Racing/Road bikes: Aerodynamic, fast, and light, these bikes are the most common road warriors. They have thin tires and lighter frames, and usually aren’t made to carry extra weight. Components are built for speed on a variety of geography, from big hills to long flats. Cross bikes: These have wider tires and a sturdier frame, and are built for a variety of terrains, from city roads to bike paths and light trails. They are usually built to handle some weight, so they work well for commutes to work or the store and on short-range trips. Touring bikes: Made for long, self-contained trips, these bikes are sturdy, no-frills bikes that can take a beating and hold a lot of weight. Because of this, they also function well as commuter or city bikes. Triathlon/Time-Trial Bikes: Build for speed, these expensive beasts are light as a feather and have special handlebars that let you lean down for minimum wind resistance.
Seat Tube: This is the vertical bar between your seat and the pedals. It is measured to the center of the crankshaft, which is the circular disk that your pedals attach to. Top Tube: This is the horizontal bar between your seat and the handlebars. It affects your “reach” towards the handlebars. Head Tube: This is the small vertical area on the front of your bike, measured between from where it begins to fork around your front wheel and the handlebar stem. It also affects your “reach” to the handlebars.
The seat tube is usually, though not always, measured from the top of the tube to the center point of the crankshaft. [2] X Research source
Let you rest your hands comfortably on the handlebars. Your fingers should be free to wiggle around. Keep you elbows slightly bent, not locked or pressed up. Allow you to reach all parts of the handlebars, especially gears and brakes, easily.
Always ask to test out 3-4 brands of bikes, and try out a size above and below the one you measured for. Your personal geometry is unique, so you need a bike that fits you.
Flat handlebars are rare on road bikes, unless they are designed for cruising or casual riding. It is difficult to go long distances with flat bars. Drop bars are the classic, double C-shaped handlebars with two front-facing brakes and a variety of places to put your hands for comfort.
Panniers are bags designed specifically to clip onto a bike rack, and are essential if you are transporting a lot of goods or want to travel long distances.
Trail Bikes are great, all-purpose mountain bikes that can handle light and difficult trails as well as pavement and dirt roads quickly. All Mountain Bikes are made for hard, technical trails and serious riders. If you plan on hitting the trials, spending a little extra money will almost always be worth it for safety and comfort.
If you have a 33-inch inseam, you need a 17. 5" top tube, since:33" x . 67 = 21. 75" 21. 75" - 4" = 17. 75 Specialty bike makers Lapierre & Neil Pryde have different geometry. Multiply your inseam by . 62 instead of . 67 if you really want one of these bikes. [6] X Research source If your bike shop gives frame size by seat tube length, multiply your inseam by . 185. The number should be the distance between the top of your seat tube and the middle of the crankshaft, the circular piece attaching the pedal to the bike. [7] X Research source
Your hands should rest comfortably on the handlebars so that your fingers feel free. You want your elbows slightly bent, not locked or pressed up on the handlebars Most mountain bikers prefer their handlebars 1-2" lower than their seat height, as it lowers your center of gravity. You should be able to reach the shifter and brakes without losing your balance on a properly sized bike.
Hardtail: Another name for single suspension, these bikes only have shocks on the front wheel. They are lighter and cheaper options, and transition better to pavement riding. Full-Suspension: Made for technical, tricky trails, these bikes are heavier but far more maneuverable and useful for serious mountain bikers. [8] X Research source
29 inch: These behemoth wheels are great at rolling over rocks and roots, have provide more grip to the trail. They carry momentum well downhill, letting your go faster, but they are harder to accelerate. 27. 5 inch: A hybrid wheel, they have some of the speed of a classic 26" with the increased movement over rocks and roots found in a 29". 26 inch: The traditional wheel size, these are light and speedy wheels that still function well on the trail. Until 5-10 years ago, they were the standard mountain bike wheel. [9] X Research source
Beginner or intermediate mountain bikers might start with gentle trails that don’t require good suspension, but if you love the sport you will quickly want to move up to harder trails that require a better bike. Road riders might be fine to start with a heavier, cheaper bike, but you’ll suffer on group rides or races as you get more experienced. The frame is the most expensive part of the bike, and should be your first concern. Brakes, gears, wheels, and handlebars can all be swapped out or upgraded later. That said, good components resist wear and tear and lead to smoother riding.
Fixed Gear: Simple, light bikes made almost entirely for urban cruising, they offer you no extra gears. They are easy to maintain and ride, though they perform best on flat terrain. Cruiser: Also known as “beach bikes” or “comfort bikes,” these bikes are made for comfort, with high handlebars that let you ride almost completely upright. Hybrids: Great commuting or urban bikes, hybrids have bigger tires than road bikes but similar geometry, keeping them light and speedy while allowing you get over bumps and cracks with ease.
Online reviews are a great place to get a feel for a bike. Check out online bike blogs and magazines and see what they think of the bikes, and read customer testimonials to see if there are any persistent issues with the bike that you want to avoid.
The classic gearing for both road and mounting bikes is 3 gears in the front and 9 in the back, resulting in a 27 speed bike. ‘[13] X Research source Compact cranks are smaller, lighter gears in the front, giving you only two big chainrings to get into but cutting down on weight.
Rim Brakes come in many forms, but they all function by clamping onto the rim of your wheel and holding it in place to slow you down. There are two big pads on either side of both wheel the squeeze when you let go. They are cheaper and easier to fix and maintain than discs. Disc breaks rely on a separate steel disc attached to your wheel that the brakes grab in order to slow down the entire wheel. They are often more sensitive than rim brakes, and the tight space between the breaks prevents sticks,leaves, etc. from catching on the brakes and ruining them mid-ride. They are, however, harder to manage and calibrate without prior knowledge.
