Bleeding bicycle hydraulic brakes. Bicycle speed - how to make a bike faster

An upgrade can be understood as the replacement of parts of a bicycle, as well as the expansion of its capabilities, such as buying accessories. Most things can be easily done with your own hands at home, something more difficult for a moderate fee will be done in the workshop. Today we will talk about the technical part and the replacement of components without any video, with a large number of photos. There will be a separate article about upgrades of accessories.

So - you wondered how to improve your bike. For those who devote time to cycling, there is always a temptation to improve / change something, and from our own experience we can say that this process is often very difficult to stop. As a result, you get a completely custom bike - something like:

The aerobatics of the owners of such bicycles is also the fitting of the bicycle bolts to the color scheme.

Note that it doesn’t matter if you have a mountain bike, a city bike, two-suspension bike, a hybrid or even a children’s bike - all components of the bike are disassembled and changed, up to the nipples on the spokes of your bike. Yes, even if you have Soviet models like Kama, Ukraine, stork or modern stealth (stels) - there is always something to change.

Where to start upgrading? Here you have a bike that you bought N years ago and it already creaks all over and does not ride. In this case, we honestly say that buying a whole new bike will be cheaper than changing something or repairing something on the old one to the “combat” state.

However, if the desire for tuning calls, then:

Transmission

The most heavily used item on a bike. It is with him that you have to interact as much as possible. Whether you have 10 speeds or 30. It makes sense to upgrade the front / rear derailleur and shifters (switches on the steering wheel).

The required "level" of components for replacement - will help you choose our article on. Let's briefly add that it's "interesting" to ride equipment from Shimano Deore and above.

Depreciation

Often there is a desire to change the fork and rear shock absorber (if any). Usually, on bikes up to 40-50 thousand rubles, there are very primitive forks, by changing which you will feel significant improvements from processing the little things and practicing active riding in the forest. However, be prepared to pay from 10 thousand rubles for new copies.

Tires

To increase the cross-country ability of a bicycle or increase its speed, it makes sense to change tires. Usually, heavy and aggressive tires can be standard, changing them can go much faster. It is important to choose a light and rolling tire, such as maxxis ikon or crossmark.

wheels

A bit of theory: The lighter the weight of the bike on the rim(tire + tube + rim + spokes), so it will have a significantly larger roll and higher speed. And it is very noticeable - believe me! So you can change the rims and tubes to lighter ones (do not overdo it!) And this will also affect the speed of the bike. If you have a budget, you can also change the bushings, but this is already a more costly undertaking. Since a set of good bushings costs from 5 thousand rubles.

brakes

Do you know the principle of racing cars? With increasing speed, it is better to improve the brakes first, but we think that here the speed is less (if you do not plan to race), then the brakes can be changed a little later. Get Deore level hydraulics and you'll be blown away by comfort and stopping power.

Handlebar/Saddle/Stem/Seatpost/Pedals/Crankset

Changing these components will also affect your riding, but it's more a matter of choosing them more comfortable/uncomfortable and like/dislike. And, of course, weight savings.

Contact pedals

Having updated almost the entire bike, we think it's time to try contact pedals. For those who are not familiar with them - special pedals and "spikes" on cycling shoes that allow you to attach your foot to the pedal - thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of pedaling and forget about the concept of "feet off the pedals" forever. Great accessory for active skiing.

It may very well be that you have an old Soviet bicycle lying around on your mezzanine (in the pantry, in the garage, in the country, ...). It may also be that right now you are diligently paying interest on a loan for a new yacht and there is no more extra cash left for a new bike. Or you are purely aesthetically pleasing to the look of bicycles of that era. In this case, you have an amazing opportunity to bring an old bicycle back to life and show off through the streets of your native city, fields and villages of your native country on a unique device!

As a rule, they are engaged in the revival of old bicycles manufactured by KhVZ (Kharkiv Velo Zavod): Sport Highway, Start Highway and Champion Highway, Sputnik, Tourist, Champion, Starton, ... Revival and modernization of other bicycles or bicycles made in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine during perestroika is also possible, but is of less interest due to the worse quality of the "source material". However, the only limitation is your desire.

First of all, since the bike has survived to this day since its release, for example, in the 60s of the 20th century, this already speaks of its strength. Modern bicycles with aluminum parts are lighter, but also wear out much faster than their steel predecessors.

Further, the degree of modernization required depends on the condition of the particular bike and your desire to modernize it. The better the initial state, the less you need to change. In most cases, the wheels are completely changed - the technology does not stand still, and the rims are very subject to wear, they are hardly preserved in good condition. The greatest difficulties are caused by the carriage and shifters.

