How to improve 18 speed bike tuning. Bicycle tuning: do it yourself

Since upgrading for the sake of upgrading itself is inherently a meaningless exercise, we will try to analyze a rational bike upgrade strategy based on

An upgrade not related to improving the functionality and increasing the reliability of the nodes, or generally based on bringing the bike to the state of Feng Shui, is either a simple repair masquerading as an upgrade or artistic creativity, which, if there is talent, can be applied in other areas. When you replace a broken component with the same one without changing

It’s easier to understand the bike upgrade strategy and systematize the elements that will be improved, all bike nodes can be divided into groups:

Each panel already contains 6 options for drawing, as well as the ability to enter text up to 16 characters long. The image is clearly visible even at low speeds. The more panels on the wheel, the more unique patterns you can create yourself. The panels are suitable for all types of wheels, the recommended diameter is from 24 inches. The patterns are already visible on both sides at a speed of 7 wheel revolutions per minute. Colors - red, green, yellow, orange, blue, rainbow. Several control modes. Net weight 170 grams. Installed with a screwdriver; Waterproof and shockproof housing. Runs continuously on three AA batteries for a minimum of 48 hours.

Colored wheels. Universal LED nozzles for bicycles and scooters that are mounted directly on the nipple. The wheels are completely filled with a bright glow of different colors. Motion activation! Colors - blue, green, magenta, red, iridescent.Chrome-plated waterproof housing and extended life. Everything you need is included, including batteries.. .

Accessories for bicycle tuning. Small devices for beautifully illuminating pedals, handlebars, frames, horns and more. Great addition to your bike!

If you sell or manufacture bicycles, you have a real opportunity to increase sales and attract new customers.

Be sure to ensure that all the “bells and whistles” you put do not interfere with your bike control and do not affect its maneuverability. Otherwise, all the achievements of tuning will only interfere with your movement. Tuning and pumping a bike with your own hands is such an exciting activity that your flight of thought is completely unlimited. Use all the materials that come to hand and bring your wildest fantasies to life.

A person is a creative person by nature, that's why he tries to give an individual, unique style to each of his things. This process is not ignored by the owners of bicycles - some simply add additional canopies, and many transform their two-wheeled transport almost beyond recognition.

An important principle of bike tuning is not to overdo it. Firstly, it should look better than in the original version and at the same time not lose its technical characteristics. Secondly, you should not tune a bicycle transport so that others openly laugh and marvel at the indefatigable imagination of its owner. To avoid any mistakes when tuning a bike, it is worth knowing the basic principles / rules of this process.

Bicycle frame tuning

You can paint the bike frame yourself at home, but you will need to prepare:

• solvent;
• primer;
• sandpaper (it cleans possible chips and cracks on the frame);
• spray cans with the selected paint color.

Step-by-step instructions for painting a frame at home:

Note:after the frame is painted, you need to wait for the paint to dry completely. As a rule, it takes about 2 days.

Frame tuning doesn't stop there! You can use sticky patterns and apply various images, symbols and even inscriptions to the frame. Patterns can be purchased in specialized stores, or made independently - this is where strictly individual tuning really turns out.

Bicycle wheel tuning

Such a transformation of the bike can be done in several ways:

• paint wheel rims
• change tires;
• install plastic shields;
• wrap the wheels with foil;
• put on new wheels.

Painting the wheels is carried out according to the same principle as painting the frame. The only feature is the protection of the spokes and bushings from the ingress of primer and paint. This can be done with tape or transparent film.

As for the installation of new tires, this idea is relevant for hybrid bicycles, on which, instead of classic tires, the owners put "aggressive" mountain models of two-wheeled vehicles. Fans of home tuning, a sort of local "kulibins" like to drag the wheels with a dense multi-colored film or install plastic / plywood blades. Experts say that in this case, the best option would be a complete replacement of the wheels.

Bicycle fork tuning

This is an exclusively technical modernization of this part of the bike, which implies:

Note:fork tuning should be done only by those cyclists who ride vehicles with budget shock absorbers. If a modern fork of a spring-oil type is installed on a two-wheeled vehicle, then experts categorically do not recommend doing independent tuning. .

Light bike tuning

Fans of cycling at night will certainly be interested in the possibility of light tuning their vehicles. There is such a variety of lighting "chips" for tuning on the market that, if desired, you can turn a bicycle into a "Christmas tree" - this is unlikely to be an indicator of competent light tuning. And what is generally included in the concept of "light tuning of a bicycle"? The types of such tuning include:

• installation of a rear flashlight and a headlight;
• backlighting with diode tapes of the steering wheel, wheels and frame;
• phosphor type backlight;
• installation of turning signals;
• use of reflectors.

