Cycle Know-how \ Buy your perfect bike Budget Pitango £320 sen sible Specialized Langster £499 luxury Fixie Inc Black Jack £1,274 approx
Fixed Achingly hip, fixies are fast and simple to maintain but you’ll need some riding skill Ultra-minimal and ultra-hip, fixies are derived from track bikes. A true fixie has no freewheel, so you have to pedal if you’re moving. That brings an unprecedented degree of connection and control once you get used to it. Until then, you have to remind yourself not to try to coast or the bike will spit you down the road. Fixies are definitely not for beginners, then, but are lightning-fast in the hands of an accomplished rider. This is what makes them popular with cycle couriers, who also like their reliability – a legal minimum fixie with just a front brake has almost nothing on it to go wrong. Pros Light, simple, quick Cons Some skill required
Flat-bar The ‘hybrid’ tag covers a variety of flat-bar bikes that are versatile and reasonably fast Also known as hybrids, flat-bar road bikes combine the speed of narrower 700C wheels with the upright riding position of a mountain bike. The details vary a lot. You’ll find road bike-style calliper brakes and mountain bike-style disc brakes in this category, plus bikes with racks and guards and stripped-down machines that are essentially racers but for the bar. If you want to go quickly on good roads but you prefer a more upright position or don’t get on with drop handlebars, this is the way to go. The only major downside with a flat-bar bike is that you’re not as aerodynamic as you are on a race bike and therefore not quite as quick. Pros Fairly quick, versatile, upright Cons Can be almost as fragile as race bikes
Budget Giant Revel 3 £300 sen sible Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc £599
Photo: Seb Rogers
luxury Norco Sight 3 £1,650
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Budget Trek 7.0 FX £339.99 sen sible MODA CHORD £999.99 luxury Ridgeback Flight Titanium £2, 299.99
Mountain bike Mountain bikes are built to roll over truly bumpy terrain but can be heavy and slow Their upright riding positions, bombproof frames and the option to take them off-road have long made mountain bikes a popular choice for lesiure cyclists. Many riders also find the power of typical MTB disc brakes reassuring. But the knobbly tyres that make them great for rough terrain make them slow on tarmac, often negating the advantage of the light frame materials and wheels many boast. For riding on the road, the solution is to fit slick tyres. Steer clear of full-suspension if your ambitions don’t involve proper off-road riding, otherwise you’ll be paying for technology you never use. Invest in a good lock too. Pros G reat brakes, upright position, bombproof, versatile Cons Heavy, slow on tarmac, eye-catching to thieves
On Your Bike | Issue 02
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