The bicycle frame is the main component of the bicycle which wheels and the other components are fitted into this. The most common design in today’s time for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle which consists of the two triangles – the main triangle and the paired rear triangle – known as the diamond frame. The frames are required to be the strong, stiff and light which they do so by combining different shapes and even materials.
The frame set consists of the frame and the fork of the bicycle and sometimes includes the headset and the seat post. The frame builders will also often produce the frame and fork together as the paired set.
Variations
The unique diamond frame, there are many different frame types which have been developed for the bicycle, and several of which are still in the common use today.
Diamond
In case of the diamond frame, the triangle which is the main thing is not actually a triangle because it consists of four tubes. These include – head tube, top tube, down tube, and also seat tube. There is a rear triangle which consists of the seat tube joined by paired chain stays as well as seat stays.
The head tube contains the headset, the interface with the fork as well as the top tube which connects the head tube to the seat tube at the top. A top tube may be positioned horizontally (parallel to the ground), or can even slope downwards towards the seat tube. This allows for additional stand-over clearnace. The down tube connects the head tube to the bottom bracket shell.
Step Through
The bicycle frames of women had a top tube which connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top. This results in the lower stand over height and was to allow the rider to the dismount while wearing a skirt or dress. The design has unisex utility bikes to facilitate easy mounting and dismounting which is also known as the step-through frame or the open frame. The style which accomplishes similar results is the mixte.
Cantilever
In this type of bicycle frame, the seat stays continue past the seat post and curve downwards to meet the down tube. The cantilever frames are the popular type on the cruiser bicycle, the low rider bicycle and also the wheelie bike. The many cantilever frames has only one straight tube which are the seat tube and the head tube.
Recumbent
The recumbent bicycle moves the cranks to a position ahead of the rider instead of underneath, and it generally improves the slipstream around the rider without the characteristic sharp bend at the waist used by the racers of the diamond-frame bicycles. The manufacturing of the recumbent bicycles remained depressed for another half century, and many models from a range of manufacturers were available by 2000.
Prone
The uncommon prone bike moves the cranks to the rear of the rider, which also results in the head-forward, chest-down riding position.
Cross or Girder
A cross frame consists of mainly the two tubes which form the cross - the seat tube from the bottom bracket, to the saddle and backbone from the head tube to the rear hub.
Truss
A truss frame uses the additional tubes to form a truss. Examples include Humbers, Pedersens, and the one pictured.
Monocoque
The monocoque frame also consists of the hollow shell with no internal structure.
