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82-583: As of 2024, Niche ranked Commonwealth #2 of all private high schools in Massachusetts and #8 of all private high schools in the United States. Charles E. Merrill, Jr. , son of the founder of Merrill Lynch , and brother of the prominent American poet James Merrill , founded the school in 1957, locating it in Boston's Back Bay to "restore good secondary schooling to the city." The school's name

164-657: A frame , one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe . By the early 21st century there were more than 1 billion bicycles. There are many more bicycles than cars . Bicycles are the principal means of transport in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation , and have been adapted for use as children's toys . Bicycles are used for fitness , military and police applications, courier services , bicycle racing , and artistic cycling . The basic shape and configuration of

246-458: A publisher of print guidebooks on US colleges , but is now an online resource providing information on K–12 schools , colleges , cities , neighborhoods , and companies across the United States. Niche, Inc. was founded as College Prowler in August 2002 by Luke Skurman and Joey Rahimi. Then students at Carnegie Mellon University 's Tepper School of Business , they spun the company out of

328-504: A subscription fee , and then by 2009 the subscription was removed making all web content free. In 2013, College Prowler changed its name to Niche and started to cover K-12 school districts using federal data, state data, and user-generated reviews. Within months of launching the K-12 product, Niche had collected 500,000 user reviews on half of all high schools in the US. After transitioning to

410-534: A "women's" bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames. Step-throughs were popular partly for practical reasons and partly for social mores of the day. For most of the history of bicycles' popularity women have worn long skirts, and the lower frame accommodated these better than the top-tube. Furthermore, it was considered "unladylike" for women to open their legs to mount and dismount—in more conservative times women who rode bicycles at all were vilified as immoral or immodest. These practices were akin to

492-523: A $ 35 million Series C round of funding led by Radian Capital, with Radian Capital partner and co-founder Weston Gaddy, and Francisco D’Souza , executive vice chairman and co-founder of Cognizant , both joining the board of directors. At the time of funding, Niche offered over 130,000 in-depth profiles on schools and colleges with over 140 million reviews and ratings from students, parents and alumni. Niche, as College Prowler, provided rankings , report cards (with attributed grades) and reviews of colleges in

574-460: A 'straight handlebar' or 'riser bar' with varying degrees of sweep backward and centimeters rise upwards, as well as wider widths which can provide better handling due to increased leverage against the wheel. Saddles also vary with rider preference, from the cushioned ones favored by short-distance riders to narrower saddles which allow more room for leg swings. Comfort depends on riding position. With comfort bikes and hybrids, cyclists sit high over

656-568: A French publication to describe an unidentified two-wheeled vehicle, possibly a carriage. The design of the bicycle was an advance on the velocipede , although the words were used with some degree of overlap for a time. Other words for bicycle include "bike", "pushbike", "pedal cycle", or "cycle". In Unicode , the code point for "bicycle" is 0x1F6B2. The entity 🚲 in HTML produces 🚲. Although bike and cycle are used interchangeably to refer mostly to two types of two-wheelers,

738-474: A Scottish blacksmith, in 1839, although the claim is often disputed. He is also associated with the first recorded instance of a cycling traffic offense, when a Glasgow newspaper in 1842 reported an accident in which an anonymous "gentleman from Dumfries-shire... bestride a velocipede... of ingenious design" knocked over a little girl in Glasgow and was fined five shillings (equivalent to £30 in 2023). In

820-481: A bicycle at low to medium speeds of around 16–24 km/h (10–15 mph) uses only the power required to walk. Air drag, which is proportional to the square of speed, requires dramatically higher power outputs as speeds increase. If the rider is sitting upright, the rider's body creates about 75% of the total drag of the bicycle/rider combination. Drag can be reduced by seating the rider in a more aerodynamically streamlined position. Drag can also be reduced by covering

902-496: A bike both stiff and compliant by manipulating the lay-up. Virtually all professional racing bicycles now use carbon fibre frames, as they have the best strength to weight ratio. A typical modern carbon fiber frame can weigh less than 1 kilogram (2.2 lb). Other exotic frame materials include titanium and advanced alloys. Bamboo , a natural composite material with high strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness has been used for bicycles since 1894. Recent versions use bamboo for

