Picking the best bike to suit your needs can be a tricky task. Whether you want to commute, get fit or just explore the countryside, the bicycle is the perfect tool to do that. But there are a confusingly huge – and growing – number of different types of bike to choose from.
So, if you are looking to buy a bike but don't know what type, then read on, as we guide you through the styles of bike on offer to help you find the best one for your needs.
It’s important to think about what you want to do with your bike and where you’ll be going because the best bike for you depends entirely on this.
Your choice of bike will depend on your own tastes too, and the kind of distance and terrain you want to ride. There are many different types of cycling and a multitude of bikes that will enable you to achieve your goals.
Whether you’re an urban commuter, a lightning-quick road racer, a trail centre hero, downhiller, fixed-wheel fan, gravel path explorer or something else, there's a suitable bike out there for you.
A bike is a big investment so it's also worth checking out our guide to the best bicycle insurance to protect your new bike.
Click on the following links to skip ahead to our sections on the different types of bike:
As the name suggests, road bikes are all about riding on surfaced roads, often as fast as possible. They’ve got lightweight frames and skinny road bike tyres designed to help you achieve maximum speed for minimum effort.
They have dropped handlebars (ones that loop down and backwards) that enable you to get into an efficient and aerodynamic riding position, and have gearing that’s all about maximum speed.
Under the guise of slightly more relaxed endurance road bikes, they'll help you embark on big-mile rides with friends, but also lend themselves very well to commuting thanks to their ability to cover ground quickly.
However, the speed-focused riding position can be uncomfortable for some riders and the lightweight wheels and tyres are susceptible to damage from kerbs and potholes.
Many dedicated road bikes, especially aero road bikes or climbing road bikes, will lack the ability to carry luggage – so, if you need to lug a hefty load, a pure-bred road bike might not be ideal.
But if they sound like your thing, head to our guide to the best road bikes.
Pros: Quick; efficient; fun
Cons: Easier to damage; less comfortable for casual riders
Made to take on the most rugged off-road terrain that nature can offer, mountain bikes are built tough with aggressive knobbly mountain bike tyres designed to find grip on almost any surface.
They also have powerful disc brakes that use car- or motorcycle-style discs at the centre of the wheels. More expensive machines will have suspension at both ends for better control over rough ground. The gearing is designed to get you up and down steep terrain, with a wide range to take on varying gradients.
Even if you don’t plan to tackle mountain ranges, mountain bikes can be a good choice for general leisure riding thanks to their more relaxed riding position.
While suspension is great for pure off-road riding, it means extra weight, costs more and can be inefficient, so it’s best avoided if you plan to spend most of your time on the road.
If you fancy heading into the back of beyond, pushing your limits and exploring the path less travelled, then check out our buyer’s guide to the best mountain bikes.
Like road bikes, mountain bikes are divided into sub-categories tailored to different riders' needs and terrain.
The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed around speed. The best trail mountain bikes and the best enduro mountain bikes have more suspension to take on extreme terrain. The best downcountry mountain bikes sit somewhere in between cross-country and trail mountain bikes, offering speed uphill and enough suspension to take on trickier descents.
The best hardtail mountain bikes are a good option for riders looking for a more affordable mountain bike and one that's simpler to maintain due to the lack of rear suspension.
Pros: Great brakes; upright position; tough; versatile
Cons: Heavy; slow on tarmac
Gravel bikes are becoming very popular and fashionable, and it's easy to see why.
They overlap with other bike categories such as bikepacking bikes and all-road bikes, offering versatility and practicality across a range of surfaces and riding styles.
Gravel bikes combine road bike looks and speed with loads of frame clearance for fitting fat, knobbly tyres. Gravel tyres are often 40mm or wider to get you across almost any terrain, including terrible tarmac, gloopy mud, bridleways, gravel paths and more.
Sometimes, gravel bikes are referred to as 'adventure bikes'. Adventure bike frame materials include steel, aluminium, carbon and titanium, and at a range of prices from the affordable to the aspirational.
Many will include eyelets for fitting mudguards and pannier racks, disc brakes (hydraulic if you're lucky) for better braking, and more relaxed geometry than a road bike to deliver better handling on a range of surfaces.
They're also a great bet for road riding in winter – just fit some puncture-resistant tyres and you're good to go.
Adventure bikes that take luggage (typically frame bags, saddle bags and bar bags) are used for bikepacking, which is essentially touring, but with perceived better fashion sense and hashtags.
