Beginners' Guide: Bike Selection

With dozens of biking types and thousands of styles and sizes, bike shopping can quickly become overwhelming to beginners. This guide will help you find the right bicycle for you and where to rent, test ride, and buy. This guide will use some common terminology and reference bicycle parts, to review, please reference our Bike Maintenance Blog.

Cycling Types

What type or style of bicycle you choose is really dependent upon what type of riding you want to get into or at least start with. Many serious cyclists own multiple bicycles for different types of cycling and activities. However, you don't have to spend that kind of money to get started in biking. You can start by narrowing it down to paved trails, road cycling, track cycling, Cyclocross, mountain biking, BMX, or gravel. To see what bicycles are commonly used in each type of cycling reference the chart below: 

Different Types of Bicycles

Each bicycle genre will also have sub-genres, and when renting or purchasing most places will have knowledgeable staff to help you find the right fit for your needs but in most cases, you will want to at least know these main types. 

Road: All bicycles can ride on the road but road bicycles are optimized to make riding on roadways or paved trails as efficient as possible. Road bicycles have very lightweight frames and drop handlebars which keep riders' geometry aggressive for speed and efficiency. They are great for riding with the most speed compared to other styles. We recommend them for short commutes especially those to work and if you generally love riding roadways and paved trails. 

Mountain Bike: Designed to take on the most difficult of terrains, mountain bicycles are a staple across Northwest Arkansas. Their wide knobby tires allow them to maintain traction across uneven terrain and obstacles. Most of these have suspension in either the front or both front and rear. The suspension on these bicycles takes the stress of riding over obstacles off the frame of the bike and your body and makes for a smoother ride. Only consider a mountain bike if you plan to ride primarily off-road. They can be good for short rides on paved trails at lower speeds mainly in the winter when you may encounter varying conditions. 

Hybrid: Hybrid bikes are trendy cycling options for beginners because of their versatility. They are designed for a mixture of occasional trail riding and paved trails or roads. These may also be referenced as fitness bicycles because they are perfect for so many riding scenarios and get many people out exercising by riding their bicycles. The defining characteristic is hybrid bikes have flat handlebars and keep the rider in a more upright position like a mountain bicycle. Hybrid bicycles are usually outfitted with larger diameter tires like road bicycles to allow users to have more speed while also having wider tires for traction offroad. If you plan to do a little of both styles of riding then we recommend looking into ones with front suspensions. The benefit of the hybrid bicycle is its versatility however it does lack some features that a specialized road or mountain bicycle would have so if you plan to ride only trails or only roads then a hybrid probably isn't the best solution for you. 

Touring: Touring bikes started off as a genre of road bicycles but have blown up in popularity in the last few years. What stands a these bicycles apart from a road bicycle is that it is designed to have a more relaxed geometry as well as carry more weight for gear. Instead of lightweight materials like carbon or aluminum, touring bicycles are made of steel. This makes the bicycle heavier than many road bicycles but significantly increases its durability under heavy weight. Touring bikes are great commuter bicycles because they have attaching points for bags and have excellent durability. Touring bikes also are obviously great for touring. If you plan to get into some multi-day long-distance rides, then touring bicycles are the way you want to go. 

 

E-Bikes: E-bikes are electric versions of several types of bicycles including road bicycles, hybrid, and mountain bicycles. A lot of e-bikes have a few riding options. One is a full-throttle where the bicycle drives a lot like a motorcycle and is fully motorized. The other is a pedal assist, where the motor kicks in when you are pedaling and helps relieve some of the work, especially when climbing hills, and last is where you can pedal and have no assistance, much like a standard bicycle. In mountain biking, the popularity of e-bikes has risen because you can ride downhill like a standard bicycle but not expend all the energy heading back uphill, which has allowed many more people to get into downhill mountain bicycle racing without the need for a chairlift or specially designed course. 

Gravel: The gravel bicycle is a descendant of cyclocross bicycles (see below). Designed to let riders go faster and travel further and more comfortably than hybrid bicycles. The critical difference between this bicycle and a hybrid is that it has drop handlebars like a road bicycle. This gives riders better geometry, and they can make maintain fast speeds on paved roads. However, the frame is designed to take larger and broader tires so users can still install knobby tires for good traction on unpaved surfaces. This makes the gravel bicycle great on gravel and Cyclocross, for medium to long-distance backpacking trips, and roads. Gravel bikes have just as much versatility as hybrid bicycles but they do have some limitations in their offroad capabilities. So if you plan to ride trails with any serious obstacles you are better suited with a different bicycle type. 

 

Cyclocross: Cyclocross bikes are designed specifically for cyclocross events however they are great bicycles for various other applications too. Cyclocross bikes started as modified road bicycles but have evolved their own line designed for the sport. In a lot of ways, the Cyclocross is close to gravel bicycles with their drop-down handlebars and often knobby tires. The key advantage and distinction between the two is the more aggressive geometry of cyclocross bikes. This geometry allows them to be highly maneuverable around tight corners and obstacles. The bicycles also do exceptionally well on various terrains because riders will encounter anything from pavement to grass to gravel and dirt and sometimes mud in a cyclocross race. This is why a lot of riders love cyclocross bikes because they bring a lot of that versatility that hybrids and gravel bicycles do but in a light and highly maneuverable frame. However, cyclocross bikes are not good with obstacles that mountain bikers encounter, so racers often carry or shoulder their bicycles to get around them. So if you plan on mountain biking this is not the right bicycle for you. They generally are not as comfortable as a touring or gravel bicycle as well in terms of long-distance and multi-day rides. 

