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HomeWhat kind of Bike

What kind of bike should I buy?

New to the sport of cycling and not sure what kind of bicycle is best for you.  Use the below to get an idea and head on down to your local bicycle shop. No matter which style bike you choose, remember to always wear a helmet.

Some questions you need to ask yourself.
    What kind of riding do you want to do?
    Why are you riding?

    

Cruiser- A cruiser is a great bike for, like the name says, cruising.  Cruisers are designed for comfort with a comfy seat, balloon tires, and upright handlebars.A cruiser usually has no gears and requires very little maintenance..  You will usually see cruisers for rental.  They are perfect to rent or riding around the neighborhood.  Live close to the Memphis Greenline?  Even better.  Don't live close to any of the the Memphis Greenline, a cruiser bike may not be for you.  Cruiser bikes are big and bulky and usually too heavy or awkward for most bike racks.  Have a pick up truck? then a cruiser may be for you.

Hybrid Bicycle -A Hybrid Bicycle is probably the next step up from a Cruiser.  Hybrids also have a comfy seat and straight or upright handlebars. Hybrids normally have a thinner tire that can be used on paved trails like the Memphis Greenline or gravel roads.  Hybrids have gears and may require a tune-up from your local bike shop the more you use it.  Tires can be changed to allow for road riding as many hybrids have a little more traction to accommodate many riding terrains.

Touring Bike- A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase (for ride comfort and to avoid pedal-to-luggage conflicts),frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity (for ride comfort), heavy duty wheels (for load capacity), and multiple mounting points (for luggage racks, fenders, and bottle cages).

Road Bike

Cyclocross Bike- A Cyclocross bike is specifically designed for the rigors of a cyclocross racing. Cyclocross bicycles roughly resemble the road bikes used in road racing. The major differences between a raod bike and a cyclocross bike is the frame geometry, and the wider clearances that cyclocross bikes have for their larger tires and mud and debris that they accumulate.

Track Bike- A track bicycle or track bike is a bicycle optimized for racing at a velodrome or outdoor track. Unlike road bicycles, the track bike is a fixed gear bicycle and so has a single gear and neither freewheel nor brakes. Tires are narrow and inflated to high pressure to reduce rolling resistance. Tubular Tires are often used but are becoming more obsolete due to advances in clincher tires negating the benefits of tubulars.

Time Trial Bike

Triathlon Bike

Fixie (Fixed Gear Bike)


Single Speed (Road Bike or Mountain Bike)- Unlike a Fixie, a single speed set up allows for coasting.  There is still only one gear, but the addition of a free hub makes for a more relaxing ride.  Single speeds have become popular for their simplicity and reliability.

Tandem Bike- The tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle(occasionally, a tricycle) designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement (fore to aft, not side-by-side), not the number of riders.


Recumbant Bike - A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests entirely on a small portion of the sitting bones, the feet, and the hands.Most recumbent models also have an aerodynamic advantage; the reclined, legs-forward position of the rider’s body presents a smaller frontal profile.
Recumbents are available in a wide range of configurations, including: long to short wheelbase; large, small, or a mix of wheel sizes; overseat, underseat, or no-hands steering; and rear wheel or front wheel drive. A variant with three wheels is a recumbent tricycle.

Electric Bike

Mountain Bike (Hard Tail)

Mountain Bike (Full Suspension)
Mountain Bike (29'er)


Unicycle

BMX Bike

Freestyle Bike

Jumping Bike