Bicycle Maintenance Honor

Vocational Activities

Requirements

  1. Explain the types of bicycle for each situation below
    • Urban
    • Paved road
    • Dirt road

    Answer: 1) Urban: an urban or hybrid bicycle — comfortable, with medium-width tires and an upright posture, ideal for the city and everyday use. 2) Paved road: a road (speed) bicycle — light, with thin, smooth tires, a large rim, and a curved handlebar, made for speed on asphalt. 3) Dirt road: a mountain bike (MTB) — robust, with wide, knobby tires and suspension, suited for uneven terrain and trails. — Each terrain calls for a type: urban in the city, speed on asphalt, and mountain bike on dirt.

  2. Identify and explain the functions of each of the following parts:
    • Frame
    • Wheel
    • Fork
    • Handlebar
    • Saddle
    • Chain
    • Brake
    • Tire
    • Front derailleur
    • Rear derailleur
    • Cassette
    • Wheel
    • Flexible conduit or steel cable
    • Brake lever
    • Fork with shock absorber
    • Grip (handlebar grip)
    • Frame (bicycle table)
    • Bottom bracket
    • Pedal
    • Crank arm
    • Chainring
    • Wheel hub
    • Spoke
    • Seatpost
    • Shock absorber

    Answer: 1) Frame: the main structure that supports and joins all the parts of the bicycle. 2) Wheel: turns resting on the ground and supports the bike, transmitting the movement. 3) Fork: holds the front wheel to the frame and allows steering (changing direction). 4) Handlebar: the part by which the cyclist steers and controls the direction of the bicycle. 5) Saddle: the seat where the cyclist sits. 6) Chain: transmits the force from the pedals to the rear wheel. 7) Brake: reduces the speed and stops the bicycle. 8) Tire: makes contact with the ground, provides grip, and cushions the impact. 9) Front derailleur: shifts the chain between the chainrings (on the crankset) to change gears. 10) Rear derailleur: shifts the chain between the gears of the cassette to change gears. 11) Cassette: the set of gears (sprockets) fixed to the rear wheel. 12) Wheel (rear/front): the assembly that supports and moves the bike, made up of hub, spokes, rim, and tire. 13) Flexible housing or steel cable: the cable that connects the levers to the brakes and derailleurs, transmitting the command from the hands. 14) Brake lever: the lever on the handlebar that the cyclist squeezes to apply the brake. 15) Fork with shock absorber: a front fork with suspension, which absorbs impacts on uneven terrain. 16) Grip: the covering on the ends of the handlebar, where the hands rest firmly and comfortably. 17) Stem: the part that connects the handlebar to the fork/steerer tube, defining the height and reach of the handlebar. 18) Bottom bracket: the axle and bearings in the center of the frame where the crankset turns. 19) Pedal: the part where the cyclist rests the feet to propel the bike. 20) Crankset: the arms that connect the pedals to the bottom bracket and turn the chainrings. 21) Chainring: the front gear, fixed to the crankset, which tensions the chain. 22) Wheel hub: the central part of the wheel, with bearings, around which it turns. 23) Spoke: the thin rods that connect the hub to the rim and give strength and shape to the wheel. 24) Seatpost: the tube that supports the saddle and adjusts the height of the seat. 25) Shock absorber: a suspension component (front or rear) that absorbs impacts and provides comfort and control. — Each part has its function — from the frame that supports to the chain and the derailleurs that transmit the force and change the gears.

  3. Identify, replace the brake pads, and distinguish each model of basic brake:
    • Spur (rear sprocket cluster)
    • Blade (chainring)
    • Disc (brake disc)

