Misplaced Pages

#651348

121-472: Generally as they are more suitable for urban environments, they focus more on short-distance comfort and practicality instead of speed or efficiency. They normally have a slightly curved, roughly planar aligned and elevated handlebar , providing users an upright sitting position. They have fewer gears and they often are heavier than road bicycles . They might have the top central frame bar diagonally aligned for allowing easy mounting in and out and they might have

242-402: A bottle dynamo or consume set-up time; this enables ready, guaranteed lighting regardless of the daylight conditions. A three-position switch has positions for Off, On, and Auto. A hub dynamo prevents the usage-overhead and preparation time of attaching the headlight and taillight to the bike prior to using the bike, and prevents having to remove the headlight and taillight and carry them while

363-775: A public bike sharing programme . The utility bicycle is the most widely used form of bicycle in many undeveloped parts of the world. While motor vehicles have displaced bicycles for personal transportation in many industrialized and post-industrial nations, rising fuel costs and concerns over the environment have led many people to once again turn to utility bicycles for a variety of daily tasks. In countries where purpose-built utility bikes are unavailable or unsuited to local conditions, many cyclists have acquired hybrid bicycles , road bicycles , mountain bikes , or touring bicycles for commuting and general utility use, often refurbishing older or secondhand models. A few countries, notably China , India , Japan , Netherlands , Denmark and

484-698: A subway was built through tunnels under the Hudson, now called the PATH , a station stop was added to Hoboken Terminal. More recently, the New Jersey Transit 's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system has included a stop there. Ferry service has recently been revived, but passengers must exit the terminal and walk across the pier to the more modest ferry slip. With the opening of the Woodside and Birkenhead Dock Street Tramway in 1873, Birkenhead Dock railway station probably became

605-483: A 25.4 mm (1 in) or 26 mm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 32  in) bar to a 31.8 mm (1.252 in) stem, so many new models of stems are oversize-only. In 2012 bar manufacturer Easton also launched the 35 mm ( 1 + 3 ⁄ 8  in) size for bars and stems. This is specifically developed for high load applications such as downhilling. Easton are claiming further increases in strength and stiffness while reducing weight. BMX style handlebars require

726-641: A 50-second deficit into an 8-second lead. Fignon protested at the use of these bars but was unsuccessful. BMX style handlebars, as used on BMX bicycles, have more rise than straight bars and usually have a cross brace to provide rigidity and strength. One of the oldest type of handlebars, and perhaps the most ubiquitous for town bikes, this type of bar was named after the North Road Cycling Club in London and then used on three-speed and single speed Raleighs , Schwinns , and other three-speed bikes well into

847-439: A back or front frame for transport of items. The saddle is typically larger compared with other bicycles and the majority are provided with chain and tire protection against oil or dirt. Bicycles have been promoted for their utilitarian strengths since before they were technically known as bicycles. The dandy horse and the boneshaker were hoped to become an inexpensive utilitarian alternative to horses by their makers. However

968-507: A broken figure-of-eight arrangement mounted horizontally on the stem. This style of bar allows the rider to remain relatively upright while at the same time providing a wide range of hand positions for comfort on long duration rides. A variation of the Butterfly bar is fitted to 'P-type' Brompton folding bicycles. It differs from other Butterfly bars in that it is fitted vertically rather than horizontally. Moustache handlebars curve forward from

1089-417: A capacitor-powered standlight, powered for a few minutes by a capacitor. This prevents the lights from going out as soon as the bike speed drops to less than a few kilometers per hour; this evens out the amount of light at various speeds, sustaining the light at lower speeds. The latest systems include automatic switching based on darkness+motion detection. This prevents having to reach to physically position

1210-464: A car can cut costs for fuel and parking, and some families no longer need to own and operate multiple cars. Environmental benefits can also increase (i.e. less pollution) and reduced traffic congestion can deliver significant cost savings to the city and local government. Many transit agencies have begun installing bike racks on the front of buses, as well as in the interior of buses, trains, and even on ferries. These transit bike racks allow cyclists

1331-469: A certain degree of coordination, scheduling issues with mass transit can often be an issue. For example, a sometimes-late train can be an annoyance, and an often-late train can make a commute impractical. Weather can also be a factor. Even when the use of an automobile is involved, the transition from one mode of transportation to another often exposes commuters to the elements. As a result, multi-mode commuters often travel prepared for inclement weather. In

SECTION 10

#1733092697652

1452-529: A clamp diameter of 22.2 mm ( 7 ⁄ 8  in) and are therefore incompatible with any non-BMX specific stem. In addition to the stem clamp area, the shifter and/or brake lever and grip area on a bar can have several different diameters. For traditional road and mountain handlebars, these diameters are standard and so there has historically been little confusion except when mixing road and mountain components. However, in recent years there have been cross-over bar types that do not fall into one category or

1573-487: A clean, properly adjusted derailleur system, but retains its efficiency without conscientious cleaning and adjustment. A hub gear system is heavier than a derailleur system. In a hub gear system, the main moving parts are enclosed, making repair more difficult than with a derailleur system. If a geared hub fails, it is sometimes more economical to replace the hub than attempt to repair it. A curved fork and angled vertical tubing provides stable, non-twitchy steering, enabling

1694-1130: A clear skirt guard , colors other than black, aluminum alloy or chromoly steel frame, front suspension fork, suspension seatpost, Hub dynamo , dynamo lighting with motion-and-darkness detection, magnetic lights, a 7- or 8-speed hub, adjustable kickstand , child seats, and a headlight integrated into the front fork. Newer German models, on the other hand, tend to incorporate a less is more philosophy. The suitability and availability of fully outfitted city bikes depends on multiple factors, including local terrain, city density, car traffic, weather, and bicycle infrastructure. Traditional European city bikes are optimized for short-distance, frequent transportation over flat terrain in urban settings. However, such bikes are also used in hilly Switzerland—although they're an extremely rare sighte there, due to their heavier weight and inefficient geometry—, including Basel and Bern , where 23% and 15% of daily trips are made by bicycle respectively. A fully outfitted European city bike or heavy utility roadster typically weighs 16–23 kg (35–50 lbs), compared with 6–10 kg (14–22 lbs) for

