Whether you plan to tackle the muddy woodland descent, or try it out at a road race, or just stroll along the local canal tow trail, you can find a bike that suits you.
The coronavirus pandemic has made the way many people in the country love to stay healthy has become a no-go. As a result, more and more people are now turning to two wheels for daily exercise.
Government statistics since the summer of 2020 show that the penetration rate of bicycles has increased by 300%, and this number has not decreased as we enter the 1920s cautiously.
However, for thousands of newcomers, the world of cycling can be a confusing place. The seemingly simple task of choosing a new bike can quickly become a headache, thanks in large part to the dizzying amount of subcategories. Not all bicycles are the same.
This is why the first step in buying a product should be to understand the different types offered and determine which product best meets your needs.
Here you will find some key information about the most common types of bicycles and which cyclists are best for.
Whether you plan to plunge yourself into a muddy woodland, try it out at a road race, or stroll along a local canal trail, you will find a machine that meets the following criteria.
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When buying a new bike, one factor trumps all others: fit. If the bike size is not suitable for you, it will be uncomfortable and you will not be able to get a good riding posture.
Most manufacturers will have a chart somewhere on their website showing that the frame size of various models is related to the rider’s height. Sizes are usually numbers-48, 50, 52, 54 etc.-usually indicating the length of the seat tube or (less common) jack tube, or standard S, M or L format. The chart will give you a rough choice based on your height.
But it is worth noting that this is indeed a rough idea. Factors such as lower in length and arm length are all involved. The good news is that most of these variables can be easily solved with only a few adjustments to the bike, such as changing the saddle height or using a different rod (the drill bit that connects the handlebar to the steering tube). To give you complete peace of mind, please book a professional bike that suits you at your local bike shop.
In addition to suitability, there are some key factors to consider when choosing a new bike. These are the details that determine performance, and they vary greatly depending on the intended use of a particular bicycle.
Unless you are a track rider, hipster or deliberately getting rid of your teeth, you will need to install a set of brakes on your bike.
There are often two different types of brakes: rim and disc. The rim brake is driven by a steel cable and works by pinching the rim between two rubber pads. Disc brakes can be hydraulic or mechanical (more hydraulically efficient), and can work by pinching a metal disc attached to the hub between the two hubs.
The best brake setting depends largely on how you intend to use the bicycle. For example, traditional rim brakes have become the first choice for road bikes due to their light weight (although disc brakes are becoming more and more popular), while disc brakes are a smart choice for mountain bikes because they provide more reliable performance in mud or knots. . wet.
Groupset is a term used to describe all moving parts related to braking, shifting and chain transmission. It is essentially the engine of a bicycle and plays an important role in determining performance and driving quality.
It is a lot of worms, but the obvious fact is: there are three major manufacturers-Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo (rarely), it is best to stick to them; they can be mechanical or electronic; higher prices equal increase Brightness and smoother shifting; they all basically do the same job.
This includes all solid parts that are surplus to the bicycle frame and front fork (frame). We are talking about handlebars, saddles, seatposts and poles. These drill bits are easy to replace or adjust to achieve better fit or increase comfort, so don’t let things like uncomfortable saddles fall elsewhere.
The content you scroll plays a vital role in the feel of the bike and its performance under certain conditions. Likewise, what to look for in a set of wheels depends on its intended use. If you are driving on an asphalt road, a pair of deep carbon fiber wheels with 25mm smooth tires is great, but not so much on muddy mountain bike trails.
Generally, some of the key factors to look for on a wheel are weight (lighter and better), material (carbon fiber is king, but the price is higher, choose alloy to save money) and size (wheel size together with the tire clearance of the frame Use is important) If you want to use fatter tires).
In a big city like London, space is so precious that not everyone can store a full-size bicycle. solution? Get something small enough to fold into a cupboard. Folding bicycles are an ideal companion for urban commuting. It is small and practical, and you can put it on public transportation without becoming the number one public enemy.
