Type of Bikes for Cycling

Cycling is a great cardiovascular exercise that even elderly people with weak bones can take up. Cycling is an open chain exercise; the activity exerts much less pressure on the joints and bones. The recovery time for cycling is much shorter compared to a sport as grueling as running, football or hockey. But before one goes out and buy a cycle, one need to figure out what kind of a cyclist he/she is the city rider, the speed king or the mountain biker. Based on geometry and purpose, cycles can be classified broadly under three broad categories road bike, mountain bike and hybrid.

Cycles don’t come cheap. The cheapest road bike starts at upwards of INR 40,000. The cost goes up depending on the material of the frame, fork and other components such as wheels and gears shifters. The aluminium frame is the cheapest option, followed by alloy, and carbon bikes are the most expensive. The advantage of using a carbon frame is that it absorbs vibrations and shocks much better than aluminium or alloy.

Road Bike, as the name suggests it is meant for road riding. It is built for speed. Its primary characteristics are aerodynamics, light frame, rigid fork, thin tyres, racing handlebar with integrated gear shifters and brake levers. A rider who intends to ride largely on roads and wants to feel the wind in the hair can consider a road bike.

Mountain Bike, popularly known as MTBs are off-road bikes. They are meant for rough riding conditions, which make them ideal for most Indian roads. A typical MTB has a front suspension fork, 2-inch wide, off-road tyres and disc brakes. A full suspension MTB would have an additional rear mounted suspension as well. MTB is great for riding in the trails.

For the most experienced riders, there are three highly specialized versions of the MTB. The cross-country/trail bike accounts for the highest number of mountain bikes sold in India. A downhill MTB is one which a biker uses to come down a steep but defined path. And finally there is the free ride, the most extreme version of downhill biking, restricted to the highly skilled riders and adrenalin Junkers.

Hybrid Bike is a mix of the MTB and road bikes. It features flat handlebars, tyres wider than those of a roadie and thinner than those of an MTB, and gear ratios that are between those of road bikes and MTBs. As most cycling is done early mornings on city roads, the hybrid is the best option for someone who is not a road biker. BMX or stunt bikes has small wheels, usually 20 inches in size, a 360 degree rotating handlebar, and stunt pegs at the front or rear, or on both hub axles. It is used purely for stunts.