1815-501: A coat, cloak , dress, skirt, scarf, or luggage; winter biking becomes possible in conjunction with wearing more clothing and using a skirtguard and chaincase. It also enables transporting various materials on the rack without getting caught in the spokes. A skirtguard prevents winter or flowing spring clothing from getting caught in the area where many features converge: the back brake, O-lock, and spokes. The skirtguard and O-lock form an integrated system. The O-lock catches clothing, so

1936-458: A cyclist to lock the frame, wheels, and seat. O-locks provide a limited degree of security, like all locks. The greatest security requires using multiple types of locks together. In Copenhagen and Japan, the O-lock is generally used alone; the bikes are insured against theft and the owner must show that they have the key, to demonstrate that the bike was locked. The key can only be removed by locking

2057-705: A cyclist who is following behind. Integrated fenders designed into the bike provide a clean, safe attachment, and match the bike frame. Enclosed drum brakes or a rear coaster brake are used on most European city bikes, rather than rim brakes. A bike with drum brakes is optimized for stopping in wet weather: in wet weather, drum brakes provide more stopping power and reliability than rim brakes; but in dry weather, less. Enclosed drum brakes require infrequent maintenance, compared to rim brakes or disc brakes, and are more durable than disc brakes, which are exposed. Drum brakes are best suited for slower, moderate use, rather than longer periods of hard downhill braking while carrying

2178-666: A handlebar: Drop bars come in a variety of widths from 34 to 50 cm (13 to 20 in) . Usually a rider will pick a bar that approximately matches their shoulder width so that their arms can be approximately parallel. The width is measured at the end of the drop section but the exact method varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some measure from outside edge to outside edge (e.g., Deda, ITM, TTT, Pinarello Most) whereas others measure from center to center (e.g., Cinelli, Profile Design, Ritchey, Salsa). The figure returned by measuring outside to outside tends to be 2 cm ( 3 ⁄ 4  in) greater than measuring center to center for

2299-661: A journey. Mixed-mode commuting is often used to combine the strengths (and offset the weaknesses) of various transportation options. A major goal of modern intermodal passenger transport is to reduce dependence on the automobile as the major mode of ground transportation and increase use of public transport . To assist the traveller, various intermodal journey planners such as Rome2rio and Google Transit have been devised to help travellers plan and schedule their journey. Mixed-mode commuting often centers on one type of rapid transit , such as regional rail , to which low-speed options (i.e. bus , tram , or bicycle ) are appended at

2420-403: A large role in mixed mode commuting. Rapid transit such as express bus or light rail may cover most of the distance, but sit too far out from commute endpoints. At 3 mph walking, 2 miles represents about 40 minutes of commute time; whereas a bicycle may pace 12 mph leisurely, cutting this time to 10 minutes. When the commuter finds the distance between the originating endpoint (e.g.

2541-536: A large sector of the postwar European consumer market that could not afford expensive automobiles or motorcycles. In 1962, the advent of the Moulton bicycle brought a fresh outlook to the traditional utility concept. Using small, easily transportable frames and wheels as well as suspension, the Moulton was designed to accommodate the increasing public usage of bicycles in concert with other forms of mass transportation. During

SECTION 20

#1733092697652

2662-470: A load. Under such heavy braking, drum brakes are reported to sometimes fade, losing stopping power, while rim brakes can overheat the rim and cause a tire blowout. A common model of drum brake is the Shimano Rollerbrake, which includes a mechanism to prevent the drum brake from suddenly catching and grabbing more than intended. Drum brakes are heavier than rim brakes. A Dutch convention is to carry

2783-553: A location further out than practical walking distance but not more than practical cycling distance to reduce housing costs. Similarly, a commuter can close an even further distance quickly with an ebike , motorcycle, or car, allowing for the selection of a more preferred living area somewhat further from the station than would be viable by walking or simple bicycle. Other cost advantages of mixed mode commuting include lower vehicle insurance via Pay As You Drive programs; lower fuel and maintenance costs; and increased automobile life. In

2904-506: A long reach and a deep drop, compact , featuring shorter reach and a shallow drop, and ergo or anatomic , described below. Drop bars may have one or two longitudinal indentations so that the brake and shift cables protrude less when they are wrapped under the bar tape. They may also have a flattened top section. Track drop bars are a variation of bars designed for the typical riding positions of track bicycle racers. Track drops are characterized by large, sweeping ramps, effectively precluding

3025-411: A major role in providing door-to-door service between airports or train stations and other points of travel throughout urban , suburban , and rural communities. (Automobiles can also be used as the centerpiece of a multi-mode commute, with drivers resorting to walking or cycling to their final destination. Commuters to major cities take this route when driving is convenient, but parking options at

3146-461: A more aggressive riding posture or a sporty look is desired. Porteur bars are designed to accommodate front-mounted racks or baskets in order to haul cargo and are usually found on dedicated porteur bicycles . The curve is usually almost flat in the center portion, then sweeps backwards towards the rider with different shapes, and with a slight drop in some cases. Cruiser handlebars, as used on cruiser bicycles , tend to be long and slope towards

3267-408: A mountain bike handlebar. The other common lever/grip size is used for mountain and city handlebars, including flat bars, riser bars, some porteur bars, etc. On these bars the lever and grip areas have a 22.2 mm ( 7 ⁄ 8  in) diameter. Hence, thumb shift levers, grip type shifters, MTB brake levers and Rapidfire type shifters will only fit on this smaller diameter - none could fit on