Most often from the entire list, headlights and a taillight are used - these bicycle tuning attributes provide not only the beauty and individuality of the vehicle itself, but also the safety of riding at night. And for driving a two-wheeled vehicle on highways, the installation of a headlight and a taillight is mandatory under current law.

Turn signals are a novelty in the field of bicycle tuning, but quite practical. Agree, the lunge of the hand in the direction of the proposed turn weakens the stability of the cyclist, and the light signal about the potential maneuver to other participants traffic will be noticeable / understandable, and will not cause inconvenience to the cyclist himself.

Diode tapes can be installed along the entire contour of the bicycle - they will be almost invisible during daylight hours, but they will play an important role in the appearance of cycling and the safety of the cyclist in the evening (at dusk) and at night.

Separately, you need to consider the light tuning of the wheels - you can paste over them with phosphor stripes, diode and / or retroreflective tapes. Experts recommend choosing one way of light tuning bicycle wheels:

• glue only the wheel rims with diode / phosphor / retroreflective tapes;
• use diode tapes for light tuning of spokes;
• use the whole wheel in processing with various light strips.

Note:for light tuning of bicycle wheels, light plates were invented - they are mounted on spokes and, when the wheel rotates, “show” various pictures, multi-colored highlights, abstractions. The spectacle will indeed be amazing, but the batteries will only last a few hours. Tidying the wheels with animation (light) plates can only be done by specialists.

Additional accessories

Bicycle tuning can also be done by installing additional accessories - they will not only change the appearance of two-wheeled vehicles, but also become useful "chips".

Often a bicycle is an expression of the riding style, the emotional state of the cyclist. It turns out that tuning a bike is no less interesting than tuning cars, for example. Therefore, at some point the question arises: “How to upgrade your bike?” “How to make bike tuning at home with your own hands, where to start.”

Those who have made the bicycle an integral part of their lives cannot have the same units. Almost every cyclist adjusts the transport for himself, making it more convenient and unique. Bicycle tuning can be both functional (associated with improving its qualities) and “beauty” (associated with improving its appearance). As a result of such work, the bike may become completely different from its original appearance.

One popular way to personalize your vehicle is LED lighting. They are installed anywhere, but often they are placed in such a way as to highlight the asphalt under the bike, special diodes can also be installed on the nipple caps, which glow while driving.

In turn, this is also a practical point in terms of lighting some elements of the bike (for example, the backlight of the speedometer allows you to see your speed in the dark, etc.). There are firms that can install more powerful diode lamps, as well as direction indicators, strobe lights, and automatic lighting.

The most practical option for tuning a bike is to upgrade its attachments and its various components.

Everything can be improved:

• fork, shock absorbers;
• transmission and shifting;
• wheels (spokes, rims, tires, etc.);
• brake system (rotors, calipers, adapters, etc.);
• controls (saddle, pedals, steering wheel, etc.)

Tuning can eat up a significant part of your budget, so you should decide on the main details when replacing equipment, and you should also not make too much difference in the equipment class, as the functionality of the entire bike can suffer from this.

Also during tuning, you can add a bike bag, a bike light, a bike computer, a water bottle, fenders, a comfortable seat to your bike. All this will increase the functionality of transport and the comfort of your movement.

Do-it-yourself bike tuning is an interesting and exciting activity that everyone can do, but you will need to show your imagination and skill, in any case, you can always turn to specialists for help.

Bicycle tuning consists not only in its artistic design, but also in the installation of better, more comfortable and reliable components. It can be a replacement of pedals, steering wheel, saddle, brakes.

Today we will tell about the upgrade of the latter, or rather, it will not be the entire brake system, but only the replacement of the brake levers.

It should be remembered that structurally the levers have a similar structure, but the more expensive ones are made from better materials, so they are lighter but more rigid.

Also, high-quality brakes differ in the trajectory of the movement of the brake pads (their translational movement, and not along the arc of a circle). These are brakes like Shimano Deore Lx.

If you still decide to change the brake levers, then you should know that they are different for brake pads - threaded and threadless. Therefore, when buying, you should choose the appropriate type of levers, otherwise you will have to buy new pads.

Now about the installation of levers. Before you start work, you should remove all dirt from the axle of the brakes. You should also clean the holes for the retainer. Now the axle should be greased (a little).

The brake lever is available in a variety of designs, but all of these designs are compatible with front fork and frame mounts. The latch is located near the hole for the axle. The latch is inserted into a special hole for this. The lever has an adjusting screw for the retracting spring.

