Cycles Guide There are as many types of bikes as there are places to climb and ride on terrain. The three larger and broader categories biking, road bikes and leisure bikes. Like virtually all other aspects of cycling, the three categories are divided into several sub-categories. There are city bikes and comfort bikes. There are hybrids and BMX bikes. And there are bikes that transcend the categories to create their own niche.
The best bikes are designed with one goal in mind. Every detail and every component is at the highest level to perform a single function. These bikes best fit in the main categories, in particular the road or mountain bike. A typical road bike is designed to be ridden on the road. It is made for the smooth road and long distances. Your typical mountain bike is designed to be mounted exclusively off-road. It is optimized for a varied terrain and inclines / declines and adapted to slightly lower speeds and shorter distances. From there, you get into more specialized machinery (eg the time trial road bikes and downhill mountain biking).
Road Bikes
The bike "Road" is generally used to describe a "bicycle road race, or a bike designed for mounting on the road at high speed over long distances, with some additional features. A more general and perhaps more precise definition of a road bike is a bicycle that is designed primarily for mounting on the road, regardless of the composition of the bike itself. For our purposes, we use the definition of retail industry, a road bike, being primarily a road racing bike. When you see an advertisement for a road bike, you see a bicycle typically built around 700c wheels with brake calipers and thin double pivot. It will drop bars with brake levers and aerodynamically designed to be a fairly aerodynamic, lying down, on horseback, as the type of bike you will see the Tour de France or your local road race.
ATV
The type of bike designed to be mounted off-road is called a mountain bike. These bikes usually have 26-inch wheels, a flat handlebars, wide tires and gnarled, and lower gearing for off-road use. Most mountain bikes built today have aluminum alloy frame, front suspension fork, 9-speed rear cassette and three plates in front. They have either disc brakes or linear pull V-type, brakes. Again, there are variations to all characteristics of an ATV, but it is a good general description of what you will see advertising as a mountain bike.
bike commuter
In ultra-green today, the ultra-active society, people seek ways to more to help the environment and live more healthily. Using a bicycle for transportation is an excellent way to achieve these goals and win big money while doing it. typical bike commuter are designed for various qualities ride and handling in city traffic. Although many styles of bikes will do, they should all have certain key characteristics: Fender-capacity in case of inclement weather, safety lights, good driving position for comfort and speed, the tires for adequate potential bad roads and trails off-road and cargo space to carry the essentials.
fixed gear / track / SS
"Bicycle trail" have become synonymous with fixed gear and occasionally rises to a speed. This has become one of the most common misnomers in cycling today. All true track bikes are designed to be mounted on the velodrome. They are designed without brakes, permits extremely tight, vertical angles and slopes, lower bracket, and a single, fixed gear. A gear "fixed" bike can be built using any type of framework , one shelf and a single, rack mounted on the rear hub. It may be a mountain bike, a bike commuter, a road bike or any kind of vintage bikes. The only restriction is that it has to a fixed gear. A single speed "is just that: a bike with one gear. An SS is usually a bik.
Posted on February 19, 2010.
