Cycles Buyers Guide

So you want to buy a bike? Before you can decide what sort of bike you need, you need to think about what you want the bike to do.

- If you want to use the bike for leisurely riding about town and country then you need a traditional bike.
- If you plan to ride the bike on off-road tracks and trails, taking in occasional roads, or for commuting on a broken road surface then you need a mountain bike.
- For tricks and stunts, or to race on, go for a BMX.
- If you want a bike to ride exclusively on the road for long distances then go for a racing bike.
- If you want a bike that you can easily take on a train or in a car then a collapsible bike is useful.

Look through our buyers' guide and learn more about these bikes, or simply click on the bike type you are interested in (above) and jump straight to it. If you already know which type of bike you want, look at our general buying tips for bikes and getting the right size so you know what to look out for when buying and how to size the bike correctly. Any difficult terms are explained in our Jargon Busters.

Traditional (or city) bikes are designed to be low-maintenance comfortable bikes for using every day. They are used for commuting and as personal transport. They have comfortable upright positions, sturdy construction and durable components that don't need regular maintenance. They're not good if you want to get anywhere fast, or ride in steep hilly terrain, but will reliably carry you about your daily route with little fuss. They're also idea for people who don't want to be lumbered with a trendy bike with an “image”.

Frame
The frame of the traditional bike will be a standard “diamond” frame, built sturdily from steel or aluminium tubing. Womens' models should have a dropped top tube to allow skirts to be worn, and to make it easier to get on. Womens' bicycle frames are actually inherently weaker than mens', so unless the rider really wants to ride in a skirt, a mens' diamond frame is a better choice. The riding position is very upright to make it easier to see where you are going - and easier to be seen.

Gears
Hub gears are very common on city bikes, often in conjunction with a chain guard to keep the chain away from grit and spray, and to keep the user's trousers clean. Hub gears are available in units that give up to seven gears - enough for most terrains. Shifting is done via handlebar mounted shifter or shifters, either of trigger design or twist grip.

Brakes
Modern traditional bikes use V-brake or drum or disc brakes to slow the bike down. Cheaper bikes come with standard side pull brakes, fitted to the frame via a bolt in the fork crown, or on the rear stays of the bike. They offer moderate power, but because of the build quality and designs used, they flex more than expensive brakes, meaning they are less efficient and also require adjustment more often.

Fittings
Because traditional bikes will be used in all weathers, and as commuting bikes, it's important that they have mudguards and lights already fitted (and racks and baskets to put a briefcase or shopping in). City bikes are built for comfort, not speed, so check to see that they have a good padded or sprung saddle.

Traditional bike buying tips
- Make sure the bike fits you, and you feel comfortable
- Does the bike have fittings for racks and mudguards, and somewhere to carry a lock?
- Is it low maintenance? Find out how often things will need adjusting?

Look at our general buying tips for bikes and getting the right size for more advice on choosing and sizing your bike.

Mountain bikes are designed to be ridden on rough surfaces for long periods of time but many people choose to use them for commuting in the city.

Designs and styles
There are many different designs and styles of mountain bikes available. Look at what they do and then you'll be in a position to choose something you need.

- Full Suspension bikes Popularised because of "downhill" mountain bike riding, where riders are timed against the clock, racing down a hill, "Full" Suspension bikes feature shock absorbing forks and a rear swing arm with a shock absorber too. Quality suspension bikes start around £600.
- Hard tail bikes A hard tail bike will have a front suspension fork, but a conventional frame with a rigid rear triangle, with no shock absorbing parts. It's essentially a conventional bike as most people know, with a suspension fork added. They are a better bet for the rider looking to spend under £200, but you should be wary of cheap suspension forks, as they add excess weight, and don't benefit the ride, often seizing up quickly because of inadequate design.
- Rigid bikes A classic bike design, with a rigid welded fork and frameset. Here, all the money is spent on the frame and fork, without any being "wasted" on extra suspension items. A good rigid bike is ideal for the rider on a budget, or the rider wanting a light efficient bike. Rigid bikes start from £100, going right up the price range. If you haven't a lot of money to spend, look at a bike with a rigid fork in preference to a suspension fork equipped model.

