jurisdictions.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Colin |last2=Gillham |first2=Chris |date=November 2019 |title=Effects of bicycle helmet wearing on accident and injury rates |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337367329 |website=Researchgate}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bachynski |first1=Kathleen |last2=Bateman-House |first2=Alison |title=Mandatory Bicycle Helmet Laws in the United States: Origins, Context, and Controversies |journal=American Journal of Public Health |year=2020 |volume=110 |issue=8 |pages=1198–1204 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.2020.305718 |pmid=32552017 |pmc=7349454 }}</ref> Helmets may be classified as an accessory<ref name="bicycleuniverse" /> or as an item of clothing.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Essentials of Bike Clothing|url=http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa041098.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060826085232/http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa041098.htm|archive-date=26 August 2006|access-date=13 September 2006|work=About Bicycling|publisher=About.com}}</ref>

[[Bicycle trainer|Bike trainers]] are used to enable cyclists to cycle while the bike remains stationary. They are frequently used to warm up before races or indoors when riding conditions are unfavorable.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bicycleadvisor.com/best-bike-trainer/ |title= Bicycle Advisor |date= 2 May 2015 |publisher=bicycleadvisor.com |access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

=== Standards ===
A number of formal and industry standards exist for bicycle components to help make spare parts exchangeable and to maintain a minimum product safety.

The [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO) has a special technical committee for cycles, TC149, that has the scope of "Standardization in the field of cycles, their components and accessories with particular reference to terminology, testing methods and requirements for performance and safety, and interchangeability".

The [[European Committee for Standardization]] (CEN) also has a specific Technical Committee, TC333, that defines European standards for cycles. Their mandate states that EN cycle standards shall harmonize with [[List of ISO standards|ISO standards]]. Some CEN cycle standards were developed before ISO published their standards, leading to strong European influences in this area. European cycle standards tend to describe minimum safety requirements, while ISO standards have historically harmonized parts geometry.{{NoteTag|The TC149 ISO bicycle committee, including the TC149/SC1 ("Cycles and major sub-assemblies") subcommittee, has published the following standards:{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
* [[ISO 4210]] Cycles&nbsp;– Safety requirements for bicycles
* [[ISO 6692]] Cycles&nbsp;– Marking of cycle components
* [[ISO 6695]] Cycles&nbsp;– Pedal axle and crank assembly with square end fitting&nbsp;– Assembly dimensions
* [[ISO 6696]] Cycles&nbsp;– Screw threads used in bottom bracket assemblies
* [[ISO 6697]] Cycles&nbsp;– Hubs and freewheels&nbsp;– Assembly dimensions
* [[ISO 6698]] Cycles&nbsp;– Screw threads used to assemble freewheels on bicycle hubs
* [[ISO 6699]] Cycles&nbsp;– Stem and handlebar bend&nbsp;– Assembly dimensions
* [[ISO 6701]] Cycles&nbsp;– External dimensions of spoke nipples
* [[ISO 6742]] Cycles&nbsp;– Lighting and retro-reflective devices&nbsp;– Photometric and physical requirements
* [[ISO 8090]] Cycles&nbsp;– Terminology (same as BS 6102-4)
* [[ISO 8098]] Cycles&nbsp;– Safety requirements for bicycles for young children
* [[ISO 8488]] Cycles&nbsp;– Screw threads used to assemble head fittings on bicycle forks
* [[ISO 8562]] Cycles&nbsp;– Stem wedge angle
* [[ISO 10230]] Cycles&nbsp;– Splined hub and sprocket&nbsp;– Mating dimensions
* [[ISO 11243]] Cycles&nbsp;– Luggage carriers for bicycles&nbsp;– Concepts, classification and testing

Other ISO Technical Committees have published various cycle relevant standards, for example:
* [[ISO 5775]] Bicycle tire and rim designations
* [[ISO 9633]] Cycle chains&nbsp;– Characteristics and test methods

Published cycle standards from CEN TC333 include:
* [[EN 14764]] City and trekking bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
* [[EN 14765]] Bicycles for young children – Safety requirements and test methods
* [[EN 14766]] Mountain-bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
* [[EN 14781]] Racing bicycles – Safety requirements and test methods
* [[EN 14782]] Bicycles – Accessories for bicycles – Luggage carriers
* [[EN 15496]] Cycles – Requirements and test methods for cycle locks

Yet to be approved cycle standards from CEN TC333:
* [[EN 15194]] Cycles&nbsp;– Electrically power assisted cycles ([[Electric bicycle]])
* [[EN 15532]] Cycles&nbsp;– Terminology
* 00333011 Cycles – Bicycles trailers – safety requirements and test methods
}}

==Maintenance and repair==
Like all devices with mechanical moving parts, bicycles require a certain amount of regular maintenance and replacement of worn parts. A bicycle is relatively simple compared with a car, so some cyclists choose to do at least part of the maintenance themselves. Some components are easy to handle using relatively simple tools, while other components may require specialist manufacturer-dependent tools.