3388-762: A new facility, as at the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse, New York , or South Station in Boston, Massachusetts . In other cases new facilities, such as the Alewife Station In Cambridge, Massachusetts , were built from the start to emphasize intermodalism. Regional transit systems in the United States often include regional intermodal transit centers that incorporate multiple types of rail and bus services alongside park and ride amenities. Until

3509-591: A partial chainguard, as well as front and rear lights. Their smaller bulk and lighter weight often permits them to be carried into offices and residences, an advantage in countries with extremely high rates of bicycle vandalism and theft (even of older or obsolete models with little monetary value). Most European city bikes are designed to withstand year-round outdoor storage, even in frigid Scandinavia where daily bike usage remains high year-round. Thus, European city bikes need not always be brought indoors and can be left outside, properly locked. To deter theft and vandalism,

3630-757: A passenger ferry. Prior to the widespread use of automobiles, the San Francisco Bay Area featured a complex network of ferry services which connected numerous interurban and streetcar systems in the North and East Bay to the San Francisco Ferry Building , where several city streetcar lines began service. The opening of the rail-carrying San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and automotive Golden Gate Bridge almost entirely supplanted these services. Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit commuter rail

3751-406: A passenger on the back rack , the passenger balancing side-saddle. The sturdy rack supports passenger weight, to carry a passenger and sustain a launch without collapsing. A standard strap assembly attaches cleanly to the rack, providing useful transport capability. There are standard notches for a strap assembly with 2 to 4 elastic straps. The rack is integrated into the bike design; the taillight

Utility bicycle - Misplaced Pages Continue

3872-466: A portion of the rider's weight, depending on their riding position, and provide a convenient mounting place for brake levers , shift levers , cyclocomputers , bells , etc. The dandy horse , or draisienne, invented by Karl Drais and the first vehicle with two wheels arranged in tandem, was controlled by a bar connected to the front steering mechanism and held by the riders' two hands. The first handlebars were solid bars of steel or wood, depending on

3993-408: A position that is as upright as walking; it feels stable and relaxed, like walking very fast. A safe city bike needs to be capable of easily turning without falling over, and needs to be capable of moving reliably with shopping bags and a lock hanging from the handlebars. A hub dynamo enables a built-in lighting system without the loud noise and high drag of a bottle (sidewall) dynamo, and without

4114-417: A road or cyclocross bar. Handlebars usually have tape or grips to provide grip and comfort. In general, handlebars which have one riding position have grips, and handlebars which provide several use tape. There are many types of handlebar tape: Intermodal passenger transport Intermodal passenger transport , also called mixed-mode commuting , involves using two or more modes of transportation in

4235-406: A similar limit of 40cm. Various U.S. states have regulations that vary from 15 to 30 inches above seat height, or shoulder or eye height; some have no restrictions. Ostensibly these regulations are for safety, though some commentators believe these laws are to allow police to have an excuse to pull over motorcyclists suspected to be part of an illegal gang. The ape hanger style remained common in

4356-418: A single-mode form of transit, they also find use in a variety of mixed-mode scenarios. They can provide a short commute to train stations, airports, and piers, where all-day " park and ride " lots are often available. Used in this context, cars offer commuters the relative comfort of single-mode travel, while significantly reducing the financial and environmental costs. Taxicabs and rental cars also play

4477-556: A specialized racing bicycle was not affordable by most people. It progressively lost popularity when road racing bikes became common, and by the early 1980s it was out of production. Whatton bars loop behind the legs of penny-farthing riders so that they can still keep their feet on the pedals and also be able to leap feet-first forward off the machine. These are also used on recumbent bicycles for under-seat steering. Sometimes referred to as "butterfly" bars, these are commonly encountered in continental Europe. They typically consist of

4598-464: A specific example of this; feeder buses service local neighbourhoods by taking travellers from their homes to nearby train stations which is important if the distances are too far to comfortably walk; at the end of the working day the buses take the travellers home again. Feeder buses work best when they are scheduled to arrive at the railway station shortly before the train arrives allowing enough time for commuters to comfortably walk to their train, and on

4719-562: A straight drop bar for bicycles used in Audax riding. However the popularity of these bars has plummeted over the last 20 years as more and more cycle-tourists, brought up on mountainbikes, choose to use one of the 'flat' bar variations either using bar-ends or 'butterfly' bars for their holidays. However the sudden popularity of 'gravel' bikes has seen them begin to make a welcome come-back, At one time, manufactures and racers experimented with drop-in bars that had an additional extension in toward

4840-452: A trouser leg. A full guard prevents oil stains on clothes, and keeps trouser legs from getting caught in the chain or front chainring. While newer designs may use a partial chain guard, the latter still permits the chain to occasionally catch and stain loose trouser legs if not secured. A full chain guard also keeps the drive train (chain and external gears) clean and efficient by excluding water, mud, and grit which can otherwise splash onto

4961-433: A utility bicycle. The Dutch words fiets and stadsfiets mean 'bicycle' and 'city bicycle', respectively. A stadsfiets is considered to be a fully outfitted European city bike, distinguished by the following typical features: upright riding position, fully enclosed chaincase , skirtguard , O-lock , hub gearing, dynamo hub , manually operated small warning bell, and built-in lights. German and Dutch versions of

Utility bicycle - Misplaced Pages Continue

5082-599: A variety of types designed for particular types of riding. Typical drop handlebars feature a straight central section attached to the stem, with each end curving first forwards and down, and then back towards the rider at a lower position. These are a very popular type of handlebar, and their exact shape and purpose leads them to be further categorised as follows. These classic racing handlebars, as used on road or track bicycles. The bars are designed with three basic parameters; reach, drop and width. They can be further classified into three categories: classic , typically having

5203-409: Is a popular model for Dutch brands such as Batavus and Gazelle , where high levels of bicycle use result in demand for higher performance city bicycles, which is otherwise similar to the fully outfitted typical European city bike. This is sometimes marketed as a "sports" variant of the latter. A European city bike has angled-back handlebars and an upright riding position. The handlebars, similar to

