From May 25th 2009 to June 25th 2009, the annual celebration of bicycle culture features events for cyclists of every kind, from family-friendly group rides to fast-paced racing. Bike Month Guides are available in all of Toronto’s Bike shops, public libraries and community centers. With over 100 events across the City there’s probably something going on in your neighbourhood so pick up your free Bike Month Guide and check it out.
http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/bikemonth
Cycling is not only an enjoyable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation but it is also a great way to exercise your heart and muscles. Buying a bicycle can almost feel like buying a car. There is so much to choose from. How do you pick the best bike for you?
Road racers. Loaded tourers. Recumbents. Hardtails. Dualies. Hybrids. Cross bikes. Sport tourers. Commuters. Cruisers. Comfort bikes. Tandems. These are just the more common bicycle types available today. It is common for people to buy the wrong bike, such as getting a model built for off-road use, when the mountain bike ends being ridden primarily on pavement.
To prevent such mistakes, if you’re in the market for a new bike, especially if it’s the first new machine in a while, start the shopping process by answering the key questions that follow. When you’re sure about these things, you’ll stand the best chance of leaving the shop with a bicycle you’ll love and not get bored with too quickly.
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Why do you want a new bike?
Plenty of people buy the wrong bike because they only know they want one. For example, maybe your friend bought a bike so you want one just like it. It’d be better to list what you want out of the purchase. Is it riding for fitness? Is it for pedaling around town? For off-road excursions? For travel? To take up bike racing? To commute? Write down as many reasons as you can come up with and think carefully about which ones are realistic. |
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What kind of person are you?
Some types want the best of everything; others are frugal and consider affordability first. A serious athlete will have different goals than someone mostly interested in recreation. One way to determine where you fit is by thinking about other big purchases you made recently and the decisions you made in the process. |
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What kind of riding do you want to do?
Before answering, consider what type of riding is available in your area. For example, it might be questionable to purchase a downhill racing mountain bike if you plan to ride on flat roads. Think about where you’ll bike. |
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How much do you want to spend?
Hit the shops with a good idea of what you’d be comfortable spending. Every bike type is available in a wide range of prices based on the frame material, the design and the components it’s equipped with. It’s worth looking at slightly more expensive models to get a feel for what a little extra money can buy. If it’s in the budget, it might make sense to get a better bike. But keep in mind also that there are essential accessories such as a helmet and flat-tire repair kit that you may need and that these will add to the total cost of the bike.
Bicycle Types
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Type
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Description
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Pros
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Cons
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Ideal Use
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Road racer
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Traditional lightweight bike with skinny tires, dropped handlebars. Made to be as efficient as possible for speed, quick handling and high-performance climbing, descending and sprinting. A scream to ride fast.
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Most efficient all-around performance. Excellent for racing and training. Ultralight for easy climbing. Stiff frame excellent for sprinting, climbing and jamming. Quick handling. Gorgeous to behold — a study in minimalism.
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Ride can be harsh. Flat tires are common (though it depends a lot on equipment, how and where you ride and how much you weigh). Position is often low and best suited to a very flexible person. If you’re scared of speed, the ride may be more excitement than you like. May not accept fenders.
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Training and racing on the road or century riding. Also can be used for credit-card touring (carrying minimal gear and staying in hotels).
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Road sport
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Almost identical to the road racer in appearance, this bike usually sports a slightly more comfortable and slower-handling frame. The gearing is usually a little lower to help in the hills. It’s possible to easily install a rack and accessories such as fenders; not always the case on a true racing bike.
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Longer wheelbase absorbs road shock for more comfort than the racing bike. Low gears mean less effort on the hills. Easier to carry bags and accessories. Often comes with more padded seat and less extreme rider position, which also increases comfort. More stable on descents.
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Slightly heavier. Climbs and handles more slowly than the road racer.
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Fitness rides, centuries, commuting, distance touring.
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Mountain bike
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Most popular model for the past decade. Designed like a Jeep for excellent performance on rugged terrain. Equipped with a reliable sturdy frame, tough wheels with knobby tires, upright handlebars, powerful brakes and a dependable drivetrain with super low gearing. Available with and without suspension though the former is most popular today.
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Escape traffic! Bulletproof design means excellent durability (provided you don’t abuse the bike). Greatly reduced chance of flat tires and bent rims. Incredible braking power. Very comfortable due to wide tires and upright seating position. Total blast to ride off-road.
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Can be ridden on the road but isn’t efficient for long distances without changing equipment. Most popular bike consequently hot property for thieves. You may be tempted to take dangerous chances and crash a lot more than you would on any other bike type.
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Trail riding for fun, fitness and racing. And around-town use if you’re not going far and aren’t in a hurry.
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Hybrid
(within this category, there are “town/city bikes” and “comfort bikes”). |
A bike designed primarily for road use but capable of fireroad riding as well. A sturdy frame of mountain-bike pedigree equipped with wheels and tires made for road use and upright (sometimes backswept) handlebars. Sometimes equipped with suspension seatpost and stem to absorb road shock.
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Comfortable rider position especially when equipped with shocks to absorb bumps. More resistant to flats than road racers or road sport bikes. Lighter than a mountain bike. Easy to carry stuff and mount accessories.
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Not great on the road or off the road. Not as fast or efficient as a road racer or road sport, so not ideal for distance riding, though better suited for it than an MTB.
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Fitness riding on and off road, running errands and commuting. Okay for touring though upright position not the most efficient.
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Recumbent
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A long and low road bike designed around an ergonomic seating position where the rider sits in lawn-chair–like comfort and pushes pedals located ahead of his body. One of the fastest growing bike categories. Available with and without suspension.
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No butt, neck, back, hand, shoulder or arm pain! The most comfortable rider position of all bikes. Some are much faster downhill and on the flats than other road bikes. Due to a long wheelbase, can have very wide gear range meaning excellent lows for climbing hills. Gets noticed everywhere you go.
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Takes time to develop the muscles to ride a recumbent with complete comfort (only if you’re used to upright bikes). Most are slower on climbs. You get noticed everywhere you go.
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Fitness riding, centuries, touring, training and racing in recumbent races.
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To ensure that you find the best bike for your riding goals, go into the shopping process prepared to be flexible and willing to explore the many options. If you know what you want, that’s great! If you don’t, the more open-minded you are, the more likely you’ll get just what you need. Happy cycling!
Tags: benefits of cycling, bicycle how-to's, bicycle shopping, bicyle components, buying a bike, buying a bike for a woman, cycling events in toronto, cycling in toronto, different types of bikes, how to buy a new bicycle, picking the best bicycle, toronto bike month, types of bikes
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on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 at 8:51 pm and is filed under Health and Fitness, Money Sense.
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