Types of Bikes: A Beginner's Guide
To educate beginners, I created this guide to explain the different types of bikes available to purchase.
A few months ago, I felt overwhelmed by the number of bike options, styles, and choices. To educate beginners, I created this guide to explain the different types of bikes available to purchase. The bike renaissance of the 21st Century is in full swing, and there has never been a better time to get into bicycling and head outdoors.
Road Bikes
Road bikes are designed for speed, pavement, and distance. They typically have narrower tire, drop handlebars, and gears to switch between inclines and descents.
Best Road Bikes under $1,000 – Bicycling.com
Gravel Bikes (Adventure Bikes)
Gravel Bikes are designed for pavement, dirt, gravel, and mud. These bikes typically have thicker tires, a more ergonomic ride, and disk brakes as standard.
Specialized Diverge – Specialized.com
20-gravel-bikes-im-excited-about-for-2020 – VeloNews
Mountain Bikes
Mountain Bikes are optimized for dirt trails or down rugged terrain. The following are common types of Mountain Bikes:
- Hard Tail
- Cross Country Bikes
- Full Suspension
- Fat-Tire Bikes
- All Mountain Bikes
- Downhill / Park Bikes
Best Mountain Bikes – Bicycling.com
Hybrid Bikes
Hybrid bikes are versatile and easy-to-use bikes that you can ride wherever you go. They typically don’t have drop handlebars and instead flat handlebars or cruiser type handlebars.
Best Fitness Bikes – Bicycling.com
Best Hybrid Commuter Bike – NYTimes
E-Bikes
Electronic bicycles are bikes designed with a small, lightweight electric motor to assist the rider. There are Mountain, Gravel, Road, Hybrid, and even Cargo bikes with electric motors available.