Types of Bikes
Mountain bike or road, gravel or fatty? Learn what type of bike you can choose from to suite your riding style.
- Mountain Bike (MTB)
- Road bike
- Gravel bike
- Fatbike
It is the most widely used of bicycle type, it was designed for traversing forests and rougher or mountainous terrains. Its construction differs from a typical bicycle in many ways.
The most noticeable of these differences are the inclusion of suspension on the frame and fork, larger knobby tires, more durable heavy duty wheels, more powerful brakes, and lower gear ratios, which are needed for steep gradients and better traction.
Substantial controllability and the bigger tire pattern makes riding in technical tracks easier and more comfortable.
MTB is good for a rider, who doesn’t care just for high speeds, but instead balances it with crossing terrains that can be hard to pass and enjoys bicycle tours or marathon rides.
There are hardtail (with front suspension) and full-suspension (with front and rear suspension) bikes. The latter kind is considered more comfortable but typically costs as well as weighs more. The mountain bike is in fact a larger category, which also includes downhill, endure, trail and other types of bikes.
Road bike is the most specialized of all the types of bikes and meant only for riding on tarmac. Its advantages are speed, lightness and an aerodynamic riding position.
On the same time, you ride and see more. Typically the road bike is more expensive compared to other types, but there are good cheaper variants on the market which are not meant for races, but offer you pleasure and fun while driving this road bike.
It is very important to get road bike position right. For this, check that your knee isn’t locked. Then move your saddle forward or back to find the most comfortable position. Road bike isn’t as comfortable compared to others, because it´s meant for speed. But remember – riding bicycle should not be painful!
The option between carbon and aluminum is the same for road bikes as it is for the MTB, with the exception that racing bikes typically have carbon frames.
With a road bike, you must pay more attention on road because it won´t forgive some mistakes. Sharp curb or pavement edge can cut your tire. So from different types of bikes, it is the most versatile bike, Also long skidding. Road bikes don’t have front suspension and because of that (plus high pressure tires), your hand takes the response from road.
Gravel bikes can be ridden almost anywhere, on and off road.
Adventure-ready features like disc brakes, additional clearance for wider tyres, and comfortable geometry let these bikes adapt to everything from rugged terrain to winter exploration. These bikes are for the days when you're not sure where the journey will take you, but need the bike you know will get you there.
These drop-bar machines tend to have longer wheelbases than a normal road bike, more upright positions, lower bottom brackets for stability and clearance for wider tires.
A Fatbike is an off-road bicycle with oversized tyres, typically 3.8 in (97 mm) or larger and rims 2.16 in (55 mm) or wider, designed for low ground pressure to allow riding on soft, unstable terrain, such as snow, sand, bogs and mud.
Fatbikes are built around frames with wide forks and stays to accommodate the wide rims required to fit these tires.
The wide tires can be used with inflation pressures as low as 340 hPa (5 psi) to allow for a smooth ride over rough obstacles.
A rating of 550–690 hPa (8–10 psi) is suitable for the majority of riders.[