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984-569: A conventional rear wheel brake, but not as effective as a front wheel brake. Bicycle suspension refers to the system or systems used to suspend the rider and all or part of the bicycle. This serves two purposes: to keep the wheels in continuous contact with the ground, improving control, and to isolate the rider and luggage from jarring due to rough surfaces, improving comfort. Bicycle suspensions are used primarily on mountain bicycles, but are also common on hybrid bicycles, as they can help deal with problematic vibration from poor surfaces. Suspension

1066-496: A cyclist to make fewer pedal turns to maintain a given speed, but with more effort per turn of the pedals. With a chain drive transmission, a chainring attached to a crank drives the chain, which in turn rotates the rear wheel via the rear sprocket(s) ( cassette or freewheel ). There are four gearing options: two-speed hub gear integrated with chain ring, up to 3 chain rings, up to 12 sprockets, hub gear built into rear wheel (3-speed to 14-speed). The most common options are either

1148-402: A diverse student body. 56% of the student body identifies as a person of color , and the school supports a strong LGBTQ+ population . Students come from all across Massachusetts, representing over 40 different cities and towns. Because of the school's location in downtown Boston, it is very accessible by public transit, so for students who do not drive or live in the vicinity, many bike or take

1230-399: A high gear when cycling downhill, a medium gear when cycling on a flat road, and a low gear when cycling uphill. In a lower gear every turn of the pedals leads to fewer rotations of the rear wheel. This allows the energy required to move the same distance to be distributed over more pedal turns, reducing fatigue when riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. A higher gear allows

1312-517: A key role in the development of the automobile were initially invented for use in the bicycle, including ball bearings , pneumatic tires , chain-driven sprockets , and tension-spoked wheels . The word bicycle first appeared in English print in The Daily News in 1868, to describe "Bysicles and trysicles" on the "Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne". The word was first used in 1847 in

1394-465: A narrow range of pedaling speeds, or cadence , a variable gear ratio helps a cyclist to maintain an optimum pedalling speed while covering varied terrain. Some, mainly utility, bicycles use hub gears with between 3 and 14 ratios, but most use the generally more efficient dérailleur system, by which the chain is moved between different cogs called chainrings and sprockets to select a ratio. A dérailleur system normally has two dérailleurs, or mechs, one at

1476-427: A project in their entrepreneurship class. In 2004, the small company obtained an investment of US$ 500,000 (equivalent to $ 806,554 in 2023) from Glen Meakem , who became the chairman. In 2005, College Prowler was recognized by Fast Company for being one of the 50 fastest-growing companies in the nation. Originally, the company produced print guidebooks, but by 2007 their content was made available online for

1558-865: A proliferation of specialized bicycle types, improved bicycle safety , and riding comfort. Bicycles can be categorized in many different ways: by function, by number of riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means of propulsion. The more common types include utility bicycles , mountain bicycles , racing bicycles , touring bicycles , hybrid bicycles , cruiser bicycles , and BMX bikes . Less common are tandems , low riders , tall bikes , fixed gear , folding models , amphibious bicycles , cargo bikes , recumbents and electric bicycles . Unicycles , tricycles and quadracycles are not strictly bicycles, as they have respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often referred to informally as "bikes" or "cycles". A bicycle stays upright while moving forward by being steered so as to keep its center of mass over

1640-490: A rear hub or multiple chain rings combined with multiple sprockets (other combinations of options are possible but less common). The handlebars connect to the stem that connects to the fork that connects to the front wheel, and the whole assembly connects to the bike and rotates about the steering axis via the headset bearings. Three styles of handlebar are common. Upright handlebars , the norm in Europe and elsewhere until

1722-584: A sales agent of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company (which soon became the Coventry Machinists Company ), brought a Michaux cycle to Coventry , England. His uncle, Josiah Turner, and business partner James Starley , used this as a basis for the 'Coventry Model' in what became Britain's first cycle factory. The dwarf ordinary addressed some of these faults by reducing the front wheel diameter and setting

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1804-618: A similar pattern as in aircraft, the goal being high strength and low weight. Since the late 1930s alloy steels have been used for frame and fork tubes in higher quality machines. By the 1980s aluminum welding techniques had improved to the point that aluminum tube could safely be used in place of steel . Since then aluminum alloy frames and other components have become popular due to their light weight, and most mid-range bikes are now principally aluminum alloy of some kind. More expensive bikes use carbon fibre due to its significantly lighter weight and profiling ability, allowing designers to make

