Hi, I know we are not to discuss what make a rat a rat, so I won't. But is there a definition or description somewhere of the different types of bike. ie: Touring, board track, cruiser, etc. ? Thanks
Bike styles defined?
- Thread starter Michaels
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Really, no answers? Lots of looks though. Guess I'm not the only one who wants to know. But seriously, I'm mean what are the loose ideas of some of these styles, I'm sure ther must be some start. I get Cruisers, Mt bike we all know what that is, BMX too. But what is a path racer? And are board track and flat track the same, based on old bicycles or motorcycles? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks
I would like to know also, from the pictures I've see I guess a Klunker is simular to a BMX bike.
Kenny
Kenny
OK, this one I do know. A klunker is based on Gary Fishers first mountain bike, before they were mountain bikes. They were basically stripped down old bikes carried up to the top of a mountain trail and ridden down. This led to the development of the mountain bike in the late 70's. Someone correct me or add details.kensmurray said:
I'll take a shot at a few. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will jump in. Besides, these arere how I percieve the differences.
Board track bike = cruiser style (cantilever, straightbar, basically 50s on back), handlebars turned upside down, little to fenders, big tires.
Flat track style = close to boardtrack style but with cruiser style handlebars in normal riding position tilted slightly towards rider.
Touring is usually a geared bike (3 speed on up), generally has the basic cruiser style handlebars and is loaded with baskets/panniers luggage racks. Kinda looks like your going on vacation on your bike. The bike doesn't necessarily have to have the baskets and racks but this is how i usually visualize them.
Roadbike or Roadie = essentially any bike I see that has the look of an old tenspeed. Usually multi geared the traditional style of tenspeed handlebars.
Musclebike = Usually 24" or smaller (20" being the norm). Slick tire in the back, apehangers or some wild design of tall handlebars, bannana seat and sissybar (tall preferred)
Pixie = Warning Schwinn guys will normally argue that the Schwinn Pixie IS the only Pixie! :lol:
But for the rest of us ..... Any child's bike that has 16" or smaller wheels.
Stretched cruiser = any stretched bike that resembles the old style cruisers and the fork is Not raked out beyond that of a normal bicycle. Any size or combination of tires, any style of handlebars, the front half of the frame could be stretched or the back or both ends.
Burritto = This one gets everyone confused and many ofg the guys just don't get it, no matter what, but here is the definition that the FBN uses .....
1. A Burrito style bike can be made from what ever you can come up with. Old cut up bike frames, exercise equipment, porch swings, your grandpa's outhouse, etc. Just about anything that you can think of to build your bike will be allowed.
2. It must be long and as low as possible. Road hazards and ground clearance are never in the formula for ride ability. The more it bottoms out or scrapes, the more successful the build is.
3. The seat must be lower than a stock 24" bike. Remember that this is not a retail store cruiser bike. Cram the seat as low as you can get it, but also make sure that you can ride the beast and be fairly comfortable.
4. This is not a chopper style bike. Long chopper style forks take away from the beauty and grace of what a true Burrito is.
5. In the original guidelines: "A Burrito cannot have a real nice paint job. Anything more than a deluxe puff can jobber is too much. If it is too shinny, old ladies may pass out from the shock factor of the bike itself, along with glaring paint with sparkles. Remember, there are still many unexplored areas for the Burrito as it is a relatively new species. Average society needs time to adjust."
However, many of you guys prefer powder coating or have access to a better way of painting. Because of this, we will allow the use of either. But be forewarned, this could come back to haunt you when some of the guys decide whose bike to vote for.
6. The driveline must be unique. The more interesting chain routes the better. Jackshafts, gears, idlers etc. Exotic drivelines are also very much accepted. Shaft, belt, friction or hydraulic would be awesome. Just make sure they actually work to propel the bike!
7. Another one of the original guidelines: "Turning radius must be a minimum of 25 feet, or just within the average two lane roadway. If not then it either doesn’t have enough rake, or the wheelbase is to short.
8. The Burrito cannot have a kickstand. If it does then it is too high, or too pretty. Pure ,inncent and direct to the point!
Again these are just how I see things and distiguish them from others.
Hope this helps,
Chainsaw
Board track bike = cruiser style (cantilever, straightbar, basically 50s on back), handlebars turned upside down, little to fenders, big tires.
Flat track style = close to boardtrack style but with cruiser style handlebars in normal riding position tilted slightly towards rider.
