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A bike is a major purchase and involves lots of decisions. With
thousands of bikes on the market, your choices are endless. Don’t
let that overwhelm you. The Athens Bicycle staff can help you decide
on a bike that will meet your needs.
Our customers often are unsure about the differences between bike brands.
There are lots of major bike brands — Trek, Gary Fisher, Specialized,
Cannondale, Giant, Raleigh, to name just a few. So just what exactly
is the difference between a Trek and a Specialized? The main differences
are frame geometry (which gives a bike frame its unique fit or feel)
and graphics. Most major bike brands contract with the same companies
to build their production (non-custom) frames, so the underlying materials
and technologies are the same. Most bike manufacturers also spec the
same components on their bikes — a $400 Trek will have, more or
less, the same components on it as a Gary Fisher in the same price range.
There may be some minor differences, but for the most part the quality
of the frame and parts — no matter the manufacturer — is comparable.
So, if major bike brands have so many things in common, what’s
the big deal?
"Fit," says Athens Bicycle owner Pete Kotses. "Although
Gary Fisher and Trek contract with the same factories to build their
bikes, each manufacturers’ specifications differ greatly. For instance,
a Gary Fisher mountain bike will feel a heck of a lot longer than a
Trek mountain bike — one frame may fit your sister’s body
better than it fits yours, and vice versa."
Aside from major differences in frame geometry, each bike manufacturer
has its own look (paint, graphics, etc.). And we’re not going to
even begin to pretend that color doesn’t matter.
Follow the link below to learn what to think about when bike shopping.
Then, armed with information, come see us and test ride some bikes.
Help me pick out a bike!!!
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