Many bicycle components are available at several different price/quality points; manufacturers generally try to keep all components on any particular bike at about the same quality level, though at the very cheap end of the market there may be some skimping on less obvious components (e.g. bottom bracket).
* There are several hundred assisted-service community bicycle organizations worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Community Bicycle Organizations|url=http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Community_Bicycle_Organizations|publisher=Bike Collective Network wiki|access-date=15 January 2013}}</ref> At a community bicycle organization, [[wikt:layperson#Noun|laypeople]] bring in bicycles needing repair or maintenance; volunteers teach them how to do the required steps.
* Full service is available from [[bicycle mechanic]]s at a [[local bike shop]].
* In areas where it is available, some cyclists purchase roadside assistance from companies such as the [[Better World Club]] or the [[American Automobile Association]].

===Maintenance===
The most basic maintenance item is keeping the tires correctly inflated; this can make a noticeable difference as to how the bike feels to ride. Bicycle tires usually have a marking on the sidewall indicating the pressure appropriate for that tire. Bicycles use much higher pressures than cars: car tires are normally in the range of {{Convert|30|to|40|psi|kPa}}, whereas bicycle tires are normally in the range of {{Convert|60|to|100|psi|kPa}}.

Another basic maintenance item is regular lubrication of the chain and pivot points for derailleurs and brake components. Most of the bearings on a modern bike are sealed and grease-filled and require little or no attention; such bearings will usually last for {{Convert|10000|miles|km}} or more. The crank bearings require periodic maintenance, which involves removing, cleaning and repacking with the correct grease.

The chain and the brake blocks are the components which wear out most quickly, so these need to be checked from time to time, typically every {{Convert|500|miles|km}} or so. Most local bike shops will do such checks for free. Note that when a chain becomes badly worn, it will also wear out the rear cogs/cassette and eventually the chain ring(s), so replacing a chain when only moderately worn will prolong the life of other components.

Over the longer term, tires do wear out, after {{Convert|2000|to|5000|miles|km}}; a rash of punctures is often the most visible sign of a worn tire.

===Repair===
Very few bicycle components can actually be repaired; replacement of the failing component is the normal practice.

The most common roadside problem is a puncture of the tire's [[inner tube]]. A patch kit may be employed to fix the puncture or the tube can be replaced, though the latter solution comes at a greater cost and waste of material.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web |last=Van Mead |first=Nick |date=3 May 2016 |title=Cycling: how to fix a puncture (even if you don't have the right tools) |website=theguardian.com |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/03/cycling-how-to-fix-a-puncture-even-if-you-dont-have-the-right-tools |access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref> Some brands of tires are much more [[Puncture resistance|puncture-resistant]] than others, often incorporating one or more layers of [[Kevlar]]; the downside of such tires is that they may be heavier and more difficult to fit and remove.

===Tools===
{{main|Bicycle tools}}
[[File:Puncture-repaire-kit.jpg|thumb|Puncture repair kit with tire levers, [[sandpaper]] to clean off an area of the [[inner tube]] around the puncture, a tube of rubber solution ([[Vulcanization|vulcanizing]] fluid), round and oval patches, a metal grater and piece of chalk to make chalk powder (to dust over excess rubber solution). Kits often also include a wax crayon to mark the puncture location.]]

There are specialized bicycle tools for use both in the shop and at the roadside. Many cyclists carry tool kits. These may include a tire patch kit (which, in turn, may contain any combination of a [[Bicycle pump|hand pump]] or [[Bicycle pump#CO2 Inflators|CO<sub>2</sub> pump]], [[tire lever]]s, spare [[Inner tube|tubes]], self-adhesive patches, or tube-patching material, an adhesive, a piece of sandpaper or a metal grater (for roughening the tube surface to be patched) and sometimes even a block of [[French chalk]]), [[wrench]]es, [[hex key]]s, screwdrivers, and a [[chain tool]]. Special, thin wrenches are often required for maintaining various screw-fastened parts, specifically, the frequently lubricated ball-bearing "cones".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://sheldonbrown.com/flats.html#patching
| title = Sheldon Brown: Flat tires
| access-date = 29 May 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513032548/http://www.sheldonbrown.com/flats.html| archive-date= 13 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bikewebsite.com/bikeop.htm
| title = BikeWebSite: Bicycle Glossary – Patch kit
| access-date = 20 June 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513060825/http://www.bikewebsite.com/bikeop.htm| archive-date= 13 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> There are also cycling-specific [[multi-tool]]s that combine many of these implements into a single compact device. More specialized bicycle components may require more complex tools, including proprietary tools specific for a given manufacturer.

==Social and historical aspects==
The bicycle has had a considerable effect on human society, in both the cultural and industrial realms.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-17 |title=How bicycles transformed our world |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-bicycles-transformed-world |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=[[National Geographic]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Chapter Two - The bicycle: Technology and culture|last=Stoffers|first=Manuel|journal=Advances in Transport Policy and Planning|year=2022|volume=10|pages=7–26|doi=10.1016/bs.atpp.2022.04.002}}</ref>

===In daily life===
{{See also|Cycling infrastructure|History of cycling infrastructure}}
[[File:Cyclists in a Greymouth street, passing the premises of Mrs S Beresford, dressmaker, between 1898 and 1905 (4641058720).jpg|thumb|Cyclists in [[Greymouth]], New Zealand (c.1898-1905)]]
Around the turn of the 20th century, bicycles reduced crowding in inner-city tenements by allowing workers to commute from more spacious dwellings in the suburbs. They also reduced dependence on horses. Bicycles allowed people to travel for leisure into the country, since bicycles were three times as energy efficient as walking and three to four times as fast.

