Round And Round: Peddling Around The Different Types Of Bicycles
Remember back in the day when the
world of two-wheeled, pedal-powered transportation was much simpler
and there were only two basic types of bicycles, kid's bikes and
adult bikes? There are still bikes for the tykes and peddlers for
the elders, but these days the bicycle world has been
segmented even further with bikes created specifically for
different types of terrain and/or style of riding. Not only are the
bicycles highly specialized for specific riding disciplines, but
many manufacturers also offer varying frames sizes and dimensions
to accommodate riders of all sizes (which we will cover in another
article on bicycle ergonimics). If you really want to boggle your
mind, just take a look at all the new fandangled bicycle parts,
accessories,
and riding gear
that is now available for all these different types of riding
environments. From BMX racing to road bikes to urban commuting,
trying to keep up with the ever growing industry of bicycles can be
dizzying. Below we've covered some of the characteristics of a few
of the more popular types of bikes so that the next time you walk
into a bicycle shop you won't feel overwhelmed and you'll have a
better understanding of what you're looking at and what it's best
used for.
Balance Bike
Granddaddy. OG. Push Bike. Dandy Horse. Draisienne. These are just
a couple of words one could use when referring to the predecessor
of all bicycles. Invented nearly 100 years ago in Germany by Baron
Karl von Drais, the push bike or as it more commonly called now,
the balance bike,
was the first mode of in-line, two-wheeled transportation for
humans. No pedals, chain, or crank, people simply scooted about
using their feet and lifted them up to coast around. These days
balance bikes are designed specifically for the purpose of helping
children develop the balance, spatial awareness, and counter
steering skills necessary to ride a traditional pedal bike. Balance
bikes can be made of either wooden frames or traditional round tube
metal frames and most feature highly durable air-less wheels
designed to easily roll over or through a variety of surfaces such
as grass, gravel, and dirt. Lightweight and easy to maneuver
advantages to children starting out on a balance bike is that there
are less components for the child to worry about or get caught up
in, they can use their feet for stability when needed, and they
don't become dependent on training wheels and therefore the
transition to a peddle bike is much easier.
BMX Bike
Back in the '70s kids began emulating the motocross heroes of the
day by racing their Schwinn Stingrays around dirt lots. As the
trend gained traction and grew in popularity manufacturers saw an
opportunity to create bikes designed specifically for the new sport
of bicycle motocross (BMX). From that time the BMX bike has
splintered off with bikes catering to specific activities such as
freestyle park riding, racing, dirt jumping, vert ramps and more
but still falling under the BMX moniker. Typically the first
bicycle the majority of kids learn to pedal around on, BMX bikes feature
single speed gearing, knobby or aggressive tread tires, and compact
frames. With wheels sizes ranging from 16-26 inches, BMX bikes are
ideal for everyone from pee-wee riders to adults who want to relive
their childhood jumping curbs and riding wheelies.
Commuter Bike/Urban Bike
Offering the efficiency of a road bike with the comfort of an
upright mountain bike, just as the name suggests, the commuter or urban bike
is aimed at leisure on road use. The frame is designed for lighter
duty than a mountain bike and often the top tube has a slight
downward angle to make repetitive mounting/dismounting of the bike
easier. The frame also features pre-drilled holes and bungs in
order to mount a front rack or basket and saddlebags/panniers at
the rear to carry items like groceries and work essentials. They
are characterized by a 700centimeter (c) wheel diameter and 35c
tire width, so it's a bit narrower than a mountain bike tire for
better rolling but wider than a road bike tire so it can handle the
rugged terrain found in city/urban environments such as uneven
pavement, potholes, and rubbish. Multiple gears allow users to
climb steep hills and take advantage of high speed flat stretches.
You may see a bit of cross over or grey area with some of the less
hi-tech mountain, cyclocross, road, and single speed/fixed gear
bikes falling into the commuter/urban category. In all reality a
commuter or urban bike could be any bike you regularly use for
commuting or leisure urban riding.
