What is a Bicycle?
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe.
Best Bicycles In Kenya
Mountain Bikes
Mountain bikes (or mountain bicycles) are bicycles whose design is for off-road cycling. Their main characteristic is the large and knobby tires, flat handlebars, and (usually come with) a front or full suspension fork(s).
The design of a mountain bike helps enhance the durability and performance of a rider on rough terrain. They also have lower gear ratios for easier climbing of steep climbs and most come with three chainrings at the front (though most newer brands are switching to double and single chainrings).
The bigger tires of the mountain bike compared to a road bike help with navigating rough terrains, unpaved roads, and through portholes. Mountain bikes are among the best bicycles in Kenya in use alongside the popular black mambas.
Road Bikes
Road bikes, or road bicycles, are for speed or competitive cycling (for example, racing). They work best on paved roads such as tarmac from where they derive their name.
The visible characteristics of road bikes are the drop handlebars (though some may have flat handlebars) and slick tires. They also often have two chainrings in the front (unlike mountain bikes with one or three, though some old road bikes also have three.).
Since they are for speed, road bikes do not have a suspension fork. The fork helps to insulate the rider from the roughness of the terrain. Thus, they are not for offroad cycling.
Hybrid Bikes
As the name implies, a hybrid bicycle blends the features of both a mountain bike and a road bike. It combines the best of both bicycles, for example, the speed of a road bike and the stability (and comfort) of a mountain bike.
Hybrid bikes adopt the upright riding posture and flat handlebars of a mountain bike and the lightweight, thinner tires of a road bike, allowing for great speed on the road. The bikes are general-purpose bikes that are useful for light offroad riding and also road riding.
Hybrid bikes are slower than road bikes but faster than mountain bikes. You will also often find that hybrid bikes have thicker tires than road bikes but are thinner than mountain bikes since they are a hybrid of the two types of bicycles.
Is it a good idea to get a bike?
Summary. Cycling can help to protect you from serious diseases such as stroke, heart attack, some cancers, depression, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. Riding a bike is healthy, fun, and a low-impact form of exercise for all ages.
Are bikes hard to learn?
After all, learning to ride a bike as an adult is no harder than learning as a kid, as long as you take the same step-by-step approach to the process—and push grown-up fear and nerves out of the way. All you need is a bike and a safe, wide-open place to practice, like an empty parking lot or park.
How long does it take to learn to bicycle?
Kids are like sponges when learning new skills like biking, and throwing all caution to the wind. The average time for them to learn the basics is approximately 45-120 minutes. Adults are a lot more cautious. It may take around 2-3 days for an adult to learn to ride a bike.