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These days no one wants to put up with an old, bone-shaker bicycle. When it comes to buying a new bike, though, many people are bewildered by the huge selection on offer.

Quality still has its price, and anyone thinking of investing in some new pedal power should be prepared to pay at least $725.

Here are a few tips on how to find a decent, affordable bicycle, along with the pros and cons of various models:

• City bike: A favorite choice of cyclists who tend to ride only short distances to the shops and venture further afield only on weekends. What these bikes lack in sportiness is compensated by their robust nature and their ease of maintenance.

Standard trim usually includes a hub dynamo, LED rear lights and gear ratios — which allow them to speed up — between three and 14, depending on the equipment chosen. Many of these models have the step-through frame that used to be the preserve of models for ladies. It makes it easier to hop on or off the bike.

• Trekking bike: This is one of the most popular European models next to the city bike. The trekking bike was originally conceived for long rides on tarmacs or light trails but became very popular with commuters and frequent riders. These hybrids usually feature a robust aluminum frame, derailleur gears, a chain guard and 28-inch wheels.

• Dutch bicycle: This sturdy classic from the Netherlands is renowned for its comfortable, upright riding position, wide saddle and simple mechanics.

A fully enclosed chain guard keeps dirt and moisture away from the drive train and stops trouser legs from getting smeared with oil. Dutch bicycles are also popular as low-entry models, such as those without a high crossbar. They are not sporty and Dutch bikes are sometimes referred to as “granny bikes.”

• Mountain bike: With their fat, 26-inch tires, mountain bikes are the cycling equivalent of the sport utility vehicle. Experts warn that the bikes are often not suitable for everyday commuting until they have been retrofitted with mudguards and the obligatory lighting set and bell.

• Racing bike: These have extremely narrow tires on 28-inch wheels, a bent-over riding position with low-slung handlebars and equipment stripped down to the just bare essentials to ensure rapid forward motion. Racing bikes are for purists, and experts advise against using them as everyday transport. Curbs and road potholes can quickly dent or damage the fragile, lightweight rims.

The low-profile tires offer little in the way of grip. On wet roads, the risk of skidding is considerable. Racing bikes nearly always come with derailleur gears, usually with a range of 16 to 33 gear ratios.

• Folding bike: Contemporary folding bicycles have little in common with 1970s models. In comparison with their predecessors, modern folding bikes are technical marvels that can be folded from a full-size bike to a compact, portable package and back up again within a few seconds. With their small, 16-inch wheels, the foldables are ideal for commuters since they can fit easily into trains, buses and car trunks.

• Long-distance tourer: These bikes are built for long-haul trips. Frames are lightweight and components are of the tried-and-tested variety. Key features are comfort, stability and ease of maintenance.

A good long-distance touring bike will tend to have a longer rear-frame section within a longer overall wheelbase — the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels — so that the rider’s ankles do not collide with the rear luggage basket.

• Recumbent bike: Recumbents have a laid-back riding position, with the rider reclining in a padded seat instead of sitting on a saddle. The feet ride higher up as well.

Recumbents are more aerodynamic and faster than conventional bicycles and some long-distance riders swear by them. Riding one is strange at first and they take a few weeks to master. There are racing recumbents and touring versions with enhanced luggage-carrying capacity. Two-wheel and tricycle models are available.

• Work bike: This is the generic term for bikes designed to carry large loads, including passengers. Such machines are the cycling equivalent of the car.

Variants come with either two, three or four wheels and can be equipped with bench seats or large fixed boxes for cargo. The bikes can carry a payload of up to 100 kilos but are more unwieldy in traffic than normal models. Work bikes are ideal for transporting small children to school or for carrying the weekly shopping.

• E-bike: All use a small electric motor driven by a rechargeable battery pack to help the rider along at speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour. Unlike mopeds, e-bikes do not need license plates and road tax.

They need stronger frames and beefed-up brakes in order to cope with the extra weight. So-called Pedelecs have a sensor on the pedals, with an onboard computer that measures how much effort the rider is exerting and decides how much extra help to give. 

Deutsche Presse-Agentur