What can be a speed switch on a bicycle?

The bicycle speed selector is designed to change the load required for full wheel rotation. In practice, the cyclist, changing the transmission speed, changes the speed of the pedals. Each transmission will be most effective for its type of terrain. The speed switch can be different (depending on the type of mechanism incorporated in its base). They are of the following types: mechanisms with external switching of transmission, mechanisms with internal switching of transmission, mixed mechanisms.

Bicycle Speed Switch with Internal Transfer Switch

This type of switch is characterized by the fact that here, unlike the external one, the transmission mechanism is hidden in the rear hub, in which all the actions for changing the speeds are carried out. As a rule, with this type of mechanism, road and walking bicycles are currently produced . Although sometimes this type of gear can be seen on the mountain "great".

Due to the fact that the mechanism is closed with metal, its advantages are: durability and durability, protection from bad weather and road conditions, built-in brake, as well as ease of maintenance. The disadvantage of this type of mechanism are understandable difficulties with repair on the road, when there is no special tool. Also not very pleasing is the very intense friction of the mechanism nodes. In addition, such a plan of the product is quite heavy, which increases the weight of your bike in general.

Bicycle Speed Switch with External Transfer Switch

This is the most common option on modern bicycles (classic mechanism). It provides two gears at once: front and rear. The front simply tosses chains from star to star. This mechanism can also have a number of options that differ in the following ways:

1) by the method of fastening to the frame (by means of a clamp or a carriage clamp);

2) the angle of the mounted switch relative to the frames can be different;

3) the drive cable can be attached to the mechanism (from the bottom or top side) in different versions.

Rear speed switch has its own small feature. First, it is here that the tension of the chain is ensured. Secondly, this switch focuses most of the bike speed options (the so-called asterisks). If there are only three stars on the front switch, this can be up to nine in one cassette (on most modern bicycles).

As positive aspects of the mixed system, note the following: light weight, a large number of gears, the budget price, simplicity of design, allowing for self-repair. However, there are also disadvantages: low resistance to weather and road accidents, a shorter duration in comparison with closed mechanisms.

Mixed-speed bicycle speed selector

This option combines the bushing and the classic switching mechanism. However, the trouble with such switches is that their advantages hardly cover the shortcomings inherited from both types. For this reason, they are very rarely seen on the roads.