Bicycle equipment: From the brakes to the saddle

Bicycle lighting

Ever since affordable hub dynamos conquered the mass market (mainly thanks to Shimano's model range), reliable dynamo lighting has been standard on everyday bikes. There are quality differences between the brand's various model ranges in terms of bearings and seals. A more expensive, better sealed dynamo can be particularly useful for all-season bikes parked outside. Another supplier of high-quality dynamos is Shutter Precision from Taiwan. Perfectionists go for the expensive classic from the German manufacturer SON. (The private website www.fahrradbeleuchtung-info.de)

Thanks to the development of light-emitting diode technology, battery-powered lights have experienced a huge boom. Thanks to their light output, many models are now available with the legally required approval mark. Bicycle headlights are now so bright and glaring that the centre of the light cone should not be more than about ten metres in front of the bike. Otherwise oncoming cyclists will be severely dazzled.

Brakes

Disc brakes have become the standard. Rim brakes only play a greater role on specialised bicycles and those where low weight is important. Drum brakes such as the Shimano Rollerbrake are also rather rare. Their low maintenance comes at the price of a rather weak braking performance.

Apart from all the other differences in performance, disc brakes are a two-tier system. With mechanical disc brakes, a Bowden cable, i.e. a thin steel cable, transmits the manual force to the brake cylinders. Due to the mechanical friction of the system, neither the braking force nor the modulation is as good as with the more expensive models. With these, hydraulic lines transmit the force much more directly.

Suspension

Suspension forks are the most widely used suspension element. The Suntour brand dominates the range of touring and trekking bikes. The quality of a suspension fork is difficult for laypeople to judge. However, the ability to adjust the suspension to your own body weight is of central importance - and this is easy to judge: the cheaper Suntour forks are equipped with steel springs. Because harder or softer springs are hard to come by, the adjustment and therefore the benefits are limited. Changing the preload with a rotary knob alone is not a solution. The more expensive forks with air suspension can be adjusted much better to the rider's weight using a valve.

Frames with rear suspension are only really common on mountain bikes. The proportion is higher for pedelecs, and many crossover models are based on an off-road chassis from the respective manufacturer.

Suspension seat posts are very common, but rarely good. Telescopic models that are too cheap quickly lose their function. In any case, this design is not ideal because a saddle tends to move backwards under the rider's weight rather than towards the bottom bracket. But this is where telescopic seatposts are heading. The technically better alternative is parallelogram posts, but they are more visually striking.

Luggage carrier

It is difficult to do without a pannier rack on an everyday, touring or touring bike. Its lateral stiffness can be roughly assessed by hand when the bike is parked. The information on the "maximum payload" on the Luggage carrier only promise that the carrier itself can withstand this load. A torsion-resistant connection to the frame is often much more critical. Spring flaps can hinder the attachment of panniers. On some models, they can therefore be removed.

Front pannier racks or baskets on everyday bikes should be attached to the frame rather than the fork. Otherwise the steering will be impaired and the bike will tip over when parked.

Panniers

Bikepacking, i.e. travelling by bike with panniers strapped directly to the frame, fork or handlebars, has been very popular for a few years now. However, panniers on a conventional pannier rack are the more practical solution for touring and everyday cyclists on well-paved surfaces. They can be attached and detached with a flick of the wrist and are easier to pack. Securely latching holding systems are essential. An additional handlebar bag is practical for snacks, camera, wallet and a windbreaker. A large selection of panniers is available at Rosebikes.

Experienced cyclists get by with little luggage. Two bags of 20 litres each can easily hold luggage that doesn't have to weigh more than ten kilos, even on week-long tours with overnight stays in hotels.

Tyres

The profile and width of a tyre are only its most obvious characteristics. The tread pattern is almost always a compromise between the necessary grip provided by a coarse tread pattern and the smooth running of low-profile tyres - road bike tyres are therefore practically treadless. However, factors such as the rubber compounds and above all the inner structure of the tyres, the carcass, are at least as influential. You can feel it on the dismounted tyre: supple tyre sidewalls and treads consume less energy when rolling because they deform more easily. In track racing, tyres with a fine-threaded, soft silk carcass are therefore sometimes used. Increased puncture protection for everyday tyres, on the other hand, requires additional cut protection layers. They make tyres stiffer and therefore slower. Nevertheless, puncture protection tyres are a blessing in everyday use.

In the mountain and gravel bike sector tubeless tyres very common. A precisely fitting tyre and an airtight rim are mounted for this purpose and then additionally equipped with a few shot glasses. Sealing fluid filled. This seals the wheel and rim without an inner tube and automatically repairs small punctures. It is a complex compromise between puncture protection and supple tyres. The process is still exotic on e-bikes and touring bikes.

Saddle

There is no such thing as the best saddle. Even the same rider's favourite saddle doesn't fit every bike. Here are two rules of thumb: The flatter you sit, the narrower the saddle should be. Saddlebe . The weight-bearing part of the pelvic bone is shaped like a rocking chair in the "snowplough" position. The further the pelvis tilts forwards, the closer the contact points are to each other. Secondly, the question of how flat or steeply you sit on the bike also determines the appropriate cushion hardness. If you are sitting upright, you have more weight on the seat and can tolerate a softer cushion - although cushions that are too soft are more likely to impair blood circulation and hinder movement. It is almost impossible to find the right saddle without a test ride.