[[File:Canal Forsyth Streets bikeway jeh.JPG|thumb|left|Bikeway in New York City, USA (2008)]]
In built-up cities around the world, [[urban planning]] uses [[cycling infrastructure]] like bikeways to reduce [[traffic congestion]] and air pollution.<ref>{{cite journal | pmc = 3005092 | pmid=21174189 | doi=10.1007/s11524-010-9509-6 | volume=87 | issue=6 | title=Built environment influences on healthy transportation choices: bicycling versus driving | year=2010 | journal=J Urban Health | pages=969–93 | last1 = Winters | first1 = M | last2 = Brauer | first2 = M | last3 = Setton | first3 = EM | last4 = Teschke | first4 = K}}</ref> A number of cities around the world have implemented schemes known as [[bicycle sharing system]]s or community bicycle programs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shaheen |first1=Susan |last2=Guzman |first2=Stacey |last3=Zhang |first3=Hua |title=Bikesharing in Europe, the Americas, and Asia |journal=Transportation Research Record |volume=2143 |year=2010 |pages=159–67 |doi=10.3141/2143-20|s2cid=40770008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Shaheen |first=Stacey |author2=Stacey Guzman |title=Worldwide Bikesharing |journal=Access Magazine |year=2011 |url=http://uctc.net/access/39/access39_bikesharing.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326063609/http://www.uctc.net/access/39/access39_bikesharing.shtml |archive-date=26 March 2012 }}</ref> The first of these was the White Bicycle plan in [[Amsterdam]] in 1965. It was followed by yellow bicycles in [[La Rochelle]] and green bicycles in Cambridge. These initiatives complement public transport systems and offer an alternative to motorized traffic to help reduce congestion and pollution.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shaheen |first1=Susan |last2=Zhang |first2=Hua |last3=Martin |first3=Elliot |last4=Guzman |first4=Stacey |title=China's Hangzhou Public Bicycle |journal=Transportation Research Record |volume=2247 |year=2011 |pages=33–41 |doi=10.3141/2247-05|s2cid=111120290 |url=https://escholarship.org/content/qt62d8f2g3/qt62d8f2g3.pdf?t=psbd9f }}</ref> In Europe, especially in the Netherlands and parts of Germany and Denmark, bicycle commuting is common. In Copenhagen, a cyclists' organization runs a Cycling Embassy that promotes biking for commuting and sightseeing. The United Kingdom has a tax break scheme (IR 176) that allows employees to buy a new bicycle tax free to use for commuting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/|title=Tax free bikes for work through the Government's Green Transport Initiative |publisher=Cyclescheme}}{{primary source inline|date=September 2015}}</ref>

In the [[Netherlands]], all train stations offer free [[bicycle parking]], or a more secure parking place for a small fee, with the larger stations also offering bicycle repair shops. Cycling is so popular that the parking capacity may be exceeded, while in some places such as Delft, the capacity is usually exceeded.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2482297.ece/So_many_bikes%2C_so_little_space
| title = So many bikes, so little space
| first1 = Joel | last1 = Broekaert
| first2 = Reinier | last2 = Kist
| name-list-style = amp
| date = 12 February 2010
| newspaper = NRC Handelsblad
| access-date = 13 February 2010
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213211227/http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2482297.ece/So_many_bikes%2C_so_little_space
| archive-date = 13 February 2010
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> In [[Trondheim]] in Norway, the [[Trampe bicycle lift]] has been developed to encourage cyclists by giving assistance on a steep hill. Buses in many cities have [[bicycle carrier]]s mounted on the front.

There are towns in some countries where [[bicycle culture]] has been an integral part of the landscape for generations, even without much official support. That is the case of [[Ílhavo Municipality|Ílhavo]], in Portugal.

In cities where bicycles are not integrated into the public transportation system, commuters often use bicycles as elements of a [[mixed-mode commuting|mixed-mode commute]], where the bike is used to travel to and from train stations or other forms of rapid transit. Some students who commute several miles drive a car from home to a campus parking lot, then ride a bicycle to class. [[Folding bicycle]]s are useful in these scenarios, as they are less cumbersome when carried aboard. Los Angeles removed a small amount of seating on some trains to make more room for bicycles and wheel chairs.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/10/16/metro-making-room-for-bikes-on-their-trains/
| title = Metro Making Room for Bikes on Their Trains
| author = Damien Newton
| date = 16 October 2008
| publisher = LA.StreetsBlog.Org
| access-date = 12 February 2010
| archive-date = 18 September 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090918001847/http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/10/16/metro-making-room-for-bikes-on-their-trains/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
[[File:Cyclists at red 2.jpg|left|thumb|Urban cyclists in [[Copenhagen]], Denmark, at a traffic light]]

