There are just so many variations of bikes available in the market right now, that one time my friend and I when went to purchase a bike he said to me, “they should write a book for that!”. Well, I don’t know about the “books” but here is an article entitled, “what kind of bike should I get quiz?” to tell you all there is to know so that you can go bike shopping like a pro.
Bicycles! Just saying this word brings back so many memories. Riding a bike for the first time has got to be one of the main highlights of anyone’s life, one of the best skills that we learned, and technically one of the very first vehicles we owned.
Whether you are buying your very first professional bike or buying a birthday gift or a Christmas present for your kids or maybe even giving yourself a treat of “healthy life”, no matter what the occasion is you must be prepared if you want to buy the perfect bike for yourself.
There are just so many types, variations, and cycling manufacturing companies in the market that for a layman it is practically impossible to select the perfect road companion for them. Therefore, in this article, we will try our best to help you buy the bike that fits your needs and desires.
Contents
- 1 Types Of Bikes:
- 1.1 Road bikes:
- 1.2 Mountain bikes:
- 1.3 Thick Tires:
- 1.4 Suspensions:
- 1.5 Disc Brakes:
- 1.6 Fitness Hybrid:
- 1.7 Control And Stability:
- 1.8 Weight:
- 1.9 Dual Sport:
- 1.10 Comfort Hybrid:
- 1.11 What bike size do I need?
- 1.12 Finding correct saddle height:
- 1.13 Finding the correct REACH:
- 1.14 It’s all about usage:
- 1.15 Do you want to ride the bike casually and sometimes?
- 1.16 Do you want to get into a professional cycling gig?
- 1.17 Do you want to travel longer or shorter distances?
- 1.18 What kind of paths you are planning to cycle on?
Types Of Bikes:
There can a number of differences on which the bikes can be differentiated from each other but like plants when you follow the stem and roots down, there is a single seed from which the tree sprouted, just like that there are only a few basic types in which all the bikes are divided into.
Road bikes:
Road bikes are like the Porsche of the bicycle world, they are manufactured in a way that they are fast and quite comfortable for long distances. They are significantly lite weight as compared to other bikes, which makes them easier to ride and makes them achieve more speed with less effort.
Mountain bikes:
Mountain bikes, as the name suggests are meant to be ridden in rocky and uneven paths. These bikes are designed especially for harsh locations like the Rocky Mountains and woods. These bikes focus on thick tires, suspensions, and brakes.
Thick Tires:
The tires used on these kinds of bikes are really thick as compared to the road bikes, which provide a larger surface area, so that bike can grip the ground properly and protects the rider from tripping or falling.
Suspensions:
Suspensions is another main highlight of these type of bikes. When on an uneven and bumpy path, the main effort should be made to make even the bumpiest ride as comfortable as possible. Keeping this view in mind, suspensions in mountain bikes are provided not only in the front but in the back as well.
Disc Brakes:
Disc brakes are placed in the middle of the wheel and stop the bike by putting pressure on the rotor of the wheel. Disc brakes provide better brakes as compared to rim brakes, especially in sloppy locations. Therefore, these types of brakes are used in mountain bikes, which will be ridden in sloppy locations.
Fitness Hybrid:
These types of bikes are a combination of road and mountain bikes. Fitness hybrid bikes when compared to road bikes have a longer STACK and shorter REACH. In other words, hybrid bikes provide an upright position that can help you travel long distances in a more comfortable manner, but this upright position lowers the speed of the fitness hybrid bikes as compared to road bikes.
Control And Stability:
Fitness hybrid bikes have flat bars instead of a drop bar and their tires are wider just like mountain bikes. These features make the fitness hybrid bikes more control and stable as compared to the road bikes.
Weight:
Hybrid bikes are made from aluminum or steel, which makes them heavier as compared to road bikes which are made from sophisticated aluminum or high-end carbon fiber. Tires also add some weight to the final product because the tires used in hybrid bikes are much thicker as compared to the skinnier tires on road bikes.
Dual Sport:
Dual sportbike is also known as sports hybrid is like a child of a mountain bike. It has many highlight features from the mountain bike like thick tires, suspension, and disc brakes. These bikes are great for straight roads as well as uneven paths. Its flat handle style along with front suspensions provide a comfortable ride for straight long rides.
