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:choosing the right set of wheels Shoppers Also known as Dutch or 'sit up and beg' bikes, these beauties are characterized by their stunning style and design. They have low, curved bars, few gears, high-set handlebars – which practically beg you to fit a basket to them – and large, comfortable saddles. These bikes are the vintage classics of the bicycle world and are ideal for travelling elegantly. They scream femininity and just looking at them conjures up images of cycling through summer meadows for lazy picnics, or cruising through town with flowers and a baguette in the basket. They can be heavy, slow and fairly basic in their functionality, but they look so beautiful that it's hard to mind. Once upon a time, shoppers came in black or cream, but now manufacturers are vastly widening the colour palette of these bikes. Pros Just look at them! These gorgeous machines sum up the stylish, slightly vintage aesthetic of cycling perfectly. Their low, curved bars and lack of speed credentials mean they are ideal for those who enjoy breezing along in floaty dresses rather than pounding the roads in Lycra. Cons Heavy, fairly basic, not suitable for offroading or excessively rough terrain. Single-speed and fixed-wheel bikes Pros These bikes are totally blank canvases and can be customized in any way. Cycling at its most stripped down, skilful and pure. Uber trendy among the hipster movement. Cons Little luxuries like gears and brakes were probably invented for a reason. Not ideal for hilly or off-road terrain. Electric bikes These bikes are growing in popularity. They combine the traditional pedalling mechanism with a small electric motor, so are best compared to pedalpowered mopeds or scooters. This saves your energy and means you can cycle longer, further and quicker but still get a workout. They tend to be more expensive at entry level than an ordinary bicycle, but if you have a particularly long commute to work and still want to cycle, an electric bike can nevertheless save you money. They are also ridiculously good fun. Single-speed and fixed-wheel models are bikes stripped down to the very basics. Two wheels, two pedals and a frame – and that's about it. These bikes have a narrow frame with flat or dropped handlebars and come in a range of eye-catching colours. They are ripe for customizing, accessorizing and being made truly unique. They are popular where a lack of real hills makes riding through town with only one gear entirely feasible, and are beloved of hipsters the world over. Single-speed bikes come with a rear brake, whereas most fixed-wheel bikes do not. On fixed-wheel bikes, there is no freewheel mechanism, so the bike will only move if the pedals are moving. Braking is achieved by slowing or stopping pedalling. Again, I can't think of a car analogy, as most have gears and brakes. Pros Quicker and easier than a standard bike, ideal for longer journeys, brilliant fun. Cons Less of a workout than an ordinary bike unless you cover dramatically longer distances, more expensive. Extract reprinted with permission from A Girl's Guide to Life on Two Wheels By Cathy Bussey, $34.99 Published by Ryland Peters & Small Distributed by Bookreps.co.nz 98 | www.h e rma gaz i n e . c o. n z