Apr 16, 2021 08:00:00

What's so great about expensive bikes?

Interest in bicycles is on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the

number of people riding bicycles increasing sharply and bicycle travel being encouraged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions . However, when it comes to buying a bicycle, there are a wide variety of bicycles available, from inexpensive to expensive, so it can be hard to know which one to choose. So Adam Hahn, a bicycle mechanic at a bicycle shop, explains the differences in price for each part of the bicycle.

How to choose between a cheap or expensive bike | Popular Science
https://www.popsci.com/story/technology/cheap-expensive-bike-difference/

◆Frame
Among the frames that make up the skeleton of a bicycle, the cheapest steel frames can be obtained for less than $150 (about 16,000 yen). Steel frames vary in price depending on the type of alloy used as the material, and frames made of chrome molybdenum steel , also known as 'chromoly,' are preferred by luxury-oriented bicycle users due to their sturdiness.

If you have a budget of $150 or more, you can get an aluminum frame instead of a steel one. Aluminum frames are lighter and have more design freedom than steel frames, but it takes a lot of engineering to achieve both lightness and ride comfort. Therefore, Hahn points out that 'inexpensive aluminum frames can sometimes be uncomfortable to ride.'

More expensive than aluminum frames are made from materials like titanium and carbon fiber, which are lighter and stronger, resulting in a more comfortable ride.

'I've seen $150 frames that were bent in weird ways when they left the factory,' Hahn said, arguing that the price of a frame is as much a function of its quality as it is the materials used.

According to Hahn, the key points for 'quality that makes a difference in price on bicycles' are as follows:

◆Suspension
Some bicycles, such as mountain bikes, are equipped with

suspension to absorb shocks from bumps and stones, and some also have suspension that allows the effectiveness of the suspension to be adjusted using screws, etc.

Cheap suspensions use springs to absorb shocks, while expensive suspensions use air suspensions with hydraulic dampers to absorb shocks. According to Hahn, coil suspensions using springs, which are used on relatively inexpensive bicycles, can be adjusted to increase the rebound force by rotating and compressing the coils. By increasing the rebound force, it can be adjusted for heavier users, but if the coils are compressed too much, they will not function as well when going over small bumps, resulting in a rough ride.

In addition, air suspensions installed in high-end models are generally lighter than coil springs and have a wider range of tuning options. Also, because they can be easily adjusted on the spot, it is possible to tune the suspension to absorb stronger shocks before driving on roads with large bumps.

Expensive suspension also uses bearings instead of cheap bushings, which means smoother operation, and sealed bearings are much more resistant to weather and dirt.

◆Drivetrain
Among the parts of a bicycle, gears, chains, and other parts are collectively called ' drivetrain '. On many bicycles, gears are changed by a part called a derailleur, which is moved by a cable extending from the handlebars. Since moving the chain with this derailleur is a delicate operation, this is where the difference between expensive and cheap comes in. 'A $95 (about 10,000 yen) derailleur is made of plastic, with metal only where it is needed. Cheap derailleurs are warped from the factory, and you may have a hard time changing from 6 to 7 speeds,' said Hahn.

The price difference also comes down to the gears and chains. 'Expensive drivetrains are replaceable in parts, so you don't have to replace every part when they break,' said Hahn.

◆ Brake
Bicycle brakes are broadly divided into two types: rim brakes and disc brakes. Rim brakes slow down the bike by pinching

the rim of the wheel from both sides, and have been used as the main method of decelerating bicycles for many years.

Disc brakes use a disc rotor attached to the center of the wheel instead of a rim to slow down the vehicle. Disc brakes have the advantage that their braking performance does not decrease even when they get wet or dirty from rain, and in recent years they have been increasingly used as brakes for mountain bikes and road bikes.

In addition, there are two types of disc brakes: the inexpensive 'mechanical' type, which clamps the disc rotor by pulling a wire, and the expensive 'hydraulic' type, which uses a hydraulic cylinder. Mr. Hahn said, 'Unlike mechanical disc brakes and rim brakes, hydraulic disc brakes provide powerful braking performance even on downhill slopes,' emphasizing the high performance of expensive hydraulic disc brakes.