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feature article

Choosing the Right Bike

If you are new to cycling, the first thing you may notice is just how many different types of bikes are available these days. Choosing the right bike can be down right daunting, but it doesn\'t have to be. Let\'s try to clear things up. . .

No one bike can do everything. The first thing you need to consider is how you want to use the bike. Are you going to be using it mostly on the road? Do you want to take it off-road? Unless you\'re looking for a trick bike, beach cruiser, or other specialty type bike, there are really three main types of bikes: road bikes, mountain bikes and hybrid bikes.

Road Bike

Road bikes are made of lightweight materials. Some high-end road bikes weigh as little as 15 lbs. They have very narrow tires that are filled with so much air they are nearly rock solid. Narrow, hard tires provide for very low rolling resistance, but little to no shock absorption to soften the ride. The handlebars are situated so that you maintain a very aerodynamic position. Curved handlebars give you multiple options for hand positioning. When you take longer trips it\'s nice to be able to move your hands around to different positions to keep from going numb. Also, bear in mind that carbon bars and forks, saddles, rims and tires can help with the vibration, as well as bar tape. These are nice if you plan on doing a lot of riding. A road bike is suitable for fitness riding, day touring and competitions. It is not suitable for off-road riding.

Mountain Bike

Mountain bikes come in two types: hardtail and full-suspension. Hardtail mountain bikes have only a front suspension fork with typically 2" to 4" of travel that absorbs the bumps while riding (your legs do the work in the back). Full-suspension mountain bikes also have a front suspension fork and add a rear suspension system as well. Since aerodynamics aren\'t quite as important as a road bike the riding position is more upright. The tires are knobby, wider than a road bike and thicker. They provide for better grip and stability on all kinds of surfaces and provide a little more cushion. Mountain bikes tend to weigh more like 25 to 35 lbs. because they are built to handle much more abuse than a road bike. Mountain bikes are ideal for riding cross country, on single track trails, dirt roads, and climbing and descending mountain trails.

Hybrid Bike

A hybrid bike provides the efficiency of a road bike and the comfortable riding position of a mountain bike. The tires are almost as narrow as a road bike and a little thicker to provide for a slightly more comfortable ride by absorbing small bumps. Hybrid bikes can also be built tough to handle light trails and cross country rides, so they are a little heavier than road bikes. Hybrid bikes generally don\'t have a front shock as mountain bikes do, so they\'re not meant to handle a very long off-road ride. On trails it will be bumpier, but that\'s the way it used to be done before shocks came on the scene. The hybrid bike is for you if:

You can only afford one bike and like to road bike and do a little mountain biking, or
You like to road bike but don\'t like leaning over so far and want a little softer ride, or
You\'re a commuter and like the speed of a road bike but want to sit up a little higher to see traffic

Of course, there are certainly many more choices out there than just road, mountain and hybrid bikes. Bicycle manufacturers are doing everything they can to differentiate and provide niche products but these represent the largest share of the bikes available today.

Some manufacturers actually custom build and tune the bike specifically for you.

The nutshell. . . If you want to strictly ride on roads and don\'t mind the bent over position, choose a road bike. If you want to ride cross country, on single-track mountain trails and other dirt roads extensively, choose a mountain bike. If you need something that can be a little bit of both, or you\'re a commuter that likes riding in a more upright, more comfortable position, choose a hybrid bike.

Bill Reynolds is an avid biker and marketing executive at Fezzari Performance Bikes. Visit http://www.fezzari.com for further how-to and fun articles on road and mountain biking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Reynolds