Some US companies, notably in the [[High tech#Technology sectors|tech sector]], are developing both innovative cycle designs and cycle-friendliness in the workplace. [[Foursquare (company)|Foursquare]], whose CEO [[Dennis Crowley]] "pedaled to pitch meetings ... [when he] was raising money from [[venture capitalists]]" on a two-wheeler, chose a new location for its New York headquarters "based on where biking would be easy". Parking in the office was also integral to HQ planning. Mitchell Moss, who runs the [[Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management]] at [[New York University]], said in 2012: "Biking has become the mode of choice for the educated high tech worker".<ref>Bernstein, Andrea, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233448/http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/transportation-nation/techies-cutting-edge-bike-commuting "Techies on the cutting edge... of bike commuting"], ''[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]]'', 22 February 2012. "Bernstein reports from the [http://transportationnation.org/ Transportation Nation] project at WNYC". Retrieved 22 February 2012.</ref>

Bicycles offer an important mode of transport in many developing countries. Until recently, bicycles have been a staple of everyday life throughout Asian countries. They are the most frequently used method of transport for commuting to work, school, shopping, and life in general. In Europe, bicycles are commonly used.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/10/24/240493422/in-most-every-european-country-bikes-are-outselling-cars|title=In Almost Every European Country, Bikes Are Outselling New Cars|date=24 October 2013|newspaper=NPR|last1=Calamur|first1=Krishnadev}}</ref> They also offer a degree of exercise to keep individuals healthy.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bicyclevehiclefo0000lowe |first=Marcia D. |last=Lowe |year=1989 |title=The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet |publisher=Worldwatch Institute |isbn=978-0-916468-91-0 |url-access=registration }}{{page needed|date=September 2015}}</ref>

Bicycles are also celebrated in the visual arts. An example of this is the [[Bicycle Film Festival]], a film festival hosted all around the world.

===Poverty alleviation===
[[File:Banana-bike.jpg|thumb|Men in Uganda using a bicycle to transport bananas]]{{Excerpt|Bicycle poverty reduction}}

===Female emancipation===
{{See also|Bicycling and feminism}}
[[File:A wheel within a wheel page 56.jpg|thumb|upright| "Let go – but stand by"; [[Frances Willard (suffragist)|Frances Willard]] learning to ride a bicycle<ref name=Willard1895/>]]
The safety bicycle gave women unprecedented mobility, contributing to [[Emancipation of women|their emancipation]] in Western nations. As bicycles became safer and cheaper, more women had access to the personal freedom that bicycles embodied, and so the bicycle came to symbolize the [[New Woman]] of the late 19th century, especially in Britain and the United States.{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=266–71}}<ref name="Distillations">{{cite journal|last1=Roberts |first1=Jacob |title=Women's work |journal=Distillations |date=2017|volume=3|issue=1 |pages=6–11 |url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/magazine/womens-work|access-date=22 March 2018}}</ref> The [[Bike boom#1890s|bicycle craze in the 1890s]] also led to a movement for so-called [[Victorian dress reform|rational dress]], which helped liberate women from corsets and ankle-length skirts and other restrictive garments, substituting the then-shocking [[bloomers (clothing)|bloomers]].{{sfn|Herlihy|2004|pp=266–71}}

The bicycle was recognized by 19th-century feminists and [[suffragist]]s as a "freedom machine" for women. American [[Susan B. Anthony]] said in a ''[[New York World]]'' interview on 2 February 1896: "I think it has done more to emancipate woman than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood."<ref name=HustedHarper1898/>{{rp|859}} In 1895 [[Frances Willard (suffragist)|Frances Willard]], the tightly laced president of the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]], wrote ''A Wheel Within a Wheel: How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle, with Some Reflections by the Way'', a 75-page illustrated memoir praising "Gladys", her bicycle, for its "gladdening effect" on her health and political optimism.<ref name=Willard1895/> Willard used a cycling metaphor to urge other suffragists to action.<ref name=Willard1895/>

In 1985, Georgena Terry started the first women-specific bicycle company. Her designs featured frame geometry and wheel sizes chosen to better fit women, with shorter top tubes and more suitable reach.<ref>{{cite web |title=6 Questions for Women's Bicycling Pioneer Georgena Terry |url=https://velojoy.com/2012/07/04/6-questions-for-womens-bicycling-pioneer-georgena-terry/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825135522/https://velojoy.com/2012/07/04/6-questions-for-womens-bicycling-pioneer-georgena-terry/ |archive-date=25 August 2012 |publisher=Velojoy |date=4 July 2012 |access-date=14 July 2021}}</ref>

===Economic implications===
[[File:Columbia Bicycles 1886 Advertisement.svg|left|thumb|upright|[[Columbia Bicycles]] advertisement from 1886]]

[[Bicycle industry|Bicycle manufacturing]] proved to be a training ground for other industries and led to the development of advanced metalworking techniques, both for the frames themselves and for special components such as [[ball bearing]]s, [[washer (mechanical)|washers]], and sprockets. These techniques later enabled skilled metalworkers and mechanics to develop the components used in early automobiles and aircraft.

