A bicycle wheel is a wheel for a bicycle. It consists of a rim, connected to the hub by spokes. At the end of each wheel spoke is a nut, called a nipple. The wheel's architecture is referenced in the abstract spoke-hub distribution paradigm of transportation. Bicycle wheels connect to the frame and fork via dropouts.
The hub uses bearings to reduce friction with the axle. Except in fixed gear bicycles, the rear hub is connected to the freewheel and the rear sprockets. Recent bicycle wheels are attached using a quick release for ease of removal from the bicycle.
See bicycle brake systems for an overview of the role of wheels in brakes.
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Bicycle Wheel was also a readymade sculpture by Marcel Duchamp consisting of a bicycle wheel mounted upside-down on a wooden stool. The original from 1913 was lost, and Duchamp recreated the sculpture in 1951. [1]
Last updated: 10-22-2005 23:36:13