The classic Brompton is perfect for long commutes, you need to put it in the trunk of a bus, tram or train
Win the crown in our review of the best foldable bikes, talk to anyone who rides a bike about foldable bikes, and the name Brompton will soon appear. They have been built in London since 1975, and their design has hardly changed. Our tester said: “The long seatpost and rubber suspension block in the rear assembly make the ride comfortable, while the 16-inch wheels enable fast acceleration. The smaller wheel size also means they are strong-on rough and uneven roads. It’s very important.”
“This smart black version has straight S-shaped handlebars, two-speed transmission, fenders and rechargeable Cateye lights-making it perfect for commuting. With practice, you should be able to fold in 20 seconds quickly Again.”
For those who need speed, racing cars may be the best choice. They have descending handlebars, thin tires and aggressive riding posture (the upper body stretches towards the lower part), and are mainly designed for speed, flexibility and lightness.
Have you ever watched the Tour de France? Then you are already familiar with this kind of bicycle. The only disadvantage is that the aerodynamic riding position is uncomfortable for a long time, especially for those who lack flexibility or are not used to this position.
Usually, the performance of the car is maximized by using cycling shoes (a type of pedal with a fastening device) inserted with cleats. They fix the feet in place so that they can gain power during the entire pedal rotation.
Endurance road bikes are designed for long-distance riding on the saddle on the tarmac, taking into account speed and comfort. They have pull-down handlebars, thinner tires (usually between 25mm and 28mm), and are slightly less upright and aerodynamic than purebred racing bikes. Therefore, they are much more comfortable when traveling long distances. In this case, minimizing position-related pain and pain is far more important than a small reduction in resistance.
Best for: Anyone who wants to be fast but comfortable, whether it’s within 100 miles or just your daily fitness exercise
Time trial (TT) bikes are designed to do one thing only: drive as fast as possible and minimize turns. If you have ever seen a cyclist riding a Lycra, but riding on something that looks more like a Battlestar Galactica than a bicycle, then that is probably one of them. As the name suggests, they are designed to test the cycling time, which is a solo competition between a cyclist and a clock.
Aerodynamics is at the core of TT bike design. They need to cut off the air as efficiently as possible, and they put the rider in a very aggressive position to achieve this goal. The advantage of this is that they are very harsh. The downside is that they are very uncomfortable and extremely impractical in casual, non-competitive use.
If your main goal is to get on and off in a store, or just to ride leisurely on weekends, then carbon fiber racing or full suspension mountain bikes may be a minor issue. What you need is a hybrid car. These humble all-rounders derive the essence from a variety of bicycle styles and use them to create things that are sufficient for the functionality and comfort of everyday casual cyclists.
Hybrids often have flat handlebars, road bike gears, and medium-thick tires, and can be used on aprons as well as light off-road applications. They are also one of the most affordable and easy-to-use bicycles, perfect for beginners or people on a budget.
Among the winners of our review of the best hybrid car, this one has outstanding performance. “For simplicity, Boardman chose a 12-speed gear unit and installed a single sprocket on the front wheel, and provided an amazing 51 teeth on the flywheel. This combination will allow you to almost solve what we might encounter on the road. Any problems.” Our testers pointed out.
They found that the integrated valve stem and handlebars are simple and stylish, while the alloy frame and carbon fiber fork mean its weight is about 10 kg-you will appreciate it if you change from a mountain bike or a cheap hybrid. “The 700c wheels are equipped with high-quality 35mm Schwalbe Marathon tires, which should provide enough grip when you use powerful Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. You can install mudguards and luggage racks, making it ideal for daily commuting. ”
A few years ago, no one had heard of gravel bicycles. Now they are everywhere. These drop rod contusions are sometimes called “all-road bikes”, and use the general geometry and configuration of road bikes and match them with gear and tire sizes, more similar to mountain bikes. The result is that the machine can skid on the tarmac fairly quickly, but unlike road bikes, it performs well when the road runs out.