5324-417: Is common on high-end, contemporary-styled European city bikes. This is often a coil/oil or air/oil suspension fork with adjustable compression and rebound. A traditional roadster has no front suspension, or a spring-based front suspension that has more limited travel and adjustability. Some high-end models integrate the headlight into the front fork and fender assembly. This discourages vandalism, protects

5445-417: Is easier to use than the pair of derailleurs which provide a greater number of speeds to sporting bicycles that need them. A European city bike or roadster typically has 3, 5, 7, 8 or 11 speeds. In a few high-end models, a Rohloff 14-speed geared hub is available. Batavus makes several models of full-featured city bikes that have a NuVinci hub with continuously variable drive ratio. The NuVinci has nearly

5566-670: Is expected to feature a connection with the Golden Gate Ferry and service to San Francisco Ferry Building at Larkspur Landing . The Hercules station is to be the first direct Amtrak -to-ferry transit hub in the San Francisco Bay . The Staten Island Railway , while operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , does not have a physical connection to the rest of New York City 's rail network. As such, transfers to Manhattan are facilitated by

5687-420: Is matched only to road bike type shifters or brake levers. This diameter is usually not important for grips since these bars most often are wrapped in tape. An exception are one-piece track grips, which are sized to fit the 23.8 mm ( 15 ⁄ 16  in) bar diameter (and, therefore, would not fit a mountain bike handlebar). Cyclocross brake levers are sized to fit drop style bars, and would also not fit

5808-413: Is named after the discipline of track racing where it was originally used, and has the common nickname of "bullhorn bars" for their appearance, especially when the rider's body position is fully extended to lean forward and maintain control of the bicycle. Improvised bullhorn bars may be constructed simply by cutting the drops off drop bars and then mounting them upside down so that the remaining start of

5929-431: Is often called "bike and ride". To safeguard against theft or vandalism of parked bicycles at these train, bus, and ferry stations, "bike and ride" transport benefits greatly from secure bicycle parking facilities such as bicycle parking stations being available. Some train, bus, and ferry systems allow commuters to take their bicycles aboard, allowing cyclists to ride at both ends of the commute, though sometimes this

6050-465: Is particularly of use in areas where trains may travel but automobiles cannot, such as the Channel Tunnel . Another system called NIMPR is designed to transport electric vehicles on high speed trains. A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. While usually used to carry freight vehicles, passenger cars can also be carried. In other places passengers move between passenger cars to

6171-472: Is permitted because, while aerodynamically advantageous, they tend to draw the hands away from brakes , make the rider slightly more unstable on the bike, and can be dangerous in the event of an accident. Further, they are not useful in sprints or shorter climbs where power is of greater importance than aerodynamics. Specialized shift levers (known as bar-end shifters) do exist that can be installed on some triathlon bars so that they can be reached without moving

SECTION 50

#1733092697652

6292-415: Is restricted to off-peak travel periods: in such cases, folding bicycles may be permitted where regular bicycles are not. In some cities, bicycles are permitted aboard trains and buses. In some cities a public bicycle rental programme allows commuters to take a public bike between the public transport station and a docking station near their origin or destination. The use of "bike and ride" instead of

6413-479: Is that turnstiles are located on the platforms between rail services in addition to on a separate concourse to allow for direct transfers. Millbrae Intermodal Terminal is also planned to be incorporated into the California High-Speed Rail project as one of two stations between San Francisco and San Jose . Mixed mode commuting combines the benefits of walking , bicycle commuting , or driving with

6534-455: Is usually mounted on the back of the rack. Danish bikes are usually equipped with a back rack with a spring-loaded clamp. Bicycle handlebar A bicycle handlebar is the steering control for bicycles . It is the equivalent of a tiller for vehicles and vessels, as it is most often directly mechanically linked to a pivoting front wheel via a stem which in turn attaches it to the fork . Besides steering, handlebars also often support

6655-645: Is what is often termed "kiss and ride". Rather than drive to the train or bus station and park the commuter is driven to the station by a friend or relative (parent, spouse etc.) The "kiss" refers to the peck on the cheek as the commuter exits the car. Kiss and ride is usually conducted when the train/bus/ferry station is close to home, so that the driver dropping the commuter off has a short journey to and from home. Many large cities link their railway network to their bus network. This enables commuters to get to places that are not serviced directly by rail as they are often considered to be too far for walking. Feeder buses are

6776-516: The Flemish Region of Belgium , continue to produce versions of the utility bike. In addition, the Deutsche Post uses a version of a utility bike in most German cities for delivering mail. Utility bicycles often feature a step-through frame so they can be easily mounted, single speed , or with internal hub gearing , and drum brakes to reduce the need for maintenance, mudguards to keep

6897-466: The North Road style handlebars, have a moderate rise and are swept back toward the body, enabling a fully upright posture similar to a person walking. The rider is easily visible to other traffic and can easily see traffic and hazards. The handlebar's shape allows shopping bags, locks, and other items to be hung from the bars without slipping off. This reduces steering control, but that is compensated by

7018-532: The Schwinn Sting-Ray , Raleigh Chopper , and other highly stylized youth bicycles that imitated the appearance of drag-racing or chopper motorcycles of the day. Regulations adopted in 1978 under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act limited the maximum height of manufacturer-installed handlebars to 16 inches (40.64 cm) above the lowest seat setting; European Union safety regulations use

7139-506: The Second World War . Typically, a small one or two-horsepower, two-cycle engine was fitted with a tire roller-drive mechanism that would convert any standard utility roadster into a motorised bicycle . As they could still be propelled by human power, they were considered as bicycles under most national registration schemes. The motorised utility bicycle or cyclemotor offered greater range, faster commutes, and increased versatility to

