Parts of a Bicycle: Part 5 - The Cockpit

We talked about the drivetrain of a bike in Part 4. We learned about the mechanisms that drive the bike forward. Here in Part 5, we will be talking about the cockpit. The cockpit is what connects you - the rider - to the bike. These are the contact points and related components on your bike. These include the stem, handlebar, seatpost, saddle and pedals.

Front view of the cockpit. 

The front end of the cockpit is the handlebar and stem. The stem connects the fork's steerer to the handlebar. The handlebar is where the rider steers the bike. It can be a variety of shapes from straight, rising or being curved like a road bike's "dropbar".

The handlebar.

The stem connects the handlebar to the fork steerer.

The saddle and seatpost carry bulk of the rider's weight. The seatpost should be adjusted to the appropriate height for the rider and the purpose. The rider should be able to easily and powerfully pedal. The height should also be appropriate to the height of your handlebars. If it is too high or too low, then the weight distrubtion and the stretch of the rider's body are affected. The saddle may be the biggest contributor to comfort because bulk of your weight rests on this. Sometimes, finding the right saddle may take time but when you find it, then you can absolutely enjoy every ride on your bike.

The seatpost and saddle. Pictured above is a seatpost that is integrated with the frame.

The pedals transfer the rider's power to the cranks. The pedals can be categorized into Flat or Clipless. Flat pedals are the most common pedals available and everyone is familiar with these. Clipless pedals lock the rider's foot in place. These pedals are commonly used by serious riders and pro riders.

A clipless pedal designed for road bikes. Pictures is Shimano's R550 model.

For clipless pedals, cycling shoes are needed. These shoes have cleats to engage the locking mechanisms on these pedals. Please remember when using clipless pedals that you have to "click" or twist to the side to unlock them.

An example of cleats for road bike clipless pedals.

For safety, always ride your bike with a helmet. The helmet provides you that much needed protection should you ever get in an accident.

Cycling shoes and helmet. Helmet are very important for safety when riding a bike. Always ride with a helmet on.

Water and hydration might not be necessary for a person to ride a bike but they are needed for a person to stay on the bike longer. Carrying water on a bike helps you refuel lost body fluids during your rides. To bring along your water bottles, you need a water bottle cage.

An example of a water bottle cage bolted onto the frame's downtube.

This concludes our article on the bike's cockpit. We hope you learned of the different components of the bike's cockpit - your contact points. We hope you choose your cockpit well for perfect comfort and do not forget to bring along your drinks for an well-hydrated, enjoyable ride.

Part 5 is the last installment in our Parts of a Bicycle series. We hope the whole journey has been worth the read and have contributed to your bike know-how.

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Links to previous Parts of this series.
Part 1 - What is a Bicycle?
Part 2 - The Frame
Part 3 - The Wheels
Part 4 - The Drivetrain