Bicycles have come a long way since the Penny Farthing, though the general concept is not so much changed from 19 Century. The main difference now will be pleased to hear that the bike is much more comfortable than they were then, I am! Now it's hard to imagine a bicycle made of wood or solid tires, although I'm sure then bike manufacturers would never have dreamed a bicycle would have its own suspension either!
One thing that is mostdifficult today than it was in the 19 Century is to choose the right bike. Motorcycle designs are really developed, and instead of a bicycle for everyone (as is the case then), there are a variety of different bikes, suitable for different purposes.
So how do you know what kind of bike is best for you? Now, you must first decide what you want to start.
If it is a casual ride down the road, there is no sense to buy a mountain full suspensionMotorcycles! Similarly, a road bike would be useless for you! So maybe we should look at exactly what is available on the market ...
Selling to the four main types of bicycle popular today are racing bicycles, mountain biking, mountaineering, and hybrids. Road bikes are designed for speed and aerodynamics, and as such are the handlebars, narrow tires on the left, and little in the way of extras to keep the weight low. These are for cyclists who want to show distances to the highest goodspeeds, but would be no good for extended cycling trips if all you're relying on is a bike.
Mountain bikes have really risen to popularity in the last decade or so. Buying a full mountain bike is probably pointless unless you're intending to go tearing up and down mountains! Mountain bikes have very sturdy and chunky frames, chunky tyres, and most these days also have dual suspension. Importantly they also have very low gear ratios so that riders are able to get up hills effectively. But on the downside, full mountain bikes aren't really very good for cycling on roads because the chunky tyres cause a lot of drag.
If you're not into hurtling down a mountain, but perhaps want to cycle on a few forest trails, and some roads, a hybrid bicycle is probably better for you. These are really a cross between a mountain bike and the old fashioned utility bikes. It's built to be more practical for a variety of uses - the chunky tyres aren't so chunky that you get loads of drag, so they're ok on roads, yet they're chunky enough to handle tracks and light off-roading. Many of the hybrids now come with front suspension forks, easing the shocks your wrists take if you're cycling on uneven ground.
Tourers, or touring bicycles, are very popular too. These are closest in design to a racing bicycle, but the frames are a little bulkier and heavier because they're designed to be able to handle heavier loads. Tourers come with either straight handlebars or dropped handlebars, depending on your preference, plus an extensive gear range so that you can make it up hills, but also get a good speed going down hills too. The main feature of touring bicycles is their pannier racks. These can be front or rear, or both, mounted, and carry specially designed bicycle pannier bags. As the name of this bike suggests, it's designed for touring i.e. going long distances.
So those are the big four, and probably the most popular around the world for people who want a bicycle for leisure purposes. Alternatives include BMX bicycles, Cruiser bicycles, Tandems, Choppers, and fold-up bikes.