Gravel bikes are quickly evolving and we are seeing more of these bikes come with gravel bike-specific suspension.
Interested in a gravel bike? Our list of the best gravel bikes will help you find the perfect one for your needs.
Pros: Fast; comfortable; practical
Cons: Sometimes on the heavier side; attractive to thieves
Best thought of as the halfway point between a road bike and a mountain bike, a hybrid takes the comfy riding position of a mountain bike and pairs it with a lighter frame and fast-rolling road bike wheels.
They’re great if you need to cover on-road distance but don’t want to contort yourself into an uncomfortable riding position. Sitting in a more upright position may be less aerodynamically efficient, but it also enables you to look further ahead, which is a huge boon in heavy urban traffic and ideal for cycling to work.
If you want to go quickly on good roads but 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 road bike is that you’re not as aerodynamic as you are on a race bike and therefore you're not quite as quick.
Hybrid bikes often use more powerful disc brakes that give more consistent performance in wet weather, though at a slight weight penalty. They’re also equipped with plenty of mounts that enable you to carry more luggage, such as specialist pannier bags.
If you need to bridge the gap between urban performance and confident handling, then our guide to the best hybrid bikes will give you all the information you need to know.
Pros: Fairly quick; versatile; upright
Cons: Typically heavier than road bikes; not as fast
With assistance from a powerful motor, electric bikes or ebikes are great if you're a commuter who needs to arrive at work in a less sweaty state, or if you’re less confident about your fitness.
Electric bike laws vary from country to country and, in the US, can vary from state to state. However, in the UK (apart from Northern Ireland) electric bikes limited to 15.5mph / 25km/h can be used on the road without a helmet or licence. They are bikes as far as the law is concerned because you still need to pedal to activate the electric assistance (hence the term 'pedelec').
More powerful ebikes (some with motorcycle-style throttles) are also available, but in some countries, including the UK, these are classed as mopeds or motorbikes and therefore need to conform to the same rules (electric bike insurance, helmets and so forth).
Most ebikes are designed to be comfortable and easy to live with thanks to flat bars, mudguards and luggage capacity.
Often, there’s a significant price and weight premium over an equivalent regular bike for the battery, motor and electronics.
However, as the technology develops, ebikes rise in popularity and people realise their potential to help cut emissions, prices and weights are coming down. The reduction in price means there are plenty of cheap ebikes on the market.
Electric mountain bikes can be a total hoot in the hills. - Finlay Anderson / Our MediaThe world of electric mountain bikes – also known as eMTBs – is a rapidly expanding one, enabling riders to keep enjoying the countryside for longer than they might have imagined and get to the top of trailheads with ease.
Electric road bikes are increasing in popularity too, helping you ride for longer. While they are a bit more niche than eMTBs, they are great for riders with health conditions that would otherwise stop them from riding altogether.
You may find the best electric hybrid bikes or the best folding electric bikes ideal for riding around cities.
You can also change a non-assisted bike to an ebike with the help of a conversion kit.
Our comprehensive list of the best electric bikes will guide you to the right electric bike for you.
Pros: Easy to ride; comfortable; fun
Cons: Regular recharging; heavier and significantly more expensive than an equivalent non-assisted bike
While a hybrid bike is best suited to the city, a touring bike is designed to take on everything from a commute to a continent-crossing adventure.
They tend to have the same fast-rolling 700c wheels as road and hybrid bikes, but with fatter tyres that allow you to take on a mixture of terrain in comfort.
'Hardcore' touring bikes designed for heavy loads will sometimes opt for 26in touring wheels because spares availability is often better when in far-flung regions.
The more relaxed riding position and more stable geometry of a touring bike mean you can take on almost anything, whether it be a mountain pass when fully loaded with supplies or a quick spin to work.
If you need a highly versatile all-rounder, then you should take a look at our guide to the best touring bikes, whether you’re going to familiar places or off the beaten track.
Pros: Tough; lots of load-carrying capacity; still fairly quick
Cons: Not quite race-bike quick
Cyclocross bikes are similar in concept to road bikes and gravel bikes, but are designed for the racing discipline of cyclocross.
This means that although they're going to have fat tyres, drop handlebars and in many cases disc brakes, they may not have fittings for mudguards or panniers.
Their geometry is typically more aggressive than that of gravel and adventure bikes, making them a less attractive proposition for longer days in the saddle.
Our list of the best cyclocross bikes compiles all the top-scoring cyclocross bikes from recent tests.
