Saddle Design, Features and Materials

Saddles are composed of a number of components including the shell, cover, rails and
suspension. The nose is the most forward part.

Shell
The shell creates the shape of the saddle using molded plastic, carbon
fiber, nylon or even leather. Leather has long been considered
the most comfortable because it conforms to the shape of the

rider over time, but its expensive and less weather resistant
than other materials.
Cover
Most saddles have a cover forming padding on top of the shell. This
could be closed cell foam, gel/fabric/lycra combination, vinyl,
artificial leather or real leather. Some riders buy extra
pads/covers to put over uncomfortable saddles, however these
accessories probably wont help too much. If your current
saddle isnt working, you should first try adjusting the
position, and if that doesnt work, then try a new saddle.
Rails
The rails connect the saddle to the bike and run along the underside. There are usually
two parallel rails with nose and rear adjustments made of steel, titanium, aluminum,
magnesium or carbon fiber that may be solid or hollow. Some newer bikes have the rails
integrated into the shell while BMX bikes have pivotal seat posts. Another new rail type
is the i-beam which extends along the length of the saddle and uses two clamping bolts.

Materials of tyre
A tyre is a ring-shaped vehicle component that covers the wheel's rim to protect it and
enable better vehicle performance. Most tires, such as those for automobiles and bicycles,
provide traction between the vehicle and the road while providing a flexible cushion that
absorbs shock.
The materials of modern pneumatic tires are synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric and
wire, along with carbon black and other chemical compounds. They consist of a tread and
a body. The tread provides traction while the body provides containment for a quantity
ofcompressed air. Before rubber was developed, the first versions of tires were simply
bands of metal that fitted around wooden wheels to prevent wear and tear. Early rubber
tires were solid (not pneumatic). Today, the majority of tires are pneumatic inflatable
structures, comprising a doughnut-shaped body of cords and wires encased in rubber and
generally filled with compressed air to form an inflatable cushion. Pneumatic tires are
used on many types of vehicles,
including cars, bicycles, motorcycles, buses, trucks, heavy equipment, andaircraft. Metal
tires are still used on locomotives and railcars, and solid rubber (or other polymer) tires
are still used in various non-automotive applications, such as
some casters, carts, lawnmowers, and wheelbarrows.

Parts of a Tyre
Clincher Tyres
> Conventional tyres used on 99% of all bicycles are "clincher" type, also known
as "wire-on." They consist of an outer tyre (the "casing") with a U-shaped cross
section, and a separate inner tube. The edges of the tyre hook over the edges of the
rim, and air pressure holds everything in place.
> Many people suppose that tyres are made out of rubber, because that's what is
visible. This is a major oversimplification--rubber is the least important of the
three components that make up a tyre.
Bead
> The "bead" is the edge of the tyre. On most tyres, the beads consist of hoops of
strong steel wire. The beads hold the tyre onto the rim, and are, in a sense, the
"backbones" of a tyre. While most beads are steel, some tyres use KEVLAR cord
instead.
Fabric
> Cloth fabric is woven between the two beads to form the body or "carcass" of
the tyre. This is the heart of the tyre, the part that determines its shape. The vast
majority of tyres use nylon cord, though some use other polyamides. Up until the
1960s, cotton/canvas was commonly used. It was not as strong, and was prone to
rot. Cotton and silk are still used for some tubulars.
> The fabric threads don't interweave with crossing threads as with normal cloth,
but are arranged in layers or "plies" of parallel threads. Each layer runs
perpendicular to the next layer(s).
> Some tyres use thick thread, some use thin thread for the fabric. With thin
thread, there are more threads per inch ("TPI") and this number is often considered
an important indication of tyre performance.
> The higher the TPI number, the thinner and more flexible the tyre fabric is.
Thin-wall (high TPI) tyres tend to be lighter and have lower rolling resistance, but
they're more easily damaged by road hazards.
> Bicycle tyres have the threads of the fabric running diagonally, ("bias") from
bead to bead. Modern car tyres have the main threads running straight over from
one bead to the other, known as "radial" construction. Radial tyres will also have a