1886-414: A student to start their own club. Academically, the school is one of the nation's elite. Boston magazine ranked Commonwealth as the best private high school in eastern Massachusetts in a 2009 issue, and Niche has ranked Commonwealth as the second-best private high school in the state in 2024, as well as the eighth-best private high school in the entire country. A significant portion of the senior class

1968-454: A topic of his choice, and his books are on display in the school library alongside those of Commonwealth alumni . Merrill insisted that the school has only one rule: "No rollerskating in the halls,"—an exhortation that students should not "act like a damn fool, but think about your actions and how they affect others." While the school keeps a student handbook, this has prevailed as the school's only official rule since its foundation and embodies

2050-567: A typical upright or "safety" bicycle , has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design . These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for many types of cycling. In the 21st century, electric bicycles have become popular. The bicycle's invention has had an enormous effect on society, both in terms of culture and of advancing modern industrial methods. Several components that played

2132-511: A wheelset, especially in the context of ready-built "off the shelf", performance-oriented wheels. Tires vary enormously depending on their intended purpose. Road bicycles use tires 18 to 25 millimeters wide, most often completely smooth, or slick , and inflated to high pressure to roll fast on smooth surfaces. Off-road tires are usually between 38 and 64 mm (1.5 and 2.5 in) wide, and have treads for gripping in muddy conditions or metal studs for ice. Groupset generally refers to all of

2214-505: Is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via Bowden cables or hydraulic lines to the friction pads, which apply pressure to the braking surface, causing friction which slows the bicycle down. A rear hub brake may be either hand-operated or pedal-actuated, as in the back pedal coaster brakes which were popular in North America until the 1960s. Track bicycles do not have brakes, because all riders ride in

2296-410: Is derived directly from the official Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its namesake Commonwealth Avenue that stretches across downtown Boston, which the school resides on. Merrill encouraged Commonwealth students to be "decent, socially responsible, generous people," actively engaged in public affairs. For some decades after his retirement, Merrill returned to the school once a year to give a speech on

2378-445: Is especially important on recumbent bicycles, since while an upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot. Basic mountain bicycles and hybrids usually have front suspension only, whilst more sophisticated ones also have rear suspension. Road bicycles tend to have no suspension. The wheel axle fits into fork ends in the frame and fork. A pair of wheels may be called

2460-487: Is next to many restaurants and shops along Newbury Street and Boylston Street, and is a quick walk away from the Public Garden . The average class contains 12 students, with each grade typically containing upwards of 30 students. Each student is paired with an advisor at the school and meets weekly, and the school offers additional social and emotional support through in-house professional counseling. Students are

2542-692: Is not officially a " feeder school ," many of its students enroll in prestigious colleges and/or universities after graduating. Popular college choices among graduates from the past ten years include Brown , Bryn Mawr , the University of Chicago , Columbia , Cornell , Harvard , Haverford , Johns Hopkins , New York University , Northeastern , Northwestern , Princeton , Smith , Tufts , UMass Amherst , Wesleyan , and Yale . Commonwealth holds an assembly every Thursday. Speakers have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Ted Sorensen , literature critic James Wood , author Claire Messud , Michael Kelly of

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2624-481: Is now known as Springfield Commonwealth Academy. 42°21′16.14″N 71°04′42.43″W  /  42.3544833°N 71.0784528°W  / 42.3544833; -71.0784528 Niche (company) Niche.com , formerly known as College Prowler , is an American company headquartered in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , that runs a ranking and review site . The company was founded by Luke Skurman in 2002 as

2706-558: Is recognized each year by the National Merit Scholarship Program . From 2012 to 2016, 16% of students were recognized as Finalists, 20% as Semifinalists, and 43% as Commended Students. In that same period 28 students were named as AP National Scholars, 111 as Scholars with Distinction, 42 as Scholars with Honor, and 53 as Scholars by the College Board . As of 2024, the average SAT composite score

2788-471: Is the most efficient human-powered means of transportation in terms of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance. From a mechanical viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into the pedals is transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms may reduce this by 10–15%. In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also an efficient means of cargo transportation. A human traveling on

2870-662: The Atlantic , Harvard Law professors Charles Fried and Lani Guinier , author Samantha Power , Harvard stem cell biologist Douglas Melton , philosopher and bioethicist Frances Kamm, poet Louise Glück , former ambassadors Peter W. Galbraith and Charles Stith , Mary Beth Cahill , American feminist and civil rights activist Peggy McIntosh , free software pioneer Richard Stallman , Congressman Barney Frank , Senator Elizabeth Warren , Boston mayor Michelle Wu , former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop , Boston city councilor Tito Jackson and various musical groups. Students petition