7260-448: The Toronto streetcar system or with airport shuttle buses which transports to bus, subway and rail connections at Union Station . Several passenger rail systems offer services that allow travelers to bring their automobiles with them. These usually consist of automobile carrying wagons attached to normal passenger trains, but some special trains operate solely to transport automobiles. This

7381-408: The free Staten Island Ferry . In recent years, an increasing emphasis has been placed on designing facilities that make such transfers easier and more seamless. These are intended to help passengers move from one mode (or form) of transportation to another. An intermodal station may service air, rail, and highway transportation for example. In some cases, facilities were merged or transferred into

SECTION 60

#1733092697652

7502-404: The head tube at the rear end of the drops. This was intended to offer an even more aerodynamic position, due to low and narrow placement of the hands, than just the drops, while still remaining legal for mass-start races. Their popularity has since waned. Primarily for riding off-road or on dirt, these handlebars are flared out at the ends of the handlebar. This style was used in the 1980s during

7623-529: The stem and then back towards the rider. This style was designed in the early 90s by Grant Petersen for the Bridgestone XO-1, based on the semi-drop bars used by schoolchildren in Japan. Ape hanger handlebars rise in a steep U-shape from the base, so that the rider's hands rest above waist-level. This style of bicycle handlebar became very popular in the 1960s after the introduction of wheelie bikes such as

7744-475: The 1980s, as well as various European utility bikes and roadsters . They are also known as "townie", or "tourist" bars. North Road bars are more or less swept back toward the rider; in extreme cases each grip ends nearly parallel to the other and the bike's frame. They have recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity on some hybrid bicycles , city bikes , and comfort models . North Road bars can easily be inverted to give an approximate ≈4 inch amount of drop when

7865-721: The 1990s, several bicycle designs were introduced in an attempts to improve on the traditional utility bike. Most of these centered on the use of lightweight frame alloys, new brake and gearing systems, and electronic navigation and monitoring assistance. Utility bicycles are principally used for short-distance commuting, running errands, shopping, leisure or for transporting goods or merchandise. Utility bicycles may also be seen in postal service , in war , and for employee transportation inside large workplaces (factories, warehouses, airports, movie studio lots, etc.). In some countries, entire fleets of utility bicycles may be operated or administered by local or national government agencies as part of

7986-469: The European city bike are similar, though there are differences. The English roadster is similar in design, appearance, and intended use. The primary differences are that the continental bicycles tend to have a higher handlebar position for a more upright riding posture, and are more likely to have rod-actuated drum brakes. Because of Great Britain's cultural and trading influence in its former colonies,

8107-556: The European city bike has a tougher frame, non-quick-release seat and wheels, and a rear-wheel lock. To prevent theft or vandalism, it is ideal to bring the bike indoors, but this is not always possible in dense cities with compact living quarters. Much like the English sports roadster , a lighter-weight variant of the contemporary utility bicycle adheres to the same general approach to bike design and use, but saves weight and increases efficiency by using: The lightweight European city bike

8228-556: The Netherlands, many modern city bikes are also available with an aluminum alloy frame, significantly reducing weight to partly overcome the practical difficulties with a heavier bike. In the United States, Americans living in cities or suburbs with many days of sunshine per year have traditionally used road racing bicycles, sport/touring bicycles, or mountain bikes for general commuting or utility purposes. For all-weather use, U.S. buyers tend to purchase substantially lighter machines than

8349-540: The US through the mid-1980s, and is still frequently seen on lowrider bicycles . Recumbent bicycles , due to their wide variety, are often equipped with handlebars seen nowhere else. These include handlebars with a very far reach, similar to ape hangers (see above) but mounted less vertically, and handlebars designed for under-seat steering, called Whatton bars . Handlebar design is a trade-off between several desirable qualities: The design goals of handlebars varies depending on

8470-460: The US, the use of utility bicycles all but disappeared until after the Second World War, when a few British and Italian roadster -type bicycles saw a brief upsurge in popularity. Since the Second World War, utility bicycles have remained popular in countries like the Netherlands, China, and much of the developing world . Since the 1890s only incremental mechanical advances have taken place for

8591-606: The ability to ride their bicycle to the bus/train/ferry, take the mode of transportation, then ride again to their final destination. These types of racks combined with increased bike infrastructure and bike parking have made bike commuting a frequent topic of discussion by cities and local government. Many cities have extended subway or rail service to major urban airports. This provides travellers with an inexpensive, frequent and reliable way to get to their flights as opposed to driving or being driven, and contending with full up parking, or taking taxis and getting caught in traffic jams on

8712-507: The airport, without passing through customs and immigration control, effectively like having a transit from one flight to another. The airport is well-connected with expressways and an Airport Express train service. A seaport and logistics facilities will be added in the near future. Kansai International Airport is also connected to Kobe Airport with ferries. The Toronto Island ferry connects Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to mainland Toronto , where passengers can connect to

8833-789: The average road racing bike and 10–13 kg (22–29 lbs) for the typical modern mountain bike , touring bicycle , or hybrid city bike , commuter , or cross bike . A steel-frame European city bike with hub gear, chain case, and other features is heavier and more difficult to ride uphill than a road bike. A steel-frame bike is more cumbersome to carry and store, so it might not be the best choice for commuters needing to transport their bicycles on public transportation nor cyclists living or working in upper floor residences. Instead, European city bikes are often locked and stored outside businesses or residences, even during inclement weather. For easier carrying and storage, makers of European city bikes provide features similar to city bikes on folding bicycles . In

8954-569: The bar ends for safety purposes. The bullmoose style was common on early mountain bikes. The stem and bars are a single unit and where the single top section of the stem would be, there are instead 2 bars joined at the quill to the rear and connected to the conventional handlebar section in the front, at two off-center locations, forming a triangle. This type of handlebar is usually very large, allowing for an easy breath intake under stress. However, being heavier than contemporary flat or riser bars and being less customizeable in height and distance from

