It must have been tough for Leonardo da Vinci. In 1493 the Italian genius invented and sketched a bicycle, but couldn't ride one because no-one had the technology to make it.

Poor old Leo missed out on the fun of pedal-power and settled for being Renaissance Man. But today there is no excuse. Bikes are better and easier to ride than ever before, and Bermuda is rediscovering a clean, healthy way of getting around that it almost abandoned.

The bicycle business is now big business. Top US firms dominate the local roads with high-tech, fast-changing products that combine fashion with precision engineering. They are tapping into the new image of the bike as fitness machine, Green transport alternative and general lifestyle accessory.

The most popular models available now fit roughly into three types: road bikes, mountain bikes and cross bikes. The last two didn't exist until recently, and even road bikes have been through a revolution in materials and looks.

Virtually all good bikes now share one of the best recent developments -"indexed'' gears. Despite the complex spaghetti of traditional gearing, a rider can now just click a lever from one "speed'' to another. A good choice of gears means easier riding, and has made cycling even more attractive. Thumb controls on handlebars, even built into brake levers, are a current trend.

Road or racing bikes, still known as "10-speeds'', are built for lightness and swiftness. They now have around 14 gears, narrow tires, and a frame designed for paved surfaces, not rough tracks. Their dropped handlebars offer a choice of riding positions, including the low, stretched-out stance that cuts air resistance. Depending on design and components, these bikes can suit both the race fanatic and the weekend cruiser.

Mountain or all-terrain bikes, the success story of the 1980s, are tough, go-anywhere machines. Their frames are designed to take knocks, their wide, grippy tires are ideal for rough ground, and they use as many as 24 gears, to keep you going no matter what. They feature an upright riding position, and are happy on city streets even though they may be slightly slower than other bikes.

Cross or hybrid bikes combine advantages of road and mountain bikes. They are superseding the traditional heavy bicycle that was a basic means of transport on the Island before the motor era. They offer some of the road-riding efficiency of the racer plus the ability to handle mildly rough ground.

Cross bikes are the fastest-growing area in sales right now, suiting the rider who wants a comfortable, upright position and a versatile, everyday machine.

Children's bikes are another world altogether. They range from cute kiddies' models in pastel shades to mini mountain and BMX-style bikes with wild paint jobs and graphics. A Turtle helmet (about $45, by Trek) is a fun way to keep junior safe.

Veteran bike dealer Leslie Wilson Sr., of Union Street, says the mountain bike is still going strong because it provides multiple derailleur gears, previously found only on racers, without a "bent over'' riding position.

"They're becoming popular especially with adults - the person who just wants to get some ordinary exercise. A comment I've heard several times is: `I can get some exercise without breaking my back'.'' Wilson's range of bikes illustrates another feature of the top modern machines - new light frame materials. His Mongoose mountain bikes, like the Switchback (about $448) tend to be made of light cro-moly steel. Some are aluminium. The cheaper Royce Union models, like the Everest mountain bike(about $350), are in heavier traditional steel. St. Georgians can pick up an AT200 mountain bike (about $485) or an XT1800 cross bike (about $345), both cro-moly models by Ironhorse, at Dowling's on York Street.

At the New Winners Edge on Hamilton's Church Street, manager Paul Madeiros sells aluminium Cannondale bikes - with a reputation for durability -and the less expensive Giant range.

"The big thing used to be the mountain bike but this year it seems to be the cross bike,'' he says. "They're especially designed for road-riding, which is why they give you bigger wheels and smoother tires than a mountain bike, so you don't have to put as much effort in when you're pedalling. For commuting into work it would be the ideal bike.'' Cannondale cross bikes start at around $810 for a H400, but he is expecting some $710 H300 models in soon. A Giant cross bike can cost $375 or less. But mountain bikes are still popular. "They look strong and with the smaller wheels there's less chance of them getting bent up.'' Madeiros doubts whether really serious mountain bikes are needed in Bermuda, where off-road riding is very limited. Instead he points to a machine like the Cannondale M500 (about $870), as used for weekend railway trail rides by triathlete Greg Hopkins.

Road bikes at New Winners Edge start from around $450, with the cro-moly Giant Perigee a popular choice for those who like speed with their recreational riding. A beefy but light Cannondale road bike can be yours for about $850 or less.

