A picture guide to bikes for car owners

If you’ve been living in a car-centric world like most of the US, this picture guide to bikes for car owners can help you understand the different styles. Bikes are just as varied – and maybe more so – than cars. That can make selecting a bike a bit confusing, especially for first time buyers. Most of us have ridden a bike as a kid, but if there has been a gap of a decade or more since you have thrown your leg over a bike, then you are probably in the “first time buyer” camp. When you are a kid you probably just begged your parents for whatever the other kids had. As an adult your decision making process is probably a bit different.

Or maybe not…

At any rate it can be helpful to think of the different bikes in a context of something you already know – different cars. So, here’s your picture guide for bikes. A side-by-side cheat sheet.

By M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18977524
Bugatti Veyron

Pinarello_Dogma_F8_with_Shimano_Dura_Ace_Di2_and_Enve_6.7_Wheelset_(14667510890)
Pinarello Dogma F8

By Brian Neudorff - Flickr: 2012 Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20447454
Nascar

By Sander.v.Ginkel - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33669142
Specialized time trial bike

AMC_Javelin_1971-74_purple_blown_custom
Supercharged AMC Javelin

Fixie, or track bike.
Fixie, or track bike.

VW Golf GTI
VW Golf GTI

Cannondale CAAD10 (2011) with SRAM Force group
Cannondale CAAD10 (2011) with SRAM Force group

2014 Honda Accord
2014 Honda Accord

Urban Commuter Bike
Urban Commuter Bike

Mazda MPV
Mazda MPV

Xtracycle EdgeRunner
Xtracycle EdgeRunner

2015 Ford F150
2015 Ford F150

Bakfiets style cargo bike
Bakfiets style cargo bike

Winnebago
Winnebago

Fully Loaded Touring Bike
Fully Loaded Touring Bike

Ford Model T
Ford Model T

Penyfarthing
Penyfarthing

Grave Digger Monster Truck
Grave Digger Monster Truck

Fat Bike
Fat Bike

2005 Jeep
2005 Jeep

Specialized Epic Mountain Bike
Specialized Epic Mountain Bike

Photo Credits