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Bicycle Types

Road Bikes

Designed for Paved Roads
Skinny tires, drop bars and aggressive geometry allows for maximum aerodynamics
- These are fast on paved surfaces
Travel is limited to paved roads and asphalt trails
- Tires are at risk of punctures on gravel, rough surfaces and on potholes
- Skinny slick tires will sink into mud and soft trails
- Poor traction on off pavement adventures can result in crashes and injury
If the Troop is working on the Road Option of the Cycling Merit Badge, a road bike may be desired since most, if not all, of the required rides will be on well paved roads and trails
- A Road Bike allows for fast and efficient riding on pavement
High Adventure
- For Cycling High Adventures on paved roads, a Road Bike will work for the most part, but plan for a few flat tires along the way if there are gravel sections
- For Cycling High Adventures on gravel roads, upgrading wheels and tires might be an options, but a Road Bike will likely have many flats and may incur damage to rims or frame from impacts and rock dings
- For Cycling High Adventures on technical trails, a Mountain Bike is required

2022 Contend 3
Images Source: giant-bicycles.com

Road Bike
Drop Bars, Geometry and Gearing designed for Paved Adventures

Road Bikes Plus

There are many specialty designed Road Bikes made for everything from tarmac to road racing to gravel racing to expedition riding. With all the specialty bikes out there and the many crossover variants designed to "go anywhere", the differences between these bikes has blurred considerably. When shopping for a "Road Bike", you should familiarize yourself with some the the differences in specialized road bikes.

- Road Bikes and their many variants vary slightly in the following aspects:
  - Tire Clearance:
    - 28-32mm for pavement-only bikes
    - 32-40mm for unpaved roads and light gravel
    - 42mm+ for bigger gravel or more technical trails
  - Geometry
  - Weight
  - Gearing
- Road Bikes
  - Tire Clearance
    - Skinny slicks are light, aerodynamic and have low rolling resistance
      - 28-32mm for pavement only bike
  - Geometry
    - Designed for aerodynamics
      - Shorter head tube
      - Longer top tube
      - Narrower handlebars
        Also makes bike feel more responsive
      - Seat tube angle places your rear further forward over crank
  - Weight
    - Thinnest frame tubes possible
    - Lighter tires and wheels
    - Less spokes
  - Gearing
    - Road Cassette allows for narrow range of gearing at higher speeds
    - Easier to find the perfect gear on pavement
    - This matters when riding with other riders and for prolonged, high intensity rides
  - Brakes
    - Most mountain bikes and offroad focused bikes come with disc brakes
      - Better stopping power when wet or muddy
    - Some road bikes come with rim brakes
      - Less braking power, especially when wet
      - Lighter, more economical and easier to maintain
  - Will travel faster than other bikes on pavement
  - On gravel, there are worries of crashing, flats and gravel getting stuck between the tires and frame
  - Road Bikes can also be subdivided into subcategories
    - Race Bikes
      - Lighter
        Sometimes use special, light weight materials
        Thinner tube wall thickness
        Less spokes
        Often more fragile
      - More aerodynamic
        More aggressive geometry to force rider into aerodynamic position and to better power the crank
        Frame may be shaped to be more aerodynamic
        Often less comfortable to ride, especially on longer rides
    - Endurance Bike
      - Generally what we talk about when talking about road bikes
      - Designed to go fast on paved surfaces for longer periods
- Gravel Bikes
  - Tire Clearance:
    - Mild Gravel Bikes will allow for wider tires that can roll over gravel and rougher surfaces
      - 32-40mm for unpaved roads and light gravel
    - Fat Tired Gravel Bikes can tackle really rough terrain with ease
      - 42mm+ for bigger gravel or more technical trails
  - Geometry
    - Designed to keep you more upright when doing down a technical descent
      - Taller head tube
      - Narrower top tube
      - Wider handlebars are feel more stable
      - Seat tube angle places your rear further back
      - This is less aerodynamic than the geometry used on most road bikes
        Tri bars may allow you to have the option of better aerodynamics when on long flats
        These are NOT suitable for most Scouts or use around them
    - Longer wheelbase to allow fit of wider and taller tires
      - Somewhat more stable
      - Less agile on road
    - Wider tires can go over bigger obstacles
      - Wider tires
        Ideal for off pavement rides
        A bit less aerodynamic and greater rolling resistance
        Slower on the road but will roll fine
      - Skinny Tires
        Road tires don't do well off pavement
        Some riders use a different set of wheels and tires for road riding
  - Weight
    - Gravel bike frames
      - Longer and wider frames to allow for larger tires
      - Thicker tubes to absorb vibration and rocks impacting the frame
    - Wheels
      - Wider tires
      - Greater spoke count
  - Gearing
    - Gearing varies greatly between bikes
      - Possible to have up to 40MPH with road bike gearing
      - Possible to have up to 30MPH with gravel bike gearing
      - YMMV
    - Gravel bikes often have wider gearing
      - Better for hills and slow riding on technical trails
      - May be difficult to find perfect gear when riding with roadies
  - A Gravel Bike will allow you to ride on many of the gravel trails we have locally and less technical trails
  - See below
- All Road Bikes
  - Designed to be a mix between a Road and Gravel Bike
  - Made to go fast of paved roads and take on the occasional light gravel in the city
  - Example: REI Co-op ARD Bikes
  - Tires
    - Width generally between road and gravel
      - 32-40mm ish
  - Geometry
    - More like gravel bike
  - Gearing
    - Generally between road and gravel
  - If your riding will be only roads and well maintained gravel, this will be a great bike option

