Hey everyone,

It has been a long and rainy week, and I have not been able to enjoy as many rides as I normally do. This has allowed me to further appreciate my morning commutes into the shop and made me analyze the many different styles of bikes available and the different applications they are designed for.

In this post, I hope to identify and distinguish between the different bikes that are available and the applications and riding styles for which they are designed. This can be significant when looking at purchasing a bike or when determining if the bike you have is the correct one for you.

There are 4-6 different styles of bikes available depending on how you divide up the styles.  However, I will break them down into the 6 full categories to give you the best comparison between them.

First, there are what are known as Road bikes (see above): these bikes typically have 700C or 650C wheels and are designed with an attack geometry to favour speed, over comfort or functionality. These bikes are fully rigid and can be made of materials from Steel to Carbon Fibre. They are available in all component levels and can extend from recreational to race or competitive models. Road bikes are designed strictly for road riding as their narrow tires and low gearing range promote high levels of speed on back country roads or the track.

Second, there are devoted Mountain bikes (seen above): these bikes typically consist of wheel sizes from 26″ to 29″ and are designed for durability and speed for use off roads on technical trail sections. These bikes are available in rigid models, front suspension models and full suspension models, depending on your preference. Further, these bikes are available in all component levels and can extend from recreational or entry level models, to racing or endurance models. Mountain bikes are best for trail riding, as they have  knobby tires and a high gearing range to make clearing all obstacles a possibility.

The third style of bicycle is known as Hybrid bikes (seen above): these bikes typically consist of a 700c wheel size, but are equipped with wider tires, and front suspension (to the riders preference) to make them more practical in multiple riding conditions. These bikes are very common for commuting as they are designed with gearing ratios for in city riding and can be equipped with internal gearing components to make them year round reliable transportation rigs.

The fourth style of bicycle is what`s known as a Cross Bike (seen above):  these bikes are designed with 700c wheels and road components, with gearing ratios to support on road riding  and speed. Similar to road bikes they are fully rigid. However, these bikes are considered cross bikes as a result of their ability to cross over into the mountain trails because of their design with re-inforced wheels and knobby tires which provide grip and control on single track trails. These bikes still have drop bars in a road bike fashion, yet they are equipped with mountain levers to offer better control in multiple riding conditions.

The fifth style of bicycle available is what is known as Comfort Bikes (seen above): these bikes are designed typically with 26` wheels and large volume tires to make the ride as smooth as possible. These bikes are typically designed with front suspension and suspension seat posts to make the ride as smooth and enjoyable as possible for the user. These styles of bikes are currently designed for style as well as function with step-through frames for women, and wooden racks and fenders for style.

The sixth style and final style of bicycle is actually a tricycle! These bikes are known as Adult Trikes (seen above): they are designed with wheel sizes from 20-26″ and are built with two rear wheels and a single front wheel to increase stability. These bikes are designed for light on road use, typically by the elderly or those who have trouble with balance or stability. These bikes have a relaxed riding position and can accommodate all styles of riders to make them multi-functional.

Now that I have discussed the Main styles of bicycles, it is your job to decipher which one best suits your riding style and how you intend to use the bicycle. If you are like myself, one bike will not fit all applications and you will end up with a garage full and have a different one for each day of the week, just like the clothes in your closet.

If you did not see a style of bicycle above that suits your needs, you may fit into a specific category that I did not discuss in this post. These styles of bikes are typically more unique and although widely used… are not as highly demanded as the others. If you have any questions about the styles of bikes I discussed, or what else is available from our retail stores, just ask me in a comment or contact either of our stores!

As always… I hope to see you out there and remember to be careful when riding!

Bryan