The Anatomy of a Bike

To learn more about all the different components of a bike, please read the article below.

As simple as a bike can be, a lot of the terminology and names can be quite confusing. This piece will talk you through the bike parts and terms used when describing bike parts and the areas on a bike. We will start from the front and work out way back, going through every major component.  

Frame, front triangle, rear triangle

When describing a bike, you will often hear the frame referred to as the front and rear triangles. The front triangle refers to the top tube, down tube and seat tube. The way a bike fits the rider is determined by the measurements of these tubes. The front triangle houses the bottom bracket and most of the suspension components on an Mtb.

The rear triangle was traditionally attached to the seat tube, and it comprised the seat stay and chainstay. While this is still relevant to hardtails and road bikes, the rear triangle isn’t fixed on a dual-suspension system. The seat and chainstays are attached to links on the seat tube. The rear triangle is essentially floating, which allows the rear wheel to travel up and down.