|
Every day, I equate buying a bike, to
buying your first computer - the salesman will ask you "what do you plan on
doing with your computer?" and most of us have no idea at the time what the
computer salesman is hedging at. If you want to serf the net, then you
don't a good ADSL modem will be of use, if you want to do graphic design you'll
need heaps of memory, if you want to play mega games - you'll want a fast CPU!
So what do YOU plan on doing with your
bike? Riding it of course! But where, how and with who? Why
did you start to look at buying a bike - to get fit ? To ride MTB trails?
To do tri's? To get to work? Are you likely to want to ride with
other people? What bikes do they have - not the models, but the styles!
Different bike types include; Tri / Time Trial -
Road - Flat Bar Road -
Hybrid - Comfort MTB -
MTB Hard Tail - MTB Dually
A Triathlon bike or Time Trail bike - in
Australian conditions is mostly used in long course triathlon. It features
a steeper seat angle than a standard road bike, and normally comes with aerobars,
aerobar shifters and an aerodynamic frame. If you are shooting for half -
full Ironman - this could be you!
Road bikes - for sport road racing or
"normal" distance triathlon. Thin tyres (23mm standard), lightweight
frames, and a higher gearing than all of the other bikes to the left of the
chart.
Flat Bar Road - These
are a relatively new style of bike and are becoming very popular, very fast.
A split between a Hybrid and a Road bike. Not as light, not quite as thin tyre, some subtle comfort features - still a tallish gearing and quite nimble.
Great for getting around, Sydney to the Gong, fast commuting and perhaps the odd
small triathlon.
Hybrids - some people
call these city bikes as they are NOT suitable for off-road (by this we mean
full on MTBing) - great for bike paths, rides with the kids, commuting, general
fitness. The feature of these bike is a very upright riding position and
comfort comfort comfort.
Comfort MTB - is a mash
of a Hybrid with MTB size wheels - if you want a Hybrid and are prepared to
trade of a higher gearing for the ability for the occasional bush bash - this is
you!
Help -
email an expert now
|