Cyclocross Bike
Cyclocross involves racers/riders following a specified course that
covers both on road and off road terrain that entails hills,
dirt/grass trails, and obstacles. A Cyclocross race is typically a
timed event in which the winner is decided based on the most laps
ridden. Cyclocross
bikes are based around road bike frames but feature more
durable rims and mildly aggressive tires for better traction. A
lightweight frame is ideal for quicker acceleration on paved
surfaces while also making it easy to lift the bike when cyclists
hit the off road and come across hills or obstacles that can't ride
across and therefore need to carry or run the bike.
Mountain Bike
Back in the early 70s, dare devils hauled large balloon-tired
(ballooners) Schwinn cruiser bicycles up to the top of a mountain
fire roads or dirt trails and then let loose to see who could get
down the fastest. As one might expect, it wasn't long before they
were stripping and modding the bikes to handle better and go
faster. Dubbed Klunkers, these were not pretty or practical but
they were fun and got the job done. Then in 1977 downhill racer and
Klunker enthusiast Joe Breeze built the first bike designed
specifically for the terrain and type of riding he and his friends
were doing. And thus the first mountain bike was born.
Based on a heavy-duty, reinforced rigid frame, with multiple gears
and off road oriented tires, the Breezer#1 would kick off a whole
new world for off road bicycling enthusiasts. Today, similar to BMX
bikes mountain bikes are designed for specific disciplines such as
downhill, free ride, cross country (XC), Enduro and more. General
characteristics of a mountain bike are a large, heavy-duty frame,
rim diameters ranging between 26-29 inches, wide, knobby tires,
multiple gears, and flat bar handlebars. Another key factor in the
majority of modern mountain bikes is some form of suspension either
in the front forks or at the front and rear of the bike. The
varying disciplines often offer bikes with slight tweaks to frame
dimensions and/or specific components. However, similar to a BMX
bike you can easily spot a mountain bike and calling it as such
would not be wrong (a bike snob on the other hand may call you out
for not being more specific).
Road Bike
Back in the day you might have called a Road Bike a 10-speed. While
still offering many of the same characteristics of the old
"10-speed" bicycles-lightweight and smaller diameter tube frame,
multiple gear options, narrow tires, and drop handlebars-the modern
road bike is
designed for speed and performance-oriented hard surface riding.
Ideal for triathlons, road races, or training where speed and power
are key objectives, modern road bikes cover the gamut from
moderately priced to high-end bikes incorporating technologically
advanced components such as carbon fiber frames and wheels as well
as gearing ratios spread across anywhere from 12-30 gears.
Scooter
A scooter is sort of a mix between a push bike and a skateboard. It
has no crank, pedals, or chain and you use your feet to push
against the ground for momentum. However, instead of pushing with
your feet and sitting on a seat, you stand on a narrow deck and
coast around. Unlike a skateboard, a scooter only has two wheels
and it has a tall T-bar handlebar which you use along with your
feet/body to help you steer. Scooters are available in varying
sizes for both adults and children. Many kid's scooters feature
small, hard wheels similar to those found on roller blades, while
the adult version usually has rubber pneumatic tires with wheel
sizes ranging anywhere from 6-20-inches. Adults often like to use
scooters for city commuting because they are faster than walking,
more nimble than a bicycle, and can fold up for easy transport
inside offices, stores, busses, or subways.
Single Speed/Fixed Gear Bike
Similar to a road bike in the fact that it has a lightweight, smaller diameter frame, narrow tires, and is great for city/urban commuting, the main difference between the two bicycles is that a single speed bike has one fixed gear. Commonly referred to as a Fixie, these bikes have a fixed gear which is typically threaded or bolted to the hub and does not have a freewheel mechanism therefore the pedals are always rotating when the rear wheel is in motion. Often found with no brakes, riders use their legs and body weight as force against the pedals to slow and stop. These bikes were highly popular with bike messengers in large compact cities like New York and San Francisco back in the '80s/'90s because they were lightweight, quick and easy to maneuver, could pick up speed relatively quickly, and with no gearing or derailleurs to mess with were very easy to maintain. In the past couple years they've found a renewed popularity with younger riders customizing their Fixie bikes with custom wheels, colored grips/handlebar tape, and bright frames.