Pros: Fast, dedicated solution for racers
Lows: Usually not as versatile as gravel/adventure bikes
Popular in the city, and the only option if you're riding on a velodrome, the fixie (or 'fixed wheel', if you're being traditional) is the ultimate in simplicity.
A true fixie has no freewheel, so you always have to pedal if you’re moving. That brings a particular degree of connection and control once you get used to it, but fixies aren't the most beginner-friendly.
They’re lightning-fast in the hands of an accomplished rider and the lack of complexity means they require minimal maintenance. They're great for confident commuters who don’t mind suffering if they live in a hilly location and want total control at all times, but it’s a high level of commitment for the casual cyclist.
Once you've got the hang of riding a fixie, they're among the best commuter bikes. 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.
Want to know more? We've got a full buyer's guide to fixies and singlespeed bikes.
Pros: Light; simple; quick
Cons: Some skill required; hard when it's hilly
A Dutch-style city or town bike does a sterling job of providing short-range transportation in flat towns. What’s appealing about this style of bike is its simplicity, practicality and robustness.
There’s very little to go wrong if you’ve just got one gear, and hub gear versions with up to 11 gears are still pretty tough.
Typical town bikes have chainguards, kickstands and flat pedals, so you can hop aboard in your regular clothes. Self-powered dynamo lighting and a bike lock are often built in, so you won't need many extras.
They shrug off potholed streets, while an upright riding position gives you a commanding view of traffic. The main downside is that they tend to be quite heavy, and while the riding position is comfortable, it's not particularly efficient and you won't want to take on any big hills.
Pros: Great looks; relaxed riding position; practical; ideal for wearing everyday clothes; usually very durable
Cons: Heavy and slow
If you need to combine a bit of riding with urban portability, then there’s nothing better than a folding bike. They’re best suited to short rides – especially where storage space at either end is scarce – and their portability means they’re ideal when you might have to hop onto a train or a bus to get where you’re going.
That means that folding bikes are phenomenally popular among big-city commuters. The most compact ones will fit under your desk and they’re easy to carry as well.
A folder won’t ride like a conventional bike because of the necessary compromises, but the best modern folders are surprisingly capable.
Our list of the best folding bikes will steer you quickly to the folding bikes worth buying.
Pros: Massively convenient to store; can be taken onto public transport; small wheels are quick to accelerate
Cons: Heavier and slower than a big-wheeled bike; not as stable or pothole-proof
The first thing to keep in mind is that children's needs vary wildly depending on their age and ability.
A good way of finding the right size of bike for your child is looking at kids' bike wheel sizes.
Balance bikes are where it's at for the pre-school crowd, then by the time they progress to 16-inch wheels, they'll (hopefully) be pedalling away without stabilisers before very long.
Move up a notch to 20-inch wheels, and gears start to make an appearance, then by the time they're nine and riding 24-inch wheels they'll basically be riding smaller versions of adult bikes – disc brakes, suspension and all.
Here's our list of the best kids' bikes. We also have a list of the best cheap kids' bikes.
Your suburban riding scenario seems to call for a bike that would be a good "commuter" type bike on mixed city and suburban streets, with excellent hill-climbing abilities, and able to handle occasional brief "off road" ventures during a ride, e.g., riding through unpaved parking lots. The two primary suitable options would be hybrid/sport hybrid bikes and non-suspension mountain bikes. You could go the skinny tire "road bike" route, but I would only go there if you plan to go on group rides with groups that ride at road bike speeds, typically averaging 15mph or above on flat roads.
FIRST CHOICE, OPTION 1: "SPORT" HYBRID, aka "FITNESS" BIKE I would recommend a "sport hybrid" type of bike with a somewhat upright riding position and low gearing for climbing hills, and one that has dropouts on the frame for attaching racks. Because of the hills, I also recommend hydraulic disc brakes, not cable discs, for best stopping power and safety. What's key here is that bike is equipped with discs; if it comes with cable-actuated discs, it's simple to replace the cable with hydraulic brakes for around $100 for a Shimano hydraulic brake set, just make sure to match to the size of the discs on the bike, e.g., 160mm discs. If you get a bike without disc brakes, it's likely it won't have the necessary frame dropouts to accept disc brakes; it's generally too expensive to try to retrofit a non-disc model to accept disc brakes.