[[Wright brothers|Wilbur and Orville Wright]], a pair of businessmen, ran the [[Wright Cycle Company]] which designed, manufactured and sold their bicycles during the [[bike boom]] of the 1890s.<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11373/ |title = Wilbur Wright Working in the Bicycle Shop |website = [[World Digital Library]] |date = 1897 |access-date = 22 July 2013 }}</ref>

They also served to teach the industrial models later adopted, including mechanization and [[mass production]] (later copied and adopted by [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[General Motors]]),{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=23}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=106}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=108}} vertical integration{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=106}} (also later copied and adopted by Ford), aggressive advertising{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=142–47}} (as much as 10% of all advertising in US periodicals in 1898 was by bicycle makers),{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=145}} lobbying for better roads (which had the side benefit of acting as advertising, and of improving sales by providing more places to ride),{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=108}} all first practiced by Pope.{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=108}} In addition, bicycle makers adopted the annual model change{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=23}}<ref>Babaian, Sharon. ''The Most Benevolent Machine: A Historical Assessment of Cycles in Canada'' (Ottawa: National Museum of Science and Technology, 1998), p. 97.</ref> (later derided as [[planned obsolescence]], and usually credited to General Motors), which proved very successful.<ref>Babaian, p. 98.</ref>

Early bicycles were an example of [[conspicuous consumption]], being adopted by the fashionable elites.{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=8}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=12}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=14}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=23}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=147–48}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=187–88}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=208}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=243–45}} In addition, by serving as a platform for accessories, which could ultimately cost more than the bicycle itself, it paved the way for the likes of the [[Barbie doll]].{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=23}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=121}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=123}}

Bicycles helped create, or enhance, new kinds of businesses, such as bicycle messengers,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=212}} traveling seamstresses,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=214}} riding academies,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=131}} and racing rinks.{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=30}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=131}} Their board tracks were later adapted to early [[motorcycle racing|motorcycle]] and [[automobile racing]]. There were a variety of new inventions, such as [[spoke]] tighteners,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=125}} and specialized lights,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=123}}{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=125}} socks and shoes,{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=125–26}} and even cameras, such as the [[Eastman Kodak|Eastman Company]]'s Poco.{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=238}} Probably the best known and most widely used of these inventions, adopted well beyond cycling, is Charles Bennett's Bike Web, which came to be called the [[jock strap]].{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=128}}

[[File:Person mit fahrrad feb07.jpg|thumb|upright|A man uses a bicycle to carry goods in [[Ouagadougou]], Burkina Faso.]]
They also presaged a move away from public transit{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|pp=214–15}} that would explode with the introduction of the automobile.

J. K. Starley's company became the Rover Cycle Company Ltd. in the late 1890s, and then renamed the [[Rover Company]] when it started making cars. [[Morris Motors]] Limited (in [[Oxford]]) and [[Škoda Auto|Škoda]] also began in the bicycle business, as did the [[Wright brothers]].<ref>
{{cite web
| title = The Wrights' bicycle shop
| year = 2007
|url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/Wrightbrothers/who/1893/shop.cfm
| access-date = 5 February 2007
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070125080218/http://www.nasm.si.edu/wrightbrothers/who/1893/shop.cfm
| archive-date = 25 January 2007
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Alistair Craig, whose company eventually emerged to become the engine manufacturers [[Ailsa Craig Engines|Ailsa Craig]], also started from manufacturing bicycles, in Glasgow in March 1885.

In general, US and European cycle manufacturers used to assemble cycles from their own frames and components made by other companies, although very large companies (such as Raleigh) used to make almost every part of a bicycle (including bottom brackets, axles, etc.) In recent years, those bicycle makers have greatly changed their methods of production. Now, almost none of them produce their own frames.

Many newer or smaller companies only design and market their products; the actual production is done by Asian companies. For example, some 60% of the world's bicycles are now being made in China. Despite this shift in production, as nations such as China and India become more wealthy, their own use of bicycles has declined due to the increasing affordability of cars and motorcycles.<ref>
{{Cite news|author=Francois Bougo|date=26 May 2010|title=Beijing looks to revitalise bicycle culture|publisher=Agence France-Presse|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iQeSSys_rKGJ7ve4u1ZsVyIA_LmQ|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531125628/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iQeSSys_rKGJ7ve4u1ZsVyIA_LmQ|archive-date=31 May 2010}}</ref> One of the major reasons for the proliferation of Chinese-made bicycles in foreign markets is the lower cost of labor in China.<ref>[[The Economist]], 15 February 2003</ref>

In line with the European financial crisis of that time, in 2011 the number of bicycle sales in Italy (1.75&nbsp;million) passed the number of new car sales.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19801599 |title=Italian bicycle sales 'surpass those of cars' |date=2 October 2012 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

===Environmental impact===
[[File:Utrecht - panoramio (2).jpg|thumb|Bicycles in [[Utrecht]], Netherlands]]

One of the profound economic implications of bicycle use is that it liberates the user from [[motor fuel]] consumption. (Ballantine, 1972) The bicycle is an inexpensive, fast, healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. [[Ivan Illich]] stated that bicycle use extended the usable physical environment for people, while alternatives such as cars and motorways degraded and confined people's environment and mobility.<ref>Illich, I. (1974). ''Energy and equity''. New York, Harper & Row.</ref> Currently, two billion bicycles are in use around the world. Children, students, professionals, laborers, civil servants and seniors are pedaling around their communities. They all experience the freedom and the natural opportunity for exercise that the bicycle easily provides. Bicycle also has lowest carbon intensity of travel.<ref>[http://blogs.worldbank.org/publicsphere/global-cyclists-say-no-carbon-opt-cdm "Global cyclists say NO to carbon – opt for CDM"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004035739/http://blogs.worldbank.org/publicsphere/global-cyclists-say-no-carbon-opt-cdm |date=4 October 2017 }}, The World Bank, 27 October 2015</ref>

