Many people are looking to bicycles as alternatives to cars for short trips around town in order to save money.
For some people this requires rediscovering riding a bike for the first time in many years.
When looking for a bicycle, it is important to determine what kind of bike will best suit your needs.
Gone are the days as a child where the most important feature of your bike was the color! When selecting a bicycle, first you need to determine where and how often you will be riding it.
In this way, you can get the bike that is the best suited for your needs.
Popular bike types are road, mountain, touring and cruiser styles.
Each of them has a particular type of riding that they are best suited for.
Road A road bike is good for flat terrain riding, has a lightweight frame, and is built for speed.
The tires are smooth and narrow.
Road bikes do not carry large loads very well.
A road bike is not usually recommended for commuting uses since its main goal is speed and is very lightweight.
Road bikes are easy to repair with the right road bike parts.
Mountain Many salespeople will direct people to a mountain bike immediately upon entering a store.
These bikes are the SUV of the bike world.
Mountain bikes have sturdy frames and are built to be off-road.
These bikes have wide and knobby tires to withstand the conditions of trails.
Many of the features of a mountain bike are never used by the people who buy them, much like the SUV owner who has features that are not used in their vehicle.
Mountain bikes are sturdy, but for in city travel or commuting purposes are not well suited.
Mountain bike parts are easy to find.
Touring A touring bike is a bike built for long distance rides with the ability to carry cargo.
They are comfortable to ride for long distances and have lower gearing that make riding it ideal for longer distances.
They are also built with the same frame design as a road bike, only sturdier.
Parts and accessories are also fairly easy to come by, compared with other types of two wheelers.
Cruiser The modern cruiser or beach cruiser is a style that is reminiscent of the period between 1920 and 1950, when it was the most popular transportation unit with 2 wheels in the United States.
Cruisers are designed for durability and comfort.
The frame of a cruiser is heavy, and cruisers typically have one gear, although some have more than one.
Cruisers, with their wide, smooth tires are well suited for flat terrain and shorter trips.
Cruisers are easy to maintain and beach cruiser parts can be easily found.
No matter the style of cruiser you need, biking can be a rewarding option for your travel.
Having the right type of bike makes it much easier and more comfortable to do so, especially if you ride on a regular basis.