The first question for you to answer is what type of riding are you interested in doing. If you are pro or even an amateur you won't need this information as you are probably already know what you want to accomplish and are familiar with different names and models.
There are many different types of rider. One is the casual rider, or weekend rider, which means you ride a couple of times a month, usually on bike paths or other smooth surfaces. Another type is the person who rides to work or school, they ride most days it isn't raining, perhaps on city streets. A third type of rider is someone who would like to bike for errands, but doesn't want to spend all day doing it. Terrain covered could be varied. Finally, you could be the mountain biker, whatever the weather or terrain, you'll be out in it. Keep in mind that you may be a combination of these types.
Next we'll take a look at some different types of bikes. There is the cruiser, mountain bike, hybrid, and road bike. You're going to choose one that fits the majority of your riding.
The cruiser - This is good for the casual rider or for doing errands if you don't have real far to go. These are very comfortable to ride because the seats are usually a little lower than the handlebars and you are able to sit fairly upright. These may be a single speed but they may also be something like a three speed with the gears in the hub. Put a basket on the back fender and your ready to ride to the grocery store.
The mountain bike - One of the most popular bikes out there for some reason, they seemed to really take of in the 90's. The ironic thing is that this is one of the most uncomfortable bikes out there. But it's also the best suited for what it's built for. This type of bike is also usually s-l-o-w. I bought a mountain bike in 1999 because I "thought" that I was going to go hardcore and do the whole off-road thing. The type of riding I actually did was on bike paths and mostly paved surfaces and it was a workout to constantly keep it moving because of the very wide tires. Also the placement of the handlebars can really put a crimp in your back at the end of a long ride. On the upside it seemed like I was flying if I got on a road bike.
The hybrid - This is kind of halfway between a mountain bike and road bike, although is often confused with a mountain bike. The handlebars are mountain bikish, but are probably higher and perhaps closer to the rider so you don't have to reach so far. Also the tires are thinner and less knobby than a mountain bike, which means that you get more speed.
The road bike - If you like to go fast or have a long way to go this is the machine. Has the classic "ten-speed" look but now has more gears. The skinnier the tires the more speed, but less stable if you have to do some stretches over less than perfect roads.
We'll take a look at some more factors for buying a bike in the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment