How to choose a bike for the city

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, somewhere else. You can use public transport, but it does not solve the problem of traffic jams, but you can take a bicycle, a practical, compact and unpretentious type of transport, which allows you to move around the city dynamically and, most importantly, with health benefits. For everyday leisurely driving, no super-functional models are required - the usual compact device, called a "city bike", or a city bike, is the best fit.

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Which citybike to choose? Top manufacturers
Selection options. What to look for when choosing a citybike?
How to ensure a comfortable fit on citybike? Dependence of height and frame size
Video on the choice of a bike for the city

choose a bike for the city

Which citybike to choose? Top manufacturers

Inexpensive, functional, easy to maintain and operate, not having complex engineering solutions - such are modern city bikes. Due to its huge popularity, city bikes can be found in the catalogs of almost all well-known companies.

Trek
Gt bicycles
Merida
Shimano
Forward
Author

Unlike highly specialized models, choosing a city bike is quite simple. To do this, it is necessary to clearly define the criteria and conditions of operation, carefully study the characteristics of the model of interest to you, as well as familiarize yourself with the feedback from users who have tried the model in operation and most likely highlighted both advantages and disadvantages. You can familiarize yourself with reviews both among various electronic catalogs and on cyclists' forums.

Selection options. What to look for when choosing a citybike?

The appearance of a city bike is quite different from the same bike or MTB. Lightweight frame, low-positioned carriage, ergonomic seat, providing a vertical fit, wheels of medium or large diameter, equipped with "fleshy" tires - these are its key features. Optional may be weighty mud flaps and a trunk-trunk on the steering wheel.

Like any other bike, the city bike has a number of functional features that you should pay close attention to:

Bicycle frame should be tough enough and not cause discomfort overweight. Inexpensive models are assembled on a steel frame, more advanced sit-ups have an aluminum or titanium frame. Its height must correspond to the growth of the rider: the higher the person - the greater must be the distance from the carriage to the cross of the saddle. Otherwise, it is unlikely to provide a comfortable fit;
The Citybike braking system can have any design, for such rigid requirements, as in the case of MTB or road bikes, are not made to it. For unhurried movement around the city, the U- and V-Brakes systems are quite suitable, as well as the classic foot brakes that slow down the bike when you press the pedals in the opposite direction.According to experienced riders, there is no point in overpaying for hydraulics on bikes of this type;
An important role is played by the transmission, mounted on a bike of this class. Winding streets, protracted ups and downs, the intersection of speed bumps and many other features wait for the rider at every step, they must be overcome so as not to exert excessive effort and leave your back dry. There will be enough quality 10-15 high-speed transmission for these purposes, there is no point in overpaying for 30-40 high-speed mechanisms;
But the presence of an additional trunk for a Citibike is a rather important thing. With it, it is possible to conveniently transport even sufficiently sized bags, which is a huge advantage in the urban mode of operation;

How to ensure a comfortable fit on citybike? Dependence of height and frame size

Criterias of choice

Long journeys by bicycle will be enjoyable only when the frame size corresponds to a comfortable fit and exactly corresponds to the rider's height. Initially, the necessary length of the frame had to be calculated and measured on its own, but at the moment it is not necessary to do this.

Modern bikes are equipped with frames that are unified in size. It is measured in inches and ranges from 14 to 24 inches in steps of 2 units. Younger models with a height of 14-16 inches are suitable for people from 140 to 170 centimeters tall. The “elders”, having a height of 22-24 doyma, are the prerogative of tall riders, whose height ranges from 180 to 200 centimeters. For average people (160-180 centimeters), middle-class bikes with a frame height of 18 to 20 inches will be the best option.

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