9075-448: The beginning or end of the journey. Trains offer quick transit from a suburb into an urban area, where passengers can choose a way to complete the trip. Most transportation modes have always been used intermodally; for example, people have used road or urban railway to an airport or inter-regional railway station. Intermodal transport has existed for about as long as passenger transport itself. People switched from carriages to ferries at

9196-400: The benefits of rapid transit while offsetting some of the major disadvantages of each. The use of a bicycle can, for example, make an (inexpensive compared to a car) 20 mile light-rail or suburban rail journey attractive even if the endpoints of the journey each sit 1 mile out from the stations: the 30 minutes walking time becomes 8 minutes bicycling. As in the example above, location plays

9317-413: The bicycle is parked in public. A built-in light system avoids a failing battery lamp and prevents getting a ticket and fine from having no lights at night. Many Danish bikes feature lights powered through electromagnetic induction . The lights are mounted on the bike wheels, eliminating the need for batteries while incurring less resistance to the rider than traditional dynamos. A front suspension fork

9438-407: The bike by quickly riding off on it. An O-lock is lightweight and unobtrusive. It can be locked very quickly and conveniently, such as when parking the bike outside a store while running errands. The O-lock also serves as a deterrent to ownership disputes, as the person who has the O-lock key is proven to be the owner of the bike. More recent O-locks have a slot to attach an armored cable, allowing

9559-479: The body forward into a tucked position, pursuit bars that spread the arms of the rider but drop the torso into a slightly lower position, and integrated units that combine elements of both designs. Using aero bars may allow a rider to reduce time on a 40 km time trial by 90 seconds. Triathlon bars are commonly used in triathlons and time trial events on road and track. However, they are illegal in most mass-start road races or any other event where drafting

9680-408: The body of the rider, they progressively disappeared. Flat bars are the standard handlebars equipped on mountain bikes , hybrids , and recently on fixed-gear bicycles and flat bar road bikes . A flat bar is a nearly-straight tube, in most cases slightly bent toward the rider. Many penny-farthings and early safety bicycles had flat handlebars. The angle between the slightly swept-back ends of

9801-590: The boom was still sport and recreation, but additionally they were adopted by many professions such as police, postal workers, delivery men, municipal workers and for basic transportation of people of all classes, races, and genders. In the US, after the boom, use changed dramatically from sport and recreation to basic transportation. By 1902, as the boom was coming to an end, nearly all cyclists were cycling for practical purposes. The price of bicycles dropped dramatically, due to increased competition between makers and more price conscious consumers; profits dried up and many of

9922-420: The bottom bracket, which makes it more difficult to pedal. Some people add a child seat or a trailer . The utility bike's combination of parts, design, and features provide functionality and (short-distance) comfort at the expense of weight, an adequate compromise when used as originally intended (local commuting and short rides). The Dutch stadsfiets has the full set of features commonly incorporated into

10043-446: The chain and front chainring, increase wear, and reduce drivetrain efficiency. To repair a rear flat tire, a fully enclosed chain guard must be partially disassembled to remove the back wheel, or the tire must be repaired in-place without removing the wheel. The fenders are aluminium or plastic, sometimes with a taillight affixed to the bottom of the back fender. The fairly low bottom of the back fender reduces road grime splashing up to

10164-455: The commuters' return journey buses are scheduled to arrive shortly after the train arrives so that the buses are waiting to take the commuters home. If train and bus services are very frequent then this scheduling is unimportant as the commuter will in any case have a very short wait to interchange. All around the world bicycles are used to get to and from train and other public transportation stations; this form of intermodal passenger transport

10285-730: The completion of San Francisco Salesforce Transit Center , the Millbrae Intermodal Terminal in California is the largest intermodal transit center west of the Mississippi which includes direct on-platform connections between BART , the Bay Area's regional rail system, Caltrain , the San Francisco Peninsula's commuter rail, and SamTrans , the regional bus service for San Mateo County . The uniqueness of this transfer facility

10406-528: The cycling manufacturers went out of business. The history is similar in the UK, but there some of the manufacturers were better able to handle the transition to transportation based cycling, even to the point of talking of a second boom due to so many working-class people taking up cycling. Additionally the British makers were able to tap into the developing markets overseas, primarily India, China, and Japan. In countries like

10527-425: The destination are not readily available.) Transport planners often try to encourage automobile commuters to make much of their journey by public transport . One way of doing this is to provide car parking places at train or bus stations where commuters can drive to the station, park their cars and then continue on with their journey on the train or bus: this is often called "park and ride". Similar to park and ride

10648-451: The difference between a "road" ( 26.0 mm [ 1 + 1 ⁄ 32  in]) and "MTB" (25.4 mm [1 in]) stem. Manufacturers frequently omit the clamp size from advertising or packaging. A new standard is an "oversize" 31.8 mm (1.252 in) or 31.7 mm (1.248 in) clamp for both MTB and road bars. This is popular on mountain bikes, especially those with a focus on "all mountain" and "downhill" activities, as

10769-421: The drop provides a slight upward hook for resting the hands, although this does not provide as much forward extension (reach) or lowering (if desired, normally for time-trial based use) as purpose made bullhorns. These are sometimes called "flopped and chopped" or "flipped and clipped" bars, and if this is to be done, care should be taken to properly remove the sharp edges from the cuts, and to properly tape and plug

10890-469: The earliest mention of working bikes in 1874, in Paris, as couriers , for a newspaper and the stock market riding penny-farthings. It was the introduction of the safety bicycle that was successful for the first time to build a bicycle that worked well for utilitarian purposes, "a poor man's nag ". It was this development that was the cause of the bicycle boom of the 1890s. The main use of bicycles during

11011-468: The early period of mountain biking . Initially the flared portion in these handlebars was bent by hand, but now are available from manufacturers such as Salsa Cycles and SOMA Fabrications . Bullhorn (or pursuit ) handlebars, curve up and forward. They are often paired with dedicated clip-on triathlon bars when used on the road (see above), and are also popular by themselves on track , single-speed , and fixed-gear bicycles. This style of handlebar