"belt" of plies running all the way around the circumference of the tyre, crossing
the radial plies.
> Radial tyres have been tried for bicycles, but they tend to be too floppy from
side to side. This floppiness feels quite unpleasant in actual riding --much like the
feel of a grossly under-inflated tyre.
> Some bicycle tyres also have a kevlar belt running under the tread area, in
addition to the normal bias plies. This is intended as a puncture preventive.
Rubber
> Once the fabric has been woven between the beads, and the tyre has its basic
shape, it is coated with rubber. The rubber is mainly there to protect the fabric
from damage, and has no structural importance.
> The rubber that comes into contact with the ground is called the "tread." This
area usually has thicker rubber than the "sidewalls" of the tyre, mainly for wear
resistance. Most tyres have some sort of 3-dimensional pattern moulded into the
tread, which may or may not enhance traction.

Manufacturers mix different additives with the rubber to achieve desired

traction/wear characteristics. Generally, a softer formulation will give better
traction, but at the expense of more rapid wear. Rubber is normally a sort of tan
colour, but most tyres are black. This is the result of adding carbon black to the
mix. Carbon black considerably improves the durability and traction of the rubber
in the tread area.
> Some manufacturers substitute a silicon compound for the carbon black. These
tyres usually have a grey tread. Whether silicon or carbon black provides better
traction is subject to dispute. Grey-tread tyres are preferred for indoor use (for
example, on wheelchairs), because they do not leave black marks on floors.
> "Dual compound" tyres feature a centre strip of fairly hard rubber for improved
wear, with a softer, grippier formulation toward the sides of the tread. The intent is
to provide better cornering traction without compromising the life span of the
tread.
> Many bicycle tyres are "gumwalls" or "skinwalls." Gumwall tyres have tan
sidewalls, with no carbon black. This may make the sidewalls slightly more
flexible, reducing rolling resistance. It is not clear to what extent this makes a
difference.

> Skinwalls have either no rubber on the sidewalls, or a very thin layer. This, too
is an attempt to make the sidewall more flexible and reduce rolling resistance.

Handle bar

Height
A handlebar's height is the measurement from the clamp area to the top of the control
length (or end of the handle part of the bar). The height of the handlebar can be adjusted
by loosening the bar at the clamp area and adjusting forward or backward to your
preference.

Rise
The rise is similar to the height in that it measures the length from the clamp area to the
handlebar's first steep bend. To lengthen the rise you can use riser clamps to maximize the
handlebar's overall height. The taller you are the more likely you'll want to raise the
height of your handlebars.

Width
The dirt bike handlebar width is measured from one end to the other or the end of the left
control length to the end of the right control length. Generally, most handlebars are
constructed within a few millimeters of one another if not the same width altogether about 800mm. Some manufactures make "mini" handlebars which reduces the width of
the handlebars by as much as 60mm.

Sweep
The sweep is best viewed by looking at the side of your bike. Also known as the
"pullback" it is measured from the center of the clamp area to the end of the bars (control
length) in a letter "L" shape.

Control Length
The control length is the area for your grips.

Clamp Area
The clamp area is the bottom of the handlebars where it clamps onto the bike. The clamp
area is where you can add risers and other equipment to change the measurements and
feel of your handlebars. The thickness of the clamp area is 7/8th- or 1-1/8th -inch.
The Flexx Handlebar manufactured by the Fasst Company is a higher-end bar using
advanced technology to absorb shock and vibration. The Flexx uses a rubber interference
absorbing much of the vibration to your arms. This further reduces fatigue and arm pump
providing a longer ride more comfortable ride.
If you're a weekend warrior on a budget spending the extra cash on a larger bar doesn't
necessarily make sense. The 7/8th handlebar retains its popularity and is lighter than its
larger counterpart.
However, as we said earlier - handlebar preference is entirely up to you. Check out our
entire stock of dirt bike handlebarsbut we'd like to suggest the following if you're looking
for a replacement or upgrade to your current ride.

Features:
A) Constructed using AS20 aerospace
aluminumbar
B) Shot peened finish to increase
fatigue life
C) Full 5mm wall thickness
D) Knurled clutch side for secure grip hold
E) Cold-forged crossbar