Modern city life with its intense rhythm, a huge number of cars and constant traffic jams makes many people take a fresh look at the issues of fast and comfortable movement – to work, to study, and anywhere else. You can use public transport, but it does not solve the problem of traffic jams, but you can change to a bicycle – a practical, compact and unpretentious form of transport that allows you to move around the city dynamically and, most importantly, with health benefits. For everyday unhurried driving, you do not need any super-functional models – an ordinary compact device, called a city bike, or a city bike, is the best fit.
Which city bike to choose? Top manufacturers
Inexpensive, functional, easy to maintain and operate, without complex engineering solutions – these are modern city bikes. Due to its immense popularity, city bikes can be found in the catalogs of almost all well-known companies.
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Trek
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Gt bicycles
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Merida
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Shimano
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Forward
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Author
Unlike highly specialized models, choosing a city bike is quite simple. To do this, you need to clearly define the criteria and operating conditions, carefully study the characteristics of the model you are interested in, as well as familiarize yourself with the reviews of users who had time to test the model in operation and probably highlighted both the pros and cons. You can read the reviews both among all kinds of electronic catalogs and on the cyclist forums.
Selection options. What to look for when choosing a city bike?
The appearance of a city bike is quite different from the same road bike or MTB. A lightweight frame, a low BB, an ergonomic saddle for an upright fit, medium to large diameter wheels fitted with 'meaty' tires are key features. Weighty mudguards and a rack-mounted steering wheel can be optional.
Like any other bike, the city bike has a number of functional features that you should pay close attention to:
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The frame of the bike must be sufficiently rigid and not cause discomfort with excessive weight. Inexpensive models are assembled on a steel frame, more advanced city bikes have an aluminum or titanium frame. Its height should correspond to the height of the rider: the taller the person, the greater the distance from the carriage to the saddle cross. Otherwise, it will hardly be possible to provide a comfortable fit;
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The braking system of a city bike can be of any design, because there are no such stringent requirements as in the case of MTB or road bikes. For leisurely movement around the city, the U- and V-Brakes systems are quite suitable, as well as the classic pedal brakes, which slow down the bike when you press the pedals in the opposite direction. According to experienced riders, there is no point in overpaying for disc hydraulics on this type of bike;
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The transmission on a bike of this class also plays an important role. Winding streets, protracted ascents and descents, crossing speed bumps and many other features await the rider at every step; it is necessary to overcome them so as not to exert unnecessary efforts and leave the back dry. A high-quality 10-15 speed transmission is more than enough for these purposes, there is no point in overpaying for 30-40 speed mechanisms;
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But the presence of an additional trunk for a city bike is quite an important thing. With its help, you can conveniently transport even large enough bags, which is a huge advantage in urban operation;
How to ensure a comfortable fit on a city bike? Height and frame size relationship
Long bike rides will only be enjoyable if the frame is sized for a comfortable fit and perfectly matched to the rider's height. Initially, the required frame length had to be calculated and measured independently, but at the moment this is not necessary.
Modern bicycles are equipped with frames that are uniform in size. It is measured in inches and ranges from 14 to 24 inches in 2 units. Younger models with a height of 14-16 inches are suitable for people with a height of 140 to 170 centimeters. “Seniors”, having a height of 22-24 doim, are the prerogative of tall riders, whose height is from 180 to 200 centimeters. For average people (160-180 centimeters), the best option would be middle-class bikes equipped with a frame with a height of 18 to 20 inches.
In the following articles, our experts will tell you how to choose a bike for an adult, the secrets of choosing a bike for a triathlon and the peculiarities of choosing a bike by height.
Video on choosing a bike for the city
Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.