Frame construction
Mountain bike frames are usually built from aluminium or steel. Many cheap steel bikes, typically under £150 are built from large diameter, fat steel tubing, and the result is a heavy frameset, which means a bike that's hard to pedal and no fun to ride. Avoid frames with fat steel tubing, and stick with the aluminium frames that these cheap bikes are trying to replicate, or thinner steel frames. A bike costing less than £200 is not going to last long being ridden on off-road tracks.
In the higher price brackets, other materials like titanium and carbon fibre come into play. Each have their own qualities. Titanium frames will last for years, feel “springy” to ride, but can cost up to £3000 for the frame alone. Carbon frames are light and stiff, with a design that is good at insulating the rider from the bumps in the trail.

Brakes
"V" brakes are the most common braking system found on mountain bikes. They use a brake arm where the cable feeds directly into the brake-arm, using a guide or "noodle". They are powerful and work well in most conditions. Cheaper bikes - typically around £100 - use "side pull" brakes, which can't give the power that you need to slow a bike down off-road. Avoid them if you have any desire to ride off-road, as they are just not up to the task.
More and more mountain bikes are using disc brakes. These brakes are designed to give powerful braking in all conditions, as they are less affected by rain and mud. Cheaper bikes fitted with disc brakes are unfortunately often less effective than a normal V brake.

Gears
Most mountain bikes now have 27gears as standard, operated either from a twist grip shifter or by a trigger unit, mounted on the handlebar. Choice is down to personal preference as both systems work well. The 27 gears are achieved by having three chain rings on the crank at the front of the bike, and 9 cogs on the rear wheel. Some bikes have 8 rear sprockets instead, hence come with a still useful 24 gears.

BMX is just as much alive today as ever, and there is a huge range of different bikes available. BMXs come in different varieties - from bikes purely designed to perform tricks or do jumps on, to bikes designed to race in BMX races. They're tough construction can take the knocks that hard riding dishes out, and they keep running with little maintenance.

Type of bike
There are 4 general types of BMX bike available:

Basic starter bike

Dirt/Street/Ramp

Flatland

Race

If you are unsure about the type of riding you will be doing, go for a low cost BMX. They will allow you to get a grounding in the different types of BMX riding that are possible. Dirt, street and ramp riding, as it sounds, is using natural or man-made obstacles to ride on. You'll be doing jumps and other moves. Street and ramp bikes are likely to be fitted with stunt pegs - letting the rider stand on the wheel axles, or grind the pegs on a handrail - and a rotor headset - allowing the rider to do tricks where the bars are spun, without fear of the brake cables getting caught. Flatland is a low-speed, trick-based riding style that you're unlikely to move straight into as a beginner. BMX races take place on BMX tracks, and the bikes are lighter and faster than other bikes. True BMX race bikes are too light to be used for trick use, though there are cross-over models that are strong enough for street riding but also racing - however, they will be heavier and hence not as fast as a true BMX race bike. Frame material Steel tubing is used for the vast majority of BMX bikes, though quality aluminium tubing is becoming more common. Steel stands up to abuse better than the aluminium framesets, as the tubing is better able to withstand denting. Standard hi-tensile steel is used on many entry level bikes, but “4130” and “chromoly” tubing has the edge in terms of strength and durability. Frame choice Dirt and street frames tend to be longer than a ramp bike, and much longer than a flatland frame. This is because the longer the frame, the more stable a bike feels as you ride it. Flatland and ramp frames need to be short to allow them to be manoeuvred quickly. Race bikes and dirt jumping bikes are longer, making them more stable. Dirt bikes often come without a front brake, as the dirt-jumper would only use a rear brake during riding, and a front brake is considered unnecessary - just something that would get broken (or cause damage) in a crash. Brakes There are three different types of brakes fitted to BMXs. Cheaper bikes come with standard side pull brakes, fitted to the frame via a bolt in the fork crown, or on the rear stays of the bike. They offer moderate power, but flex and require adjustment often. V brakes are used on the rear of many race-oriented bikes, as they provide a lightweight powerful stopping action. U brakes fit on the chain-stay of the bike, to provide a solid brake that's tucked out of the way, so it won't interfere or get damaged in a crash. Ramp and street bikes often come fitted with a rotor headset - this used in conjunction with a stem routed brake cable allows the bars to be spun all the way around and the brake still used, as there are no cables to get caught. Stunt pegs Found on ramp and street bikes, stunt pegs let you perform grind tricks and other moves. They are usually fitted in place onto the wheel axles, but on top-line freestyle frames they can be bolted in place with an independent bolt. They are available to add to any bike, but check with your dealer that a good quality hub axle is used, or the pegs will snap off or bend the axle. BMX buying tips: First decide what sort of BMX you are after. Dirt, street, ramp, race, flatland? Strong wheels are important - are the spokes loose? Does the bike fit? Stand up on the pedals, to see what it feels like. Check our general buying tips for bikes for more advice.