Whereas, thick tires and disc brakes provide extras safety for bumpier paths. These bikes can be purchased by professional bikers as well as casual riders.
Comfort Hybrid:
Comfort hybrid bikes focus on one goal, which is comfort. This bike’s saddle is quite wide and the foam used is quite soft and comfortable. Its STACK is really long which provides an upright position that keeps your back straight and arms stretched which is quite a comfortable position for your bones.
Another main feature of comfort bikes is the suspension seat post. This makes the bumpier ride more comfortable and saddles more shockproof. As per the foam used in the saddle, mainly soft foam types like memory foams and gel foams are used to make the ride even more comfortable.
What bike size do I need?
Now, that we have looked at different types of bikes, bow let’s talk about the size of the bike suitable for you. Like clothes and shoe bikes also come in different sizes although there are no universal standard sizes set that can be used to label the bikes.
Different companies have their own standards to label the sizes of the bikes, therefore instead of looking at the bike size charts online, you can rely on few simple measurements that will help you determine the most comfortable bike as per your height.
Finding correct saddle height:
The very first step in choosing the size of the bike is to measure the saddle height that will be comfortable for you. All you need to do is place the bike next to a wall and then get on the bike. Now while placing your hands on the handlebar and your feet on paddles. Now put one paddle in a six o’clock position, which will make your leg straight. Now, put the paddle in a normal position and see if there is a bent in the leg, if there is then this height of the saddle is perfect for you.
Finding the correct REACH:
REACH is another measurement that you should be measuring for determining which bike to choose. REACH is actually the distance from the center of the chain wheel to the center of the head tube. In order to determine the correct REACH, simply place your hands on the handle and your feet on a paddle. Now, if the angle between your hips and shoulders is 40 to 45 degrees and the angle between your torso and arms is 80 to 90 degrees then this cycle’s REACH is best for you.
(Remember that the REACH and the saddle height can be adjusted by adjusting the position of handlebars and saddle post.)
When you have determined the saddle height and REACH suitable for you then you can go on and try every bike that you like to determine whether it will be as comfortable as it looks, based on the measurements of REACH and saddle height.
It’s all about usage:
Now that we have discussed the types of bikes and how to determine the perfect size of bike for you, we can now combine this information to finally summarize the topic and make a decision. Like I said it’s all about usage, no matter how good a bike looks or it matches the measurements requirements. A bike will not be comfortable if the type is not according to your usage.
In other words, the first thing you have to consider when purchasing a bike is “what are your plans for it?” do you want to ride the bike casually and sometimes? Do you want to get into a professional cycling gig? Do you want to travel longer or shorter distances? Do you prefer speed over comfort? What kind of paths you are planning to cycle on?
Let’s try to answer all of these questions and suggest a bike for every scenario.
Do you want to ride the bike casually and sometimes?
Well, if the answer to this question is “YES” then the type of bike you should go for is the comfort hybrid bike. Comfort hybrid bikes are best for riders who like to wander around sometimes and enjoy the scenery while avoiding all the traffic hazards.
Do you want to get into a professional cycling gig?
If you are planning to get into a professional cycling gig like racing or mountain biking then you should go for road or mountain bike as per your requirement. Because these two are made, keeping professionalism in mind.
Do you want to travel longer or shorter distances?
If you want to travel long distances then you should go for either comfort or fitness hybrid, which provides an upright sitting position that is ideal for long bike rides and protects your spine and shoulder from strain.
Whereas, if you are planning to ride faster and shorter distances then road bikes are best for you. Their drop bars and longer REACH make them quite stable and fast.
What kind of paths you are planning to cycle on?
Based on the path you can choose your bike, mostly there are two types of paths, straight, bump-free paths and mountainy, uneven paths. If you are a rider of straight paths then a road bike is the best companion whereas for mountainy paths mountain and dual sport bikes are ideal.
So, to summarize the topic of, “what kind of bike should I get quiz?” always focus on your needs before buying a bike, do not go for more features and cool looks instead focus on your needs, because things like bike sizes, measurements, REACH, STACK, etc. are all adjustable but one thing you cannot adjust is the comfort level of the bike.
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