Road Racers, Loaded Tourers, Recumbents, Hardtails, Dual suspension, Hybrids, Cross Bikes, Sport Touring, Commuters, Cruisers, Comfort Bikes, Tandems.   WOW!!!   A lot of different styles BUT they are all bicycles that need pedaling (:

Swing by the store and we will be happy to give a 95 second (Yes only 95 seconds) education of the different styles of bikes available 

We recommend a 3 stage process 

1. Educate
2. Test ride
3. Test ride a second time

So read / scan over the following to get a basic overview of bicycles then come by and we will be more than happy to simply it or  call or text us @ 203 226 3790 

These are just the more common bicycle types available today. There are also folding bikes, single speeds, freeride, downhillers, jumping bikes, track bikes, gravel bikes and more.

With such a dizzying array to choose from, it’s a small miracle any new buyer wondering how to buy a bicycle leaves a shop with the right model. Sadly, it’s common for people to buy the wrong bike, such as getting a model built for abusive off-road use, when the MTB will be ridden primarily on pavement.

To prevent such mistakes, if you’re in the market for a new bike, especially if it’s the first new machine in a while, start the shopping process by answering the key questions that follow. When you’re sure about these things, you’ll stand the best chance of leaving the shop with a bicycle you’ll love and not outgrow too quickly.

After you’ve nailed these questions, refer to the chart which explains the five basic bike types to help decide which is most suited to you and your riding plans.

Why do you want a new bike?

Plenty of people buy the wrong bike because they only know they want one. For example, maybe your friend bought a bike so you want one just like it. That’s okay ó if you plan to ride just like your friend. It’d be better to list what you want out of the purchase. Is it riding for fitness? Is it for pedaling around town? For off-road excursions? For travel? To take up bike racing? To commute? Write down as many reasons as you can come up with and think carefully about which ones are realistic.

What kind of person are you?

Some types want the best of everything; others are frugal and consider affordability first. A serious athlete will have different goals than someone mostly interested in recreation. Tech heads prefer the latest and most advanced engineering in frames and components. Many cyclists want a unique machine that sets them apart from the masses. One way to determine where you fit is by thinking about other big purchases you made recently and the decisions you made in the process. The better you know yourself, the easier it’ll be to get a bike you’re happy with.

What kind of riding do you want to do?

Before answering, consider what type of riding is available in your area. For example, it might be questionable to purchase a downhill racing mountain bike if you live in Flatsville, Wisconsin. So think about where you’ll bike. If you’re not sure because you’re new to cycling or the area, visit a local shop and ask the people there where the great riding is to help decide which model will be most fun for you. For many cyclists, the answer is two bikes, one for road use and another for off road use.

How much do you want to spend?

Bikes sell for any where between $500 to $25,000

A good bike is like a good car If it gets to where you want to go it’s good. A sports car is not a good choice for family driving, AND a full suspension downhill mountain bike is not a good choice for winning triathlons 

Hit the shops with a good idea of what you’d be comfortable spending. Every bike type is available in a wide range of prices based on the frame material, the design and the components it’s equipped with. If you can determine your price comfort level, the dealer can steer you toward bikes of the type you like in that general range and it’ll save searching the aisles. It’s worth looking at slightly more expensive models to get a feel for what a little extra cash buys. Often, for 15% more money, you can get parts that would cost much more to purchase individually. If you’ve got the bucks it might make sense to get the better bike. But keep in mind also that there are essential accessories such as a helmet and flat-tire repair kit that you may need and that these will add to the total cost of the bike.

Bicycle Types

Bike Frame Materials: Know The Differences

4 Most Common Frame Materials Used Today

• Steel
• Aluminum
• Titanium
• Carbon Fiber

Steel

• PROS: Very Strong, Durable, Excellent Ride Quality (Inherently Absorbs Shock), Highly Resistant To Metal Fatigue, Easily Repairable, Recyclable, Typically Affordable However Is Often More Expensive To Mass Manufacture Than Aluminum (Depending On Type – Mild/Carbon Steel vs Stainless)
• CONS: Heavy, Can Rust and Corrode

Historically the universal go-to material choice in bike frame building for over a hundred years. Steel is relatively inexpensive and offers high strength, long term durability, and can be repaired with relative ease. The ride quality of steel — despite the rigidity that comes to mind — actually intrinsically exhibits properties of what is referred to as Elastic Modulus, which describes why steel can better absorb shock and provide a smoother ride than metals with lower elasticity ratings — in layman’s terms, steel can (safely) flex and this helps absorb vibration and bumps. However, as most people are aware steel is very heavy, plus it can rust and corrode if not properly cared for.

Fun Fact: Although quite heavy a growing niche of cyclists prefer the ride characteristics, simplicity, and solid reliability of a durable fully rigid steel framed bike on plus sized tires, often seen in all-terrain bikepacking rigs. The combination of aired-down large volume tires and steel frame make for a surprisingly smooth ride.