===Manufacturing===
{{See also|List of bicycle manufacturing companies}}
[[File:J-w-waldrons-smith-bicycle-works-1900.jpg|thumb|J W Waldron's Smith & Bicycle Works in Brighton, England, ca.1900]]
The global bicycle market is $61&nbsp;billion in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=High Growth and Big Margins in the $61 Billion Bicycle Industry|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/133109-high-growth-and-big-margins-in-the-61-billion-bicycle-industry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428021811/http://seekingalpha.com/article/133109-high-growth-and-big-margins-in-the-61-billion-bicycle-industry|archive-date=28 April 2009|access-date=24 October 2011|publisher=Seeking Alpha}}</ref> {{As of|2009}}, 130 million bicycles were sold every year globally and 66% of them were made in China.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dare.co.in/opportunities/manufacturing/the-business-of-bicycles.htm |title=The Business of Bicycles &#124; Manufacturing &#124; Opportunities |publisher=DARE |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=24 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110153856/http://dare.co.in/opportunities/manufacturing/the-business-of-bicycles.htm |archive-date=10 November 2011 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ EU28 Bicycle market 2000–2014<ref name=conebi2014/>
|-
! Year !! production (M) !! sales (M)
|-
| 2000 || 14.531 || 18.945
|-
| 2001 || 13.009 || 17.745
|-
| 2002 || 12.272 || 17.840
|-
| 2003 || 12.828 || 20.206
|-
| 2004 || 13.232 || 20.322
|-
| 2005 || 13.218 || 20.912
|-
| 2006 || 13.320 || 21.033
|-
| 2007 || 13.086 || 21.344
|-
| 2008 || 13.246 || 20.206
|-
| 2009 || 12.178 || 19.582
|-
| 2010 || 12.241 || 20.461
|-
| 2011 || 11.758 || 20.039
|-
| 2012 || 11.537 || 19.719
|-
| 2013 || 11.360 || 19.780
|-
| 2014 || 11.939 || 20.234
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;"
|+ EU28 Bicycle market 2014<ref name=conebi2014>{{cite web |url=http://www.conebi.eu/?wpdmdl=892 |title= 2014 European Bicycle Industry & Market Profile |publisher= Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry |date= 2015}}</ref>
|-
! Country !! Production (M) !! Parts (M€) !! Sales (M) !! Avg !! Sales (M€)
|-
| Italy || 2.729 || 491 || 1.696 || 288 || {{#expr:1.696*288round1}}
|-
| Germany || 2.139 || 286 || 4.100 || 528 || {{#expr:4.1*528round1}}
|-
| Poland || .991 || 58 || 1.094 || 380 || {{#expr:1.094*380round1}}
|-
| Bulgaria || .950 || 9 || .082 || 119 || {{#expr:.082*119round1}}
|-
| The Netherlands || .850 || 85 || 1.051 || 844 || {{#expr:1.051*844round1}}
|-
| Romania || .820 || 220 || .370 || 125 || {{#expr:.370*125round1}}
|-
| Portugal || .720 || 120 || .340 || 160 || {{#expr:.340*160round1}}
|-
| France || .630 || 170 || 2.978 || 307 || {{#expr:2.978*307round1}}
|-
| Hungary || .370 || 10 || .044 || 190 || {{#expr:.044*190round1}}
|-
| Spain || .356 || 10 || 1.089 || 451 || {{#expr:1.089*451round1}}
|-
| Czech Republic || .333 || 85 || .333 || 150 || {{#expr:.333*150round1}}
|-
| Lithuania || .323 || 0 || .050 || 110 || {{#expr:.050*110round1}}
|-
| Slovakia || .210 || 9 || .038 || 196 || {{#expr:.038*196round1}}
|-
| Austria || .138 || 0 || .401 || 450 || {{#expr:.401*450round1}}
|-
| Greece || .108 || 0 || .199 || 233 || {{#expr:.199*233round1}}
|-
| Belgium || .099 || 35 || .567 || 420 || {{#expr:.567*420round1}}
|-
| Sweden || .083 || 0 || .584 || 458 || {{#expr:.584*458round1}}
|-
| Great Britain || .052 || 34 || 3.630 || 345 || {{#expr:3.630*345round1}}
|-
| Finland || .034 || 32 || .300 || 320 || {{#expr:.300*320round1}}
|-
| Slovenia || .005 || 9 || .240 || 110 || {{#expr:.240*110round1}}
|-
| Croatia || 0 || 0 || .333 || 110 || {{#expr:.333*110round1}}
|-
| Cyprus || 0 || 0 || .033 || 110 || {{#expr:.033*110round1}}
|-
| Denmark || 0 || 0 || .470 || 450 || {{#expr:.470*450round1}}
|-
| Estonia || 0 || 0 || .062 || 190 || {{#expr:.062*190round1}}
|-
| Ireland || 0 || 0 || .091 || 190 || {{#expr:.091*190round1}}
|-
| Latvia || 0 || 0 || .040 || 110 || {{#expr:.040*110round1}}
|-
| Luxembourg || 0 || 0 || .010 || 450 || {{#expr:.010*450round1}}
|-
| Malta || 0 || 0 || .011 || 110 || {{#expr:.011*110round1}}
|-
! EU 28 !! 11.939 !! 1662 !! 20.234 || {{#expr:7941.2/20.234round0}} || 7941.2
|}