2952-652: The Giro d'Italia , the Tour de France , the Vuelta a España , the Tour de Pologne , and the Volta a Portugal . They are also used for entertainment and pleasure in other ways, such as in organised mass rides, artistic cycling and freestyle BMX . The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception. These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for

3034-947: The Honda Super Cub motorcycle, has more than 100 million units made, while most produced car, the Toyota Corolla , has reached 44 million and counting. Bicycles are used for transportation, bicycle commuting , and utility cycling . They are also used professionally by mail carriers , paramedics , police , messengers , and general delivery services. Military uses of bicycles include communications , reconnaissance , troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol, such as in bicycle infantries . They are also used for recreational purposes, including bicycle touring , mountain biking , physical fitness , and play . Bicycle sports include racing , BMX racing , track racing , criterium , roller racing , sportives and time trials . Major multi-stage professional events are

3116-459: The STEM and humanities fields, as well as creative expression and arts. It does not emphasize athletics and sports as much, though doing a sport or other form of physical exercise is required for the fall and winter semesters. Due to the small physical size of the school building, it is unable to host any recreational athletic facilities, instead using the "Cafegymnatorium" in the lower level, next to

3198-503: The World Fair and was produced in a few thousand units. In the 1870s many cycling clubs flourished. They were popular in a time when there were no cars on the market and the principal mode of transportation was horse-drawn vehicles , such the horse and buggy or the horsecar . Among the earliest clubs was The Bicycle Touring Club , which has operated since 1878. By the turn of the century, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of

3280-407: The seat further back. This, in turn, required gearing—effected in a variety of ways—to efficiently use pedal power. Having to both pedal and steer via the front wheel remained a problem. Englishman J.K. Starley (nephew of James Starley), J.H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem by introducing the chain drive (originated by the unsuccessful "bicyclette" of Englishman Henry Lawson), connecting

3362-522: The seat tube was added which created the modern bike's double-triangle diamond frame . Further innovations increased comfort and ushered in a second bicycle craze , the 1890s Golden Age of Bicycles . In 1888, Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop introduced the first practical pneumatic tire, which soon became universal. Willie Hume demonstrated the supremacy of Dunlop's tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first-ever races in Ireland and then England. Soon after,

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3444-443: The 1970s, curve gently back toward the rider, offering a natural grip and comfortable upright position. Drop handlebars "drop" as they curve forward and down, offering the cyclist best braking power from a more aerodynamic "crouched" position, as well as more upright positions in which the hands grip the brake lever mounts, the forward curves, or the upper flat sections for increasingly upright postures. Mountain bikes generally feature

3526-520: The Atlantic, and touring and racing became widely popular. The Raleigh Bicycle Company was founded in Nottingham, England in 1888. It became the biggest bicycle manufacturing company in the world, making over two million bikes per year. Bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of private transportation just prior to the automobile, and the grading of smooth roads in the late 19th century

3608-533: The CEO, "The original purpose was to use these groups as a way to inform students that they can access a free guide about their new college on our site." College Prowler later removed all administrative access from the 125 groups, admitting, "It was clearly over the line." Bicycle A bicycle , also called a pedal cycle , bike , push-bike or cycle , is a human-powered or motor-assisted , pedal-driven , single-track vehicle , with two wheels attached to

3690-801: The Cafegymnatorium has a singular basketball hoop and its annex has ping-pong tables, it is not large enough for students to exercise or play sports, and instead, the school uses local facilities in downtown Boston, such as the East Boston YMCA or Tennis & Racquet Club for student sports. Each year students participate in a competitive sport or organized exercise activity in at least two out of three seasons. Competitive sports include soccer , basketball , fencing , cross-country running , and ultimate frisbee . Exercise programs include running , fitness , sailing , squash , dance , ballroom dance , and yoga . Most recently in 2022,

3772-892: The Commonwealth Boys Varsity soccer team won the MBIL Division D Championship. Twice a year—once in September and once in May—all students and faculty take a three-day long trip to "Hancock." Originally held at founder Charles Merrill's estate in its namesake Hancock, New Hampshire , Hancock is now held at a retreat location, currently in lakeside campgrounds located in New Hampshire or Rhode Island. Students and faculty alike use Hancock as an opportunity to bond with one another and meet new people, especially during fall semester Hancock trips in September to allow

