From the outside looking in, cycling looks simple—all you have to do is pedal, right? But it can sometimes come off as intimidating. Don’t worry! From the basics of road cycling to overseas shopping sites where you can get cheaper bike parts, we’ve got you covered.
Note: If you are not sure whether the bike parts and related accessories can be shipped, feel free to send the product link(s) to our live chat or PM us on Facebook/Instagram for validation.
Anyone who rides a bicycle on paved surface streets and roads is a road cyclist. Whether the purpose of that cycling is errand running, messengering, commuting, recreating, exercising, adventuring, touring, or racing. Cyclists who pedal primarily for recreation and exercise may still ride for one or more of these other reasons as well. In a more focused term, we’ll think of road cycling as riding extended distances on streets and roads mainly for the enjoyment and the personal benefits of doing so.
Reference: Road Biker | Road Biking 101
Bar ends – the angled extensions attached to the ends of some flat handlebars and riser handlebars that provide an alternate place to rest your hands.
Bottom bracket – the collection of ball bearings and spindle housed within the bottom bracket shell of the frame, which provides the “shaft” mechanism on which the crank arms turn.
Braze-ons – threaded sockets that may or may not be present on the bike frame that provides a place to attach accessories such as bottle cages, cargo racks, and fenders.
Cage – the preferred fancy name for a water bottle holder.
Cassette – the collection of gears that are attached to the rear wheel on most modern bicycles (see “Freewheel”)
Chainrings – the gears that are attached to the right-hand crank arm nearer to the front of the bike. A bike with two chainrings is said to have a “double crank;” a bike with three chainrings is said to have a “triple crank.”
Cog – a single gear on a cassette or freewheel gear cluster, or the single rear gear on a fixed-gear bike.
Crank arms – the pedals screw into these; these bolt onto the bottom bracket spindle.
Cyclocomputer – the preferred fancy word for an electronic speedometer/odometer.
Derailer – the device that is bolted to the frame that handles the job of moving the chain from one gear to another when you shift gears. The front derailer handles the shifting on your chainrings and is usually controlled by your left-hand shifter. The rear derailer handles the shifting on your cassette or freewheel and is usually controlled by your right-hand shifter.
Derailer hanger – a part of the frame where the rear derailleur is attached. It is usually an integrated part of the frame on steel and titanium bikes but is a separate, replaceable piece on aluminum and carbon fiber bikes.
Drop bar – the type of handlebar found on road racing bikes, with the half-circle-shaped curved ends that extend below the top, flatter part of the bar.
Dropouts – the U-shaped notches at the rear of the bike frame, and at the bottom ends of the front fork legs, where the wheels are held in place. So-called because if you loosen the bolts holding a wheel in place, the wheel “drops out.”
Fixed gear – a type of bicycle that has a single gear and does not have a freewheel or cassette/freehub mechanism, so you are unable to coast. If the wheels are moving, you have to be pedaling. “Fixie” for short.
Flat bar – a handlebar with little or no upward or downward curve; some flat bars will have a slight backward curve, or “sweep.”
Fork – the two-legged part of the frame that holds the front wheel in place. The steerer tube is a part of the fork that extends up into the frame through the head tube.
Frame – the main structural part of the bicycle, commonly made of steel, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber. Composed of a top tube, head tube, down tube, bottom bracket shell, seat tube, seat stays, and chainstays (see image). A-frame and fork sold as a combination are referred to as a frameset.
Freehub body – a part of the hub on most rear wheels, it provides that coasting mechanism that transfers power to your wheel when you are pedaling forward but allows the rear wheel to turn freely when you are pedaling backward or not pedaling at all. The cassette is attached to the freehub body.
Freewheel – the collection of gears attached to the rear wheel found on most older bicycles and some lower-end modern bicycles. Both the gears and the coasting mechanism are part of the freewheel component, as opposed to cassette gears, where the gears are a solid, non-moving component, and the coasting mechanism is part of the wheel’s hub.
Headset – the collection of bearings housed within the head tube of the bike frame; it provides smooth steering.
Hub – the central component of a wheel; inside the hub are the axle and ball bearings.
Nipple – A small flanged nut that holds a spoke in place on the rim of a wheel. Turning the nipples with a spoke wrench is what allows the tension in the spokes to be adjusted, in order to “true” the wheel, i.e. make sure the wheel is perfectly round.
Rim – the outer “hoop” part of a wheel. Usually made of aluminum, although can be made of steel on some older or low-end bikes, or made of carbon fiber on some high-end racing bikes.
Rim strip or Rim tape – a layer of material, usually cloth, plastic, or rubber, that is installed around the outside of a rim (between the rim and inner tube), to prevent the ends of the spokes from puncturing the inner tube.
Riser bar – a type of handlebar with a “U” shape in the middle. Some riser bars have a very shallow “U” shape, like on some mountain bikes and most hybrid bikes, but some have a very deep “U” shape, like on some retro-style cruiser bikes.
Saddle – the preferred fancy word for “seat.”
Seatpost – the rod that connects the saddle to the frame.
Seatpost clamp – the collar located at the top of the seat tube on the frame, which holds the Seatpost at the desired height. Some Seatpost clamps have a quick-release lever that allows for easy, tool-free adjustment, while others require a tool to tighten or loosen the clamp.
Stem – the part that connects the handlebar to the frame. Do not call this the “gooseneck,” unless you want to make it perfectly clear that you are a clueless newbie. Stems come in two varieties, threadless–which clamps to the outside of the fork’s steerer tube, and threaded, which is held in place by an expanding wedge bolt inside the fork’s steerer tube.
