The basic questions are quite simple: How, when, where and why do I want to use the bike? Is the journey from A to B just a necessary evil or an exciting time outdoors? Do I want to make an effort or should my bike have a motor? We have tried to divide the majority of cyclists into four large groups and introduce them to a few typical bikes. The explicitly sport and performance-orientated racing cyclists and mountain bikers have been left out.
1. city and everyday life
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic at the latest, there has been no need to count the growing proportion of short-distance journeys made by bike: Visual inspection is enough. Many cities are taking space away from car traffic and leaving it to cyclists.
In city and everyday use, where the individual distance is often no more than five kilometres, weather protection and reliable lighting are more important than an impressive number of gear ratios. Hub gears with five to eleven gears in combination with a belt drive are common on muscle-powered all-rounders due to their low maintenance. A rigid frame and a pannier rack that can carry ten kilos without wobbling increase versatility. For everyday pedelecs, battery size and motor power are of secondary importance, but a battery that can be easily removed for charging is very practical - especially when the bike is parked outside. With everyday bikes with and without a motor, you often get on and off the bike. A waver frame can be pleasant on pedelecs, but on bikes with normal tube dimensions (without a battery compartment) this construction is often not laterally stiff enough.
A special approach for city pedelecs without heavy loads are lightweight, minimalist bikes with a small battery, limited gear range and reduced motor power. Some of them weigh less than 15 kilos.
2. load and compact
Unconventional bikes with special transport capacity, small wheels or folding mechanisms tend to appear as footnotes in the sales statistics of the two-wheeler industry. Only cargo bikes have become very visible at the moment, accounting for three per cent of unit sales. Cargo bikes can transport more than the usual payloads. The upper load limit results from the "permissible total weight" of rider, bike and load, which is usually only 130 kilos for standard bike designs (sometimes only 110 kilos for sports bikes). A 90-kilo person on a 25-kilo pedelec should therefore not even be able to carry the 25 kilos of load that his carrier can handle. A cargo bike must be able to carry more.
In addition to the increased payload, cargo bikes also have an improved centre of gravity when loaded, for example closer to the ground, a practical loading option in a basket or on a large carrier, and almost always a stable two-legged stand. More than two thirds of the cargo bikes sold recently had a motor. This definitely proves its worth when starting off in the city, even if the terrain is flat. Cargo bikes are available in numerous designs. Single-track bikes are usually more sporty to ride, multi-track bikes are very stable when parked and are often favoured for transporting children. What they all have in common is a somewhat bulkier size and increased weight. The question of where to park the bike on or in the house should therefore be clarified.
Compact and folding bikes usually have wheel sizes of around 20 inches, similar to the earlier folding bikes. The small wheels make such bikes and pedelecs very easy to handle, but the handling on bumpy surfaces is much rougher than with normal tyre sizes.
3. fast and sporty
For sporty bikes without a motor, weight often takes centre stage. In addition, low rolling resistance of the tyres and an aerodynamically favourable riding position are required, as fast speeds and long distances under your own power provide a special satisfaction. For bikes without a motor, the racing handlebar is experiencing a renaissance. Gravel bikes and so-called randonneurs are often built on the same platform: the frames are reminiscent of racing bikes, but have a longer wheelbase, a slightly more upright riding position and allow thicker tyres to pass through. Randonneur bikes have a minimum tyre width of 35 millimetres, combined with mudguards and a lightweight pannier rack, while 40 to 45 millimetre tyres have become established for gravel bikes. For predominantly road use, the fine gear ratios of double chainrings with eleven or twelve sprockets at the rear prove their worth. The less tarmac the target area has, the more likely one chainring will suffice.
Fitness bikes are even more reduced. Here, mudguards or pannier racks are often not provided. The development goal is not suitability for everyday use, but fitness with fun. They differ from road bikes and gravel bikes primarily in their straight handlebars. Their tyres have a very low profile so that they roll smoothly.
Sport is defined differently with a motor. Here, pedelecs with high-torque motors and finely tuned suspension that improves grip and road holding even on tricky surfaces tend to shine. So-called "crossover fullys" clearly borrow from the e-mountainbike. They are not designed for pannier racks. Their suspension makes them somewhat heavier, more maintenance-intensive and more expensive.
4. tour and journey
A touring bike has slightly higher technical requirements than an all-rounder. The frame and fork should be somewhat stiffer, and the pannier rack must not wobble even with 15 or 20 kilos of luggage - a comparison by hand gives a first impression in the shop. A wide gear ratio is important on touring bikes. Everything should be on board, from uphill gears for cranking uphill at less than 10 kilometres per hour to a long gear ratio for descents. Most derailleur gears with two or three chainrings are the right choice, but 14-speed hubs or bottom bracket gears are also available in the upper price range. Here, the limit to a specialised touring bike is quickly reached. There is space on the fork for an additional pannier rack for front panniers. Bikes for long-distance travellers are often individually built luxury bikes, as this clientele has precise ideas about the right saddle, handlebars or wheels. Standard touring bikes start at around €1,500 and are good for many kilometres, while individually built touring bikes with refined technology can easily cost a thousand more.
The requirements for touring pedelecs are similar in principle. The e-bike should also have solid brakes and pannier rack, tyre widths of over 50 millimetres and plenty of gear range. How big the battery needs to be is also a question of your own fitness and route planning. Less than 625 watt hours is definitely not enough if the lowest support level is not sufficient. The models are correspondingly expensive.