3854-576: The T . With a short walking distance, Commonwealth is directly serviced by light rail through the Green Line at Copley station (between Arlington and Hynes ) or by the Commuter Rail and Orange Line at Back Bay station . Commonwealth does not have a traditional official school campus. Instead, students treat nearby Back Bay as its campus and often visit many local attractions during free periods without classes, lunch, or after school. It

3936-497: The US. During its rebranding process, Niche expanded its coverage to include K-12 schools as well as neighborhoods under their "places to live" category. In addition to its comprehensive profiles, Niche also lists scholarships from the company and third parties. Niche functions as a two-sided platform with free access for prospective students and over 15,000 school clients who pay for services to help them market to these users, including placing advertising and promotional material on

4018-577: The best known being the rod-driven velocipede by Scotsman Thomas McCall in 1869. In that same year, bicycle wheels with wire spokes were patented by Eugène Meyer of Paris. The French vélocipède , made of iron and wood, developed into the " penny-farthing " (historically known as an "ordinary bicycle", a retronym , since there was then no other kind). It featured a tubular steel frame on which were mounted wire-spoked wheels with solid rubber tires. These bicycles were difficult to ride due to their high seat and poor weight distribution . In 1868 Rowley Turner,

4100-447: The bicycle with an aerodynamic fairing . The fastest recorded unpaced speed on a flat surface is 144.18 km/h (89.59 mph). In addition, the carbon dioxide generated in the production and transportation of the food required by the bicyclist, per mile traveled, is less than 1 ⁄ 10 that generated by energy efficient motorcars. The great majority of modern bicycles have a frame with upright seating that looks much like

4182-405: The bicycle. Short-wheelbase or tall bicycles, when braking, can generate enough stopping force at the front wheel to flip longitudinally. The act of purposefully using this force to lift the rear wheel and balance on the front without tipping over is a trick known as a stoppie , endo, or front wheelie. The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms. The bicycle

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4264-569: The buses to and from Hancock, clean the campground, and host activities and traditions. In recent years, a "Klondike Bar Challenge" tradition has been introduced to challenge students and faculty to absurdist tasks for a reward, asking " What would you do for a Klondike bar? " Each day includes "Recess," when all students and faculty gather in the school's multi-purpose "Cafegymnatorium" for a snack and to hear announcements. Anyone—student or teacher—is invited to make an announcement. Students typically announce clubs or important announcements pertaining to

4346-413: The early 1860s, Frenchmen Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement took bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical crank drive with pedals on an enlarged front wheel (the velocipede ). This was the first in mass production. Another French inventor named Douglas Grasso had a failed prototype of Pierre Lallement's bicycle several years earlier. Several inventions followed using rear-wheel drive,

4428-406: The first chain-driven bike. These upright bicycles almost always feature the diamond frame , a truss consisting of two triangles: the front triangle and the rear triangle. The front triangle consists of the head tube, top tube, down tube, and seat tube. The head tube contains the headset , the set of bearings that allows the fork to turn smoothly for steering and balance. The top tube connects

4510-595: The first to the fifth floor. This event happens twice a year. There are several student-run publications at Commonwealth. They include: The school produces CM , a twice-yearly magazine for alumni/ae and parents. In June 2016, the Boston Globe reported that Commonwealth School sued Commonwealth Academy, a high school in Springfield, Massachusetts , over the use of the name "Commonwealth". It had trademarked "Commonwealth School" in 2012. The Springfield school

4592-496: The frame-mounted cranks to the rear wheel. These models were known as safety bicycles , dwarf safeties, or upright bicycles for their lower seat height and better weight distribution, although without pneumatic tires the ride of the smaller-wheeled bicycle would be much rougher than that of the larger-wheeled variety. Starley's 1885 Rover , manufactured in Coventry is usually described as the first recognizably modern bicycle. Soon

4674-446: The front to select the chainring and another at the back to select the sprocket. Most bikes have two or three chainrings, and from 5 to 11 sprockets on the back, with the number of theoretical gears calculated by multiplying front by back. In reality, many gears overlap or require the chain to run diagonally, so the number of usable gears is fewer. An alternative to chaindrive is to use a synchronous belt. These are toothed and work much

