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Bicycles have been here for a pretty long time! They’re great fun to ride and they’ve evolved quite a bit since they were first invented. Bikes used to look much different than they do now. So, let's take a step through time, and see how bicycle frames have changed, and some key differences that occurred.
The Evolution of Bicycle Frames
The original bicycles were made in the 1800s. They were known as "velocipedes," and they didn't look anything like the bicycles we have today. These early bicycles had two wheels and were primarily constructed of wood. Wooden frames were also much heavier than aluminum, which made the bikes more cumbersome to ride, and they were more prone to breakage.
Over the years bike manufacturers began using metal to construct frames. Steel frames became the structure of choice, because steel buildings were stronger and lighter than wood. These new metal frames made bikes better suited for racing and long rides. Riders could ride faster and further, without feeling quite as fatigued.
Mountain biking became popular in the 1970s as a new form of biking. This style of riding required a different kind of bike frame, one that was sturdy enough to take abuse on rocky paths but comfortable enough to stay on for hours. To improve mountain bikes, people started to create innovative designs, including a full suspension frame that gave a smoother ride.
The Evolution of Bicycle Frame Design Through Technology
With the advancement of tech, bike frame design was forced to evolve alongside. Designers used computers and specialized software to come up with new and different shapes for bike frames. This was important because it allowed for many new options in bicycle construction.
While carbon fiber bicycle frames will you get a lot of hype, they will also be one of the major changes. Carbon fiber is an extremely light weight yet very strong material. Carbon fiber can form all sorts of unique and complex shapes that designers dream up. Not only does this make bikes look cool, but it also aids to riders go faster and feel less pain/springier while out on the bike. Carbon fiber is frequently the material of choice for high-quality bike construction today because it has a huge impact on feel.
From Rigid to Full Suspension
They were extremely rigid in the beginning days. That meant they had no systems to absorb bumps from the road, making riding fairly uncomfortable. Over the years, bike manufacturers started creating suspension systems. This makes for a more comfortable ride as the shock of bumps and unevenness is absorbed by the system.
Suspension systems have one job: let your fastest ebike go up and down independent of the frame. This function makes the ride smoother and more fun for the rider. There is a variety of suspension systems that exist today. There are simple ones such as the front suspension fork and more advanced suspension systems such as the full suspension system that assists riders on the craggy roads.
City Riding + Lightweigt Frames
With ever-increasing numbers of people using bikes as a means for transport in cities, bike manufacturers prepped for the new population of urban riders with new bike designs.
The need for a lightweight and compact frame was one of the primary shifts. City bikes had to be easy to navigate among throngs of people, and simple to carry up stairs or into buses and trains. This required designing bikes well built enough to withstand routine use but light enough to be ridden regularly.
Today, most bicycles for city riding have light frames that handle well. This lightweight ebike makes it ideal for individuals requiring to travel through crowded roads or park their cycles in little spots.
Green Materials and Sustainable Design
Way back in 1989, a NASA scientist (which is basically like the Star Wars of physics) won a medal for developing a lighter-than-air aluminum alloy that could be used in bicycle frame designs. It is, however, not all materials are planet-friendly. When it comes to bicycle frames, its quite important to consider the environmental impact of the materials used.
Other designers, too, are looking to eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo and recycled aluminum, for their bike frame design. This group of materials is much more eco-friendly than some traditional ones, however, that is not the only benefit — the fully ebike are also very robust and wear-resistant. Bike makers can mitigate earth's impact by using these sustainable options.
Sustainability in Bicycle Frames — Tachyride
Making it an incredibly important focus for us, to reduce our impact on the environment, while still maintaining the production of quality, strong bikes that our customers love.
