A bewildering variety awaits the visitor to a bike shop. There are bikes in every imaginable color, tyre size, height, brand, and price. Which bike you buy depends principally on what you are looking for from cycling. So let’s first understand the different types of bikes:
Road Bikes: These bikes have thin tyres, a forward leaning riding position and are ideal for paved road surfaces in cities. They are good for riding fast and for long trips.
Mountain or All Terrain Bikes: These have knobby wide tyres, a straight sitting riding position, upright handlebars. These are ideal for off road riding in unpaved surfaces. They are stable, have suspension systems to absorb road shocks and go slower than road bikes.
Hybrid Bikes: These are an in-between choice for riding, as the name suggests. Their tyres are wider than road bikes but thinner than mountain bikes. The seating position is straight and the handlebars are flat. They are ideal for city riding and easy trails but for very rough terrains, you need a mountain bike. They move a little slower than road bikes but faster than mountain ones since they are lighter.
For all these types of cycles, the frame material can come in Aluminium, Alloy, Carbon or Titanium (very high end). For a beginner, an Aluminium or Alloy frame is good for Mountain or Hybrid bikes, whereas for Road bikes, you should choose an Alloy or Carbon bike, depending on your budget.
The price of your bike will also vary depending on the type of groupset (the chains, gear levers, cranksets, derailleurs, etc.).
Reviewed by- Gagan Arora