Brands like Trek, Giant, Kona, Marin, Specialized, and others have numerous choices in this category; I personally chose a 5+ year old used Trek 7500 FX as my commuter, which was a rare 7500Fx model that had factory discs. The 7.5 FX model in Trek's current line, with discs, would be a good baseline comparison for looking at other manufacturer's hybrids. The Giant Escape 1 hybrid another poster mentioned would also fall into this general category and fits most of the criteria, but that model often may not come with disc brakes; for your scenario, I would avoid non-disc brake models.
CO-FIRST CHOICE, OPTION 1A: NON-SUSPENSION MOUNTAIN BIKE (29er)
You could also go with a 29er mountain bike, i.e., one with the 29-inch wheels, as long as you stay away from any sort of shocks and suspension (or at worst, front shocks with a lockout). Then simply equip it with road tires instead of knobby MTB tires; 32c width is a typical choice for a commuter bike.
The advantage of a 29er mountain bike for you is that they are highly likely to already come with gearing suitable for any hills you are likely to encounter. They are also highly likely to come equipped with disc brakes. Good name brand mountain bikes will also tend to be durable enough to stand up to a certain level of commuter abuse. This is also the type of bike that will be closest to "ridiculously heavy", but still probably lighter than your Chinese bike.
An example of an interesting 29er option would be the Northrock 29er mountain bike Costco sold for a while a couple years ago, if you could pick one up on Craigslist for $300 or so and swap on hydraulic brakes for $125 or so, and street tires, $50 or so/DOQ, you'd probably be very happy with that setup. IIRC correctly, the front shock has a lockout feature. I have one of those exact bikes I use as a mountain bike, and it's my best-feeling, fastest-riding mountain bike and my #1 bike for XC trails. I sold a similar Specialized 29er MTB I had because the Northrock rode faster and felt better for me.
OPTION 3: CYCLOCROSS BIKE
While I don't claim special expertise on cyclocross bikes, this type of bike could also be a fit for how you ride. Essentially they are ruggedized road bikes that typically come with hydraulic disc brakes. It's worth looking at some bike shops and asking them to show you cyclocross bikes.
OPTION 4: TOURING BIKE
It's also worth looking at bikes that are billed as touring bikes. There will be some overlap between these and Sport/Hybrid commuters. Touring-specific bikes will typically have more features to support carrying racks, camping gear etc. on the bike.
BRAKES
As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of the hydraulic disc brakes. You can typically stop the bike with a two-finger pull of the brake lever, even on a steep downhill. It's fine to buy a bike with mechanical discs, but for your own safety, absolutely upgrade the brake levers, lines and calipers with a hydraulic set, ASAP.
V-Brakes can work OK, but I feel safer, especially on hills, with the stopping power of hydraulic discs.
DRIVETRAIN
Personally, I would suggest a Shimano 9-speed rear drive train in this type of bike, because I don't see huge advantages of 10 and 11 speed drivetrains for commuter bikes. You could even go with 8 speed rear drive train; the Northrock bike I mentioned has an 8-speed drive train. 8 and 9 speed parts are readily available and good value and will be for years to come.
In general, for the front drive train, you will most likely want a bike with a "triple" crankset, i.e., 3 front gears/chainrings. The smallest chainring, on the inside, will be the one you will use when riding up steep hills. However, in newer bikes, many fitness models will come with a front "double" chainring and 10 or 11 speed rear drivetrain. These could be acceptable choices, but you'll have to pay more attention to gear ratios (and learn about things like "gear inches" to know for sure. Trek changed the 7.5 FX model to a double starting with the 2012 model year. (From 2012 on, the 7.4 FX model with discs still has a triple chainring and would be the baseline comparison bike)
GEARING
Other answers spoke to gear ratios; that's important, but I won't repeat that info here. If you went with the 29er mountain bike option, that would certainly have suitable gearing for climbing hills. In practice, a sport/hybrid will most likely have a suitable gear ratio too. Do get familiar enough with gear ratios so you can verify what works for you on the hills you ride.
The gearing you need depends on the steepness of the hill, most often measured in "grade". 10% grade is considered quite a fairly steep hill, and super-steep would be 20%. Sounds like you have hills of 10-20% grade. A 2010 Trek 7.5 FX front chainring has 26 teeth on the easiest front gear (lower # is easier), and a 26 teeth easiest rear gear. (higher # is easier in rear). A typical road bike, say, a 2010 Specialized Allez Elite, could have a 34 tooth easiest gear in front, and a 27 tooth easiest gear in the rear. The example Trek 7.5 FX is going to be a better, easier hill climber for you because of the easier gear in front, 26 front teeth for the Trek, vs. 34 front teeth for the Allez. The two bikes rear easiest gears are within 1 tooth (Trek: 26; Allez: 27) and there is a slight advantage to the Allez but nowhere near enough to offset the huge front chainring gearing advantage of the Trek, 26 teeth vs 34 teeth for the Allez. So the Trek will be the much easier climber than the Allez for steep, step hills, despite the Trek being slightly heavier at about 23 lbs compared to the the Allez at about 21 lbs.