A properly assembled carriage and connecting rods on the wedges do not loosen up, do not play, no matter what those who do not really use them say on the forums. Straight hands decide everything... But the bottom bracket is one of the most worn out units, so it makes sense to replace it with a modern cartridge one. This is where the difficulty arises - the fact is that at different times different manufacturers made carriages of different diameters with different types of threads. It is not at all a fact that a modern cartridge can be installed without additional effort. It often turns out that it is necessary to cut the thread with a special tap. Sometimes they make special adapters from a larger diameter to a smaller one.

Difficulties with shifters are as follows. These are sports bikes or close to them with a curved "ram" road handlebar. Mountain brake levers and shifters available in almost any store are not suitable. It is most convenient to use the combined road monoblock shifter + brake lever. But they are expensive, and usually they try to update the bike with minimal capital investment. In addition, bikes of those times were supplied with 3-5 stars, and now it is difficult to find less than 7. Hence the need to either unbend the frame, or select shifters to work with a ratchet for 5-6 stars, or come up with original combinations of popular components for miners.

Sometimes, additionally, bolts are welded onto the frame for attaching V-break brakes, bottle holders, mounts for additional switch cables. It's a matter of taste/needs. For example, vibration brakes are easier to find than suitable caliper U-shaped brakes if the relatives have become unusable. If you can and don't care too much about the appearance, then it's easier to weld the mounts than to look for cantilever brakes with long "paws" (the distance from the mount to the rim is more than 5 cm.).

The result of a careful upgrade looks very attractive (the elegance of a thin steel frame and narrow wheels) and rolls on asphalt better than an MTB. Of course, it turns out the bike is not for competition - sports and extreme loads require completely different equipment. As a rule, such bicycles, after restoration, are closest to the class of tourist (touring, "touring") or road racing for training (weight from about 11 kg). However, options for a city bike with a high seating position and a straight handlebar are also not uncommon.

Such upgraded bicycles are often referred to as "crocodiles". Why is it so difficult to say. Maybe the name came from the fact that KhVZ bicycles, popular for modernization, were originally green. Or the first restored ones were so scary... It is quite plausible that this is how FIDO called any old-school bike modified by the owner to something unique (now they would call it custom bike), later the name spread to all modernized bikes.

It may seem that the restoration of old bicycles is exclusively domestic entertainment. Still, KhVZ ... but, as you saw in a couple of links above, English-speaking countries are also engaged in the resuscitation of old bicycles and custom-finishing.

In conclusion, a few examples of "crocodiles" with a description of the process of their modernization.

A very detailed description of the process of upgrading this bike from a professionally engaged workshop: velomastera.ru

Description of modernization and its discussion on the forum.

Discussion.

Like most people, each of us first bought a stock bike from a bike shop. Few people dare to immediately delve into customization. And so, you bought a bike, rode for a year, imbued with the idea, and after some time there was a need to replace some components. But I want to not just change the components, but to improve something at the same time. In this case, the main task is to improve the running characteristics of the bike, to increase its reliability. Winter is the best time to talk about it so that by spring we can realize our plans. Please do not consider this note as a guide to upgrading the bike, this is just the author's IMHO and nothing more!

What should be improved first?

And so, you are the owner of an ordinary bicycle in a stock configuration in the price category of 12-15 thousand rubles (+ -). We are not racers, so there is no goal to greatly lighten the bike by investing in expensive components. The main task is to increase its reliability and improve driving performance. Not forgetting, of course, the financial side of things. That is, everything is within reason. And so, let's go over all the components with a few comments.

Frame

Do I need to change the frame and what will it give? My subjective opinion is that you need to change the frame as a last resort, that is, simply in case of breakage. Does it fit you? Do you like the color? Well, let her be. Unless there are situations when, well, you really want to put disc brakes, and fasteners are not provided on the frame. But this is usually true for old or very budget bike frames. Any bicycle frame in the price range of 12-15 thousand rubles is very strong, reliable, and most likely has all the necessary fasteners. Well, of course, there are comrades who like to shout on the topic "The author and Merida do not roll," etc. But this is not about that. Throw away these stupid thoughts and everything will roll 😉 So, IMHO, we don’t touch the frame.