11132-520: The edge of a river too deep to ford. In the 19th century, people who lived inland switched from train to ship for overseas voyages. Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey , was built to let commuters to New York City from New Jersey switch to ferries to cross the Hudson River in order to get to Manhattan . A massive ferry slip , now in ruins, was incorporated into the terminal building. Later, when

11253-504: The handlebar and the axis of the stem clamp is known as the sweep angle. A riser is a variation of the flat bar in which the outer sections of the bars rise from the center clamp area by about 15 to 50 mm. Both flat and riser bars may be appended with bar ends , providing more hand positions. Triathlon bars or aerobars include various styles of aerodynamic handlebars for racing bicycles and particularly time trial bicycles . Included are narrow, bolt-on extensions that draw

11374-427: The hands from the aerodynamic position. The complementary brake levers in this handlebar configuration are placed in the ends of the accompanying pursuit bars. Aero bars are a recent addition to road racing time trials, with Greg LeMond first using them in the 1989 Tour de France . In a controversial time trial on the final day , LeMond used them to beat yellow jersey wearer Laurent Fignon by 58 seconds, changing

11495-496: The home) and the destination (e.g. the place of employment) too far to be enjoyable or practical, commute by car or motorcycle to the station may remain practical, as long as the commute from the far end station to the destination is practical by walking, a carry-on cycle, or another rapid transit such as a local or shuttle bus. In general, locations close to major transit such as rail stations carry higher land value and thus higher costs to rent or purchase. A commuter may select

11616-462: The inherent danger, cost, discomfort, and restrictive gender roles of the day, kept it popular mainly with wealthy adventurous young men, and mainly for recreation and sport. The development of penny-farthing moved away from the utilitarian goal of earlier forms, with its less stable ride, and difficulty carrying much baggage. It furthered the trend of bicycles to be used by young men, willing to take risks, for sport and recreation. Despite this, we find

11737-622: The intended use of the bicycle. Common to all bicycles: Racing/touring and triathlon bars have additional goals: Mountain bike handlebar design goals have less focus on aerodynamics, more on negotiating terrain: BMX and dirt-jump bike bars have similar needs to mountain bikes, with the added incentive of allowing even finer control, such as specific handling during the time the bike is airborne or during certain maneuvers. Handlebars are most commonly made of aluminium alloys , but are also often made from steel , carbon fiber or titanium . There are several size parameters to consider when choosing

11858-411: The lock. In other locations, the O-lock is used along with locking the frame to a secure object, or the O-lock is used alone when the owner is very close by, to prevent ride-off theft. A skirt guard (or coatguard) allows using the bike with normal clothes, for both the main rider and a passenger riding on the back rack. The skirt guard helps enable riding in cold and rain because it allows easy use of

11979-554: The majority of the world's utility bicycles. In fact many bicycles in Asia still employ rod brakes . One exception to this was the continued development of substitute propulsion systems for utility bicycles in the form of add-on gasoline engines and transmissions. Developed shortly after 1900 in Europe and the United States, motorized utility bicycles surged in popularity in Western Europe after

12100-445: The manufacturer. Curved, moustache-shaped, drop handlebars became popular in the 1920s. Whatton bars were developed in attempt to improve the safety of penny-farthings . Handlebars made of wood, instead of steel, were used on safety bicycles to reduce weight in the 1890s. Although aluminum had been used to make bicycles as early as 1935, it was considered unsafe for handlebars until Cinelli produced them in 1963. Handlebars come in

12221-400: The more stable geometry of the frame and forks. A hub gear is an important feature of a European city bike. A hub gear system provides greater ease-of-use than a derailleur system due to the ability to change gear stationary, smooth changes, the ability to provide a wide range of ratios, and the requirement of little maintenance. A geared hub requires only one shifter rather than two, thus

12342-573: The most extreme cases, a mixed-mode commuter may opt to car share and pay only a small portion of purchase, fuel, maintenance, and insurance, or to live car-free . These cost benefits are offset by costs of transit, which can vary. A Maryland MTA month pass valid for MTA Light Rail, Metro Subway, and City Bus costs $ 64, while a month pass for the Baltimore to DC MARC costs $ 175.00 and a DC MetroRail 7 day pass costs $ 47 totaling $ 182. In most of Europe de:Verkehrsverbund and mode neutral pricing eliminate

12463-474: The need to have several different tickets for public transit across different modes. Mobility as a service intends to take this a step further, offering one price per trip from door to door, no matter which mode is used for which part of the trip. The effectiveness of a mixed-mode commute can be measured in many ways: speed to destination, convenience, security, environmental impact, and proximity to mass transit are all factors. Because mixed-mode commutes rely on

12584-409: The old Cinelli-specific size of 26.4 mm ( 1 + 3 ⁄ 64  in). In practice, many modern stems with removable faceplates are quite accommodating of slight differences in handlebar clamp size, but the older type of stem with a single pinch bolt must be accurately matched. In the days of quill stems, a road stem was clearly identifiable from its "7" shape, but nowadays it can be hard to tell

12705-406: The other, and which can conceivably use either type of shifter, brake lever or grip (an example is the upright style bar). For this reason, certain handlebars are now available in multiple sizes related to the shifter or brake lever clamp diameter. Standard road drop handlebars (including track, cyclocross and touring bars) use a 23.8 mm ( 15 ⁄ 16  in) grip/lever diameter, which

12826-482: The rear of the bicycle so that the rider can sit upright. The condorino bar is bent slightly less than 90° onward, and then 90° outward with a sharp angle. It has no rise and it's much narrower than normal town bikes' bars. It was diffused mostly in Italy from the 1950s onwards, and was marketed to customers wanting a sporty looking bicycle that could still be used for general purpose (going to work, etc.) in years in which

