Skip to main content

Bicycle Buyer’s Guide

Find The Perfect Bike For You

With more than 10,000 bikes in stock at Village Cycle Center, you're likely wondering where to begin your new bike search. We’ve put together this guide to help you find the bike that best fits your riding goals. Before you get started, it’s important to know where you’ll be riding. Some bikes are made for pavement, some are made for trails, and some are made to handle both. Below you will find brief descriptions of the different types of bicycles we carry.

City Bikes   |   Road Bikes   |   Mountain Bikes   |   Electric Bikes   |   Comfort Bikes   |   Specialty Bikes   |   Kids' Bikes

City Bikes

Getting around the city is more fun with the right bike. Whether your goal is to get fit or get to work, these bikes are built to make that ride more enjoyable. Using a combination of road bike speed and mountain bike sturdiness, these bikes are built to take whatever the city gives them. Serene park paths or crowded city streets, these bikes will do the job.

Hybrid Bikes

Hybrid

For the casual rider, hybrid bikes provide a comfortable upright position and solid tires to make any bike path a joy to ride and any errand a breeze.

Fitness Bikes

Fitness

Pedal into health with a fitness bike. A comfortable alternative to the gym, these bikes allow you to get outside while working out. Enjoy friends, the sun, and get in shape.

Commuter Urban Bike

Urban/Commuter

Riding a bicycle in the city is a great way to get to work, run errands, and more. These bikes are built for comfort and speed. They can also double as fitness or touring bikes.

Comfort Bikes

Comfort

Comfort bikes are built for one purpose: to have the most fun as possible. Wide seats and upright riding position ensure that your rides are relaxing. Large, wide tires ensure a smooth ride. These bikes are perfect for casual group rides or cruising around the neighborhood. Where ever you ride, ride with comfort.

Electric Bikes

Electric Bikes

Lightweight electric bikes (e-bikes) give you all of the comfort and ease of a traditional bike with added pedal-assist technology. The latest generation of electric bikes feature lightweight, removable, rechargeable batteries, making them easy, practical, and fun to ride in a variety of settings.

Road Bikes

Road bicycles are designed to be light, fast, and easy to maneuver. Their thin, slick tires create less friction with the road allowing a trained rider to reach speeds of 25 miles per hour with ease. They are typically equipped with handlebars that drop down and back to give the rider various positions—from comfortably upright to aggressively forward. They come in three basic categories: sport, endurance, and triathlon.

Sport Road Bikes

Sport

The most popular bicycle seen flying down the road, either on a path or in a race, is the sport road bike. Great for competition or casual riding.

Gravel Road Bikes

Endurance

Endurance bikes are built for speed and efficiency. They’re lightweight and give you more comfort than a traditional road bike on long distance rides.

Triathlon / TT Bikes

Triathlon

Used in triathlons and time trials, these bikes allow you to reach maximum speed in shorter distances. They use a fully integrated aerodynamic geometry.

Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes are the workhorses of the bicycle world. Designed to handle anything, they are useful for conquering mountain trails, dirt roads, and even snow-covered paths. You'll find them in various wheel sizes from the standard 26-inch to the emerging 29-inch. These wheels are built to have traction in a variety of conditions. Mountain bikes come in various styles; the three basic models are front suspension, full suspension, and fat bikes.

Front Suspension Mountain Bikes

Front Suspension

Also known as hardtail mountain bikes, these bikes are lightweight and easy to maintain. The front suspension minimizes the impact that you feel in your hands and upper body.

Full Suspension Mountain Bikes

Full Suspension

Full suspension mountain bikes allow you to tackle rough trails by absorbing more impact in the front and rear. They also are equipped to handle more technical terrain than hardtails.

Fat Bikes

Fat Bike

With four-inch wide tires, fat bikes can handle whatever adventure brings. These versatile bikes will help you tear through dirt trails, snow covered paths, and whatever else you can find.

Specialty Bikes

Looking for something more specific? While road and mountain bikes can handle a myriad of conditions and riding styles, some bicycles are designed with one key function in mind. This is often done by taking a traditional road bicycle design and adjusting it to fit the needed focus. We have narrowed it down to our three most popular styles: touring bikes, cyclocross bikes, and beach cruiser bikes.

Touring Bikes

Touring

For those seeking adventure, touring bikes are built to take you, and your gear, wherever the journey leads you. Down highways or into the woods, these bikes will get you there.

Cyclocross Bikes

Cyclocross

A combination of road and mountain bikes, cyclocross bikes are built to handle whatever the course throws at you. Mud, grass, gravel - get dirty and have a blast on two wheels.

Beach Cruiser

Beach Cruiser

Made to look good and ride comfortably, beach cruisers are the go-to for pedaling into fun. Balloon tires and extra wide seats keep the riding smooth. There are various colors and designs for any style.

Kids’ Bikes

Bicycles are a classic part of growing up. Learning how to ride a bike without training wheels is a childhood milestone. We have bikes for kids of all ages. From balance bikes for toddlers to kid-sized mountain bikes, we have what your child needs to be introduced to the joys of cycling. We want to ensure that your child loves his or her new bike. Come talk to our friendly staff to make sure you get the right fit for your kid.

Balance Bike

Up to 3 Years Old

We carry balance bikes for kids under 3 years old. This helps get kids riding with pedals quicker since they learn to balance earlier.

Kids' Bike Training Wheels

3-6 Years Old

These bikes come with training wheels. These help kids 3-6 years old transition to riding with two wheels by learning to pedal and brake.

Kids' Bikes

5-8 Years Old

These bikes are essentially smaller versions of adult bikes. They help kids 5 - 8 years old enjoy the fun and freedom of cycling.

Finding the right size can be tricky.

We’ve put together this Kid’s Bike Sizing Guide to help.

See Guide

Professional Bike Fit

Once you've found the right bike, take it to the next level by booking a bike fit session. Having your bicycle configured to support your unique body geometry allows you to get the most out of every ride. Ride longer and farther with maximum comfort and efficiency. We know that being a cyclist is about more than just the bike. Learn more about Chicago’s best fit studio and our professional fit packages.