Workings and mechanics of a bicycle

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any websites or books about the workings and mechanics of a bicycle. I am going for a University interview (for engineering) and as i have wrote cycling as an interest, I feel that it would be good to improve my understanding with some more technical detail.

I have had a look through sheldonbrown and some other sites, but any additional sites would be appreciated.

Cheers.

I quite like Zinn and the art of (Road) cycle maintenance. Lots of pictures and a breezy writing style.

The Zinn book is good. If you can track down a copy then I'd recommend 'The Bicycle Wheel' by Jobst Brandt. It's the most comprehensive book on wheels ever written I'm sure.

The Park Tools website is good for material too.

There's a haynes manual or 2 on bikes, they're ok. sheldon and parktool websites cover just about everything though.

Bicycling Science is the business; not sure if it's what you're really looking for, but it's bicycles and physics and engineering in one book. Actually it is what you're after - I'd recommend reading it if that's your area of interest.

www.parktools.com as mentioned in 1489 previous posts so far..

http://strongframes.com/material_tech/metallurgy/3/?PHPSESSID=5454b2d278e3a3ba75f60a0e26957677 materials

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/ pretty pics of lots of bikes and bits

http://www.analyticcycling.com/ for uber cycling nerdage

+1 to Bicycling Science as recommended by Mr Cheese

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+1 for Bicycling Science

nice to take an interest in the workings of a bicycle and everything, but bikes are dead simple. You can see everything about how they work just by staring at them.

At your university interview theyd just be concerned, about your a-level grades. and that you gots monies to pay.

If you have a non- standard qualification, theyll probably give you a quick test see if you can do some differentiation equations on the spot etc..

Trying to talk about the workings of a bicycle in some faux engineering manner would probably be cringeful for your interviewer .

However feel free to talk about cycling as a hobby & pastime, to demonstrate your 'well rounded' character innit.

In terms of impressing them, mention a surprising unexpected field of engineering your interested in, some thing bold and different to what all the other students will.

And then mention somekind of philanthropic intention for your career.

another idea find a local bicycle recyling facility and go along as a volunteer maybe a more long termist idea but if you are in london there are quite a few
waltham forest bicyle recyling centre they are always looking for volunteers and it would be a prefect place to improve your knowledge by either getting the guys there to give advise or just by dismantling a bike and re building it yourself the bikes are usually just of the street / police reclaim vehicles so any slight slips of a spanner or rounding of a nut wouldn't be an issue

Sheldon

Hi,
as i have wrote cycling as an interest,

Platini's job really, but seeing as it's a university interview I feel it would be good improve your grammar too.

"as I wrote" or "as I have written"

http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

The cyclist's bible - So much knowledge - He took what's not yet on the site to the grave. RIP

Platini's job really, but seeing as it's a university interview I feel it would be good improve your grammar too.

"as I wrote" or "as I have written"

Thanks for the advice but maybe you should sort your own out first.

"i feel it would be good **to **improve your grammar too"

Thanks for the advice but maybe you should sort your own out first.

"i feel it would be good **to **improve your grammar too"

I did engineering and my grammer and English in general is terrible, I wouldn't really bother about it never held me back at all. It only seems to annoy people on forums for some reason.

As mentioned above Bicycling Science is really good. In my interview he more asked generic questions about what I did at school and other interests. I played rugby and he wanted to know about that and if I'd play for the uni team. He asked me about Physics and which were my favourite parts of it. If you already have an offer and its not Oxbridge its probably more for you to find out about the course, so I would spend more time preparing questions about stuff you would like to know about the course than preparing for what they might ask you.

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there isn't much technology in fixed bikes. MTB suspension design would be good to read up on.
rising rate, falling rate, platform damping, chain growth, pivot placement, 4-bar, faux-bar, single pivot, linkage actuated, DW-link, VPP, ICT, Maestro etc etc.

I did engineering and my grammer and English in general is terrible, I wouldn't really bother about it never held me back at all. It only seems to annoy people on forums for some reason.

As mentioned above Bicycling Science is really good. In my interview he more asked generic questions about what I did at school and other interests. I played rugby and he wanted to know about that and if I'd play for the uni team. He asked me about Physics and which were my favourite parts of it. If you already have an offer and its not Oxbridge its probably more for you to find out about the course, so I would spend more time preparing questions about stuff you would like to know about the course than preparing for what they might ask you.

Good advice this, I'm at Uni studying engineering and it pays to ask questions, be enthusiastic and generally don't be a know it all prick (there will be enough of them in your first year)

Good luck with it, where are you applying just out of curiosity?

Grammar.

Grammar.

You can't teach Grammar how to suck eggs.

I am going for a University interview (for engineering) and as i have wrote cycling as an interest

Good job its not an English degree !

Second (or third or fifth) to Zinn, great book.

Good advice this, I'm at Uni studying engineering and it pays to ask questions, be enthusiastic and generally don't be a know it all prick (there will be enough of them in your first year)

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There are so many of them, and it's always the ones who know least are the most likely to shout their opinion (fact, in their minds) hopefully second year will get rid of most.

Good advice this, I'm at Uni studying engineering and it pays to ask questions, be enthusiastic and generally don't be a know it all prick (there will be enough of them in your first year)

Good luck with it, where are you applying just out of curiosity?

I am applying to Cambridge, Bristol, Bath, Kings and Nottingham.

I have interviews at both Bristol and Cambridge next week. eek.

Mike Burrows has a book - Bicycle Design.

Covers all types of bicycles and the design and engineering of them. From practical and comfort reasons, to science and sport.

A pretty good read.

We have them in bikefix... not that i am trying to plug or anything. Otherwise they are avaliable online.

Apart from that - bicycling science. would recommend as well. Covers everything you would ever need to know or not know. I have flicked through it a bit and i must say that it does tend to over complicate the bike... to a pretty scary extent.

If you are around hackney at any point, let me know and i can lend you both books for a lil while.