The cool autumn wind rushes over your face as your bike rolls over the asphalt like glass, nothing has ever felt this smooth. You continue to pedal harder, and the breeze blows the auburn leaves off of the maple trees. The leaves crackle underneath your 35-millimeter tires filled with 30 psi of pressure, still rolling smoothly. Scenes like this are what make cycling so enticing to so many people. Old or young, new or experienced, anyone can cycle regardless of their skill because modern technology has evolved the simple idea of wheels powered by humans allowing everyone to participate in this simple pleasure. But how do you know what kind of bike to buy? From where do you buy your new bike? These are the kind of questions that I’m here to answer. Why am I qualified to answer these questions? I’ve been biking (or at least tricycling) my entire life, and I’m currently a varsity cyclist on our own Jesuit cycling team. So let’s get to it.
The options:
- Road
- Racing bike
- Endurance bike
- Mountain
- Cross country
- Cyclocross
- Commuter/Urban
- Townie
- Fixie
- Folding bike
- Cruiser
- Fitness
- Hybrid
- BMX
- E-Bike
- Others
- Unicycle
- Recumbent
- Tandem
- Elliptical
- Tricycle
I know that’s a long list but here’s the guide to figure out what kind of bike you want to buy.
What should you get?
Road
Racing bike
The feeling of pure, unadulterated speed is unlike anything else. You’ll feel as if you are one with your bike and the road, with each pedal stroke catapulting you faster and faster. My example is the Trek Madone 9.9. Trek meticulously sculpted this frame to be as aerodynamic as possible and wove the carbon fiber to be as stiff as can be under the stress of 2,00 watt sprints. The electronic shifting of Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 and the IsoSpeed decoupler on the seat tube add reliability and comfort to the historically unfriendly ride quality of race bikes. The deep dish carbon wheels with cotton cased tubular steel glued onto them add a classic cycling feel to a modern aerodynamic machine, being as fast as possible without compromising the rider’s comfort.
For: someone who wants to go as fast as possible on two wheels
Price: 1,000-15,000
Endurance bike
For the smoothest riding over even the roughest gravel or chip seal, and the stiffness to lay down the power in comfort without compromising speed, look no further than an endurance bike. Designed to keep the rider comfortable all day long, the specialized Roubaix is a prime example of this kind of bike. With a stiff carbon frame combined with zerts compression points, the Roubaix glides over harsh roads. The modern road disc brakes ensure optimal braking, no matter if it’s wet or dry, making anytime riding time. The sublime, yet affordable shifting of Shimano’s Ultegra Di2, makes for an awesome ride, every time. When looking for comfort without compromising much speed, look no further than an endurance road bike.
For: someone who wants to go fast on pavement, but still prioritized comfort over out-and-out speed
Price: 900-8,000
Mountain
Cross country
Whether it’s a lush, green field of tall grass or the tough trails that make up the labyrinth of the forest, a cross country mountain bike is the best tool for the job. 
Cross country bikes come with and without suspension, but for my example, I chose the hard tail (without suspension) specialized Stumpjumper. A hard tail will give you a stiff ride with solid rear and front wheel traction and the wide 3 inch tires will be perfect over any terrain at about 35 psi. This bike will allow anyone to venture out over any terrain while still maintaining that fast, race-y speed.
For: someone who wants to mix it up with off-road and mountain bike trial riding. For someone who is adventurous and practical
Price: 600- 10,000
Cyclocross
A cyclocross bike is what would happen if a racing road bike and a mountain bike had a baby. It’s beautiful. The bike can handle the road with ease and comfort and can go off onto mild terrains like gravel, grassy fields, or even mud. This bike is versatile and you can take it pretty much anywhere. A prime example of a cross bike is the specialized Crux. 
The crux is stiff yet compliant and lets the rider contort the bike around hairpin corners and over the top of large logs. The disc brakes ensure that braking isn’t compromised when mud gets on the rotors and the pro-tested SRAM red group set offers quick, precise shifts at the tap (or double-tap) of a button.
For: someone who wants both road and off-road (gravel or short grass) riding capabilities, a versatile bike.
Price: 700-10,000
Commuter/Urban
Townie
A townie, just like its name suggests, is built for riding over the smooth roads around town. The bike is durable, easy to maintain, and comfortable to ride. It’s cost effective because you can get your bang for your buck. The only downsides of this bike are that it’s primarily made for cruising, so it doesn’t go fast, necessarily. And the bike is heavy and bulky, so it’s hard to store it inside like other bikes. All in all, this bike is perfect to get a tour of the town.
For: someone who wants to get around town reliably and comfortably
Price: 200-550
Fixie
Nothing says hipster and cool like a fixed gear bike. You can’t shift gears because it’s a single speed and you can’t freewheel because it’s ‘fixed’. Riding a machine like this creates a skillful air around you and the simplicity of the bike is beautiful to those who are mechanically minded. This bike is not for beginners. The fixed gear takes a little bit of getting used to, so the learning curve is high, but the ride is rewarding and extremely fun. I would highly recommend a fixie to any cycling enthusiast.
For: someone who wants to get around town with style and swagger, riding a bike that requires more skill than most possess.
