Bicycles, their design, components, and use as transportation. Competitive cycling belongs in Sports.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
On a 1970s ten-speed, what did squeezing the handlebar levers do?
Caliper brakes squeezed pads against the wheel rims, unlike the pedal-back coaster brakes on cruisers.
Which brand built the Varsity, a best-selling American ten-speed?
Chicago-built Varsity models filled bike shops during the 1970s bike boom as adults took up cycling.
What makes a 1970s ten-speed bicycle a "ten-speed"?
Two front chainrings times five rear cogs give ten ratios, shifted with levers on the down tube.
What mechanism moves a ten-speed chain between gears?
Front and rear derailleurs push the chain sideways onto different sprockets when the rider shifts.