Types of Bicycles
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Trail Bike or Light-Duty Mountain Bike: It is similar to the looks and features of mountain bikes but is usually not as light, rugged, or expensive as real mountain bikes. This bike is fine for trail and road use but cannot take the abuse a mountain bike can. Most of these bikes have 26" wheels and 21-24 gears.
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Comfort Bike: It is similar to mountain/trail bikes but they have less distance between the seats and handlebars and a higher front end for more upright seating. It is fine for comfortable recreational, trail and commuter users. Most of these bikes have 26" wheels and 7-24 gears.
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Mountain Bike: These bikes have a rugged, stronger frame and components that are intended for rougher off-road terrain over rocks and logs but are often used on-road. They have fat, knobby tires for more traction and flatter profile handlebars for a more leaned-over seating position. They also come with low gears for easier hill climbing and suspension system for greater shock absorption. Most of these bikes have 26" wheels and 21-21 gears.
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Road, Touring, and Comfort Road Bike: These are built for pavement riding, increased aerodynamics, and speed. They have smoother and narrower tires with turned down handlebars and sometimes have skinny saddle seats. This bike is for riders who want more speed, to ride longer distances, or an aerobically intense workout. The Road model has a shorter wheelbase length for a more nimble, quicker response and is lighter in weight. The Touring model has a longer wheelbase, increase road shock absorbency and various threaded eyelets for attaching carrying racks and backpacks. Most of these bikes have a 700C size or 27" wheels and 14-27 gears.
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Hybrid Bike or Cross Bike: This bike combines mountain-trail-comfort bike seating and handlebar position with wider tires on road bike diameter wheels. It is also good for use on both pavement and dirt trails, but not intended to be a great road or mountain bike. Some models come with shock seat posts and handlebar stems, and either straight across handlebars or cruiser bars which curve back toward the rider. Most of these bikes have a 700C or 27" wheel and have 21-24 gears.
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Cruiser: These are your typical beach bikes with fat tires. These are usually heavier bikes with one speed and coaster, foot brakes or multi-speed with hand brakes, wide tires, upright handlebars and seating position. These bikes are for the road and boardwalks. Most of these bikes have 26" wheels and 1-7 gears.
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Recumbent Bike: This bike allows riders to sit in a reclining position and pedal with their feet forward. An example of this would be your low-rider bike. The seats sit like lounge chairs with less leaning forward and reduced fanny pressure. They sit lower to the ground and most have multiple gears and are very fast. Most of these bikes have 20-24" wheels and 21-100 plus gears.
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Tandem Bike: This bike is also well known as the bicycle built for two. It has two seats, handlebars, pedal crank sets and a longer wheelbase. It is available in either a geared, heavier economic model or a light weight, faster touring version. They might have upright handlebars or turned down handlebars. The best handle bars are hand built, custom sized to both riders but that usually will be costly. Most of these bikes have 26" wheels on the mountain models and 700C wheels on the hybrid, touring, and road models with 1-27 gears on them.
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Electric-Assist Bike: This bike is an emerging technology with no consistent bicycle frame style. They are rechargeable battery-equipped, and have an electrically powered helper motor that reduces pedaling effort while propelling the bike faster. This bike is good for short commutes that will not make you break a sweat. The wheel sizes vary and have up to 21 gears.
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Adult Three Wheeler: This is essentially a large tricycle for adults. Majority have foot-operated coaster brakes. Few may have a front hand brake and 3 gears. This bike is for one who wants more stability that is impossible for them on two wheels. Most of these bikes have 24" wheels and 1-3 gears.
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Juvenile: These bikes are what we all started on with the addition of training wheels. It usually has one speed and coaster, foot brakes while few had hand brakes. Most of these bikes have wide tires ranging from 12-14" wheels and have only 1 gear.
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Bicycle Moto-Cross (BMX) & Dirt Bike: These bikes are good for general transportation, and dirt riding/racing. They have one speed with hand brakes with a short wheelbase frame and knobby tires. Most of these bikes have 20" wheels and only 1 gear.
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Free Style or Trick Bike: These bikes are actually made of pieces of gymnastic equipment with wheels. They are usually meant as a "one size fits all" deal. They have a stronger, specially designed, longer wheelbase frame and axle peg extenders. The handlebar is stem mounted with rotors that allow the handlebar to spin without twisting brake cables. Most of these bikes have 20" wheels and only one gear.
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Jumping Bike: These bikes are made to withstand the wheel and frame stresses of ramp and half-pipe jumping. They have stronger, beefier wheel rims and hubs with larger, thicker bike frame tubes and front forks reinforced at stress points. Some are equipped with rotors and axle pegs for performing aerial freestyle stunts. Most of these bikes have 20" wheels and only one gear.
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