Touring is usually a geared bike (3 speed on up), generally has the basic cruiser style handlebars and is loaded with baskets/panniers luggage racks. Kinda looks like your going on vacation on your bike. The bike doesn't necessarily have to have the baskets and racks but this is how i usually visualize them.
Roadbike or Roadie = essentially any bike I see that has the look of an old tenspeed. Usually multi geared the traditional style of tenspeed handlebars.
Musclebike = Usually 24" or smaller (20" being the norm). Slick tire in the back, apehangers or some wild design of tall handlebars, bannana seat and sissybar (tall preferred)
Pixie = Warning Schwinn guys will normally argue that the Schwinn Pixie IS the only Pixie! :lol:
But for the rest of us ..... Any child's bike that has 16" or smaller wheels.
Stretched cruiser = any stretched bike that resembles the old style cruisers and the fork is Not raked out beyond that of a normal bicycle. Any size or combination of tires, any style of handlebars, the front half of the frame could be stretched or the back or both ends.
Burritto = This one gets everyone confused and many ofg the guys just don't get it, no matter what, but here is the definition that the FBN uses .....
1. A Burrito style bike can be made from what ever you can come up with. Old cut up bike frames, exercise equipment, porch swings, your grandpa's outhouse, etc. Just about anything that you can think of to build your bike will be allowed.
2. It must be long and as low as possible. Road hazards and ground clearance are never in the formula for ride ability. The more it bottoms out or scrapes, the more successful the build is.
3. The seat must be lower than a stock 24" bike. Remember that this is not a retail store cruiser bike. Cram the seat as low as you can get it, but also make sure that you can ride the beast and be fairly comfortable.
4. This is not a chopper style bike. Long chopper style forks take away from the beauty and grace of what a true Burrito is.
5. In the original guidelines: "A Burrito cannot have a real nice paint job. Anything more than a deluxe puff can jobber is too much. If it is too shinny, old ladies may pass out from the shock factor of the bike itself, along with glaring paint with sparkles. Remember, there are still many unexplored areas for the Burrito as it is a relatively new species. Average society needs time to adjust."
However, many of you guys prefer powder coating or have access to a better way of painting. Because of this, we will allow the use of either. But be forewarned, this could come back to haunt you when some of the guys decide whose bike to vote for.
6. The driveline must be unique. The more interesting chain routes the better. Jackshafts, gears, idlers etc. Exotic drivelines are also very much accepted. Shaft, belt, friction or hydraulic would be awesome. Just make sure they actually work to propel the bike!
7. Another one of the original guidelines: "Turning radius must be a minimum of 25 feet, or just within the average two lane roadway. If not then it either doesn’t have enough rake, or the wheelbase is to short.
8. The Burrito cannot have a kickstand. If it does then it is too high, or too pretty. Pure ,inncent and direct to the point!
Again these are just how I see things and distiguish them from others.
Hope this helps,
Chainsaw
Chainsaw more or less detailed the styling elements that go into the various types. I'll add this:
A board track bike is patterned after early race bikes that were raced on board tracks. Not bicycles, mind you (early race bicycles looked much like they do today), but racing motorcycles. By rights, these bikes should have some form of tank and a sprung saddle. Often, white or creme balloon tires are used to emulate the look of early natural rubber tires.
A flat tracker is also pattern after racing motorcycles, but from those used on later dirt track speedways. I think this is a less common style among bicycles.
A chopper is patterned after customized motorcycles that became the rage in the '60s and '70s. Raked forks, small front wheels, banana seats, & unique custom modifications typify these bikes.
Muscle bikes are essentially factory-built choppers, typically based on 20" size. Also called wheelie bikes, the combination of a larger rider (then you'd traditionally have put on a 20" wheeled bike) and a banana seat moved the center of gravity pretty far back, so made for easy wheelies.
Bobbers are yet another modified motorcycle-based style. This was something of hot rodding for bikes, people "bobbed" a motorcycle when they stripped off extra weight and cut the fenders short (bobbing them). But typically, OEM tire sizes are kept and there's an emphasis on performance.
Road bikes are typically those used for road racing & training. These are different triathalon bikes, and different still from fixed gear track bikes, and different yet again from urban "city" bikes.
Touring Bikes are road bikes with relaxed geometry, so they're less twitchy and more comfortable to ride for long distances, like cross-country. Typically still have drop bars, these usually are outfitted with fenders, carriers and panniers, but that can vary depending on how much the rider plans to rely on their credit card...
