You walk into the store and the seller begins to shower you with questions of the type:
Do you want a full suspension bike or do you have enough hard tail?
I have you here a wonderful trekking bike, and if you really want I can show you a city bike, ... and so on.
In order not to look like calves that have no idea what this "experienced" and "expert" salesman is talking about,
we bring you a brief categorization of today's bikes.
Although at first glance it seems that choosing a bike is not any special wisdom, many from the shops,
instead of with a new bike, they come back pretty confused. Bicycles as in the story, of various sizes, types, shapes,
prices, not to mention.
To help yourself choose a quality bike, which will fully meet your requirements and
needs, it is very important that you respond to several
simple questions:
– Why am I buying a bike? Because I want to improve my fitness? I want to try my hand at competitions? My bike is
needed to get to work as quickly and cheaply as possible?
– How am I going to use my bike? I'm going to drive mostly on the tarmac? I'm going to drive mostly on a gravel road? I'll drive
in all kinds of terrains? I plan to drive in the long run?
– How often and how far? Every day? More than once a week? A couple of times a month? A few miles?
Hundreds of miles?
In order for the decision not to be super difficult in the following passages, read the interesting facts about the different types of bicycles.
City bike
The city bike, as its name suggests, is intended for easy city riding. His
construction ensures maximum driving comfort, and has all the accessories, such as
fenders, lights, the possibility of adding a bisague or a child seat, making it an ideal transport
means between house and work or doing small business around the city.
Cyclocross
Cyclocross bikes are a kind of hybrid of road and mountain bikes. They are lightweight, with wheels of larger diameter and slightly thicker tires. In addition to being useful on the road, such a construction allows them to master slightly less demanding natural terrains, such as macadams, meadows or field paths.
They are used in popular so-called cyclocross races, in which parts of riding and getting off the bike and carrying on the shoulder alternate. Gravel bikes are increasingly popular, which with their construction and geometry are closer to MTB bikes than cyclocross bicycles.
Trekking
Trekking bike is another type of hybrid by which we can take the road or, if desired, turn to some gravel road into nature. Larger wheels but thinner tyres serve both types of terrain well, and can also be equipped with fenders, lights and other accessories. They are ideal for easy rides and excursions.
Road bike
The road bike is suitable for driving on the road. Its main feature is low weight and aerodynamic shape, the wheels are of large diameter with thin tires, all in order to achieve as high a speed as possible. The components of higher-quality models are often made of carbon fiber, which is distinguished by maximum lightness and durability. As a rule, such bicycles are more susceptible to rough surfaces and large loads.
In this group of bicycles still belong chronometerically, which are used in races in which it is necessary to take a stage in the fastest possible time, and similar, triathlon, which have a special accessory on the steering wheel that allows the driver to rely on the entire forearm for the purpose of better aerodynamics .
Mountain bike – MTB
It has a firmer, more robust construction and is specially equipped to resist rough terrain and frequent blows. It consists of thicker, "rip" tires, in order to fit as closely as possible to the base and a wide steering wheel, which ensures better stability and coordination of movements. The so-called hardtail has a front suspension for more comfortable driving when overcoming obstacles, while the fullsuspension ("fully") variant also has a shock absorber on the back, which allows the rear wheel to walk, and helps comfort when mastering even those most demanding terrains.
E-bike
They are becoming increasingly popular, and for recreational athletes it is an excellent choice of pedelec (pedal-electric) that facilitates the climbs, but still asks the cyclist to pedal.
Final decision
Having met some of the most commonly used types of bicycles (although there are more divisions) and having answered the most important questions and selected the bike that will best serve our needs, we can head to the store.
Nevertheless, it is important to pay attention to a few more important things. The frame (shoulder) is the most important part of the bike and if it is not made well, nothing can fix this disadvantage. By adjusting the pipe, we can adjust the size of the bike somewhat. The seat tube can also adjust and affect comfort and proper driving position. It is very important to find a quality seat that suits our anatomy, so that comfort remains at a high level throughout the ride.
