Am Sun, 1 Jul 2007 22:25:17 +0100 schrieb Aaron B:
> "David Martin" <[email protected]> wrote
>> At that budget, either one of the halfords road bikes (for drops) or
>> there is a wide variety of decent 'city bikes' from many
>> manufacturers.
>
> Thnaks!
> What are the pros and cons of each type of bike? I'm really cluless when it
> comes to bikes...
Firstly different bikes offer different riding positions. Many citybikes or
hybrids would allow a very upright position, so most weight is on your
back/saddle when cycling. This can be an advantage because you keep the
overview in urban traffic. And most not-so-well-trained people find this
position very comfortable. For longer distances though a less upright
position is more comfortable, especially if you are a bit better trained -
as less pressure is put on your bum
Secondly different bikes are suitable for different surfaces. A road/racing
bike is great on tarmac, but you quickly struggle on more challenging
surfaces. A mountainbike on the other hand is suitable for extreme offroad
use, and less smooth too ride on tarmac. But expect to pay at least £300
for a real offroad mountainbike that is capable of going offroad without
falling apart
There are a lot of bikes out there that look like
mountain-bikes but are in fact not suitable for offroad use.
The other types of bikes (city/hybrid etc.) are somewhere inbetween these
extremes.
The third issue to consider is the number of components/ weight. Expensive
mountain/road bikes can be very lightweight. You can easily lift them with
one hand. On the other hand they are less suitable for day-to-day use, as
they lack such practical things as mudguards and a lighting system. A fully
equipped citybike (such as a Gazzelle dutch bike) comes with all features
you can dream off (hub gears, hub dynamo lighting system, racks, suspension
saddle, built-in lock) but can be very heavy - more than twice the weight
of a road bike. Again there are all options in-between with various other
types of bikes.
If you go to a local shop, I would try a number of different types of bikes
to see what suits you best. But bear in mind that even with the same type
of bike there can be huge differences in the frame geometry. Buying a bike
is a bit like buying shoes. You might know your size. But in the end you
have to try loads of shoes (bikes) until you find one that you feel
comfortable in ( or on). But as with shoes you sometimes can only tell if
they really fit after a couple of weeks, it might take a while to find that
with the bike. The good thing with a bicycle though is that you can make
some fine-tuning by adjusting the saddle-height/position and the handlebar.
Even half an inch can make a huge difference. Also it might take a while to
find a saddle that suits you.
For a more detailed explanation of the pros and cons of different types of
bikes have a look at this site:
http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whatbike.htm
Andreas
