Types of Bikes for Cycling

Series Summary

Learning to ride a bicycle is usually regarded as one of the major milestones of childhood, yet many people ride bicycles into late adulthood, and some cultures have built entire transportation systems around the bike. Cycling is an exciting hobby that allows you to travel a little further than an evening walk would afford, but much faster and usually in the same amount of time.

It can be said that the bicycle holds a certain mystique as a simple machine that we can use to move our bodies faster than usually possible, pumping and pushing in sync with the gears and pedals. And cycling is an easy sport to get started in; once you have your balance, the rest is just practice.

In this free video series, learn what you need to begin cycling. Our expert will show you what types of bikes are available, depending on the type of rider and terrain. He’ll give you the basic riding safety guidelines, including why you should use a helmet, what to wear when cycling, and what the proper bicycle hand signals for turning are. Also learn how to fix a flat bike tire on the road, should the need arise. As a special bonus, get tips on how to begin training for a race or endurance ride—what to eat, what equipment you might need, and how to build a training regimen.

Video Transcript

" This is Jim Toledano for Expert Village and we’re going to talk about different kinds of bikes. This is what’s called a rode bike. It’s designed for riding on the street and on bike trails. It’s designed to be light. It’s designed to give you a different kind of control than you would on some other kinds of bikes. Like every bike however, it’s got a frame, handlebars, a saddle, wheels, and gears and back here to allow you to go up and down hills and change your speed. On a road bike, you’ve got what’s called rode handlebars, where you can ride in different positions, down up and here. The saddle is going to be thinner; it’s going to be lighter. The tires are thin. The idea is to give you something that gives you the ability to go up and down the rode as fast as you want. This is what’s called a mountain bike. It’s designed to ride off-road. It’s designed to ride on dirt, on mountain trails, go up and down, take a lot of hard knocks. It’s got a much stiffer frame; it’s not more narrower handlebars so you’ve got more control. The saddle is a little better padded and it’s got thicker tires with knobs on them. It does however have the same thing as any other bike; it has a gear system that allows you to go faster and slower. In between a mountain bike and a rode bike is something called a hybrid. The frame is not as thick and solid as a mountain bike frame, but it’s not as lightweight as a rode bike frame. It can use thick tires or thin tires; you can use it on the road or on the streets. It’s for somebody who does a little bit of both and doesn’t need the specialized kind of a bike that’s designed for a particular way of riding. "