It should also be remembered that the right lever is different from the left lever. The first has screws for attaching the cable, and the second has clamps for the tip of the cable.

Before installing the lever, determine which side it fits. The lever that has the yoke fits the side that has the cable.

Now about the installation. The lever should be put on the axle, and a retainer should be inserted into one of the holes. Start with the average. If you don't like the way the brakes move, just move the lever lock. It should be borne in mind that they should stand in the same position.

Now you should wrap the fixing screw in the axle hole. To tighten the screw, take paint and go over the thread a little. The second brake lever is installed in the same way.

Now let's take the brake pads and install them (if you haven't already). Do not tighten them too much, as they still need to be adjusted. First, install the pads so that they are perpendicular to the rim and the brake levers.

At the same time, if the brake lever is turned, then the pads rest against the side surface of the rim - this is their correct installation.

By following the instructions above, you can effectively install brake pads on your bike.

Tuning a bike at home can be quite a simple matter. Painstaking, yes, but simple. You can buy an inexpensive model of a bike and then remake it for yourself and make the bike of your dreams.

In order to upgrade your transport, you need to stock up on patience and tools. So where do you start? To get started, you can install more comfortable and high-quality parts on your bike:

• saddle - more comfortable and suitable for you;
• brakes;
• pedals (replace conventional ones with contact ones);
• install or remove the trunk;
• wheels (or simply replace tires with more functional and suitable for your riding style);
• steering wheel, etc.

Having decided on what you would like to improve technically, you can also think about artistic improvement.

Man is a creative being: perhaps we all tend to look for our own style. For many, the bike becomes an extension of itself, and there is a desire to give individuality to it. Let's talk about what you can do at home.

First of all, it is worth deciding on the purpose of the upgrade: it is functional or aesthetic.

The functional "pumping" of the bike implies an improvement specifications. Depending on the specific model, you can replace the frame, pedals, seat, wheels, fork, brakes, shifting.

Frame

The main task when replacing the frame is to reduce the weight of the bike. It can be replaced with titanium, aluminum or steel. In addition, the last role is played by the geometry of the frame, its size and, of course, its class. In most cases, the frame is changed not only to a lighter version, but also to a stiffer one: this way it better transfers your pedaling efforts to the wheels, which significantly affects speed and comfort.

Pedals

Replacing the pedals significantly changes the style of riding. Usually standard pedals are changed to contact ones. For those who hear about them for the first time: these are pedals that require special boots with “studs”. The spikes allow you to "attach" the foot to the pedal, which significantly increases the efficiency of torsion and eliminates the "flying foot". Many note that at first, no improvement is felt, rather, you even experience inconvenience and fear of falling. But one has only to return to the usual "stompers", as the difference is on the face.

For every kind contact pedals- your own set of shoes, which costs 3-4 times more than the pedals themselves. In a word, such a "pumping" of the bike will cost a pretty penny.

Seat

Everything is simple here. It all depends on the style of your riding: athletes change the seat to a narrow and hard one, and lovers of ordinary walks change to a soft and wide one. Often, with a seemingly less comfortable seat geometry, fatigue is felt much less.

wheels

The lighter the weight of the bike on the rim (tire, tube, rim, spokes), the better it will roll and the faster it will be. You can change the rim and chambers to lighter ones. The main thing is not to overdo it. The most popular solution is to change summer tires to winter tires, although there are many types of tires. If the budget allows, you can also change the bushings: replacing conventional bushings with aluminum ones significantly increases efficiency. But keep in mind that a set of good bushings costs about 5 thousand rubles.

Fork

Fork tuning is a purely technical procedure. This includes changing the length of the spring or installing a new one, installing a damper, removing the shock absorber and converting the fork to a rigid one. Usually, bike owners with budget shock absorbers resort to this. More advanced types of forks (for example, spring-oil ones) should not be tuned by yourself, it is better to contact the service.

Switching speeds

Replacing the gearshift system is a very fertile ground for those who like to lighten their bike. But experts recommend carrying out such an upgrade only in extreme cases: if you have already rebuilt the switching system, but it still does not cope with its tasks. Well-functioning shifting brings maximum driving pleasure. However, there is no point in spending money on an expensive system if you are not a professional athlete.

In general, bike tuning depends more on your ability to work with tools. If you are a jack of all trades, then you can completely change its appearance at home. But still remember: the best is the enemy of the good.

Photo: Pavel S. / Photobank Lori, Sergey Ryzhov / Photobank Lori, Vladimir Kazarin / Photobank Lori, pixabay.com