There are many types of bike available, before you consider buying a bike you should have a good idea of the type(s) of cycling you want to do, as this will govern the type of bike to buy.

BMX Bikes BMX stands for Bicycle Moto Cross.These bikes were first designed for racing on a Moto-Cross circuit instead of a motorbike, so had a small frame, small wheels and only one gear. These bikes are great for performing tricks and stunts over ramps and are very solid and robust, they need less maintenance than other bikes due to the lack of gears. They are not bikes for riding any distance in comfort.

Road/Racing Bikes As the name suggest a racing bike is built for speed and manoeuverability. It is light, with no mudguards, thin tyres which are pumped up to a high pressure and drop handlebars. The drop handlebars allow the rider to ride hunched down to present less wind resistance It will have lots of gears so the rider can select the gear to match the road conditions.This is the bike to choose if you're into cycling as a sport, ride mostly on well-made roads and speed is more important than comfort.

Mountain Bikes are built for off-road riding on rough terrain so have tough frames and fat, knobbly tyres. Some come with wheels that are easily removable so you can use slick tyres for road cycling and swap to the knobbly tyres for off-road riding, perfect if you want to use the bike during the week for commuting and at the weekends for some off-road fun. Unlike racing bikes, the riding position is upright to make it easier to see where you're going. Some mountain bikes are built with suspension to make it more comfortable to cycle over rough ground.

Touring Bikes are designed for comfort and for carrying heavy loads during long days of cycling. They are strong and often have a longer wheelbase than other bikes. The frames are built for flexibility to make the ride more comfortable and they have luggage racks and holders for water bottles etc.

Hybrid Bikes are built to be all-round bikes, taking the best features of mountain bikes, touring bikes and racing bikes.They have the same gearing system as a mountain bike but are lighter and faster, and are built to the same comfort standards as a touring bike. These bikes are the perfect choice if you want to be able to cycle both on and off road, need reasonable speed but want to be able to tackle longer rides in reasonable comfort.

More articles from Bikes and Bike Helmets UK:

Using a Cycle Computer for Training

Mountain Bikes

Bristol Named as UK's Most Bike Friendly City

Bike Riding Safety Tips

How to Choose and Wear a Cycle Helmet

Buying a Bike Online

Bikes |

Cycling and Bike Helmets |

Bicycle Frames |

Ladies Bikes |

Boys Bikes |

Girls Bikes |

Used Hybrid Bikes |

Used Mountain Bikes |

Used Road Bikes |