Here's some help in making your decision about what bike to buy if you're a bike commuter.
City cyclists ride many different types of vehicles. In fact anything, from the skinniest road bike to the heftiest mountain bike can be a commuter bike. Typically, city cyclists want a fairly durable, sturdy and reliable bike that's not too much of a theft magnet to be left outside a movie theatre, a shop or an office building (locked, of course).
Many books about bicycles were first written in the great bike boom of the early '70s, when racing bikes were all the rage. So if you consult library books before you shop, bear in mind that writers at that time were following the fashion of the day in advising cyclists to cut absolutely all extra weight on the bikes (like fenders and chain guards), and to buy only bicycles with lots of gearing choices. If you live someplace like San Francisco, you'll want a good choice of gears for hill-climbing, but for most locales, a slightly heavier three-speed or even a "one-speed" with coaster brakes can serve very well as a city bike if it's being used mainly for shorter trips on flat ground at modest speeds. Some of the possibilities:
The Road Bike: Road bikes are slim and lightweight, with skinny tires and drop handlebars designed for racing and touring. They are maneuverable and easy on the knees, but, ironically, high-end road bike may break down under the heavy wear associated with daily commuting faster and more often than cheaper models do. Some popular road-bike manufacturers are Bianchi, Raleigh and Pinarello
The Mountain Bike: Mountain bikes are designed for off-road sports; they're characterized by bouncy, sprung suspension and big, knobby tires. They make decent road bikes, but can be pricy, and their straight-across handlebars can be hard to maneuver in traffic. Some popular mountain bike manufacturers are Trek, Kona and Cannondale.
The Hybrid: The hybrid combines the durability of the fat-tired mountain bike with some of the lightness of the mountain bike, and it's a good choice for city riding. Some companies with popular lines of hybrid bikes are Specialized and Avanti.
The Cruiser: This is a solid, old-fashioned, very simple and retro-looking city bike with a solid frame and slightly chunky tires. It's been making a comeback, and is often chosen for its classic style. (Companies like Schwinn offer very glossy cruiser models.)
If none of these options appeal to you as is, you can order a custom-made bicycle in many places. But that'll cost you!
In my next piece, I'll discuss fitting a frame to your body.