===Legal requirements===
{{Main|Bicycle law}}

Early in its development, as with [[automobile]]s, there were restrictions on the operation of bicycles. Along with advertising, and to gain free publicity, [[Albert A. Pope]] litigated on behalf of cyclists.{{sfn|Norcliffe|2001|p=108}}

The 1968 [[Vienna Convention on Road Traffic]] of the United Nations considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and a person controlling a bicycle (whether actually riding or not) is considered an operator or driver.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}<ref>{{cite conference |conference=United Nations Conference on Road Traffic |last=United Nations |url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Treaties/1977/05/19770524%2000-13%20AM/Ch_XI_B_19.pdf |title=Convention on Road Traffic |date=1968-11-08 |location=Vienna |pages=69 |chapter=General Provisions}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rules of the road for bicycles |url=https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/bicycle-traffic-laws/ |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=www.progressive.com|date=17 April 2023 }}</ref> The traffic codes of many countries reflect these definitions and demand that a bicycle satisfy certain legal requirements before it can be used on public roads. In many [[jurisdiction]]s, it is an offense to use a bicycle that is not in a roadworthy condition.<ref name="Arthurs-Brennan 2019 r622">{{cite web | last=Arthurs-Brennan | first=Michelle | title=What can cyclist legally do, and not do, in Europe? | website=cyclingweekly.com | date=March 22, 2019 | url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/routes/overseas/can-cyclist-legally-not-europe-411273 | access-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name="United Nations Treaty Collection 1968 b248">{{cite web | title=Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Chapter XI Transport and Communications, B. Road Traffic, 19. Convention on Road Traffic | website=United Nations Treaty Collection | date=November 8, 1968 | url=https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11 | ref={{sfnref | United Nations Treaty Collection  | 1968}} | access-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref>

In some countries, bicycles must have functioning front and rear lights when ridden after dark.<ref name="Home Page 2017">{{cite web | title=Bicycle road rules : VicRoads | website=Home Page | date=1 July 2017 |url=https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/a-to-z-of-road-rules/bicycles | access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="Service-public.fr 2022">{{cite web | title=Accessoires obligatoires à vélo | website=Service-public.fr | date=16 August 2022 |url=https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F34169 | language=fr | access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref>

Some countries require cyclists to wear helmets, as this may protect riders from head trauma. Countries which require adult cyclists to wear helmets include Spain, [[Bicycle helmets in New Zealand|New Zealand]] and Australia. Mandatory helmet wearing is one of the most controversial topics in the cycling world, with proponents arguing that it reduces head injuries and thus is an acceptable requirement, while opponents argue that by making cycling seem more dangerous and cumbersome, it reduces cyclist numbers on the streets, creating an overall negative health effect (fewer people cycling for their own health, and the remaining cyclists being more exposed through a reversed [[safety in numbers]] effect).<ref>{{Cite news|date=5 April 2017|title=Want Safer Streets for Cyclists? Ditch the Helmet Laws.|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-05/why-bike-helmet-laws-don-t-work|access-date=29 August 2020}}</ref>

===Theft===
{{Main|Bicycle theft}}
[[File:2008-09-06 Solitary bicycle wheel in a bike rack.jpg|thumb|upright|A bicycle wheel remains chained in a bike rack after the rest of the bicycle has been stolen at east campus of [[Duke University]] in [[Durham, North Carolina]].]]