4756-560: The head of school to invite speakers they would like to hear. Special assemblies are held for Thanksgiving and on the day before winter vacation. It is tradition to sing " Bringing in the Sheaves " (by Shaw and Minor) every Thanksgiving assembly, and for students and teachers to recite poems at the Winter Holiday assembly. Other assemblies highlight students' work on independent projects, fiction writing, music, and theater. While

4838-410: The head tube to the seat tube at the top, and the down tube connects the head tube to the bottom bracket . The rear triangle consists of the seat tube and paired chain stays and seat stays. The chain stays run parallel to the chain , connecting the bottom bracket to the rear dropout , where the axle for the rear wheel is held. The seat stays connect the top of the seat tube (at or near the same point as

4920-428: The incoming freshman class to interact with other students. Each day, students and faculty host varied activities, such as hiking, board games, boating, and sports, and common traditions hosted during Hancock include a campfire, talent show, school-wide dance, and movie night. With the school's commitment to student engagement, students primarily take responsibility and volunteer to create meals with crews each day, load

5002-404: The kitchen, for all-school gatherings and meetings. All non-art classes at Commonwealth are either Honors-level or Advanced Placement -level (or an equivalent). Students are required to take the following courses at minimum: Ninth-graders are required to take a ninth-grade seminar and a City of Boston class during their foundational first year, eventually receiving all final grades at the end of

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5084-402: The mechanism is contained within the wheel hub, or disc brakes, where pads act on a rotor attached to the hub. Most road bicycles use rim brakes, but some use disc brakes. Disc brakes are more common for mountain bikes, tandems and recumbent bicycles than on other types of bicycles, due to their increased power, coupled with an increased weight and complexity. With hand-operated brakes, force

5166-418: The new business model, the bulk of revenue then came from partners who helped schools market and advertised to potential students. In 2018, Niche raised a $ 6.6 million (equivalent to about $ 8M in 2023) Series B funding round led by Allen & Company and Grit Capital Partners. The company also added Paul Palmieri , General Partner of Grit Capital Partners, to its board of directors. In 2020, Niche raised

5248-543: The older practice of riding horse sidesaddle . Another style is the recumbent bicycle . These are inherently more aerodynamic than upright versions, as the rider may lean back onto a support and operate pedals that are on about the same level as the seat. The world's fastest bicycle is a recumbent bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the Union Cycliste Internationale . Historically, materials used in bicycles have followed

5330-424: The overall weight of the bicycle. A recumbent bicycle has a reclined chair-like seat that some riders find more comfortable than a saddle, especially riders who suffer from certain types of seat, back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain. Recumbent bicycles may have either under-seat or over-seat steering . Bicycle brakes may be rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the wheel rims; hub brakes, where

5412-490: The primary frame with glued metal connections and parts, priced as exotic models. The drivetrain begins with pedals which rotate the cranks , which are held in axis by the bottom bracket. Most bicycles use a chain to transmit power to the rear wheel. A very small number of bicycles use a shaft drive to transmit power, or special belts. Hydraulic bicycle transmissions have been built, but they are currently inefficient and complex. Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over

5494-424: The primary organizers of clubs and all-school events, and are expected to dedicate considerable time to community service and studying under the advisory of a professional mentor each year. In addition to various affinity groups , some student-run clubs include Chess , Go , Model UN , Debate Team , Dungeons & Dragons , Engineering , Environmental Club, Math Team, and Quiz Bowl . There are no requirements for

5576-530: The rear freewheel was developed, enabling the rider to coast. This refinement led to the 1890s invention of coaster brakes . Dérailleur gears and hand-operated Bowden cable -pull brakes were also developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders. The Svea Velocipede with vertical pedal arrangement and locking hubs was introduced in 1892 by the Swedish engineers Fredrik Ljungström and Birger Ljungström . It attracted attention at

5658-466: The rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress. While some women's bicycles continue to use this frame style, there is also a variation, the mixte , which splits the top tube laterally into two thinner top tubes that bypass the seat tube on each side and connect to the rear fork ends. The ease of stepping through is also appreciated by those with limited flexibility or other joint problems. Because of its persistent image as

5740-402: The same as a chain—popular with commuters and long distance cyclists they require little maintenance. They cannot be shifted across a cassette of sprockets, and are used either as single speed or with a hub gear. Different gears and ranges of gears are appropriate for different people and styles of cycling. Multi-speed bicycles allow gear selection to suit the circumstances: a cyclist could use

