General Cycling Discussion - What bike to get???

First off, Im a total n00b when it comes to bikes. all i know is what the wheel size is, like 20 in. or 24, 26... thats the only number i know on bikes! what if i want a bigger bike but still 20 wheels?? any help would be appreciated.

where are you goin to be riding?

well, basically my question was, do they make 20 in. bikes for 14+ year olds? because my mom thinks i should get a 26in mountain bike but whats the difference between a 20in. bmx, and a 26in. mt. bike?

if you're going to be doing tricks then get a bmx bike, if you need it for riding around town or on trails get a mountain bike.

Ryan, wheel sizes do not vary with bike size within a bike category. Road bikes have 700C wheels (about 27" in diameter). I don't know what size mountain bike wheels are but again it is constant. When they are talking bike size, they are talking about the size of the frame and not the wheels.

This is sort of true. Small women often ride road bikes with a special small wheel (usually just the front one) so they can get a frame that will fit them properly.

Not to bash you Pat, but you're way off.

BMX bikes come in many different wheel sizes but 20" and 24" are the most common. The 24" are called BMX cruisers. Frames come in a variety of sizes, from Mini's (some with 18" wheels), Juniors (really thin 20" wheels), Standard, Expert (slightly longer frames) and Pro's (even longer top-tubes). Pro's are probably what you're after they are usually marked "XL or XXL" to designate the length of the top tube. Remember the longer the frame the longer the wheelbase and the slower the bike will handle. It'll still be fast, but will go through tight turns in a bigger arc. If jumping, it'll be a little bit slower to respond to tricks in the air.

A cruiser is basically a bigger version of a 20" bike. This may be the ticket if you want a relatively inexpensive single speed bike that can handle being abused, and jumped. I'm 34 and actually have one to practice my jumping skills. I occasionally take it to the BMX track to work on my sprints as well.

Most mtn bikes have 26" wheels, (however some now come in 24") and may be a good compromise if you're just using it for transportation. Mtn bikes have different "FRAME" sizes from 13" (really small) all the way up to 21 or 22" (for really tall people). You'll probably fit on a 16" to 18" frame. Remember though, if you're gonna jump with it and abuse it, it's not as strong as a BMX bike or a BMX cruiser.