With so many different types of bikes, finding the right bike can be difficult. Ski Hut Manager Logan Nelson says the first step to determine what kind of bike you need is to decide what surface you will be riding it on.

“You’d have paved roads, it’d be your smoothest operating, lightest weight bikes, and the other end of the spectrum would be the heavy duty mountain bikes for really rugged terrain. Between there you have a lot of gravel paths, gravel roads, lighter trail use,” said Nelson. “After that, you’ll want to think about what your performance needs are and how often you might be using it. Then I would say you want to stop in on your local bike shop and ask for help. That’s what we’re here to do for you, and we can help direct you to the perfect bike.”

Those bike shopping for young children may want to look into strider bikes. Unlike a kids bike with training wheels, a strider bike is made to teach kids how to balance.

“It’s a regular bike, it just lacks pedals. What they do is they walk on the bike, sitting on the seat, and they learn balance before they ever learn pedaling,” explained Nelson. “The training wheels do not teach balance, they just teach you to pedal the bike. There’s that learning curve of when the training wheels come off and the kid needs to balance the bike for the very first time.”

For older kids and teens, Nelson recommends sizing up as much as is reasonable.

“You don’t want the bike too big for them to operate, but a little growing room is good, just like you do with children’s shoes,” said Nelson.

As for adults, bike sizes range from XS to XXL. Sizing can vary slightly by brand, so going to your local shop can make sure you find the right bike that fits you well.