Mountain Bike with Fat Tires
Front Suspension designed to soak up impacts on rough trails and jumps

Mountain Bikes

Designed for Rough Terrain, Steep Downhills and Tight Trails
These look very different and are designed very differently than road bikes
- Flat Handlebars
  - Unlike road bikes, Mountain Bikes have flat handlebars
    - Likely the first thing you notice on a Mountain Bike
  - Only one position for hands
    - Lacks multiple hand possessions available on drop bars used on road bikes
    - Allows you to keep hands in a stable position and to hold on for dear life
  - Wider bars allow for more leverage and handling in tight corners
    - Better for downhills and tight single track riding
- Fatter tires with more aggressive tread
  - Mountain Bike tires start around 2 inches (50mm) wide
    - Road tires range from around 21-38mm wide
  - Fat tires float over obstacles and can take a beating
  - So many styles of aggressive thread to choose from
    - Aggressive tires allow you to "bite" into the trail for better handling and control
      - Less likely to slip and crash compared to smoother tires
  - You can run fat tires at MUCH lower pressures than skinny road tires
    - Improves performance on rough and wet terrain
  - Fat tires negatively impacts speed on paved roads
- More upright posture
  - Shorter reach and top tube keep handlebars closer to rider
  - Good for technical descents, tight turns and off road handling
  - Poor aerodynamics compared to road bike
- Longer fork offset (rake)
  - Horizontal distance between the steering angle line and the center of front hub
  - Larger fork rake and slacker head tube angle
  - Pushes front tire more forward
  - Improves center of gravity on steep descents
  - Improves control and leverage of bike
  - Less "snappy" steering than road bike
- Endurance Mountain Bikes have a Larger Trail
  - Difference between tire contact point and steering axis
  - Improves stability
  - Better for high speed handling on rough terrain
Suspension
- Suspension in the font will absorb impact of trail obstacles
- Rear Suspension
  - Some bikes have rear suspension
  - Hardtail - NO rear Suspension
    - Lighter bike and better suited for short track and cross country racing
  - Full Suspension - Front AND Rear Suspension
    - Heavier and more expensive than hardtails
    - Improves overall comfort and handling over rough and technical terrain
    - Ideal for downhill riding and racing
Gearing
- Gearing is often spread out to allow for slow climbs up steep hills as well as faster riding
- Road bike gearing is limited to high speed riding
These bikes allow us to enjoy the many technical Mountain Bike Trails we have in our part of the world
High Adventure
- For Cycling High Adventures on paved roads, a Mountain Bike will trail behind the road and gravel bikes
- For Cycling High Adventures on gravel roads, a Mountain Bike will trail behind the gravel bikes but will do fine and may be able to hit optional technical trails along the way
- For Cycling High Adventures on technical trails, a Mountain Bike is required