Price: 150-500
Folding bike
Possibly the most practical bike on this list, the folding bike is synonymous with commuting. It’s perfect for riding from home, to the train, and from the train to work. It’s easily foldable so you can just carry it onto 
the train. It is durable and easy to maintain, so it can last for years to come.
For: someone who wants to get around town reliably while riding a practical and easy to store bike
Price: 175-600
Cruiser
Just like the name suggests, the cruiser is ideal for a chill ride along the beach. 
This bike is relaxing and is perfect for someone who just wants to enjoy riding their bike. A cruiser, just like a townie, will be cost effective, durable, although it is a little bit heavy and bulky. This is the perfect bike for riding into the sunset on the path by the beach.
For: someone who just wants to cruise or meander
Price: 100-400
Fitness
A fitness bike is a bike that is used as a tool to get fit. It is basically just like a machine at the gym or a pair of running shoes, the sole purpose is to help the user get more in shape. Fitness bikes are primarily used for on-road riding and they share many characteristics with road bikes and hybrid bikes.
For: someone who wants to get fit and go fast
Price: 350-2000
Hybrid
Hybrid bikes are somewhere in between townies and road bikes. They’re multi-speed and are built to commute and do it quickly. 
They’re reliable and cost effective, but fall to the same flaws as townies in the sense that they’re heavy. It’s perfect for college kids to get around campus and great for families who want to get out and ride bikes together, enjoying the sport.
For: someone who wants a versatile machine to get them from point A to point B quickly and reliably, without breaking the bank
Price: 300-1000
BMX
Usually seen flipping through skate parks. BMX bikes are usually smaller and more nimble bikes. 
They’re not ideal for riding long distances or going fast, but instead, far better than any other bike when you’re trying to do tricks. Easily whipped around, the BMX bike feels most at home grinding on rails in the skate park, rather than on the streets like most of these bikes.
For: someone who wants to do gnarly tricks, do nasty flips, and do sick spins.
Price: 150-600
E-Bike
The cheater loves this bike. I’m kidding. It allows the rider to go faster than their legs can carry them,
which is awesome. But some people believe that these bikes are unfair. Junior cyclist, Evan Bausbacher stated that “E-Bikes are so unfair because they can go 30 mph without breaking a sweat. While I have to go all out to get that fast.” But if this is for you, then you should buy it. And I promise that I’ll reserve my judgment.
For: someone who wants to go fast and is willing to cheat to get there
Price: 1500-5000
Others
Unicycle
If you can ride a unicycle, chances are that you already own one. You, people, know who you are.
For: someone who is really good at balancing and into the novelty of this bike
Price: 150
Recumbent
If you love cycling, but your chronic back pain gets in the way, look no further than a recumbent. It’s all the fun of riding a bike, with the same benefits of laying on the couch! Many speed records are set on recumbent bikes because they’re low to the ground position allows them to be more aerodynamic than traditional road bikes. But they pale in comparison on the climbs because you can’t get ‘out of the saddle’ on a recumbent. This bike is the perfect compromise if your bad back gets in the way of your love of cycling.
For: someone who wants to bike without straining their back
Price: 1000-3500
Tandem
If you’re looking at buying a tandem, that means that A) you love cycling and B) you know someone else who loves it, and you want to share that love together. 
Tandem bikes are perfect for buddies and friends who want to ride as close as possible. Riding a tandem takes a lot of teamwork and synergy, but with enough practice, four legs can outpower two! Friends that ride together, live forever.
For: someone who wants to bike with friend(s) literally right behind or in front of them
Price: 2000-10,000
Elliptical
If you really love the elliptical, but it’s too 
boring to do inside for hours on end, then get an elliptical bike! It’s the same exercise, but outside!
For: someone who wants to do an elliptical workout outside with the wind against their hair
Price: 1,000-3,500
Tricycle
If you really love cycling, but you’re not quite good enough at balance, then a trike is for you. Or if you’re starting out at cycling, then a trike is perfect for you too. Or if you don’t feel like committing all that energy to balance, then a trike is perfect for you!
For: someone who wants to bike but doesn’t have the balance or doesn’t want to have to balance.
Price: 500-1000
But now, where should you go to buy your new steed? Personally, I always go to Richardson Bike Mart (www.bikemart.com). There are locations in Richardson, Frisco, and Dallas. It’s one of the biggest and certainly (in my opinion) the best bike shop in the country. The aisles are filled with bikes and all the equipment you could possibly dream of and more. The workers are contagiously nice and it’s almost impossible to leave the shop without a smile on your face. But there are other reputable bike shops in the D/FW area: B&B Bicycles (Cedar Hill), Dallas Bike Works (Dallas, duh), Performance bicycles, and many more if you search for a shop near you. You can always go to your local Target or Walmart, but be warned, their bikes, although cheap, are not even worth their $50 price tag. The people who have set them up are inexperienced in the language of the bicycle, and, honestly, I wouldn’t let anyone of my friends ride around on one of them. To quote a famous Richardson Bike Mart saying, “Friends don’t let friends ride junk.”
Hopefully, this article helped you figure out what your new bike will be and I hope that every one of you enjoys cycling for the beautiful art that it is.
