Bicycle is one of the most efficient machines ever invented. A beautiful combinations of smaller machines & parts, a bicycle helps us reach high speeds otherwise impossible by human body (without any external power source).
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How a cycle is made - OMO Model 1.0
This makes it extremely important for every part to be efficient. Since its early invention, bicycle makers have been trying & experimenting with tiny changes to increase the efficiency of bicycle by micro measurements. And the result is that today we have carbon fiber racing bicycles that weigh less than 5 kg & can help maintain speed of almost 60 kmph for an hour. Compare this with running, which is also solely human powered way of moving, the world record for maximum distance in 1 hour is 21.28 km.
OMO Model 1.0 is just a tiny spec in the world of cycling, but we wanted to let our customers know what are they riding & why have we chosen to make it this way.
Steel Frame For Bicycle
OMO Model 1.0 is a city bike. It has been built for mid range commutes on Indian roads. The reasons why we chose steel, instead of Alloy 6061, for this bike are
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High weight to strength ratio - Alloy frames are lighter than steel frames, agreed. But that difference is usually around 600-700 gm which is marginal when compared to the whole moving unit of cyclist + cycle (~80 kg). On the other hand, a frame of steel weighing 1.5 kg is much more stronger than a frame of Alloy 6061 weighing 1.5 kg. Hence, in terms of strength, which matters a lot considering the amount of potholes on Indian roads, steel is the clear winner.
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High Shock Absorbing capacity - Steel is more elastic as compared to Alloy 6061. When using in a rigid bike (without suspension), this characteristic matters a lot, as it determines how comfortable your ride on daily basis is.
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Cost - Today, Alloy frames could be found every where. But few people know, that not even a single Alloy frame is produced in India. All Alloy frames are imported from China. This makes their cost very high as compared to steel frame.
Sealed Cartridge BB Axle
BB axle is one of the main components of the drive train. It determines how smooth & light the pedaling of a bike is. In OMO Model 1.0 we use high quality sealed BB axle. This is much different from the traditional BB axle & it has some huge advantages.
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Smoother Pedaling - These BB axles are machine made & come out as a single unit. Unlike the traditional BB axle arrangement, where the mechanic had to fit multiple parts (axle, bearings) which led to higher margins of error, this one is a plug and play. o margins of errors means, pedalling is smooth, always.
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Maintenance free - The older BB axle used to make sound after a couple of months as the bearings would need oiling, greasing & other treatments. This is a 100% service free part now. You will never have to worry about that sound from the pedals.
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Long Life - Sealed cartridge BB technology has much more longer life as compared to its ancestors.
Double Wall Alloy Rims
One of the biggest advantages of Alloy over steel is its anti rust qualities. In frame, these are tackled by double coating it with anti - rusting solutions & paint. But on rims, it is not possible due to technical constrains. Hence, we opted for Alloy in rims. But single wall Alloy is just not as strong as steel (and hence our argument against using alloy in frame), and rims need to be very strong to bear the rider's weight & shocks from the road.
So we decided to use Double Wall alloy rims in our Model 1.0. They are light weight, strong & look extremely stylish.
Also, we were the first one in India to paint these rims in House with world class Fluoro paints, that give OMO Model 1.0 their characteristic look.
Bushless Chain
Bushless chains has many advantages over the traditional chains. These make much lesser noise, have lesser weight & much longer life. Although a standard in the international, almost no Indian bicycle company uses bush less chain at this price point.
Cotterless Crank
Earlier bicycles used to have cottered cranks. But new technology offers lighter weight, lesser maintenance & lower errors (which makes sure pedals always go straight & don't wobble). All OMO Bikes use export grade cotter less crank sets.
Big Ben Comfortable PU Saddle
Big Ben is known for making world class saddles & pedals. We cut no corners & make sure our bikes' saddle offers maximum comfort to the riders. The saddle we use are PU saddles, which offer better life & comfort to other materials used in the market (like PVC, foam, leather etc.)
The above is just a small glimpse of what goes into making a cycle. We will keep updating our customers & riders as we develop better bikes. If you have any specific question around your bike or any bike in general, do write to us.
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