2024 DRT 3.3
Images Source: rei.com

Gravel Bike
Similar to Road Bike, but with Wider Tires and Geometry designed more so for trails

Gravel Bikes

A road bike designed for rougher roads and some trails
Overall design varies
- Can be designed for racing
- Can be designed for off pavement BikePacking
The Tire Wheel setup on a gravel bike has a huge impact on the bike's performance on and off pavement
- Wider tires (compared to road bikes) allows it to tackle gravel and rougher roads
  - Frame may allow for tires just aggressive enough for mild trails and gravel
  - Some frames allow for fat off trail tires
- Wheel sizes vary
  - 700c -designed for paved and unpaved roads and built for speed
    - Tires generally designed for road - low rolling resistance and smoother ride
  - 650c - designed more so for maneuverability and comfort on technical trails
    - Tires are generally wider - great for comfort and shock absorption
    - Aggressive tires are available - allows for better traction off-pavement
These bikes allow us to travel on most of the trails in our area - paved or not
These are much faster riding than Hybrids (which can tackle some gravel and some trails)
High Adventure
- For Cycling High Adventures on paved roads, a Gravel Bike will work for the most part, but true road bikes will have a performance advantage
- For Cycling High Adventures on gravel roads, this is the best bike you can have
- For Cycling High Adventures on technical trails, a Mountain Bike is required

2024 ADV 2.2
Images Source: rei.com

Hybrid Bike
Smooth Tires for smooth pavement riding, but wide enough for gentle trails
Flat hadlebars allow for more comfortable upright seating

Hybrid Bikes

More traditional bike design
Geometry allows rider to sit upright in comfortable position
Larger tires allows rider to glide over both pavement and trails
Not as aerodynamic as Road Bike
Not as rugged as Mountain Bike
Often more affordable than "performance" Gravel and Mountain Bikes
These are great for casual rides and relaxing commutes
- Great option if you are not in a hurry
Like a Mountain Bike, these will trail behind Road and Gravel Bikes on paved adventures
- They are generally better suited for pavement riding than Mountain Bikes

2024 CTY 1.1
Images Source: rei.com

Touring Bikes

Look like gravel bikes but are more heavy duty
Designed to carry a lot of gear
- Built more robust and are generally heavier
  - Thicker wall tubings, especially at high streess points
  - Most use a cromoly steel frame for strength and absorption of vibrations
    - Field repairs on steel are far more possible than aluminum
    - Cromoly can be stressed over and over again
  - Aluminum frames may be lighter and less expensive, but are not as robust
    - Aluminum fatigues with use
    - Not designed for forever use
    - Not designed for heavy duty, expedition use
- Ultralow gearing helps you get up hills with a fully loaded bike
- Heavy duty racks in the back, and sometimes in the front, allow you to carry a lot of gear for your bikepacking adventures
  - Many non-touring bikes don't come with eyelets for mounting racks
  - They make racks for bikes without mounting points, but these racks are often less stable
Slower and less nibble compared to road bikes
- Longer wheelbase is more stable
  - Harder to pull up front wheel when going over obstacles
High Adventure
- These are great for BikePacking and Expedition Adventuring
- These are also great for support bikes for longer rides or for High Adventure
- Paved vs Gravel adventures depends on the tires you run
- Expect to run slower than light weight, stripped road bikes
Examples:
- Surely Long Haul Trucker
  - Drop Handlebars
  - Road touring
- Surly ECR
  - Mountain Bike Handlebars
  - Fat tired touring