Bicycles are popular targets for theft, due to their value and ease of resale.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Lierop|first1=Dea|last2=Grimsrud|first2=Michael|last3=El-Geneidy|first3=Ahmed|year=2014|title=Breaking into Bicycle Theft: Insights from Montreal, Canada|journal=International Journal of Sustainable Transportation|volume=9 |issue=7 |pages=490–501|doi=10.1080/15568318.2013.811332 |bibcode=2015IJSTr...9..490V |s2cid=44047626 |url=https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/articles/1v53k2443 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The number of bicycles stolen annually is difficult to quantify as a large number of crimes are not reported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bicyclelaw.com/p.cfm/bicycle-safety/about-bike-theft |title=About Bicycle Theft |publisher=bicyclelaw.com |access-date=12 February 2014}}</ref> Around 50% of the participants in the Montreal International Journal of Sustainable Transportation survey were subjected to a bicycle theft in their lifetime as active cyclists.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Publications/Cycling_theft.pdf|title = Breaking into bicycle theft: Insights from Montreal, Canada|last = van Lierop Grimsrud El-Geneidy|date = 2015|journal = International Journal of Sustainable Transportation| volume=9 | issue=7 | page=490 | doi=10.1080/15568318.2013.811332 | bibcode=2015IJSTr...9..490V | s2cid=44047626 |access-date = 30 September 2015}}</ref> Most bicycles have serial numbers that can be recorded to verify identity in case of theft.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://bikeindex.org/serials#fn-all-bikes-serials
| title = Bike serial numbers
| quote = Okay, fine, so maybe there are a few bikes without serial numbers, but this is rare and typical only on hand made bikes or really old bicycles.
| access-date = 2 August 2017}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports|Transport}}
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Bicycle and motorcycle geometry]]
* [[Bicycle drum brake]]
* [[Bicycle fender]]
* [[Bicycle lighting]]
* [[Bicycle parking station]]
* [[Bicycle-friendly]]
* [[Bicycle-sharing system]]
* [[Cyclability]]
* [[Cycling advocacy]]
* [[Cycling in the Netherlands]]
* [[Danish bicycle VIN-system]]
* [[List of bicycle types]]
* [[List of films about bicycles and cycling]]
* [[Outline of bicycles]]
* [[Outline of cycling]]
* [[rattleCAD]] (software for bicycle design)
* [[Skirt guard]]
* [[Twike]]
* [[Velomobile]]
* [[Wooden bicycle]]
* [[World Bicycle Day]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist
|refs =
<ref name="HustedHarper1898">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/storyevolutions00harpgoog?ui=embed |title= The life and work of Susan B. Anthony: including public addresses, her own letters and many from her contemporaries during fifty years. A story of the evolution of the status of woman |volume = 2 |first= Ida |last= Husted Harper |author-link = Ida Husted Harper |publisher = The Bowen-Merrill Company |year= 1898 }}</ref>

<ref name="Willard1895">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CUAfAAAAYAAJ |title = A Wheel Within a Wheel: How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle, with Some Reflections by the Way |first=Frances Elizabeth |last= Willard |author-link = Frances Willard (suffragist) |publisher= [[Woman's Temperance Publishing Association]] |year= 1895 |pages=53, 56 }}</ref>

<ref name="Koeppel2007">{{cite magazine |title= Flight of the Pigeon |last= Koeppel |first= Dan |magazine= [[Bicycling (magazine)|Bicycling]] |date= January–February 2007 |volume= 48 |issue= 1 |issn=0006-2073 |publisher= [[Rodale, Inc.|Rodale]] |pages= 60–66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=isUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60 |access-date= 28 January 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name="Economist2011">{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/culture/2011/04/20/a-way-of-life |title= Bicycling; A way of life; Faster in town than going by car, bus, tube or on foot |date=20 April 2011 |newspaper=The Economist |url-access=registration }}</ref>

<ref name="Squatriglia2008">{{cite magazine |title= Honda Sells Its 60 Millionth – Yes, Millionth – Super Cub |first= Chuck |last= Squatriglia |date= 23 May 2008 |url=http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/honda-sells-its.html |magazine= [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date= 31 October 2010 }}</ref>

<ref name="AMA2006">{{cite magazine |title= That's 2.5 billion cc! |magazine=[[American Motorcyclist]] |location=Westerville, OH | date= May 2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qvUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24 |issn=0277-9358 |page= 24 |access-date= 31 October 2010 |author = American Motorcyclist Association
|author-link = American Motorcyclist Association }}</ref>

<ref name="ABC">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-18/toyota-ponders-recall-of-worlds-best-selling-car/334668 |title = Toyota ponders recall of world's best-selling car |date= 18 February 2010 |publisher= [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] News Online }}</ref>

<ref name="FoxBusiness">{{cite news |title=The Best-Selling Cars of All Time |date=26 January 2012 |author=((24/7 Wall St.)) |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2012/01/26/best-selling-cars-all-time/ |publisher=[[Fox Business]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101202420/http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2012/01/26/best-selling-cars-all-time/ |archive-date=1 January 2016 }}</ref>
}}

=== Sources ===
; General 
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last = Herlihy |first = David V. |year=2004 |title = Bicycle: The History |url=https://archive.org/details/bicyclehistory0000herl_n1m2/page/n3/mode/2up |location = New Haven, CT |publisher = Yale University Press |isbn = 978-0-300-12047-9 }}
* {{cite book |last = Norcliffe |first = Glen |year=2001 |title = The Ride to Modernity: The Bicycle in Canada, 1869–1900 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xviNs2HTIwC |location = Toronto, Ontario |publisher = University of Toronto Press |isbn = 978-0-8020-8205-3 }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Glaskin |first=Max |year=2013 |title=Cycling Science: How Rider and Machine Work Together |url=http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo14350452.html |location=Chicago |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-92187-7}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=1|wikt=bicycle|n=y|q=Cycling|s=1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Bicycle|voy=Cycling}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Bicycle (wikipedia article).oga|date=7 December 2007}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140916100955/http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/cycles.cfm A History of Bicycles and Other Cycles] at the [[Canada Science and Technology Museum]]

{{Human-powered vehicles}}
{{Cycling}}
{{Bike equipment}}
{{Private transport}}
{{Micromobility}}
{{Italian bicycle manufacturers}}
{{French bicycle manufacturers}}
{{British bicycle manufacturers}}
{{German bicycle manufacturers}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bicycles| ]]
[[Category:19th-century inventions]]
[[Category:Appropriate technology]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Cycle types| ]]
[[Category:German inventions]]
[[Category:Sustainable technologies]]
[[Category:Sustainable transport]]