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| |  Mountain Bikes
If you like to get dirty and ride the trails, you're going to want the beefed-up suspension and sturdy tires of a mountain bike. Designed for riding off-road and over rugged terrain, mountain bikes have strong, durable frames and wheels, strong brakes, low gears for hill climbing, and upright handlebars. Mountain bikes have either a front or a full--sometimes called dual--suspension built for absorbing trail shock.
Front Suspension
If you're a beginner or a casual mountain biker, a front suspension mountain bike is a good choice. You can ride it on dirt roads and easy trails, but also on bike paths and paved trails. You'll benefit from the comfort and smooth ride of the front suspension but your bike won't be too bulky or aggressive for casual riding.
Full Suspension
If you're a serious rider who likes to climb steep hills and rocky trails and take multiday mountain bike expeditions through the backcountry, a full-suspension mountain bike is for you. You'll benefit from the sturdiness and reliability of a full-suspension system as you come flying down rocky singletrack.
Best For: Trail riding, mountain riding, fitness, backcountry, expedition
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 Road Bikes
Road or racing bikes are streamlined and designed for speed and distance with light frames, drop handlebars, and narrow, high-pressure tires. The speed, distance, and efficiency of road bikes come with a price, though--road bikes aren't meant to withstand rocky trails or dirt and are not as rugged or durable as mountain bikes. If you're a serious rider, want to fast across travel long distances, and want to use cycling as a form of exercise, you'll want a road bike.
Best For: Road riding, racing, fitness, distance
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 Comfort Bikes
Comfort bikes are a good choice when comfort is your primary concern and speed is less of one. Often featuring at least three speeds, comfort bikes feature shock-absorbing seat posts, smooth tires for easy street riding, an upright riding position, and padded seats for a comfortable ride. Comfort bikes are great for riding around town, running errands, and general enjoyment.
Best For: Leisure riding, casual riding, about town
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 Cruiser Bikes
Cruiser bikes are a great option for leisurely riding on the road or beach when you just want to, well, cruise. Well-padded, oversized seats and upright handlebars allow you to sit back in the saddle and maintain a more natural posture while riding. If comfortable, leisurely riding is your goal, a cruiser bike is your best bet.
Best For: Leisure riding, casual riding, about town, on the beach or boardwalk
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 Hybrid and Commuter Bikes
Hybrid bikes combine features of a mountain bike and a road bike to give you the option of riding on the road or the trail. From mountain bikes, hybrid bikes take wide gear ratios and upright handlebars. Like road bikes, hybrid bikes are lighter and have narrower, smooth-rolling tires and comfortable saddles and grips suitable for pavement riding. Of course, combining the two designs means hybrid bikes aren't as burly as mountain bikes or as fast as road bikes, but land somewhere in the middle to suit a multitude of purposes. Commuters, recreational riders, and fitness riders who want the performance of both a road and a mountain bike should choose a hybrid bike.
Best For: Commuting, fitness, casual rides, bike paths
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 BMX and Freestyle Bikes
BMX bikes look similar to mountain bikes, but can be ridden faster and are more agile because they have smaller wheels and smaller frames. Designed to be ridden and raced over courses with ramps, obstacles, curves, and corners, BMX bikes are made for racers as well as for kids who need a rugged bike that can take a beating.
Designed especially for tricks and maneuvers off a ramp, a half pipe, or the ground, freestyle bikes look like BMX bikes but often include front and rear pegs for standing and a rotor that allows you to spin the handlebars all the way around without jamming the brakes. Not ideal for extremely young children or beginners, freestyle bikes are for trick riders who usually wear knee and elbow pads in addition to a helmet.
Best For: BMX course riding, kids' riding, trick riding
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 Kids' Bikes and Sizing
Built small and designed for beginning riders, kids' bikes come in a range of models and sizes but are most often styled after BMX or mountain bikes. Kids' bikes are sized according to the wheel size of the bike and the height of the child, as illustrated in the graph below.
Balance bikes, also called push bikes, are designed for toddlers who are just being introduced to bike riding. Balance bikes don't have pedals--rather, the child straddles the bike, steers with the handlebars, and walks to get familiar with the feel of a bicycle. The next step up is a basic entry-level bike with removable training wheels. After a child is confident on training wheels, he or she can move up to bigger bikes with six or 21 gears and start shifting and using handbrakes. Kids' bikes are designed for the early rider through the more advanced young adult rider.
Best For: Kids' riding, learning the basics
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After you decide on the type of bike you want, the next thing to consider is how to choose the right size. Bike sizing can be tricky because brands and manufacturers size their bikes differently. Some manufacturers determine sizing in inches; some in centimeters. Some brands take different measurements and have different bike geometry.
The constant here is that most bike sizes are based on your height and body frame dimensions, so there are a few measurements you can take that will make sizing yourself for a bike easier. You'll need to know your height, and you may also need to measure your inseam length, torso length, and arm length.
