East Hill

I copied this from a thread in the Road Cycling forum:






Here is some helpful information from the Consumer Reports website. I always check them out before making a major purchase.

There are 3 types of bikes based on your goals--road bikes, fitness bikes, and comfort bikes.

Road bikes, conventional as well as peformance, feature skinny tires, a narrow seat, a lightweight frame, and drop handlebars. These bikes are for riders who want to log serious miles, including multi-day touring. They're typically sold in bike shops, where buyers can often customize their bike's pedals and seat. All of the road bikes we tested this time are performance models except for the LeMond Propad, which is a cross bike. Cross bikes are essentially extra-durable road bikes with wider, knobby tires for better off-road traction. Our price range for road bikes: $650 to $1,800.

Fitness bikes blend the slim tires, narrow seats, and lightweight frames of road bikes with the horizontal handlebars and the more upright riding position of mountain bikes, a type mainly for off-road use and not covered here. Fitness bikes can be the right choice for someone who wants to burn calories, improve cardiovascular fitness, or commute to work. Our price range: $630 to $830.

Comfort bikes, on which you sit in an upright position, are for leisurely recreational riding. These bikes offer creature comforts such as shock absorbers in the seat and/or fork; a cushiony, wide seat; and low gears for easier uphill pedaling. Our price range: $330 to $600.

You can also find additional information about brakes, handlebars, shifters, saddle and drive train here.

Best road bikes:
1 Klein $1,800
2 Giant $1,800
3 Giant $1,000, CR Best Buy
6 Cannondale $1,050, CR Best Buy
8 Raleigh $650, CR Best Buy

Best fitness bikes:
9 Giant $630
10 Schwinn $700

Best comfort bikes:
14 Schwinn $340
15 Mongoose $280

For rough terrain with steep slopes
Best choice: Full-suspension mountain bike

For less-rugged off-road trails
Best choice: Front-suspension mountain bike

For casual riders who rarely venture off-road
Best choice: Hybrid bikes are an interesting alternative to comfort bikes.

For casual cycling pavement, smooth dirt paths, and the rare off-road trip
Best choice: Comfort bike

For fast and/or long-distance rides on pavement
Best choice: Road bike

Race, train, commute, do the local charity ride, or take it to the trails
Best choice: Cyclo-cross bikes (also known as “Cross”) are essentially extra-durable road bikes. To some people, cross bikes resemble old touring bikes. They do triple (or even quadruple) duty as a touring bike, a road bike (add narrower road tires if you wish), and an off-road bike suited for mild to moderate off-road terrain.

For someone who wants to burn calories, improve cardiovascular fitness and commute to work
Best choice: Fitness bike

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What brands can you test ride?

East Hill