For ultimate performance and high speed, nothing matches that of a quality racing bike. “Racing” bikes have developed over the last few years with spin offs from the increase in the popularity of cycling. They're now fun to ride, and even the saddles have been made more comfortable than the “razorblades” of the past. For riding long distances on the road, racing bikes are the best option.

Frameset
The modern road racing bike has a frame of high quality steel, aluminium or carbon fibre. Aluminium is far more common for mass production now. It builds easily into a very light, stiff frameset and can be made for a good price. Quality aluminium framesets that cost significantly more are also available. High quality steel tubing from manufacturers such as Columbus, Dedacai and Reynolds still feature throughout the road bike market. The smaller bike companies tend to use steel, and it builds into a classic road bike. Carbon fibre is used by some manufacturers, but it tends to be only used at the more expensive end of the market.
What material you choose depends on what you want from the bike. At the low end of market - from £100-£300, your choice is likely to be limited to steel and aluminium, with the majority of companies sticking to aluminium. Aluminium is the best bet for the rider looking for a light, efficient bike on a budget. As you look at more expensive bikes, there start to be more options open. Carbon fibre combines the good aspects of both, building into a stiff, yet comfortable frame, but prices increase to around £800-£1000 for a complete bike. Titanium is very expensive - it's not uncommon for frames to retail for £2000 without any parts!

Gears
Road bikes no longer have gears controlled by levers on the frame. A first glance at the frame and many beginners wouldn't see any gear levers at all. That's because the majority of road bikes now have their shifting levers integrated into the brake levers. The gear is changed by moving the brake lever sideways, or by hitting a smaller lever that is built into the brake lever body. Bikes with shift levers on the frame tend to be those at the lower end of the market, or those designed specifically to be a “classic” model. The benefits of gear shifting being built into the brake levers is that you don't have to let go of the bars to change gear. The cons are that integrated systems invariably cost more than traditional shifters mounted on the frame.

Brakes
Though they fix to the frame in the same way as cheaper bike brakes - using a bolt through the fork crown or rear stay - quality road bike brakes have improved massively over the last few years. Now using a dual pivot design - with shorter brake arms providing less flex and more power - they are powerful and efficient in stopping bike and rider quickly. Of course, technology comes at a price, and the more powerful and efficient the brake, the more the bike will cost as a result. Cheaper bikes (under £150) will have more basic forms of braking, which will be harder to use, and ultimately not stop the bike as quickly, or be as safe.

Road bike buying tips
- Aluminium frames can be light and efficient, at a great price point.
- Cheap brakes, fitted to bikes under £150 don't work as well as more expensive ones.
- Gear shifters that are built into the brake levers are easier to use, but more expensive.

For more advice, see our sections on general buying tips for bikes and getting the right size.

Folding bikes have come a long way from cheap “shopping” bikes of the 70s. Modern folders are smaller, lighter and better to ride, and a viable means of “multi-commuting” using buses, trains or a park-and-ride system.

Two types of collapsible bike exist - folding bikes and separable bikes. Folding bikes are easier to store and transport than normal bikes. You can fold them up to put them in the back of a car, store them in a cupboard or take them by train or bus. Separable bikes don't actually fold, they disassemble into several pieces. The idea is still the same though.