Fork

Bikes in this price range tend to have simple spring/elastomeric suspension forks. Such a fork is ineffective as a shock absorber, most often works out only large irregularities, stops working at low temperatures, and has a very small resource. Simply after a year or two of active driving, you will definitely want to change it for one reason or another. And then the question arises - how, where and under what conditions will the bike be used? If you drive a lot on asphalt and go off-road without extreme sports, then perhaps it will suit you? If you still prefer to drive a lot and quickly over rough terrain, then of course you can’t do without a shock absorber. To purchase a good suspension fork, you will need 5-8 thousand rubles. Will there be a noticeable difference? Yes, after the elastomer it will be like heaven and earth ... But the fork upgrade is more likely to be done more for the sake of ride comfort, although a good shock absorber makes the bike more manageable off-road.

Drive unit

My opinion is that the drive should be fairly simple. I have always ridden with 8s, steel chainrings and inexpensive cranks. 9th systems are more expensive, and often have a smaller resource, aluminum stars wear out very quickly and are also very expensive. Switches need to be changed as they wear out and just monitor their settings, change cables and shirts in a timely manner.

brakes

Like it or not, I like disc brakes. You especially feel their effectiveness in the mud and in winter. In most cases, a single disc brake in the front may be sufficient. Why in front? Because 🙂 Hydraulics or mechanics? I prefer mechanics. The only thing is, if the bike was not previously equipped with disc brakes, then you will have to rebuild the wheels on disc hubs.

wheels

Bicycles of the discussed price category, in most cases, are equipped with very budget wheels. The rims are double, the wheels are quite strong. But the bushings are very often very cheap, of poor quality and with poor protection against dirt. But you will not just ride along the path in the park on a sunny summer day ... There will be water, mud, snow, sand, and of course decent kilometers ... So you should take care of assembling reliable wheels for all occasions.

Summarize

From all of the above I can draw the following conclusions. (I remind you again that this is all my IMHO)

First of all, I pay attention to the wheels. I really like the old Shimano XT hubs. My stolen bike had XT hubs with about 25,000 miles on them. and was not going to die... Going through such a sleeve a couple of times a year, you find that the lubricant inside remains clean and there is no dirt inside. The spokes are definitely DT Champion. Rims of your choice and taste, depending on weight and riding style. Double and better with a double piston.

After the wheels, I think about the brakes. More precisely, if the transition to discs is made, then the replacement of wheels with brakes occurs at about the same time. As I wrote above, I like the mechanics more. How? Price and simplicity. Weight doesn't matter to me. Very good mechanics Avid BB5 or BB7. If you put one, then put it on the front and get used to proper braking.

Fork - an ambiguous question. I love hard forks. Why? Again, the price and simplicity, and of course the weight. Although I myself brought Marzocchi MX Comp of a shaggy year from Cheyne ... I think what to do with it now 🙂

Everything is clear with the drive. Always used cheap drive components. 8e cassettes, steel stars, square cranks, Alivio shifters. For my eyes.

Frame. Well, everything is simple here. I had a favorite bike, the frame covered about 40 thousand km. And if some bastard had not stolen him, then he would have walked with me for the same amount. And if it broke, I would have welded it. I'm a maniac? No. I just got used to it for all these thousands of kilometers and already treated it not even just like a piece of iron ...

From my experience, I can conclude that for a very modest amount you can assemble an excellent reliable bike. The main thing is not to chase weight and not get involved in cycling 🙂 Here.

Usually, after riding a popular mountain bike for a bit, a person realizes that he prefers fast riding on smooth asphalt. What to do?

How to make a bike faster?
Firstly, I don’t want to change my bike, and secondly, a road bike is quite expensive.

There is a solution: improve the performance of your mountain bike.

Aerodynamic drag is important for fast driving

About bicycles

Mountain bikes, which appeared in the 70s, are considered the most massive.
Their appearance is associated with an improvement in the quality of materials, inventions in braking and mechanical devices.

There are several subtypes of mountain bikes. All models have a lot in common:
hard steering wheel;
brakes on both wheels;
often two transmission switches.

Most often they buy aluminum models of hardtails with a shock-absorbing front fork.
They are designed for an average landing, equipped with disc brakes and additional equipment: a trunk, fenders and more.

The following factors influence the speed of a bicycle:
aerodynamic drag;
road surface condition;
strength and direction of the wind;
technical characteristics of the bike.

Experienced cyclists advise ways to improve the technical characteristics of the bike.

Tires have a big impact on speed.
Regular mountain bikes have studded tires. It has a small area of ​​adhesion to the asphalt, so it dampens the roll of the bike.

For asphalt roads, slick tires with a smooth surface and drainage grooves are effective, which provide the bike with high inertia and do not slip on wet roads.

There is a variant of rubber - semi-slick, which has a smooth surface in the middle, and spikes only at the edges. Wheels with such tires stabilize the bike well when cornering.