5822-416: The same direction around a track which does not necessitate sharp deceleration. Track riders are still able to slow down because all track bicycles are fixed-gear, meaning that there is no freewheel. Without a freewheel, coasting is impossible, so when the rear wheel is moving, the cranks are moving. To slow down, the rider applies resistance to the pedals, acting as a braking system which can be as effective as

5904-428: The school's core value of student engagement and responsibility. Merrill retired in 1981, and his memoir of the first 23 years of the school's history and his experience as headmaster, The Walled Garden , was published the following year. There have been six heads of school: Commonwealth is commonly compared to a liberal arts college or university in its curriculum. It places a strong emphasis on academics, both in

5986-604: The seat, their weight directed down onto the saddle, such that a wider and more cushioned saddle is preferable. For racing bikes where the rider is bent over, weight is more evenly distributed between the handlebars and saddle, the hips are flexed, and a narrower and harder saddle is more efficient. Differing saddle designs exist for male and female cyclists, accommodating the genders' differing anatomies and sit bone width measurements, although bikes typically are sold with saddles most appropriate for men. Suspension seat posts and seat springs provide comfort by absorbing shock but can add to

6068-483: The site. Niche also offers access to its data for a cost to other parties such as real estate companies, which has raised concerns that this linkage might reinforce neighborhood disparities based on ethnicity and income. In a 2008 scandal known as "Facebookgate", hundreds of spurious "Class of 2013" groups were created on Facebook for the purpose of promoting College Prowler. Such groups would normally be created by actual students or colleges themselves. According to

6150-410: The student body during this time so everyone can attend a club meeting during lunchtime. Tuesday recess is longer, with its first portion dedicated to "Class Meetings," where students are divided by grade levels to have meetings with their class and get important updates pertaining to their specific grade. Another tradition is "passing the clay," where all students take part in passing boxes of clay from

6232-456: The terms still vary across the world. In India, for example, a cycle refers only to a two-wheeler using pedal power whereas the term bike is used to describe a two-wheeler using internal combustion engine or electric motors as a source of motive power instead of motorcycle/motorbike. The " dandy horse ", also called Draisienne or Laufmaschine ("running machine"), was the first human means of transport to use only two wheels in tandem and

6314-446: The top tube) to the rear fork ends. Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower standover height at the expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending. This design, referred to as a step-through frame or as an open frame , allows

6396-407: The wheels. This steering is usually provided by the rider, but under certain conditions may be provided by the bicycle itself. The combined center of mass of a bicycle and its rider must lean into a turn to successfully navigate it. This lean is induced by a method known as countersteering , which can be performed by the rider turning the handlebars directly with the hands or indirectly by leaning

6478-922: The year as Pass/Fail. Students typically are placed into appropriate levels for mathematics and language courses and follow linear tracks for art, history, and science courses. Students can choose to take additional elective courses beginning in their sophomore year, with the available electives varying each year. Electives offered traditionally include courses discussing European History , economics , psychology , neuroscience , Bible history , art history , computer science , materials science , and advanced mathematics. Available language classes include French , Spanish , Latin , and Mandarin , and available arts courses include photography , ceramics , drawing and painting , life drawing , chorus/chorale, jazz band , orchestra , and acting . Students traditionally supplement courses that aren't offered officially through student-run clubs. Commonwealth describes itself as having

6560-743: Was 1520. Commonwealth had a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search in 2011, 2012, and 2013, the only Massachusetts school to do so. Commonwealth is additionally the only Massachusetts school to receive a grant from the Malone Scholars program of the Malone Family Foundation , which independently identifies top-level schools to receive an endowment. "Once endowed, the schools are empowered to perpetually fund scholarships to motivated top students based on merit and financial need." While Commonwealth

6642-695: Was invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais . It is regarded as the first bicycle and von Drais is seen as the "father of the bicycle", but it did not have pedals. Von Drais introduced it to the public in Mannheim in 1817 and in Paris in 1818. Its rider sat astride a wooden frame supported by two in-line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his or her feet while steering the front wheel. The first mechanically propelled, two-wheeled vehicle may have been built by Kirkpatrick MacMillan ,

6724-514: Was stimulated by the widespread advertising, production, and use of these devices. More than 1 billion bicycles have been manufactured worldwide as of the early 21st century. Bicycles are the most common vehicle of any kind in the world, and the most numerous model of any kind of vehicle, whether human-powered or motor vehicle , is the Chinese Flying Pigeon , with numbers exceeding 500 million. The next most numerous vehicle,

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