Measure all your possibilities
URBAN BIKE
- It's your bike if... you use it as a regular means of transport around the city. If you are also a romantic looking for a bike like the ones of a lifetime , urban bikes recover the most classic and vintage designs from years ago.
- What should I know? With an aesthetic that has evolved from Dutch bikes, urban bikes are vehicles with which you can comfortably ride on asphalt. The reason is in his posture : You ride upright, in a relaxed position that allows you a great view. In addition, since you hardly carry any weight on the handlebar, you can easily and safely signal your maneuvers with your arms. The low bar of many urban (designed for both men and women) , allows you to get on and off the bike more easily , for example, every time you stop at a red light.
These bikes have large-diameter wheels that will help you to climb the curbs better and notice the potholes less, they also provide great stability. If you live in a city with steep slopes, keep in mind that some models of urban bikes do not have gears . That yes, this type of bikes well equipped: chain guards and mudguards to avoid staining your clothes; lights and reflectors (compulsory in the city); carrier or handlebar basket to carry your things; and a wide and comfortable spring seat.
- Most important brands: Velorbis, Retrovelo or Pilen are specialists in classic, vintage and retro-style bicycles.
One more urban accessory
FOLDING BICYCLE
- It's your bike if... you use it for short distances (less than 10 kilometers) and you want to combine it with other means of public transport, such as the train or the bus. If you have little space at home to store it or you are one of those who take the bike everywhere, the folding bike is your best option.
- What should I know? They are light, compact and designed to be folded and unfolded several times a day in a matter of seconds. Their small size allows you to take them on the subway, enter a cafe with them or take them to the office and store them, for example, under the desk. Best of all, you forget about parking . At home, they fit in a closet.
In terms of performance, once the operation of this type of bike is deployed it is very similar to a city bike . The main difference is in the diameter of the wheels: it is much smaller, depending on the model. For long trips , they are perfect to take on the plane (they fit in a suitcase) or inside the trunk of the car.
- Most important brands: Monty, Beixo, Brompton and Dahon are the most representative brands.
With her everywhere
ELECTRIC BICYCLE
- It's your bike if... you live in a city with very steep slopes, you regularly pedal long distances or you simply need a little push to get around.
- What should I know? Electric bikes (also known as pedal-assist bikes) they have a small motor that is activated only when you pedal . You can start it at any point along the route that you need extra help, for example, on a high level climb. This way you avoid making a great effort and arriving at your destination sweating.
You have to pay close attention to the autonomy of each bicycle, which is delimited by the type of battery it carries. Important: to be homologated, the motor cannot be more than 250 watts of power, and you cannot exceed 25 km/h with the engine running. You do not need a license to drive it and one of its drawbacks is that they are heavier than a bicycle without a motor.
- Most important brands: BH, Pro-movec, Eco Bike, Megamo or Monty have several models of bikes that can be supported by an electric motor.
Electric bicycle, bio circulation
HYBRID BIKE
- It's your bike if... you are looking for a two-wheeler to pedal in and out of the city. It's also a good bike if you like to do cycle tourism.
- What should I know? Hybrid bikes are very versatile: "they can do everything". As Miguel Silvestre, owner of the Madrid bike shop Retocycle, tells us: “They are a half mix between those for road and those for mountain ”, although they also maintain some characteristics of urban bikes. They are suitable for driving on tracks and paths, and for longer journeys. These bikes are relatively light, safe and resistant . Like urban bikes, they have the advantage of coming equipped with luggage racks, mudguards and lights, essential elements for pedaling around the city.
- Most important brands: Specialized, BH, Orbea, Giant, Kona, Trek include hybrid models in their catalogs.
A hybrid that adapts to the road
FIXED OR FIXIE GEAR BIKE
- It's your bike if... you are a somewhat experienced cyclist and you live in a flat city. If you like doing stunts with the bike (pedaling backwards, turning the handlebars 180º, etc…), the fixies allow you to do it.
- What should I know? the fixies they are the minimum expression of bicycle, aesthetically and technically: they have two wheels, a saddle, a frame, handlebars, pedals, a fixed sprocket on the rear wheel, a chain and a single chainring. They don't have brakes or gears . Made fashionable by New York couriers, these types of bikes are lighter than conventional ones (as they carry the essentials) and whenever the bike is in motion, the pedals will be. With the fixies you stop with the resistance of your own legs and they do not have a dead point.