Madeiros says Cannondale is now Bermuda's trendiest bike brand, taking over from Trek, its rival in aluminium frames. Down at Wheels, the Trek dealers on Dundonald Street, parts manager Nelson Cabrall disagrees.

His store also sells the lower-priced Cignal range. Top-sellers in cross bikes include the steel Cignal SportBike (about $329) and the popular cro-moly Trek 700 (about $425), which uses handlebar-grip gear shifting. Wheels also say they can convert a road bike into a cross bike for $100-200.

Hard-core mountain bike fans are buying performance machines like the aluminium Trek 850 SHX Antelope (about $675), which boasts the hot new thing in mountain bikes - front suspension. Some bikes now even have rear suspension too.

Road bike enthusiasts start off with machines like the aluminium Trek 1100 (about $812) and lie awake at night lusting after carbon-fibre speed demons like the Trek 5500, which checks in at about $3,300.

Frame materials matter a lot but as Cabrall points out: "The components on a bike are what makes a bike.'' The Japanese company Shimano is still leader in brakes, gears and other bits, with European rivals like Campagnolo now fighting back convincingly. Generally, more expensive parts are more attractively finished, more efficient, more durable and lighter.

A big trend is for pedals which clip directly onto cycling shoes, meaning you power the pedal around in an efficient full circle. The trendy Look variety start at around $145.

Helmets, around $65 on average, are not accessories. They are essential, and so are lights and reflectors. Cateye halogen front lamps are popular (about $23) and flashing rear lights start at about $19.

Clip-on computers which monitor performance start at around $48, while there is an endless array of gloves, shades, pumps, bags and sweat-dispersing shirts and shorts. Bottles are vital for any distance. These days you can even clip a 1.5 litre mineral water bottle to your frame.

Get what you want. But get a bike. As Paul Madeiros says: "It just relaxes your mind. I've tried to quit, but I can't.'' For more information about cycling contact the Bermuda Bicycle Association (295-9972). John Millard is a senior reporter with The Royal Gazette and contributed to last month's RG feature on multi-millionaires Marion MacMillan and Michael DeGroote.

ROUGH RIDERS: Left, 16-speed trek 930 SHX front suspension mountain bike. Mac wears Headway 701 Helmet, outfit by Time, New Balance shoes and Oakley shades, all from Wheels. Right, 21-speed Cadex suspension mountain bike by Giant.

Price $995 from New Winner's edge. Steve sport Giro Hammerhead helmet ($95), Girodana team shirt ($74) and shorts ($60), Dioadora Ergoz hose ($140), all from New Winner's Edge.

FRAMED: Bikes for all budgets from Wheels, from the front: 12-speed steel frame Cignal Scirocco ($299), 16-speed Trek 5200 carbon fibre frame racer ($2,389), 21-speed Trek 720 Multitrack cross bike ($450) and Trek 2100 carbon fibre frame racer ($1,128).

EASY RIDERS: Front suspension, seen here on the Giant Cadex and Trek 930, now makes mountain biking even more comfortable.

MOUNTAIN MISS: Hand-built, all-aluminium 21 speed Cannondale H400 cross bike ($890). Melanie models Cannondale shirt and shorts ($49 each), Giro Jammerhead helmet ($95), Gatorz shades ($83) and Diadora Zoom shoes ($140). All from New Winner's Edge. GIRLS GEARS: Left, Cignal Little Fox, $198 from wheels. Right, Royce Union Dreamer, $205 from Wilson's.

THOROUGHBRED: 16-speed Giant Cadex, carbon-fibre frame racer, $995 from New Winners's Edge.

HOT WHEELS: Left, single-gear Trek Jazz X-IT, $229 from Wheels. right, Royce Union Avalanche with five-speed Shimano indexing gears, $255 from Wilson's.

Bug and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle helmets by trek, $65.45, both from Wheels.

TOUGH RIDER: 20-inch BMX freewheel-style Mongoose Menace, $435 from Wilson's.

READY TO RACE: Cannondale R800 racer, $1,400 from New Winner's Edge.

AUGUST 1993 RG MAGAZINE