Take Your Measurements
Measure Your Inseam
The length of your inseam--the length from your crotch to the bottom of your foot--will help you find the right size frame for your particular body. Don't base your inseam measurement on your pant size. You need to be more precise to get the best bike fit.
- Stand with your back flush against a wall with your feet six to eight inches apart.
- To mimic your bike seat, place a book, binding up, between your legs and against the wall. Be sure it's snug against your body as if you were sitting on a bike seat.
- Have someone measure from the top of the book binding to the floor and record it in both inches and centimeters. This will give you an accurate inseam measurement for sizing both road and mountain bikes.
Measure Your Torso Length
Your torso length, combined with your arm length, will measure your reach and help you determine the ideal top-tube length.
- Stand with your back flush against a wall with your feet six to eight inches apart.
- To mimic your bike seat, place a book, binding up, between your legs and against the wall. Be sure it's snug against your body as if you were sitting on a bike seat.
- Measure, or have someone measure, from the binding of the book to the small V in your throat just above your sternum.
Measure Your Arm Length
Your arm length, combined with your torso length, will measure your reach and help you determine the ideal top-tube length.
- Holding a pen or pencil in your fist, stretch your arm out to the side, reaching as far as you can.
- Have someone measure from where your armpit, or the end of your collarbone at the shoulder, to the pen or pencil in your outstretched hand.
Now that you have your measurements, we can look at the best way to size yourself for various types of bikes. Keep in mind that there is no standard for measuring bike fit and that most brands will have their own tables and sizing charts. While some bikes, such as cruiser bikes, comfort bikes, and other leisure bicycles, may be offered in S, M, or L, many bikes are listed with a size in inches or centimeters.
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Frame Size Rules
The frame size of a bike refers to the length of its seat tube and is one of the most important measurements to know. For many types of bikes, such as comfort bikes, cruisers, hybrid bikes, and some mountain bikes, frame size may be the only factor you need to consider when choosing a bicycle.
Some manufacturers determine frame size by your height in inches. If that's the case, simply compare your height to the frame size measurement provided by the manufacturer.
Here's a general breakdown of frame size according to height for bikes sized as S, M, or L. Keep in mind that this chart should only be used as a general guideline and may not apply to all brands.
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Road Bike Sizing
When choosing a road bike, proper fit is important. The most crucial measurement will be your inseam and the most important sizing factor will be frame size, which is based on the length of the bikes' seat tube. To get a more specific fit, you should also calculate your reach (to the handlebars).
Frame Size
To find your ideal road bike frame size, multiply your inseam measurement in inches by .67.
Formula: Road Bike Frame Size = Inseam in inches x .67
Reach
To get the most accurate sizing for a road bike, you may also want to know your ideal reach, or the combined length of the top tube and stem. You can use the Lemond formula to calculate reach (in inches):
Formula: Reach = [(Torso Length + Arm Length) / 2) + 4 inches
Note: Most road bikes are sized in centimeters. To convert your calculations from inches to centimeters, multiply the number of inches by 2.54.
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Mountain Bike Sizing
When choosing a mountain bike, the most important measurement is your inseam and the most important sizing factor will be bike frame size.
Frame Size
The formula for determining your mountain bike frame size is similar to that of road bike size, except for one important element: your inseam. Because you need additional clearance between your body and the mountain bike to avoid injuries due to sudden stops or crashes, you'll need to add 2 - 5 inches to your inseam measurement to find your ideal mountain bike frame size.
To calculate your mountain bike frame size, simply add two to five inches to your inseam and then multiply by .67.
Formula: Mountain Bike Frame Size = (Inseam in inches + 2 - 5 inches) x .67
- Aggressive and advanced riders will want more clearance--usually at least four inches between your crotch and the top tube. On a mountain bike, quick dismounts and spills aren't uncommon and you'll be grateful for the extra room between you and the tube.
- Less aggressive riders and commuters only need between two and three inches of clearance.
Note: An easier way to determine mountain bike frame size is to first determine road bike frame size and then subtract 10 centimeters or 4 inches. For example, a rider with a 33-inch inseam would need a 22-inch road frame and an 18-inch mountain bike frame.
Top-Tube Length
Another factor to consider when choosing a mountain bike is the length of the top tube. If your top tube length is too long, it will be difficult to keep your weight over the front wheel when riding uphill. Most mountain bike brands will list this measurement as either approximate top-tube length or effective top tube. Here's a general formula used to calculate this measurement:
Formula: Top-tube length (in inches) = [(Torso Length + Arm Length) / 2] - 6 inches
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Women-Specific Bike Sizing
For women-specific bicycles, the top tube is non-existent or slopes down so clearance isn't really an issue and the ideal frame size can be based on height. For women's bike, or bikes without cross frames, determining reach is wise to ensure the best fit.
Total Reach = [(Torso Length + Arm Length) / 2) + 4 inches | |
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