If you are keen to leave off the beaten track and away from traffic, but don’t want to eliminate the road completely, then gravel bikes are the ideal choice for you.
Walking along a nearly vertical woodland trail is not for everyone. For those who still want to cross-country but are not too extreme, cross-country (XC) mountain biking is a good choice. XC bikes are usually hard-tailed bikes and are very similar to off-road mountain bikes in many ways. The key difference is the geometry.
Cross-country mountain bikes are designed to take downhill slopes into consideration, but XC bikes are designed for a wide range of uses and need to be able to climb. As a result, their head angles are steeper (meaning the front wheels are located more rearward), which makes them less suitable for aggressive downhill riding, but very suitable for all-round cross-country sports.
If your dream is full of jumping, ramp and root climbing pedigrees, then you will need off-road mountain bikes. These actually bullet-proof machines have flat handlebars, fat knotted tires and loose head angles (which means the front wheels are further in front of the handlebars) to maintain stability on steep downhill terrain. The off-road mountain bike also has a suspension system that can handle rough and uneven ground at high speeds.
There are two settings to consider: full suspension (fork and shock absorber in the frame) or hard tail (fork only, rigid frame). The former can make the ride more stable, but some riders prefer hard tails because of their light weight and stiff rear end that provides tactile feedback.
This British manufacturer is still new to off-road bikes, and it was even more impressive when it won our best off-road bike roundup. Our reviewer said: “It has a perfect pitch geometry, and when riding in a saddle, this feeling translates into a very balanced feeling-even when driving downhill at extremely fast speeds, you have complete control over everything. , Which gives you plenty of time to choose the right route and avoid obstacles.” They feel that they can drive smoothly when they want to accelerate and control things around corners.
What goes down must go up. In other words, unless you have a gondola on your local trail, every glorious downhill run will happen before the difficult struggle to climb to the top of the fire road. It may increase the burden on the legs, but this is where electric mountain bikes appear.
The additional small electric motor facilitates stepping and reduces the pain in the uphill section. Most people will have a remote control somewhere on the handlebar so that the rider can adjust the amount of boost or turn off the electric motor completely. However, all of these conveniences have brought a huge weight loss, so if you want to put something that is easy to throw behind the car back into the car, you may need to reconsider.
An electric hybrid car has all the practical advantages of a conventional hybrid car, but there is an additional benefit: it has an electric motor and a rechargeable battery. This provides a useful push every time the pedal strokes, you can toggle the pedal up or down as needed, or even close the pedal completely. This is a good choice for those who are exercising their health, or who may feel uneasy about people who rely solely on their legs to ride long distances.
Volt’s product range is getting more and more impressive, and its powerful design and outstanding manufacturing quality make them the best buy among our comprehensive electric bicycle products. There are two versions of the pulse, one with a range of 60 miles (£1,699) and the other with a range of 80 miles (£1,899), and the former comes in two sizes. Our reviewer said: “The tires are designed to be comfortable and easy to maneuver, the tires are puncture-proof, and the disc brakes make driving in wet environments more comfortable. You can set the pedal assist to five different levels so that you can It saves some power during time. The powerful battery can be charged or removed on the bike.”
Sturdy steel frame, long wheelbase (distance between two wheels), upright riding posture, mudguards, and unlimited mounting options for racks and levers, touring bikes are epic for multi-day cycling Essential equipment. The design of these bicycles is mainly for comfort and to withstand heavy loads. They are not fast and do not emit light, but they will happily drag you and your tent from one side of the earth to the other without making any harsh sounds.
However, do not confuse travel with bicycle travel. Touring is mainly carried out on paved roads, and most of the loading and unloading of bicycles are carried out on cross-country roads, and are often carried out on gravel bicycles or mountain bikes.
IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. In some cases, if you click on the link and purchase the product, we will earn revenue, but we will never allow this to compromise the scope of our coverage. Write reviews through a combination of expert opinions and actual tests.
The classic Brompton is perfect for long commutes, you need to put it in the trunk of a bus, tram or train
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