The countdown is on for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which kicks off Thursday 28th July in Birmingham, UK.
There’s already a buzz, with help from the Queen’s Baton Relay no less. People from far and wide are looking forward to watching athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations in thrilling sporting events this summer.
The Games offer great entertainment, whether you’re a local Brummie celebrating in the city or a sports fan watching from your sofa. But they also provide us with the inspiration we need to get in the ring, pick up a racket or take to the court.
Get on track for the Games
If you’re a cycling fan, there’s going to be plenty of action coming your way with three disciplines to enjoy: Road Race, Track Cycling and Mountain Biking.
Whether you’re new to the sport or an avid cyclist, we’ve put together a round-up of the different types of bikes to help you get you on track for the Games. Plus, we recommend the best way to store your bike. Hint: it’s the Bike Nook from Thane.
Types of bikes: what’s the difference?
Road Bikes
As the name suggests, road bikes are designed for paved surfaces. They have aerodynamic, drop handlebars, a lightweight frame and large, thin tyres to help you get you from A to B in the fastest, smoothest way possible. Road bikes are a popular choice for cyclists. They’re ideal for taking long-distance rides, improving your fitness, or gliding to work without breaking a sweat.
Mountain Bikes
With excellent braking systems, super suspension, as well as multiple gears and heavy-duty tyres, mountain bikes mean business. Their job is to help you speedily, but safely clamber up and down steep terrain. If you’re an adventure seeker, mountain bikes are perfect for tackling off-road tracks and will easily ride over any rugged obstacles that come your way.
Touring Bikes
For long distance journeys, touring bikes are a brilliant choice. At first glance, they’re similar to road bikes, however they offer greater comfort when carrying heavy loads. You can easily attach racks, fenders, lights and whatever else you may need for your trip. Touring bikes have slightly wider tyres and sturdier frames, so you have more control when riding.
Hybrid Bikes
If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all bike, hybrid bikes are just that. They’re a mix of road, mountain and touring bikes, which means they’re extremely versatile and ideal for different sorts of activities. Hybrid bikes offer the comfort of mountain bikes with flat handlebars, good suspension and excellent braking but have narrower tyres like road bikes for smooth surfaces.
Electric Bikes
Electric bikes are part electric. They feature a battery and small motor, which you’ll need to charge regularly. They’re heavier than traditional bikes, but if you need assistance getting up a hill, they could be a real life saver. When the motor kicks in, the e-bike won’t take much effort to ride. You can buy electric road and mountain bikes.
How to store different types of bikes
Now you’re familiar with the different types of bikes, it’s good to know how and where to properly store your bike.
To keep your bike out of harm’s way, it’s important to store it safely. This means giving it enough room, so it doesn’t get knocked and sheltering it from bad weather, so it doesn’t rust.
The Bike Nook from Thane is the easiest and quickest way to safely store any type of bike.
Thanks to its free-standing frame, you don’t have to drill anything to your walls, and it’ll save you valuable space – up to 3.5 feet – inside your home or garage. It’s easy-to-use and doesn’t require any heavy lifting either. Simply roll your bike onto the ramp, pop the front wheel up and lock it in place on the vertical brace. Then secure the front wheel with straps.
What’s more, the Bike Nook is designed to store different types of bikes. Whether you have a road, mountain or touring bike, you can easily adjust the Bike Nook to the correct height.
There are three different Bike Nook models: Standard, Pro and Turbo. The Standard Bike Nook is suitable for road bikes with regular tyres, whereas the Pro Bike Nook gives you extra room to securely store mountain or touring bikes that have racks and mudguards. If you have an electric bike or a bike with larger tyres, the Turbo Bike Nook is your best option. Keeping its sleek design, it provides great stability for any sized bike.
Discover Thane’s range of Bike Nooks here.