Its aesthetic usually combines retro elements, leather grips and saddles and bold colors . “There is a wide variety of this type of bicycle on the market, ranging from the most pro and its fluorescent colors to the most retro aesthetics,” says Miguel, who warns that “you should not be fooled by appearances, since many bikes that look like fixed gear, are freewheel, have coaster, front or rear brakes”.
- Most important brands: Amaro , Fuji , Specialized , BLB and Razesa stand out in the fixie market.
For urbanites of the plains: fixie bike
** CRUISERS (OR BEACH) BICYCLES **
- It's your bike if... You are looking for a vehicle that is halfway between an urban bike and a mountain bike, with a modern and carefree aesthetic to ride around the city.
- What should I know? born in California Like the bikes of beachgoers and surfers, cruisers are solid urban vehicles that favor an upright posture for easy cruising. They use some wide low pressure tires, very useful to absorb potholes . In general, they have few changes, the braking system is by coaster and they are mechanically simpler. It's your pedal chopper.
- Most important brands: Felt , Schwinn , Trek , Electra , Hoodbikes or GT offer very striking cruiser models.
The cruisers or t-shirts are your pedal 'chopper'
ROAD BIKE
- It's your bike if... you like to run on the road and practice cycling as a sport.
- What should I know? They are bicycles designed to run on the asphalt, not to circulate around the city. They come equipped with many gears , they are not very robust and have very thin covers. For the city they are not convenient : A gutter grate, a bad pothole or a wet floor can make you fall. The cyclist's position is inclined towards the handlebars, which is not very comfortable for the city. They are designed for a more sporty use, always looking for the aerodynamics.
- Most important brands: Cervelo, Colnago, Cipollini, and BH all make road bikes.
Road bikes are perfect for athletes
**MOUNTAIN BIKE (MTB) **
- It's your bike if... You are looking for a 4x4 vehicle to go pedaling in the countryside or on dirt roads.
- What should I know? “Despite its widespread use in the city due to its versatility, It is not a recommended bicycle for urban use usual”, explains Miguel. The problem with these bikes in the city is that its wide studded tires brake a lot on asphalt . Also, with a little rain they become very dangerous. As with racing bikes, driving on MTBs is inclined, not very comfortable for driving around the city. His suspension and lots of marches that a mountain bike carries are designed for very strong climbs and very fast descents on all types of terrain, but not on asphalt.
- Most important brands: Cannondale, Trek, Iron Horse, and Merida Bikes all market good mountain bikes.
Cyclist? Get a mountain bike
CYCLO-CROSS BIKE
- It's your bike if... you want to start in the world of cycling. It is the most advisable vehicle for everything.
- What should I know? “Despite being one of the great forgotten, cyclocross bicycles will soon become a trend ”, assures Miguel, who is firmly committed to the development of this type of vehicle in the city. In London, they are already the best-selling type of bike. We could say that it is a kind of hybrid bike, with a road bike look with mountain tires and brakes. It unites the city with the mountain and the road.
- Major brands : Specialized , Stevens and Alan are three leading manufacturers in cyclocross bikes.
Cyclocross: perfect for beginners
recumbent bike
- It's your bike if... you want to experience pedaling unlike anything else, comfortable and very fast on flat terrain. It is a good bike for long distance trips and cycling.
- What should I know? Recumbent bikes are another world apart. In this type of bike you go sitting in a horizontal position, a more relaxed and comfortable posture that seeks better aerodynamics and saves us a lot of effort. They are faster on flat terrain and real cars on the descents . For long distance trips, it allows you to carry large panniers. One of the biggest problems to use it in the city is that it is less visible to cars , which can be very dangerous. Also, to dodge potholes effectively or climb curbs you can't lift the front wheel.
- Major brands : JM Bicycles and Tricycles, Optima Bikes, Azub and Ecobent are some of the manufacturers specializing in recumbent bikes.
The recumbent ones are not for lazy: they are for long distances and cyclists