Different types of bikes

Velovision which is run by Peter Eland, is a wonderful magazine to know about - he does his research before publishing any articles and then ensures they are updated as and when necessary ..... he also has a lot of helpful advice about bikes for people who have special needs and if you wanted to get a free download on the subject, click here to go to the Special Needs Buyer's Guide available for free download that he provides.

There are also a wealth of other bikes and bike accessories that you might like to consider ...... for example electric assisted bikes ... Giant is just one manufacturer who do a range depending on what you are looking for (if you do your own research also tend to be viewed as the best) and in Cornwall they do come in handy although one does have to be pedalling to get the benefit from it but they are worth it none the less and take the edge off any steep hill (of which we have several that are anything from half a mile to a mile long in some places) if you're prepared to make the effort in the first place.

Then there are tandem bikes (a popular choice with blind people and their carers), bikes that can take someone who is wheelchair bound, tag alongs which attach to a normal bike on the seat stem and turn it into something akin to a tandem, trikes, recumbent bikes, you name it, someone will probably have thought of it and if you search the internet if you don't find it at Peter's, you may well find it! 

Tag alongs can take many different forms, there are ones that can take a baby in a car seat, ones that a child can sit on and pedal (equally there are adult versions for someone who for example, is recovering from an operation but wants to get back onto their bike without straining themselves), cargo type carriers, all sorts!  

There are also folding bikes (of which  a Brompton folding bike seem to be the most popular) for those who commute on the trains but want to cycle when they get the other end as well including ones that are electrically assisted, I've seen one ... someone recovering from a medical blip used it to ride along the Camel Trail with us last year, as the distance would otherwise have proven too great for them as they were still very much in the recovery stages and got tired very quickly - which incidentally they bought second hand at a fraction of the price they would have paid for a new one!

If you are trying to decide what is right for you, then take your time looking around, you'll find it quite an education, talk to your local independent dealer too, they always offer good customer service rather than one of the hypermarket type outlets ... please though, ensure for your own sake that whatever you choose to purchase, it is the right size for you and the right type of bike for what you want to do.  You'll find some guidance on the subject at http://www.whycycle.co.uk/index.shtml and once you've made your purchase, protecting it would be a good idea which you can do via http://www.raleigh.co.uk/services.aspx .