Mazlow | Bicycle Reviews for Mountain, Road, BMX and Comfort Bicycles

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Select the type of bike that best fits with your cycling style.


		The most common style of bicycle, the Mountain bike makes up about 1/3 of the total bicycle market. Invented in the 1970's, the Mountain bike has quickly supplanted the Road bike in general popularity. Mountain bikes are built for off-road riding and are known for their upright riding style, cleated tires and suspension systems. The popularity of Mountain bikes has given rise to several sub-categories of Mountain bikes including: Downhill Hardtail Cross Country Aggressive Adventure Trials While Mountain bikes are very popular, many of the models are designed for the hard core racer or bike enthusiast, though the less-expensive models are designed for the casual bike enthusiast.

		City/Path bikes are about versatility. These bikes are also referred to as Cross, Hybrid and Commuter bikes. Mountain bike styling and road bike handling make these bikes a good choice for the fitness-oriented rider that wants to arrive with style, comfort and safety. City/Path bikes are as durable as a mountain bike and as quick as a road bike, they combine light weight, efficiency, and comfort. City/Path bikes are perfectly suited for charity rides, riding on both pavement and trails, getting to school or work, everything you might want to do during the a day.

		The original runaway popularity of mountain bikes was mainly related to their greater comfort for casual cyclists, compared to the drop-handlebar, skinny-tire sport-touring bikes that had been the predominant adult style through the '70s and early '80s. As mountain-bike racing became more organized, mountain bike designs started to morph into a more competition-oriented riding position, with longer top tubes, lower handlebars, narrower saddles, shorter wheelbases and more upright frame angles. By the late '90s, this trend had gone so far that many casual/beginner cyclists were finding mountain bikes uncomfortable. In response, the industry came up with what is commonly known as a "comfort bike." Typical comfort bikes resemble mountain bikes in wheel size, brake and gear equipment, but also differ in several ways: Shorter top tubes, for a more upright riding position Taller, often adjustable, handlebar stems, also for a more upright riding position Wider saddles with springs (and/or suspension seatposts) Smooth, wide tires for quiet and comfort on smooth surfaces Lower bottom brackets for easier mounting/dismounting Comfort bikes are often seen as slower, stogier versions of "City/Path" bikes, and are targeted at pretty much the same market. Additional types of comfort bikes include Classically styled Cruisers and Recumbent bikes.

		In the broadest sense, these are any bicycle designed to be ridden primarily on pavement. Usually, the term "Road Bicycle" is used to refer to a sport bicycle with drop handlebars and narrow tires. Road bikes dominated the bicycle market in the 70's and 80's prior to the mountain biking revolution. Because of the recent popularity of mountain bikes, road bikes are almost solely built with the advanced cyclist in mind. If you ride long distances or compete in road competitions, these are the bikes for you. These bikes are also referred to and categorized as: Competition Racing Touring Track Triathlon

		BMX stands for bicycle motocross. These bikes are recognizable by their smaller size which adds to their maneuverability. In general there are 3 types of BMX bikes on the market: Freestyle - Bikes used in expression contests in which riders are given a time allotment to hit a variety of jumps, performing aerial maneuvers for a judged score. Jump - Bikes used in dirt jumping competitions where time and style are important. Race - Bikes used in competition races on dirt tracks where speed and handling are key to success. Because of their size, BMX bikes are commonly mistaken for kids bikes, but these bikes are meant for serious BMX riders and are more expensive than most kids bikes.

		Kids bicycles come in all shapes and sizes; from tricycles to BMX style to Mountain bikes. When buying a bicycle for children you need to make sure it fits them properly, both for safety reasons and to allow for maximum rider growth. For children ages 2 to 5, bicycle wheel diameter is the primary size differentiating factor, with 12" and 16" wheel sizes the most common size. For 4 to 6 year old children, 20" wheel-sized bicycles with steeply sloping top bars are the best size. More unisex in appearance, they enable a shorter-legged rider to fit a larger-wheeled bike at an earlier age, and to fit the bike longer. Full-size 20" wheel bikes with higher cross-bars and longer crank arms are usually purchased for riders 6 or 7 years of age or older. Often called dirt bikes or BMX bikes, these are principally designed for frequent, hard, recreational use. Usually the less expensive they are, the heavier they are. Children over the age of 7 typically will fit a 24" wheel. Some kids, depending upon their leg length, may fit shorter frame size adult bikes with 26" (or greater) diameter wheels.