Aluminum

• PROS: High Strength To Weight Ratio, Lightweight (2 1/2 To 3 Times Less Dense Than Steel), Won’t Rust and Corrosion Resistant, Fast Responsive Handling, Highly Recyclable
• CONS: Generally More Costly Than Steel (Though Still Less Than Stainless), Subjective But Ride Quality Can Be Perceived As Stiffer and More Harsh (Depending On Alloy and Frame Building Techniques Used), Fatigues More Quickly (Shorter Frame Life Span), Trickier To Repair

While significantly lighter than steel, aluminum is a dependable lightweight metal option with benefits that also include strength, corrosion resistance and being rust proof. For the most part gone are the traditional days of stiff harsh-riding aluminum frames, modern frame building techniques such as hydro-forming has given frame designers and engineers a competitive edge and ability to fine tune designs and produce bends and shapes with varying wall thickness within the same piece of metal, this results in a significantly improved ride that exhibits higher performing characteristics of controlled frame compliance and rigidity in key frame areas producing optimum comfort and maximum power transfer.

Fun Fact: Depending on material grade some high-end aluminum frames beat out low grade carbon bikes in both lightness and strength.

Titanium (Ti)

• PROS: Highest Strength To Weight Ratio of All Metals, Lightweight (Nearly 1/2 As Dense As Steel While Sharing Many of The Same Qualities of Strength and Compliance), Extremely Rust Proof and Corrosion Resistant, Long Lasting, Doesn’t Need To Be Painted (Even More Weight Savings)
• CONS: Very Expensive, Specialized and Difficult To Manufacture (Fewer Frame Manufacturers Means Limited Or Custom-Only Frame Options), Difficult To Repair

What makes titanium such a wonder metal is its combination of steel-like strength and lightness like aluminum. Basically a more ideal version of steel, titanium exhibits similar inherent ride qualities like natural elasticity and vibration damping while weighing only half as much, oh AND it won’t rust or corrode. Being both light and strong means a frame can be made using significantly less material, this is where the major benefit of titanium’s superior strength-to-weight ratio is found. For example, aluminum, which is actually significantly less dense than titanium requires a significantly thicker frame wall than would be required of titanium to provide matching strength. Having to spec a thicker frame offsets the weight advantage aluminum would normally have versus a titanium frame of the same design.

Fun Fact: The strength to weight ratio and natural anti-corrosive properties of titanium make it an ideal material for use in harsh environments — aircraft, naval ships, spacecraft, armor plating, missiles, ship propellers, oceanic equipment components, submarines, radioactive nuclear waste storage, surgical implants and medical instruments — just to name a few.

Carbon Fiber (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer)

• PROS: Very Lightweight, Incredible Strength To Weight Ratio (Up To 5 Times Stronger Than Steel and Twice As Stiff), Stiff Yet Compliant Ride Characteristics, Highly Customizable Frame Shapes and Vast Design Potential, Highly Resistant To Fatigue, Tolerant To High Temperatures, High Chemical Resistance, Low Thermal Expansion
• CONS: Very Expensive (Although Lower Grades Can Cost Less Than High Quality Aluminum), Hands-On Labor Intensive Manufacturing Processes, Significantly Longer Production Times, Not Very Environmentally Friendly To Produce (14 Times As Energy Intensive As Producing Steel), Reuse and Recycling Tech Still In Early Developing Stages, Damage Can Create Material Fractures (Crashes, Over Tightening of Bolts, Debris Impacts, etc.) That Eventually Leads To Sudden Abrupt Catastrophic Failure (Shattering), Repairs Are Possible But Can Be Difficult

Despite the futuristic sounding name carbon fiber has actually been around since 1958, which in the realm of materials means it’s still a material in its infancy, especially considering that comparatively steel has been around since the Roman Age, or about 4,000 years. Invented near Cleveland, Ohio — it wasn’t until 1963 when a British research center developed a new manufacturing process that was able to bring the strength potential of the material to fruition. Carbon fiber is manufactured, not naturally occurring. The individual fibers in carbon fiber are extremely thin ranging from 0.005 to 0.010 millimeters in diameter (a human hair is about 0.10 mm). Thousands of these fibers are twisted together to form a yarn and this yarn is then woven to create that more familiar checkered pattern fabric we call, “carbon fiber.” It’s this fabric that is then combined in a part mechanical and part chemical process using special epoxy resins or polymers to form hardened parts — technically called, carbon fiber reinforced polymer.

Fun Fact: Counterfeit carbon fiber products exist! While many of these faked products have the appearance of genuine carbon fiber and look nice they lack the true strength and performance characteristics of the real deal, this can be dangerous plus these companies that sell and produce it likely won’t help you out in any way in the event of part failures. Be weary of inexpensive carbon fiber bike components that are priced significantly less than reputable brand’s products, if the price is too good to be true this is usually a good indicator of a lesser product trying to pass as the real thing.