Your options for purchasing a bicycle are as varied as your reasons for getting one. This decision is not one to make lightly. Rushing to your local super center and purchasing a bike because you like the way it looks will not give you the bike you need. Learning the names of the styles of bikes and what each style is made for will help you with your decision.
Style
When shopping for bikes, you will see cycles separated into different styles. A comfort bike offers you high handlebars, an upright riding position and a soft, wide seat. A mountain bike will give you greater shock absorption and tire control for off-road cycling. If you want a bike that has a lower handlebar for a bent-over race position, a road bike offers this as well as thin tires for cycling speed. Another category of bike is a fitness bike, which has the slim tires of a road bike, but with a higher handlebar position. A final category is a recumbent bike, or trike, which allows you to sit on a very wide seat and pedal with your feet in front of as opposed to underneath your body.
Reasons
If you are purchasing a bike for racing in either a cycling or triathlon event, a road bike suits this purpose. If your reasons for buying a bike are leisurely, evening rides on pavement or smooth dirt, select a comfort bike. If you are going to cycle on trails or through loose dirt, a mountain bike's wide, knobby tires will give you the traction you need. If you like the mountain bike's upright body position but want to ride on pavement, a fitness bike is good for exercise or commuting to work.
Weight
If you need to transport your bike before you cycle, you need to be able to lift the bike onto or into your vehicle. If you transport your bike frequently and require a lightweight frame to pedal across great distances, a road bike is your best option. Fitness bikes weigh just slightly more than road bikes, so are also easy to transport. A mountain bike has a heavier weight than a road or fitness bike.
Options
If you need one bike to participate in different activities, you can change the tires. You can purchase the style of bike that places your body in the most comfortable position, and then purchase two sets of tires. Use your mountain tires when riding on unstable dirt surfaces and switch to your road tires for competitions.
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