 

BMX Bike: At first glance, BMX bikes may look like kids' bicycles because they have small frames and wheels. But they are designed this way for ultra maneuverability for motocross-style tricks and course rides. You'll often see these bicycles at bicycle parks and skills courses and sometimes depending on the rules at skate parks. There are a lot of bicycle parks across Northwest Arkansas that do allow BMX bikes and are great for learning the sport. There are also several groups for young and adult riders to experience BMX.

Cost & Performance

If you want to purchase a bicycle, then you will have to factor in your budget and what to expect out of your bicycle at teach budget level. 

• $350: At this cost, you are getting an entry-level bicycle. These bicycles are suitable for people who are weekend riders and just want to ride every now and then. On some models for this price point, you can find some higher-end features like disc brakes or, on mountain bicycles, a front fork and suspension. Of course, you will still want to research the individual bicycle and brand you are looking at but this is an excellent gateway into cycling. 
• $500: If you want to gain some higher-end features and ride pretty often this is a reasonable starting budget. You can expect mountain bicycles to get disc brakes and good front forks with lots of suspension travel at this price point. You also can pick up some good road and gravel bicycles at this price. 
• $500-$1000: At this price point you are serious about cycling and want to get some really high-end features on your bicycle. Expect an aluminum frame with high-end components like brakes, handlebars, and suspension. Or a carbon fiber with lesser but still excellent parts. At this price point, you can start to find excellent touring bicycles. This is also the starting point of most cyclocross bicycles. At the higher end of this price range, you will also start to see entry-level e-bikes. 
• $1000 and up: This is your competition or serious training bicycle. You will find really good full-suspension mountain bicycles, some of the best frames made of carbon fiber at this price range. This is also the range you can expect to find high-end e-bikes with excellent range and reliability. 

These are price ranges for new bicycles but you can find a great used bicycle. If you aren't in a hurry and are willing to look around for a deal, you can go through social media posts and marketplaces or search classifieds like craigslist. Some other ways also include garage sales, or pawn shops that sometimes will have bicycles heavily discounted. Buying used is a great way to get high-end features for a lower cost or budget. If you go the used route, make sure you know your size, and you test ride the bicycle, switch through all the gears, and check the brakes before agreeing to purchase. If you do buy one we highly recommend you take it to get tuned at a bicycle shop and checked over for any potential repairs or maintenance. If you are confident you can perform some of this maintenance yourself using our Bike Maintenance Guide. 

If you are going the new route, you will want to get the most performance for your money. To do this you will want to go talk to someone at a reputable bicycle shop and describe what type of bicycle you are looking for and how seriously you want to get into cycling. This is important because it will help them know what features you need.

Choosing The Right Size

Frame: Choosing the right size of bicycle is very important for your comfort, safety, and overall riding experience. Yet, it is also one of the more confusing parts of choosing a bicycle for beginners. This is because of all the measurements and distances you will hear other riders mention. Using just a few tools and measurements you can find a great starting point. 

1. Get a measuring tape or yardstick. If you can it helps to have a friend you are comfortable with help with the next steps.
2. Stand on a level surface with your feet flat on the ground. Don't wear shoes as this can mess with your measurements. 
3. Measure from the bottom of your ankles to your crotch. This measurement is your inseam length. 
4. You can select the bicycle type you want using this calculator and then enter your inseam where it says "inner leg length." On this calculator, it asks you to input the inseam as cm, and it outputs your frame size in inches, so keep that in mind when measuring to note the cm length or equivalent. 

Selecting the correct frame size is the most critical part of choosing a bicycle size. You will have to make other adjustments to your handlebars and seat height and position later but without the proper frame size, you will never feel comfortable or have the proper geometry. 

Where To Buy A Bike

Fayetteville:

• The Bike Route in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is a local favorite for bicycle maintenance and purchasing a new bicycle. On their website, they also have a list of which bicycles are in stock in their showroom so before you head to the store you can see if they have any bicycles that you are interested in.  
• Highroller Cyclery, another highly rated and trusted shop in Fayetteville, is located off of School Avenue between Spring and Dickson Street. 

Rogers:

• Magnolia Cycles in Downtown Rogers is a new shop for riders in the area. It is located close to the Railyard Bike Park in Rogers, making it perfect for a test ride after your bicycles tune-up. 
• There is also another Phat Tire and Highroller Cyclery in Rogers as well. 

Bentonville:

• Mojo Cycling off Walton Boulevard in Bentonville is a trusted bicycle shop in the area, especially in the mountain biking scene. 
• Phat Tire Bike Shop is a local favorite and has several locations across Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, Fayetteville, and more. However, the most well-known is their downtown Bentonville shop. 

There are many other bicycle dealers and shops in northwest Arkansas that are not on this list that we highly recommend checking out as well.