With lower gears for hills, you'll need to "pedal faster!" but at a reasonable effort level. For example, you might have a pedaling cadence of 90 RPM at a "moderate-challenge" effort level, and wind up going uphill about 5 MPH, just a little faster than "walking speed". That's perfectly OK--you're steadily making it up the hill, without feeling like your heart is about to explode or feeling that you'll have to stop and walk the bike.
It's also worth mentioning that the length of the crank arm affects the difficulty of pedaling up a hill as well. Typical crank arms are 165-175mm long. I suggest using searching the web (including this site) for "gear inches" and learning how to calculate them, to compare different gear ratios and crank lengths. For gearing geeks there are online calculators at http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/ and http://www.gear-calculator.com/# that can help you compare different bikes.
To keep gearing simple: if you get a bike with a triple front chainring, you'll probably be fine on all your hills. If you are considering a bike with a double front chainring, then you will want to learn the gear inches calculations.
BE AWARE--GEARING CAN OFTEN BE EASILY CHANGED AFTER PURCHASE!!
Keep in mind... If you find a bike you otherwise love, that does not have low enough gears to climb your hills, often it's possible to install lower gears for a reasonable price. For example, a Shimano 9-speed drive train with 11-28t rear cassette gearing might be able to be swapped out with an 11-32t rear cassette, without changing any other parts. The 32t "low gear" could easily make all the difference for you on some hills. This is an "it depends" matter; consult a good bike mechanic (or ask here) with info on the specific bike and current drive train components, plus the gearing change you would like to make.
OTHER COMPONENTS
For your hilly commuter scenario, the options I mentioned should do well. It's possible to spend ridiculous amounts on wheels, upgraded drive trains, etc., but I don't think you need to, and you can upgrade as you go.
In general, on the sport hybrid bikes, if the parts are Shimano Deore, Sora, Tiagra, or comparable level parts, e.g., from SRAM, that's probably the a good place to be. For 29er mountain bikes, Shimano Alivio and above would be a good place to be.
SHIFTERS
In my opinion, there's no particular reason to care a great deal between grip shifters, and rapid fire (thumb lever type shifters). However, you will most likely be looking at bikes with the "rapid fire" type shifters in combination with disc brakes, and they are normally considered "higher end". So you may as well go with the flow and look for those types of shifters.
NEW OR USED
If you have a good idea of what you're looking for, you can find some great deals on good bikes on Craigslist and other sites. You can often find a bike that was built within the last 7-8 years that meets about all of what I laid out, and is in good condition, and is a great value. It can be a roll of the dice. However, find a good local bike shop, and even if a used bike you got has some issues, they often have excellent and friendly mechanics who will fix the issues at a reasonable price, where you still come out ahead.
If you find a new bike you like that meets what I laid out (or your more refined criteria) at a bike shop, absolutely, go for it. You're probably looking at bikes in the $600-1000+ price range.
FIT
If you buy new, a good bike shop will of course, fit you properly to the bike. In the used bike arena, you will need to learn-as-you-go the models, frame sizes and adjustments (e.g., matching seat height, handlebar angles, etc. to your body type, leg length, and riding style preferences) that fit you best. You can probably find a bike shop that will help you with fine-tuning fit adjustments on a used bike in the course of them doing other work on your bike. There are a lot of useful resources on bike fit on the Internet; use them and your local bike shops to make sure you get this part right for whatever bike you choose.
I hope that gives you some practical options for focusing your search. I recommend the Sport/Hybrid/Fitness type of bike as your overall best choice, and suggest as your starting comparison benchmark, using Trek 7.5 FX models from the last 5-7 years. Look at some of those, then look at similar models from other name brand manufacturers, Giant, Kona, Specialized, Marin, Cannondale, Fuji, and the numerous other brands that were originally sold through local bike shops. After looking at that category, you'll probably develop a pretty good idea of what you want, and can target a small set of used bike years/models/features, or buy a new bike that matches what you want. Good luck!