Types of bike
All the models on the market achieve one of two things, but rarely both - either very compact and quick folding, or a ride that emulates a conventional bike. At one extreme are the bikes designed for short journeys - they fold well but don't ride as well as a full size bike. These are ideal for commuting to the train station, or keeping in a caravan. The other extreme is the bike that performs as well as a conventional model, but can be collapsed with relative ease for travelling, say by aeroplane.
Folding bikes are the more common type, and the better the ride quality, the more compact the folding action, the more the bike will cost. A cheap folding bike won't ride well as it will be made from cheap materials, and it invariably won't fold up small or easily. More expensive bikes will be more compact and ride better.

Frame construction
Frame material is usually steel, for reasons of space, rather than weight saving. Steel tubes are more compact than aluminium ones. Standard hi-tensile steel is used on many bikes, but “4130” and “chromoly” tubing has the edge in terms of strength and durability, and will give a better ride.

Brakes
The braking systems used on folding bikes tend to be quite basic - a simple side-pull brake, as they're not subject to the same high-stress demands as competition or recreational bikes. They should still be efficient, and for maximum efficiency, ensure the wheels are aluminium alloy, rather than chromed steel rims - this will ensure good wet-weather braking.

How small?
Whilst a conventional bike can be transported about in a bike-bag that's perhaps 1.5m x 1m, a good folding bike can be accommodated in a space not much bigger than a regular briefcase. Even a separable bike will fit into a regular suitcase quite comfortably, wheels and all.

Wheel size
The smaller the wheels, the smaller the bike will fold. However, small wheels do give a more jarring ride and can be twitchy at high speeds. To counter this, some folding bikes have a frame with a sprung section, giving a basic suspension system, which also is part of the folding mechanism.

Extras A rack is essential for carrying anything on the bike - even if it's just the bag that the bike went in, or your briefcase for the working day. Many folding bikes have integral racks for this reason. Lighting and security measure (locks) are available built-in too, but these should be used in addition to a quality cycle lock to guarantee peace of mind.

Collapsible bike buying tips
- More money buys you a better bike. Spend as much as you can.
- More expensive bikes fold smaller and ride better.
- A cover for your folded bike can make it easier to carry, and cleaner, for use on public transport.

Frame quality
Check the frame over to see what the quality of the finishing is like. Check the joints of the frame for holes in the joints. Most frames are TIG welded, which is a strong and efficient way of construction a frame. This should result in a clean, fish-scale like appearance on the weld seam. Any gaps, lumps or bumps should be viewed with caution. Cheap bikes (those under £150) often have poor and inconsistent welding because of lack of quality control. If there are several different models of a cheap bike in a shop, check all three frames and choose the best one. Or spend more money and buy a better finished frame. At the lower-end of the price point, spending £50 more can make a lot of difference to the quality of the bike you are getting.

Wheels
After the frame, the wheels of a bike are the most important part. Cheap bikes, notably those under £150 often have chromed steel rims (the outside of the wheel, where the tyre fits) fitted. Steel rims are heavy, they buckle easily and don't give good braking performance in wet weather because of their shiny rim surface. If you want to enjoy riding your bike, then spend the extra on a bike with aluminium alloy rims (usually known simply as "alloy"), which will give you stronger wheels and thanks to their better braking surface, brakes that work in the wet too.

To size the bike do the following;

1) Stand over the bike
You should have clearance between the top of the top tube and your crotch, whilst standing with your feet flat on the floor. Mountain bikes should have a minimum of 3in of clearance, and road-going bikes, a minimum of 1in. Obviously some bikes (collapsible bikes, BMX bikes, womens' bikes) don't follow this sizing pattern - so check their sizing with method 2 as well.

2) Sit in the saddle
Adjust the saddle up and down with the seat post to get it such that when you're sitting in the saddle you can almost lock your leg straight when one heel is on the pedal. Then grip the handlebars in the different positions possible. Do they feel too far away? Too close? Try a different model of bike if it feels wrong. Your weight should be shared equally between the saddle and handlebars. Recreational bikes and commuting bikes will err towards a more upright position - competition bikes will have a more head down position. Find what is comfortable for you.

3) Ride the bike
You wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, so don't buy a bike without one either. If the shop doesn't let you try, then go elsewhere. Even if it's only a quick ride around a car park, ride the bike to see if it feels right.

Finally, happy riding!