City bikes are typically more upright and utilitarian. The emphasis is one functionality and utility. These are typically used for commuting to work and running errands in a location where things are close enough together that you can get away with it.
Fixies are fixed-gear bikes, with no freewheel ability, and often have no brakes. These are decended from track bikes and common amongst bike messengers and hipsters that think riding an utterly impractical bike makes you cool.
Hybrids and comfort bikes offer different levels of combinations of the features of road bikes, urban bikes, mountain bikes, etc. All are some level of compromise, your results may vary. These work quite well for the majority of casual riders that never conside buying more than one bike...
Cyclocross bikes are a different breed of hybrid. More of a road bike with narrow, knobby tires, optimized for competing in cyclocross competition. These bikes also tend to lend themselves well to all around use. If a road bike is to a sports car, and a mountain bike an SUV, then 'cross bikes are the equivalent of rally cars.
Cargo bikes have modified frame designs, to allow hauling large loads. These come in 2 and 3 wheel versions, front platform, long tail, and practically any other variation you can think of, but are much more often cutom taylored to the application.
And then rat rod bikes. Well, we must all know exactly what they are because we don't have to discuss it!
A board track bike is patterned after early race bikes that were raced on board tracks. Not bicycles, mind you (early race bicycles looked much like they do today), but racing motorcycles. By rights, these bikes should have some form of tank and a sprung saddle. Often, white or creme balloon tires are used to emulate the look of early natural rubber tires.
A flat tracker is also pattern after racing motorcycles, but from those used on later dirt track speedways. I think this is a less common style among bicycles.
A chopper is patterned after customized motorcycles that became the rage in the '60s and '70s. Raked forks, small front wheels, banana seats, & unique custom modifications typify these bikes.
Muscle bikes are essentially factory-built choppers, typically based on 20" size. Also called wheelie bikes, the combination of a larger rider (then you'd traditionally have put on a 20" wheeled bike) and a banana seat moved the center of gravity pretty far back, so made for easy wheelies.
Bobbers are yet another modified motorcycle-based style. This was something of hot rodding for bikes, people "bobbed" a motorcycle when they stripped off extra weight and cut the fenders short (bobbing them). But typically, OEM tire sizes are kept and there's an emphasis on performance.
Road bikes are typically those used for road racing & training. These are different triathalon bikes, and different still from fixed gear track bikes, and different yet again from urban "city" bikes.
Touring Bikes are road bikes with relaxed geometry, so they're less twitchy and more comfortable to ride for long distances, like cross-country. Typically still have drop bars, these usually are outfitted with fenders, carriers and panniers, but that can vary depending on how much the rider plans to rely on their credit card...
City bikes are typically more upright and utilitarian. The emphasis is one functionality and utility. These are typically used for commuting to work and running errands in a location where things are close enough together that you can get away with it.
Fixies are fixed-gear bikes, with no freewheel ability, and often have no brakes. These are decended from track bikes and common amongst bike messengers and hipsters that think riding an utterly impractical bike makes you cool.
Hybrids and comfort bikes offer different levels of combinations of the features of road bikes, urban bikes, mountain bikes, etc. All are some level of compromise, your results may vary. These work quite well for the majority of casual riders that never conside buying more than one bike...
Cyclocross bikes are a different breed of hybrid. More of a road bike with narrow, knobby tires, optimized for competing in cyclocross competition. These bikes also tend to lend themselves well to all around use. If a road bike is to a sports car, and a mountain bike an SUV, then 'cross bikes are the equivalent of rally cars.
Cargo bikes have modified frame designs, to allow hauling large loads. These come in 2 and 3 wheel versions, front platform, long tail, and practically any other variation you can think of, but are much more often cutom taylored to the application.
And then rat rod bikes. Well, we must all know exactly what they are because we don't have to discuss it!
That really goes back into the mid '30s even, when you first started seeing bicycles branded as "Motorbike". But it kind of makes sense - motorcycles evolved out of bicycles just as soon as IC engines became practical enough to bolt to one. The two developed nearly in parallel through the teens and '20s, at which point motorcycles had to diverge as they became faster and had to be stronger. The earliest tank bikes were copying motorcycles, so I guess the boardtrack style has been around a long time. Tank bike styles evolved away from motorcycle influence after WW2 and became their own sort of thing.Michaels said:
