Buying the Right Bike for You

While buying a bike is not on the same level of commitment as, say, getting married, it is still a decision that warrants some thought. And, especially if you are considering buying a bike for the first time, it can seem as if your options are nearly endless.

What is the Right Kind of Bike for Me?

Your first decision comes in determining what type of bike you are after. There are basically four main styles of bikes to choose from, and your selection should really depend on what you anticipate your main type of riding to be.

 Single Speed Bikes / Fixie / fixie bikes for sale / Road Bikes are designed for riding on paved streets and going fast. Featuring skinny tires, a lightweight frame and a riding position that puts you bent over the handlebars, you might choose this type of bike if traveling longer distances at higher speeds is important to you.

The frames of most road bikes are not particularly beefy in construction and generally won’t stand up well for extended periods under heavy loads or on really rough surfaces. They are about as well-suited for a path in the woods as you would be when wearing high heels.

Full Suspension Mountain Bikes have exploded in popularity over the past twenty years. These bikes have wide tires, usually with knobby treads and a stout frame, and are designed to handle the rugged trails without disintegrating.

Mountain bikes do not go as fast as road bikes, which is a trade-off for their durability along with a more comfortable riding position. You sit higher on these bikes, more upright with the straight handlebars, which is often a happier choice for people with back problems than being hunched over as you are on a road bike.

Warning: sometimes mountain bikes are the default choice of salespeople at the bike shop because they are easy to sell and usually less expensive than road bikes. Too many times though, new mountain bikes with lots of impressive features for climbing a steep mountain trail end up like those four-wheel drive SUVs that never actually go off the pavement. If you are going to buy a mountain bike, make sure you are doing so intentionally because you know that you will in fact be riding off-road. Otherwise, you will be paying for unnecessary features, and probably missing out on a bike that would be a better choice for you.

  Hybrid Commuter Bikes are compromise between road and mountain bikes and offer the best features of both if most of your riding will be shorter trips on pavement. With skinnier, smooth tires, they typically can go faster than mountain bikes, yet feature the upright seat and handlebar position that many people favor.

Hybrids are a good choice for most city riding, and offer speed, durability and comfort.

  26" Beach Cruiser Bikes / Cruiser Bicycles / Beach Bikes are bikes that have wide tires, wide seats, upright handlebars and sometimes even just a single gear. These are the bikes that you’ll often see at the beach. More simple mechanically, they are easy to maintain but work best with flat terrain and a rider whose main interest is more about being comfortable than with going fast.

Dangerous new fad? Fixed-gear bicycles

Fixie bikes for sale are the latest fad that's becoming increasingly popular with local teenagers. But these modified bikes can be very dangerous for unprepared riders. It's a growing trend that contributed to the death of a local high school student.

On Thursday, a funeral was held for a local 17-year-old boy who died in a bicycle crash. But he wasn't riding on an ordinary bike. Instead, he was riding on something called a "fixie."

"It can buck you off if you don't know how to stop," bike messenger Rick Agresto said.

Agresto rides a fixed-gear bike.

"They're very reliable. They don't break -- there's less parts to break," he said.

Richie Ditta at Brooklyn Bicycles says they're different from a normal bike because the pedals are always in motion when the bike is moving, meaning you can never stop pedaling and just coast.

"The bike has direct drive, so when I peddle forward or backward, that's how the chain makes the wheel move back and forth," he explained.

What potentially makes a "fixie" dangerous is stopping. Your legs have to be strong enough to instantly stop the pedals.

"You gotta build muscles up to stop properly, and even then, it's not really enough," a rider said.

Some "fixie" riders add a hand brake to help slow the bike down. Others do not. And when there's a problem, the results can be fatal.

Seventeen-year-old Francisco Sanchez Porras was killed last week when the Bonita High School student's "fixie" crashed into a car at an Encanto intersection.

"We have numerous witnesses that are pretty consistent. The bicyclist entered the intersection without stopping," SDPD Sgt. Art Doherty said.

"Fixies" are legal, and San Diego police say they haven't noticed enough accidents with them yet to cause concern. But because they're great for doing tricks, the bikes are becoming more and more popular with teens, who may or may not have the strength to quickly stop them.

One "fixie" rider equated riding one of the bikes to skiing. You don't have brakes on skis, you use your legs.

Quella One singlespeed/fixed gear bike

Sometimes it's nice to go back to basics, and the current popularity of fixed gear bikes is proof of this. With this surge, new brands have been popping up regularly. Quella, a fresh UK brand launched in April of this year, are an example.

Quella’s new fixed gear/singlespeed bike is called the One, and looks set to be a good value, stylish urban commuter. At its heart is a vintage-inspired track frame made from 4130 chromoly steel and available in a dazzling array of powder-coated finishes, including gold.

In fact, if none of the colour options (check out BikeRadar's image gallery for just a few) takes your fancy, Quella can give you a quote to powder-coat your One in any colour from the RAL scheme. Chrome, matte and pearlescent finishes are also available.

A flip-flop hub is standard on the One, so if your knees aren't feeling up to fixed work or you simply like to coast then a 16T singlespeed setup is only a few minutes of fettling away.

Each One rolls on 50mm own-brand, deep section rims and features 400mm bullhorn-style bar, features Quella say are perfect for cruising around the city or taking to the track. A single alloy front brake is fitted and you even get Brooks-esque saddle. According to Quella, a complete One should balance the scales at 8kg (17.6lb).

Although bikes of this nature are for those with an acquired taste, we think the One is a smart-looking model. It's available in three sizes – 52/55/59cm – and prices start from £369.99.

Top 7 Reasons Why Fixed-Gear Bikes are Oh-So Hot Right Now

It's no news that fixed-gear bikes (or 'fixies') are trendy in cool-hipster biking. Wallpaper magazine is writing about them, Urban Outfitters is selling them, and some even go far to say that the trend is now over (always a sign that something has gone big).The trend is definitely not over, and many people who are not all the time ahead of fashion, super dedicated bikers or that don't live in New York City are still wondering: Why have fixed gear bikes become so popular? What is it that makes these bikes special? And, most importantly, Should I jump in on the fixie wagon?

If you're one of them (or if you're a super trendy person who already has a fixie but want to check if you have your cultural data about it straight) read on.

1. The subculture factor

People love subcultures, especially when its protagonists are perceived as cool. Nobody doubts that the use of skateboards spread rapidly not only because kids loved to ride a table with wheels, but also because they wanted to ressemble a bunch of really cool Californian teenagers who did it.

Fixies come from the bike-messengers culture, and they were most likely adopted by them for convenience (simple bikes that don't attract thieves and that are very low maintenance). Now, however, they've become sort of a cult in the messenger culture and so they come with kind of a savvy element around them.

Will the fixie follow a similar path than the skateboard and become (really) mainstream or will it remain a choice of a smaller group? Time will tell.

2. Their Cheapness

Let's be honest: Who can really afford a designer bike? On the other hand, foldings can be a little expensive sometimes, as well as all really nice bikes.

But fixed gear bikes are (or were?) cheap. As Wired put it: "Find an old beat-up road bike, buy a new hub and throw away all extraneous hardware. You now have a fixie." To make it unique, all you have to do is add your touch (see point 4 in this article).

Of course, that is if you're not looking for a super cool designer fixie (see Wallpaper magazine article linked before).

3. Light and Clean Looks

Long, long gone are the times when biking meant bulky bicycles with tons of accessories. As these vehicles get more integrated to everyday lives, people are looking for simple models that just get the job done. Additionally, we live in times when frugal living and simpleness have become desirable values for some segments.

So the simple and clean look of fixies fits right in in these two aspirations. They're as clean as it gets for bikes, with just light frames, no gears and thin tires. Bingo.

4. Endless Customization

You can surely modify and customize almost any bike, but there is a whole culture of customizing fixed gear bikes that has surely added to the growth of the trend.