Unless you have a large station wagon or SUV, it's inconvenient to stash your bikes in your vehicle when you want to go for a ride somewhere away from home.

Shimano specializes in performance driven bicycle parts. According to Shimano, the company released one of the earliest freewheel designs in 1921. The freewheel helped to revolutionize cycling as it allows your pedals to remain stationary when your tires roll forward.

Huffy and Mongoose remain two prominent bike manufacturers that produce a variety of bikes for all types of terrain, including BMX, cruiser, urban and mountain bikes. While both brands share certain similarities, their mountain bikes have key differences in styling, function and prices.

Although Shimano manufactures multiple shifting systems (Dura-Ace, DXR, Deore DX and Ultegra), they all share a common adjustment method. Adjusting the shifting on a bike means that the tension in the cable connecting the shifting mechanism to the rear derailleur must be tightened or loosened.

Wheel size comparisons came into play with the introduction of the 29-inch mountain bike wheel, as opposed to the standard 26-inch wheel used almost exclusively on mountain bikes for many years.

The primary differences between BMX bikes and mountain, or MTB, bikes are in their design. A BMX bike is designed for a sprint around a short man-made track, with a smooth surface linking large jumps, while a MTB is designed to travel long distances over rough, natural terrain.

Purchasing a new bike is exciting, but can also be difficult when you are unsure of what type of bike you need. When comparing mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes, there are some similarities, yet very large differences between each.