Types

Outlined below are four of the major types of bikes. But while you're deciding what kind of riding you expect to do, look beyond the basics. Bike manufacturers are fragmenting the market with models that combine features from various categories.

Comfort bikes

These are for leisurely recreational riding on pavement and smooth dirt paths. They include high handlebars, shock absorbers in the seat and/or fork, and a soft, wide seat.

Pros:Creature comforts include an upright riding position and a cushiony ride. Low gears allow easier uphill pedaling. As a group, comfort bikes cost less than other types.
Cons:Comfort bikes might make for hard pedaling on hilly terrain. And for off-road use, they can't compete with a mountain bike's rigid construction and wide, knobby tires.

Mountain bikes

These are designed to stand up to rugged trails. You'll get a shock-absorbing front suspension fork and possibly rear suspension, which provide the best control and comfort on the roughest terrain. They have wide, knobby tires, a narrow or moderately width saddle, and flat or riser handlebars.

Pros:More durable than other types. Absorb shock well. Excellent off-road handling.
Cons:Heavier than road and fitness bikes. Not as well-suited for road riding.

Road bikes

These bikes are for riders who want to log fast or serious mileage, including multi-day touring. Conventional road bikes feature a lightweight frame, skinny tires, a narrow seat, and drop handlebars that make you bend low. Performance road bikes, a fairly new type at the time of our last report, are similar except for their shorter top tube (the horizontal one) and longer head tube (the vertical one under the handlebars), which allow a slightly more upright riding position. Cross bikes, another subcategory, are essentially beefy road bikes with wide, knobby tires for off-road traction.

Pros:Avid cyclists may prefer the aerodynamic bent-over position that the drop handlebars of a conventional road bike provide.
Cons:Some riders may not feel comfortable bending that low, even with the somewhat higher handlebars of a performance road bike.

Fitness bikes

These bikes blend the slim tires, narrow seat, and lightweight frame of a road bike with the horizontal handlebars and more upright riding position of a mountain bike. Fitness bikes might be a good choice for those who simply want to burn calories or improve cardiovascular fitness, or for daily short-haul commuting.

Pros:Fitness bikes are more comfortable than road bikes. They weigh only a couple of pounds more than road bikes and tend to cost much less. They might be good for commuting to work.
Cons:Less aerodynamic than a road bike.

See also:

Treadmills

Elliptical

Infomercial exercise equipment

Pedometers