2024 ADV 1.1 Bike
Images Source: rei.com

E-Bikes

Electric powered Bikes
Used properly, these can really extend the potential of a bike adventure
- Unfortunately, E-Bikes "used as program or activities" is currently BANNED by the BSA
Some E-Bikes give a boost to peddling, making uphill accents easier
Some E-Bikes are more or less electric motorcycles
E-Bike Classification
- Class 1 E-Bike
  - Limited to a top speed of 20 miles per hour
  - Electric motor works only when the rider is pedaling
- Class 2 E-Bike
  - Limited to a top speed of 20 miles per hour
  - Throttle work when you're not pedaling
- Class 3 E-Bike
  - These are banned on many trails
  - Can go up to 28 miles per hour
    - Some can go up to as much as 40MPH or higher
  - Must have a speedometer
  - May or may not have a throttle
    - Depends on the state writing the rules
    - Throttle NOT allowed in California
    - Some bikes have a toggle or key that limits max speed to 20MPH
Many trails ban use of some or all E-Bikes
- Snohomish County
  - Class 1 and Class 2 electric-assist bicycles can operate on a shared-use regional trail path
- King County
  - Legal to ride Class 1 and 2 e-bikes as well as electric scooters on county trails
  - See seattletimes.com
- Seattle
  - See seattlebikeblog.com
- Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service
- National Forest Service

2024 CTY e1.1
Images Source: rei.com
Class 1 Hybrid E-Bike

2024 DRT e3.1
Images Source: rei.com
Class 1 Mountian E-Bike

2024 CTY e3.1
Images Source: rei.com
Class 3 Urban E-Bike

Bike Frame Material

This used to matter a lot prior to the 1990s, but matters much less now adays. Most modern bikes are now made from aluminum because it can be mass produced at a much lower cost than other materials. Other bike frame materials are generally reserved for specialty (expensive) bikes.

Aluminum (often referred to as "Alloy")

Can be mass produced for less than other materials
Can be easily shaped into complex forms other than just round tubes
Light weight compared to other metals
Aluminum frames used to be much stiffer than other metal frames
- Stiffness was a bad thing
- Newer techniques allow you to reduce the stiff feel of aluminum bikes

Steel

Generally Cromoly Steel
Better riding feel than aluminum
- Used to be preferred over aluminum prior to the 1990s
Heavier than aluminum
Shape generally limited to tubes
Easier material to make field repairs
- Important for expedition adventures
Much more expensive to mass produce than aluminum
- You don't see as many performance steel bikes as you used to
Used to make special custom bikes
- Smaller companies can more easily work with steel than aluminum
More durable than aluminum and far less prone to stress failure and aluminum
- Preferred for Touring Bikes designed to carry heavy loads over many many miles

Carbon Fiber

Can be shaped for strength and aerodynamics
Used to make very light wight frames
Often used for forks
- Improves overall ride feel compared to aluminum or steel and reduces weight a little
Directional structural strength
- Lighter impacts in the wrong direction can cause catastrophic failure
- Moderate impacts in any direction can cause major damage
- NOT Scoutproof!
Very expensive
Difficult if not impossible to repair

Titanium

All the benefits of Steel, but lighter weight and more or less corrosionproof
Tube size is not as limited as it used to be
- Special custom bikes are easier to make
Used to make custom "forever bikes"
- In theory, these should last forever
- In reality, titanium bikes do fail
  - Seem to crack more often then steel frames
Requires special welding techniques to build or repair titanium

Which Bike to Get?

Which Bike to get depends on many factors. The biggest being - what type of bike riding do you want/plan to do.

Road Bikes for Road; Mountain Bikes for Trails; Gravel Bikes for Gravel.

What if you want to bike on different types of terrain? Well, there is a biking concept that the number of bikes you truly need is N+1, which is one more than what you currently own. So if you want to do BikePacking, Road Racing, super technical trails and everything in between, you should get bikes specifically for each of those Adventures. Sounds great, but your home and budget likely don't have room for all these bikes.

For the most part, a Gravel Bike will allow you to do most biking High Adventures in the BSA. It can hit roads, gravel and many trails. This will fit most of your N+ needs.

But if you truly want to do it all, then a Gravel Bike AND a Mountain Bike will allow you to do all kinds of Adventures, from paved roads to technical trails.

Do a little (read lot) of research and look for sales. Don't forget that you will also need to get accessories for your bike too.

Cycle and Gear MUST be Inspected and Maintained

Your gear needs to be inspected for appropriateness, functionality and for safety. A full out inspection should be conducted annually and a basic inspection should be performed before any ride.

Needs to be done by Scouts
Needs to be done by Adult Scout Leader
Bikes cleared by mechanics often fail

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