    Answer: 1) Caliper/cantilever brake: this is an older rim brake, in which arms or a horseshoe/yoke-shaped arch hold shoes (rubber pads) that squeeze the sides of the wheel rim to brake. It is light and simple, but loses efficiency when the rim is wet or bent. 2) V-brake: also a rim brake, formed by two long lateral arms fixed to the same base, with shoes that press the rim. Because it has longer arms, it generates more braking force than the caliper brake, being common on mountain bikes and urban bicycles; even so, it suffers with mud, rain, and a bent rim. 3) Disc: acts on a metal disc fixed to the wheel hub; when the lever is applied, the caliper squeezes the pads against this disc. It is the most powerful, precise, and efficient model, maintaining good performance even when wet or muddy, since it does not depend on the rim. It can be mechanical (cable) or hydraulic (fluid). Replacing the pads: loosen and remove the wheel, open/release the caliper (or the arms of the rim brake), remove the worn pads, fit the new ones in the right place, and adjust the clearance relative to the disc (or the rim), so that they do not drag when stopped and brake firmly when applied. — From the rim brake (caliper, V-brake) to the disc brake, knowing the models is what allows you to adjust and replace the right pads.

  4. What is the importance of keeping the brake cables lubricated and adjusted?

    Answer: It is essential for safety: lubricated cables slide freely, applying the brake quickly and smoothly; adjusted cables ensure that the brake responds at the right moment, with no slack or dragging. Dry or rusty cables stick and can fail, compromising braking. — The brake is safety: a lubricated and adjusted cable responds in time — a dry cable can fail and cause an accident.

  5. Install a gear system on a bicycle, or remove, lubricate, and adjust it on one that already has it. Then, explain the reason for the lubrication and adjustment.
  6. Identify 3 different types of rim and explain their differences and qualities for each type of bicycle and terrain.

    Answer: • Steel rim: cheap and strong, but heavy and rusts — for simple urban use. • Aluminum rim (light alloy): light, does not rust, and brakes better — the most used in MTB and road. • Carbon fiber rim: very light and stiff, high performance, but expensive — for competition. Wider rims are for uneven terrain (MTB); narrower ones, for asphalt (road). — Steel (strong and cheap), aluminum (light, the most common), and carbon (light and expensive) — the right rim depends on the use and the terrain.

  7. Correctly spoke a rim and true it.
  8. Demonstrate how to find holes in the inner tube. Patch them, showing the proper equipment for such a job.
  9. Explain how the front and rear shock absorber of a bicycle works and relate the loss of speed due to it.

    Answer: The shock absorber (suspension) absorbs the impacts of the terrain (potholes, rocks), compressing a spring and/or air and oil and returning to position — giving comfort and control on uneven terrain. In exchange, part of the pedaling energy is absorbed by the suspension (a bobbing effect), which causes a certain loss of speed, especially on asphalt — that is why road bikes have no suspension. — The suspension absorbs impacts on the trail, but 'steals' a bit of the pedaling — that is why it is the villain of speed on asphalt.

  10. What type of oil should be applied to the chains, freewheels, and chainrings?

    Answer: You should use a lubricant designed for bicycle chains (a specific lubricant — dry, for dry weather and dust; or wet, for rain and mud). Do not use thick cooking oil or just a penetrating spray (WD-40 is a penetrating spray, not a lubricant). The oil is applied to the clean chain, turning the pedals, and the excess is removed. — Use a chain-specific lubricant (dry or wet according to the weather) — the wrong oil attracts dirt and wears out the drivetrain.

  11. There are 2 types of crank: the one with the chainring attached and the one without a chainring. Explain and demonstrate the differences, the way to replace them, lubrication, and care for each one.
  12. How does the stem hold the handlebar to the fork? Demonstrate the different types of handlebar and stem.
  13. Know the bicycle size and the proper height of the seat and handlebar for each person.

    Answer: The bicycle size (of the frame) must match the cyclist's height (frames are measured in S/M/L or in inches/cm). The saddle height should allow that, with the foot on the pedal in the lowest position, the leg is almost straight (a slight bend of the knee); the handlebar, at a comfortable height that does not strain the back. The correct adjustment prevents pain and injuries and gives more efficiency in pedaling. — A frame of the right size and a saddle at the right height (the leg almost straight at the low pedal) prevent pain and yield more in pedaling.

  14. Do an internship at a bicycle shop for at least 15 days and present a report.

    Answer: The hands-on experience in the shop consolidates the theory and shows, in practice, the maintenance of bicycles.