Bikes come in many styles -- which is best for you?

Not sure what kind of bike to buy with your tax stimulus payment?

Spring discount sales can be tempting, but take some time before you choose a bike based on its paint color alone. Unless you are planning to use your bike only once or twice a year, I would recommend avoiding the discount stores and heading straight for your local bicycle shop.

The major types of adult bikes are: mountain, hybrid, road, comfort, tandem and recumbent. To determine the best for you, identify what purpose you will use it for most and what terrain you like to ride on.

The advantage to mountain bikes is their comfortable upright riding position and the shock absorption of their wide low-pressure tires. These bikes were designed for riding off road and are also good for short-distance urban trips. The rolling resistance of their knobby 26" tires however, makes them slower on pavement.

The hybrid bike has been around for over fifteen years now. It takes many of the features of the mountain bike and combines them with a narrower tire on a larger 27-inch wheel to give you less road friction. This makes it at home on or off the road, and it makes a great commuting bike.

Comfort bikes are also similar to mountain bikes. They typically have 26-inch wheels, 3-24 gears, and are at home on recreational trails or streets. Most come with shock-absorbing seat posts and are built for comfort rather than speed.

The road bike, on the other hand, is designed for speed and long distance riding on pavement. The familiar drop handlebars (like your old ten-speed) give the rider many choices for hand positions and allow for a more aerodynamic low riding position. Its narrow tires have minimal road friction.

Tandems have grown in popularity recently. These bicycles built for two are available in 'off-road' as well as 'road' styles and are a great way for couples to ride together while overcoming differences in riding strength. With a "child stoker kit" they are also great for letting kids get into the action on an adult bike.

Recumbents are the most peculiar looking style, but with concerns over injuries caused by traditional bike seats, they've become quite popular. The relaxed, reclined position of the rider provides more even weight distribution and is designed to promote comfort as well as efficiency.

Please take a little time to consider your options before choosing a bike. It's always discouraging to see cobwebbed bikes that, for whatever reason, didn't fit the needs of their owner.

MS Bike Tour:ŒI'm really looking forward to my eleventh year of riding the MS Bike Tour next month. This two-day bike tour aims to raise $2 million to help people in Illinois who are living with the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis.

My 14-year-old daughter will be riding the 150-mile route with me again for her ninth consecutive year. This year's ride starts on June 21, with a 35-, 75-, or 100-mile rural trip looping south from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. On Sunday, riders will get a chance to try out a brand new northerly loop from DeKalb via their choice of a 35-, or 75-mile route.

Please consider joining us as a rider, sponsor, or volunteer for the MS Bike Tour. You can learn more about it, as well as fundraising and training tips at http://ms150.msillinois.org.

• Todd Underwood covers cycling in the Chicagoland area. To contact him, e-mail to todd@peppergroup.com or write to c/o Daily Herald, 385 Airport Road, Suite A, Elgin, IL 60123.