With slick rubber, the cyclist spends less energy on accelerating and maintaining speed, the bike travels a longer distance without pedaling, and the speed increase can reach up to 10 km / h.

During the ride, the suspension fork sways, so the efforts of the cyclist are extinguished, and the speed does not increase.
If you install a rigid (rigid) fork or suspension with a lock, then the speed will increase.

The carbon rigid fork is lightweight and slightly cushioned due to the resilience of the material.

An aluminum fork is stiffer, cheaper, but weighs more.

When replacing, the size of the rigid fork is selected according to the geometry of the frame, and the existing steering column angle is maintained.

The speed of the bike depends on the condition of the big sprocket. As a rule, it is interchangeable.

For maximum speed, a large sprocket is installed in front.
A traditional bike has 42 teeth.
After installing a 48 tooth sprocket, the speed of movement increases.

When riding, the cyclist has one foot on the pedal, while the other foot does not work.
Pedals designed to improve foot performance.

Contact models, which use a special spike on the shoe and a groove on the pedal, use both feet.
When one foot moves its pedal down, the other foot pulls the second pedal up.

There are pedals that fix the legs in the stirrup (touklips).
Such a mount is easy to do with your own hands from a thin strap.

The speed of the bike increases if the pedals of the "stompers" are replaced with pedals that fix the legs.

The resistance to the headwind, and hence the speed, depends on the landing of the cyclist.
Horizontal landing is considered ideal, which is achieved in various ways.

Firstly, they raise or move the saddle, secondly, they change the stem or lower it, and thirdly, they shorten the handlebars to shoulder width.
In addition, there are sunbeds on the steering wheel. They have armrests for ease of use.

The speed of the ride depends on the technical condition of the bike. If you decide, provide quality service.
To make it move faster, you need:
once a season, sort through all the nodes;
change worn bearings;
adjust the brakes so that they do not touch the rim;
clean the stars and switch rollers;
wash the chain with gasoline and lubricate with liquid lubricant;
tighten the chain.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the speed depends not only on the condition of the bike. First of all, the cyclist must be in good physical condition.
High speed is available if you ride a lot and watch your weight. So you learned how to make a bike faster.

The trail bike is a versatile mountain bike with full suspension (both front and rear wheels are equipped with shock absorbers). It was invented not for sports, but for riding for fun in any off-road conditions. The Stumpjumper has been produced by Specialized since 1981 and is considered one of the best in its class. Rocky descent, rooted forest path, mountain serpentine, steep climb - everywhere the trail bike feels like a fish in water. More precisely, almost everywhere. Until recently, it was water, mud, and slush that forced us to slow down. Until the 6Fattie appeared: its tires (and hence the contact patch) are one and a half times wider than a regular mountain bike (76.2 mm), which made this bike almost omnivorous.

Do you want better? The 6Fattie has an internal rim width of 30mm, but Specialized recently showed 38mm carbon rims. You can put even wider tires on them, with which the bike will confidently ride even on a snowy field.

2. Frame

To make the bike light yet strong, Specialized uses a carbon frame to which an aluminum-silicon-copper-magnesium-vanadium-zinc alloy triangle is attached to the rear. Bicycle weight - 14 kg.

Do you want better? Aerospace Boeing scientists have developed a material that can replace carbon fiber - a microscopic mesh of nickel wires, each of which is 1000 times thinner than a human hair. It is stronger than carbon and lighter than foam. So far, bike manufacturers are planning to test the new product on professional racing models.

3. Switches

For better geometric cross-country ability, 6Fattie has one sprocket in front and 11 in the back. All wiring is routed inside the frame.

Do you want better? SRAM Red eTap electronic shifters save the bike from unnecessary wires, since the link between the shifters on the handlebars and the switches on the sprockets is wireless.

4. Shock absorber

The 6Fattie front fork has 150mm of travel and three stiffness adjustments. Rear suspension travel - 135 mm.

Do you want better? Magura eLECT is an electronic front fork adjustment system equipped with an accelerometer and a Bluetooth module. It automatically changes the stiffness of the shock absorber depending on where and how you are currently riding. The system also knows how to determine the moment of the jump in order to make the landing as soft as possible. It takes a few milliseconds to reconfigure, but there is also a manual mode - the wireless remote is mounted on the steering wheel.

5. Glove box

For several years, Specialized has struggled to make a compartment for things inside the bike frame without compromising the rigidity of the structure. The result is the SWAT Door system, available in carbon models. The glove compartment door is hidden under the bottle holder and not only a set of tools, but also a spare wheel and a pump fit inside.