Wheel – the complete assembly of the hub, spokes, nipples, and rim.
Reference: Century Cycles | Bike Components For Beginners
In the past months, an increasing number of people are purchasing bicycle components from online shopping sites abroad via Buyandship. We may not ship an entire bike due to our shipment size restriction, you can instead score road bike repair sets, related accessories, cyclewear, and more for a discounted price abroad rather than buying expensive ones in Australia.
#1 AliExpress
Image Source: Viaron Official Store in AliExpress
Looking for a good deal on bike parts? Explore a wide range of the best bike parts on AliExpress to find one that suits you! Besides good quality brands, you’ll also find plenty of discounts when you shop for bike parts during big sales!
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#2 Taobao | T-Mall CH
Image Source: Giant Flagship Store in T-Mall
If you are looking for online sites that sell discounted bike parts, Taobao or T-Mall is the one for you. They have various flagship and reliable biking stores such as Giant, Deroace, Jinyu, and More~ All for a reasonable price!
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#3 Worldwide Cyclery US
Image Source: Worldwide Cyclery
Worldwide Cyclery was founded on the principle to simply do things better. They have been and continue to break the mold of the typical retail model you’re used to in the bicycle industry. This shop was built on the backbone of exceptional customer experience, unique product offering, attention to detail, and a modern-day business model.
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#4 Jenson USA
Inspiring People to Ride, Experience, and Explore. Jenson USA is one of the original online bike shops and has been selling complete bikes, bicycle parts, and accessories on the internet since 1996. Their passion for cycling sprouted back in 1994 and has since taken root and grown into a community of people devoted to living life to its fullest.
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#5 Planet Cyclery US
Planet Cyclery aspires to be the premier provider of high-quality bikes, components, and apparel for cycling enthusiasts of all abilities while anticipating and exceeding their needs through unparalleled and personalized customer service. They provide convenient, omnichannel access with a broad array of products and services to exceed the needs of anyone that wants to ride.
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#6 Merlin Cycles UK
Established in 1993 by John Moss, Merlin Cycles are one of the longest-running online bike stores in the UK. Since their early years, Merlin Cycles have had an enviable reputation among cyclists for stocking a massive range of cycling equipment and offering it at great prices.
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No one is born with comprehensive bicycle mechanic skills. That is something you have to learn by doing easy bicycle maintenance yourself, or more preferably by being taught by someone with experience. Keeping on top of basic maintenance will dramatically prolong the life of your components which in turn will save you money.
1. Keep Your Bike Clean
A bike that is regularly cleaned will be far easier to maintain. A bucket of hot soapy water and a sponge will suffice, with a degreaser applied to the chain. After you rinse-dry the bike off then add a light lubricant to the gears and chain before wiping off with a cloth. A thorough wash like this is essential after a ride in wet weather, particularly in the Winter months when corrosive salts from the road coat the moving parts of your bike. Doing this will prolong the life of your components when they are at their most vulnerable and means you’re ready to go from the off on your next ride. Saves money, saves time. Make it part of your ritual.
2. Always Check Your Tires
Prior to each ride check that your tires are not overly worn and in particular look for cuts or flints/stones/glass in the tread, removing any that could possibly cause a puncture. It’s surprising what your tires will pick up, principally when the roads are wet. It’s an easy, quick procedure and one that I carry out religiously before each ride. Also, make sure they’re pumped up to good pressure. Too hard and you risk pinch punctures, reduced traction, and an uncomfortable ride. Too soft and you’ll feel like you’re riding through sand!
3. Learn How to Fix a Flat Tube
Youtube has tons of good videos in all languages guiding you on how to prepare, glue the patch on and remount the tire. If you start getting many flats with the same wheel, check your tire and the inside of the rim for sharp objects or protruding spoke. Master this skill and your rides will become more enjoyable, and a whole lot safer.
4. Make Sure Your Breaks Are Adjusted Correctly
You can do this by tightening the adjusting barrel (if your brakes have one) in the brake lever. Tightening the screw moves the pads closer to the rim. You may also need to unscrew the bolt holding the wire, tighten the wire and then screw the bolt back on. Before tightening the bolt again, twist the adjuster holding the wire and the wire housing to the loosest setting. This way you have more room to adjust the brakes.
It is also important to keep both the pads and the braking surface clean from dirt and oil. Dirty pads wear out themselves and the braking surface substantially faster.
5. Lubricate!
Do you get annoyed when someone rides past you with loud rattling and squeaking sounds coming from the chain and sprockets? Maybe the sound is coming from your bike? That is the not-so-sweet sound of metal rubbing against metal and grime and mud because all lubrication has long since worn off. That is a really good way to go if you want to shorten the life expectancy of your chain and sprockets. It is not cheap to replace them, so save yourself some money by regularly cleaning and lubricating the drivetrain.
Benefits of Overseas Online Shopping
① Oversea online shopping allows you to buy anything from your favorite brands at a lower price or with good discounts
② Wider variety & range of products are available
③ Keep up with every foreign shopping season
Why Buyandship
Any Aussie who likes to shop online will know the frustration of picking out purchases on an overseas website, only to find at the checkout that the store can’t ship to Australia. Parcel forwarding service is the answer to this problem! Buyandship has 10 warehouses worldwide, which allows you to shop around the world! We provide our users with affordable shipping rate in Australia, and free parcel consolidation for you to shop in different countries. Learn More
Take a look at the price comparison below and discover how much you can save with Buyandship.
Due to the significant reduction in the no. of flights globally, delivery time may be affected.
^Prices of other parcel forwarders may change over time. For reference only.
#Price includes GST on the value of the shipping fee.
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