Choose the bike you will actually ride.
There is no point in buying a super-slick road bike if you never feel the desire to climb on it. At the end of the day, after doing your homework, you see a bike that seems to meet your needs and speaks to you, buy it! You likely won’t want to trade enjoyment for technology or efficiency if that is not important to you.
Types of Bikes
• Road Bikes
• Mountain Bikes
• Hybrid Bikes
• Cruisers
• Comfort Bikes
• Other
• Road Bikes
A road bike will typically look like the “ten speed” of old. It will likely be equipped with dropped bars and 18 to 33 gears. They will have thin tires, capable of great efficiency and speed. They have a large diameter referred to as 700c, which is similar to the 27 inch wheels of old ten-speed bikes. They are best for the recreational or sport rider who wants to ride on the road over a reasonably long distance or at speed or want to ride in a long-distance tour. Road bikes can be found in different styles, including racing bikes, touring bikes, and others. Road bikes can be bought from $500 to $10,000 and up. The multiple handlebar positons of the road bike offers a great deal of efficiency. Keep in mind that 80% of a riders effort goes into pushing the wind out of the way. Riding position can greatly influence that.
• Mountain Bikes
A mountain bike will likely be equipped with 21 to 30 gears. Typically a mountain bike is capable of rougher terrain than its multi-speed cousin, the road bike. By comparison, a mountain bike has lower gearing and fatter tires with heavier tread, which are often smaller in diameter than a road bike. Most mountain wheels are 26 inches, but some are now available in 29 inch varieties. They usually have flat handlebars offering more stability than a road bike, with a slightly more upright riding position. Mountain bikes come in a wide variety of styles and price points, not all of which are capable of rough riding. Mountain bikes come in suspended and non-suspended varieties. Mountain bikes can be found from $200 to $10,000 and up.
Mountain bikes can be found with or without front suspesnsion. Some are suspended in the rear.
A $200 mountain bike is not very capable of trail riding on very rough terrain, nor will it handle a great deal of punishment. Typically, cheap mountain bikes have been used for recreational riding before comfort bikes were available.
• Hybrid Bikes
A hybrid bike attempts to bridge the gap between road and mountain bikes. The wheels will
often be the same diameter as a road bike, but have a medium width tire. They also have the flat handlebars of a mountain bikes. They will often have wide range gearing with 21 to 30 speeds. Hybrids can be found from $200 to $1,000 generally. Some peopel use them for recreational riding, but others choose to use hybrids in place of road bikes for longer tours.
• Cruisers
A cruiser may look a lot like the bikes a kid rode in the 1950’s or a modernized version of these
retro bikes. Typically, they will be a single speed with a coaster brake, but may also have thee to eight speeds with coaster or hand brakes. They are also characterized by a very upright seating position and wide saddle. They are a heavier bike not capable of great efficiency, but can have an enjoyable ride allowing the rider to take in the scenery. Usually they are best suited for flat pavement and may come with fenders and racks. Cruisers can be found from $250 to $700 generally.
• Comfort Bikes
Comfort bikes are the newest and most diversified category of bikes. They are often like upright mountain bikes, with smoother tires. They may have many gears or may have three. Often they have gear systems built into the rear hub, which makes them simple to use and maintenance free. They have an upright riding position much like that of a cruiser and may have a wider saddle than a mountain bike. They are likely capable of higher performance and speed than a cruiser. They may have suspensions or other types of shock absorbing systems, which will add cost to the bike. They will be built in a wide-variety of price points and styles. Comfort bikes can be found from $300 to $1,000 generally, maybe less.
• Other
There are also other types of bikes, which are often variations on the hybrid and comfort bikes. They may go by urban bikes, bike path bikes and other names given them by their respective manufacturer.
• One of Each?
There is no point in buying a super-slick road bike if you never feel the desire to climb on it. At the end of the day, after doing your homework, you see a bike that seems to meet your needs and speaks to you, buy it! You likely won’t want to trade enjoyment for technology or efficiency if that is not important to you.
Types of Bikes
• Road Bikes
• Mountain Bikes
• Hybrid Bikes
• Cruisers
• Comfort Bikes
• Other
• Road Bikes
A road bike will typically look like the “ten speed” of old. It will likely be equipped with dropped bars and 18 to 33 gears. They will have thin tires, capable of great efficiency and speed. They have a large diameter referred to as 700c, which is similar to the 27 inch wheels of old ten-speed bikes. They are best for the recreational or sport rider who wants to ride on the road over a reasonably long distance or at speed or want to ride in a long-distance tour. Road bikes can be found in different styles, including racing bikes, touring bikes, and others. Road bikes can be bought from $500 to $10,000 and up. The multiple handlebar positons of the road bike offers a great deal of efficiency. Keep in mind that 80% of a riders effort goes into pushing the wind out of the way. Riding position can greatly influence that.
• Mountain Bikes
A mountain bike will likely be equipped with 21 to 30 gears. Typically a mountain bike is capable of rougher terrain than its multi-speed cousin, the road bike. By comparison, a mountain bike has lower gearing and fatter tires with heavier tread, which are often smaller in diameter than a road bike. Most mountain wheels are 26 inches, but some are now available in 29 inch varieties. They usually have flat handlebars offering more stability than a road bike, with a slightly more upright riding position. Mountain bikes come in a wide variety of styles and price points, not all of which are capable of rough riding. Mountain bikes come in suspended and non-suspended varieties. Mountain bikes can be found from $200 to $10,000 and up.
Mountain bikes can be found with or without front suspesnsion. Some are suspended in the rear.
A $200 mountain bike is not very capable of trail riding on very rough terrain, nor will it handle a great deal of punishment. Typically, cheap mountain bikes have been used for recreational riding before comfort bikes were available.
• Hybrid Bikes
A hybrid bike attempts to bridge the gap between road and mountain bikes. The wheels will
often be the same diameter as a road bike, but have a medium width tire. They also have the flat handlebars of a mountain bikes. They will often have wide range gearing with 21 to 30 speeds. Hybrids can be found from $200 to $1,000 generally. Some peopel use them for recreational riding, but others choose to use hybrids in place of road bikes for longer tours.• Cruisers
A cruiser may look a lot like the bikes a kid rode in the 1950’s or a modernized version of these
retro bikes. Typically, they will be a single speed with a coaster brake, but may also have thee to eight speeds with coaster or hand brakes. They are also characterized by a very upright seating position and wide saddle. They are a heavier bike not capable of great efficiency, but can have an enjoyable ride allowing the rider to take in the scenery. Usually they are best suited for flat pavement and may come with fenders and racks. Cruisers can be found from $250 to $700 generally.• Comfort Bikes
Comfort bikes are the newest and most diversified category of bikes. They are often like upright mountain bikes, with smoother tires. They may have many gears or may have three. Often they have gear systems built into the rear hub, which makes them simple to use and maintenance free. They have an upright riding position much like that of a cruiser and may have a wider saddle than a mountain bike. They are likely capable of higher performance and speed than a cruiser. They may have suspensions or other types of shock absorbing systems, which will add cost to the bike. They will be built in a wide-variety of price points and styles. Comfort bikes can be found from $300 to $1,000 generally, maybe less.
• Other
There are also other types of bikes, which are often variations on the hybrid and comfort bikes. They may go by urban bikes, bike path bikes and other names given them by their respective manufacturer.
• One of Each?
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