Now, you've just decided
that you can’t live without a new bike,
but you don’t know quite what to get.
This article is designed to help you by
comparing the three main styles of bikes
on the market, and offering their general
strengths and weaknesses.

The Mountain Bike:

By far the most prevalent
style of bike on the road these days. The
mountain bike combines the durability
and ruggedness of the old balloon tired
coaster bikes of yesteryear with modern
design techniques and a few ideas
borrowed from the English racer (or 10-
speed). The most noticeable features
of the mountain bike are the large, stable
tires, thick, durable frame and wide,
strait handlebars for maximum stability.
Mountain bikes also feature finger tip
controls for shifting and braking (unlike
the old coaster style brakes, which
tended to become red hot when control
descending a long, steep mountain), and
a high bottom bracket (the conjunction
at which the pedals are mounted) for
better obstacle clearance.

Mountain bike are geared
low, which offer the rider more torque
on uphill climbs. They usually have
more gears than the average road bike,
with 15, 18, and 21 speeds being quite
common.

As arule, mountain bikes are
less finicky than road bikes, but with a
multitude of gears, and caliper brakes
there is always the chance that
something can go wrong at the worst
possible moment. Always keep your
mountain bike well maintained. You
don’t want to be loosing your rear
brakes while coming down a steep hill.
Mountain bikes are designed
to go up a mountain and carry you back
down again. They usually have wider,
softer seats than a road bike, and the
frame is designed to give more than a

 

So, you want to buy a bike, eh?

road bike frame. Wide tires give the bike
more stability, as do the wide handlebars
and long wheelbase. Knobs on the
wheels give the bike more traction, but
if you are using your bike to go to work,
you might consider putting on “slicks”
which will give you a much nicer ride
on pavement.

It is easy to control a mountain
bike, but the handling is sluggish
compared to a road bike. The straight
handlebars keep the rider seated upright,
which is easier on the back, but creates
problems over long distances with the
rider unable to change positions as easily
as with the dropped handlebars of a road
bike. The seat of a mountain bike can be
adjusted quickly, allowing the rider to sit
up and back when climbing uphill, yet
quickly lower the seat for the descent,
when it is important to keep the center
of gravity as low as possible.

Remember, a mountain bike
is not built for speed. The upright posture
of the rider creates wind resistance, the
large tires cause road drag. And the
frame, though made as light as possible,
is usually heavier than a road bike frame.

The Road Bike

Also known as the English
racer or 10-speed, the road bike is the
prima donna of bikes. Finicky, delicate
and sometimes difficult to maintain, the
road bike makes up for it in performance.
It is quick and responsive compared to a
mountain bike. Thin tires reduce road
friction. The dropped handlebar keeps
the rider low and aerodynamic. A small
frame and narrow seat also help keep the
rider small to the wind, but can make for
a really sore butt if you're not used to it.

Another important feature in
the road bike is frame layout. The wheel
base of a road bike is shorter than a
mountain bike. This makes the bike
extremely responsive. It also means that
a greater effort is required to control the
bike.

_road bike has fingertip controls for

Like the mountain bike, the

shifting and braking. Road bikes are not
geared as low as mountain bikes, so they
tend to have fewer gears, usually 12.
Some road bikes have up to 21 gears,
but they are less common.

If it is important to keep a
mountain bike in good repair, it is
imperative for the road bike. The
delicate, lightweight road bike is easily
damaged, as durability is traded off for
speed and handling.

The Hybrid

As the name implies, the
hybrid is a cross between a road bike
and a mountain bike. It sports the
thicker frame and straight handlebar of
the mountain bike, but has thinner tires.
While combining some of the best
features of each, it also has some of the
weaknesses. The hybrid is not as fast as
the road bike, and it’s not recommended
you do much off roading with it.

The hybrid is also known as
a touring cycle, and that is where its
main strength lies. If you are not going
to be touring, a much better system
would be to buy a bike with quick
release wheels, and two sets of tires.
One set for off road, and one set for
highway riding. The hybrid is, in my
mind, less desirable than either a straight
mountain or road bike.

Forget the hybrid. If you
want something that can seriously haul,
and are willing ta put the effort into
maintaining it, get yourself a road bike.
If you want something that you can ride
like a sumbitch and not worry too much
about, a mountain bike is the way to go.
If you are unsure, err on the side of
conservative. Get yourself a mountain
bike. If you really can’t make up your
mind, buy both. Your a student. You
must have loads of money. Go on. You
know you want to. Spend! Spend!

Spend!

 

 

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