In order to choose the best bicycle for yourself, ask yourself how often you plan to ride, how much you’re willing to invest, and what you’ll use your bike for. Be aware of the different types and kinds of bicycles available today, each with unique styles, features and form. Here is a comprehensive list of types of bicycles on the market.
Road Bikes
Road bikes are bicycles designed to take you as far as your legs can manage and are used for riding on paved streets and going fast. They are uncomfortable and unstable on unpaved trails. A road bike tends to be used for transportation, whether it be around town or a college campus. They have smooth, skinny tires and drop handlebars, and can be used for on-road racing. Road bicycles are also commonly seen as forms of recreation. One reason they’ve become so popular is the rising energy crisis.
Road bikes offer a cheap, easy way to get around relatively short distances, as well as a ride that can be as relaxing or as exhilarating as the rider desires. Many road bikes are designed with young people in mind so that they can be easily maintained and operated. Some people use bikes as an alternative to treadmills, running machines, or other exercise equipment.
Road bikes usually fall into three categories. They are:
Mountain Bikes
Mountain bikes or ATBs (all-terrain bikes) are designed for off road riding and are great for use on paved and crushed stone trails, hills, and ravines. They are also popular for use on roads. Mountain Biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and mountain biking enthusiasts are found all over the globe. Mountain biking is considered a fun, healthy and rewarding pastime or hobby.
Mountain bikes have wide tires, a “flat” handlebar, and direct-pull or disc brakes. Frames are often built of aluminum so they are lightweight and stiff, making them efficient to ride. The fork has a suspension or shock-absorbing feature to reduce hand and arm fatigue.
BMX Bicycles
BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross and the bicycling sport is based on motocross motorcycle racing. The sport is generally thought to have started in the late 1960s. Schwinn was accredited for making the first BMX style bike which was called a Sting Ray. By the mid 1970s, many bicycle manufacturers recognized the growing popularity of the sport and started building bikes specifically for young bmxers.
BMX bikes come in many different sizes so that a diverse range of people can enjoy them. Riding can continue well into adulthood.
BMX bikes are used on dirt tracks for racing, in extreme games on ramps, and half pipes, and most widely used for recreational purposes.
Beach Cruisers
Beach cruiser bicycles, also known as a cruiser bicycle or motobike, can be considered an “old school” or a “vintage” style of bicycle since their history dates back to the 1930’s. This type of bicycle usually combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drive train, and straightforward steel construction with elaborate styling.
Cruiser bikes are ideal for both city riding and some light trail excursions. They are recommend for low-speed, low-impact rides on both dirt paths and paved bike lanes. The average beach cruiser speed ranges between 3 and 15 miles per hour, or slightly more. They were designed to be slow. Cruisers don’t get damaged easily like bikes using aluminum frames and carbon steel.
Recumbents
Recumbent bicycles or “Bents” as they are often called in the US and Canada, are sit-down bikes, pedaled with the cyclist’s feet out in front. Cyclists ride in a semi-reclined or recumbent position as opposed to the usual upright position of traditional bikes. Recumbent s are a pleasure to ride. You sit slightly reclined in a normal sitting position, back fully supported, arms relaxed, and neck straight. This is different from the contorted riding position on diamond frame bikes.
A recumbent bike allows you to exercise your thighs, calves, and glute muscles with less strain.
Hybrids
Hybrids are an ideal bicycle for riding at high speeds on asphalt streets and tackling some rugged off-road trails, gravel, dirt streets, and other surfaces. They are a mix of a road bike and a mountain bike. Hybrid bicycles are not advisable if being used for riding over mountain tracks or extreme off-road paths. They are dependable if you ride on dirt roads and gravel roads.
A hybrid bicycle has large padded seats and upright handlebars and provide a comfortable riding position. They are best for casual bike riding around the neighborhood or on bike paths. These bicycles are excellent for short-distance commuting, and running errands around town.
Electric Bicycles
Electric bicycles or e-bikes are similar to traditional bicycles but with the addition of an electric motor, battery, and controls to add a power assist when riding. Some models require the rider to pedal for the electric power assist to be available in a process called pedelec systems.
Many e-bikes use rechargeable batteries that can travel up to 15.5 miles per hour to as much as 28 miles per hour, faster than most people could cycle. This allows a bicyclist to get to their destination quicker.