12947-489: The rider to ride with one hand, while freeing the other hand for signalling or to secure a load on the rear rack. Europeans commonly use the free hand to hold an umbrella or cell phone, or to hold the shoulder of a child riding their own bike, to train the child for positioning on the road. A coaster brake further enables such one-handed riding, because the one hand on the handlebar only has to steer, not also brake. A stable European city bike enables securely travelling along in

13068-758: The rider's clothing clean, a chain guard to prevent skirts or loose trousers from being caught in the chain, a skirt guard to prevent a long coat or skirt catching in the rear wheel or brakes, a center stand kickstand so it can be parked easily, and a basket or pannier rack to carry personal possessions or shopping bags. A traditional type of utility bicycle, the roadster may weigh as much as 16–23 kg (35 to 50 lbs). Parts such as frames , wheels/rims , and tires are chosen for strength, safety, and durability rather than high performance. Additionally, utility bikes tend to incorporate fewer technological advances in material design and engineering in comparison to road bicycles, though there are exceptions. In particular,

13189-532: The roadster can still be seen in local production and use in many countries of the world. A traditional-styled European city bike includes a frame made of low-carbon high-tensile steel, black paint with chromed accessories, an opaque skirtguard, bottle dynamo, simple dynamo-powered lights, and either a single-speed or 3-speed internally geared hub. Contemporary city bikes are increasingly found in many European cities, including Amsterdam and Copenhagen . Dutch and Danish-made city bikes often include such features as

13310-593: The same handlebar. Care is needed when choosing a handlebar to match a stem , or vice versa, as there are several standards. The ISO standard for the stem clamping area of a handlebar is 25.4 mm (1 in), which is used on mountain bikes and many Japanese-made road handlebars. However, the Italian unofficial standard is 26.0 mm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 32  in). There are also intermediate sizes such as 25.8 mm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 64  in) that try to achieve compatibility with either an ISO or Italian stem, and

13431-420: The same range as an 8-speed hub (around 300%), selectable at any ratio within the range. With most bikes, the bicycle gearing may be scaled up or down as needed, for example by installing a smaller chainring in front and/or larger sprocket in back to facilitate climbing. Hub gearing permits the use of a fully enclosed chaincase , which minimizes the need for maintenance. A hub gear has lower efficiency than

13552-451: The skirtguard is needed to compensate. The O-lock passes through a hole in the skirt guard. The traditional, old-fashioned city bike has a solid (opaque) fabric skirt guard, while the contemporary European city bike has a clear plastic guard. A fully enclosed chain guard and mudguards protect against oil or dirt. Chaincase enables using the bike with normal clothes and no preparation activity, such as wearing trouser clips or rolling up

13673-405: The small-tired Moulton portable utility cycles incorporate advanced engineering with slightly lighter weight. Most utility bikes feature an upright riding position. The handlebars are almost always curved back and positioned higher than the saddle so that the rider can operate controls without changing their riding posture. The saddle is also placed right above the rear wheel axle instead of

13794-408: The stem and handlebars can be both stiffer and lighter. This clamp diameter is taking over from the previous mix of sizes on road bicycles with drop-bars. On these stems, standard brake levers can be used as it is only the central section that is oversized although other accessories that mount near the stem also need to be oversized to fit (some brackets are adjustable). Shims are available to fit either

13915-423: The term anatomic to this curvature shape, while adopting the term ergo to instead describe non-cylindrical tubing cross-sections on the upper flat portion of the bar, intended to be more comfortable when riding in the upright position. Drop bars that rise slightly from the center in a shallow U, and the drop portion of the bars is set wider than the curve at the top. Designed to be slightly more comfortable than

14036-546: The top and brake hood hand positions, but promoting the rider's use of the ends, or "hooks". Track bars are designed for use without brake levers, but recently experienced a surge in popularity on use with fixed gear bikes, and as such have been adapted to fit levers and hand positions. The shape of the drop may be a simple, traditional curve, or it can have a flat spot (straight section) which some riders find to be more comfortable for their hands. These bars may be described as ergo or anatomic . Some manufacturers have relegated

14157-405: The traditional Stadsfiets or utility roadster, instead choosing hybrid city bikes or commuter bikes derived from road or mountain designs. The latter frequently employ lightweight frames and wide gear ranges for use on higher-speed roadways as well as steep terrain. To save weight, some hybrid city or commuter bikes do not usually possess many accessories, adding only fenders, a rack, and perhaps

14278-499: The unreliability, high cost, ecological disposal problem, and maintenance inherent with batteries. The hub dynamo powers LED or halogen front and rear lights. The lights have a built-in reflector. The taillight is mounted cleanly on the rear rack or fender. A built-in reflector in the headlight and taillight surrounds or is adjacent to the LED or light bulb. Built-in lights stay on point, i.e., need no adjustments. The latest systems include

14399-537: The way to the airport. Many airports now have some mass transit link, including London , Sydney , Munich , Hong Kong , Vancouver , Philadelphia , Cleveland , New York City (JFK) , Delhi , and Chennai . At the Hong Kong International Airport , ferry services to various piers in the Pearl River Delta are provided. Passengers from Guangdong can use these piers to take a flight at

14520-466: The wiring, and reduces the number of external wires and cables. A built-in O-lock is a type of bicycle lock that prevents ride-off theft, establishes ownership, secures the back wheel to the frame (which can be separately locked), and provides a lock and slot for a cable. An O-lock is also called a ring lock or wheel lock. The O-lock facilitates outdoor parking, by reducing the risk that someone can steal

14641-442: The world's first tram to train interchange station . Public transportation systems such as train or metro systems have the most efficient means and highest capacity to transport people around cities. Therefore, mixed-mode commuting in the urban environment is largely dedicated to first getting people onto the train network and once off the train network to their final destination. Although automobiles are conventionally used as

#651348