Many differing options are available to you as you look to purchase a bicycle. Take heart! Even professional cyclists struggle when choosing their next bicycle. The truth is that there are a lot of things to think about when buying a bicycle. Planning ahead for things like bike use, safety and comfort, as well as where it will be ridden, and what it looks like, will help you make a better decision. Keeping on top of all the new ideas coming out with bicycling, as well as choosing between the old options, makes choosing a bike hard. Take the easy road, and use the tests we suggest to choose your new ride.
It goes without saying that choosing the correctly sized bike is of utmost importance. Begin by measuring your inseam. Simply measure through your inner leg from your groin to the bottom of your foot to find out your inseam. Ideally you should be able to place both feet on the ground while on your bike. This means that you will be able to stop your bicycle with your feet if the brakes do not work—without having to tilt the bicycle and risk doing harm to it and to yourself.
For a road bike you should take away 9" from the inseam measurement you took earlier. This is down to the tires a road bike equips. Road bikes are meant for city cycling—the tires are thinner and work best on concrete paving. If you are looking for a mountain bike, you will want to subtract about a foot (twelve inches) from your inseam measurement. Mountain bikes have different tires than a road bike. Mountain bike tires will be thick and designed for mountainous terrain. Mountain bikes can travel on city pavement but that is not what they are designed to do.
You should already have your safety gear bought and ready to go. Bicycle helmets have come a long way since they were first introduced. Not only are they made to better protect you, but they are also made to appeal a bit more aesthetically. It is important that you never ride your bicycle without also wearing your helmet. You don't even realize how important this thing can be in saving your life.
You might also consider investing in elbow, knee, wrist and ankle guards—especially if you are going to be going “off road†on your bicycle. If you are going to be using your bicycle as your sole means of transportation, you should think of investing in some pants clips as well. They work by clipping your pants out of the way so they can't get tangled in the chain or gears.
When looking for a bike your main goal is to find one that suits you physically. That is you can check here the primary goal of anyone who chooses cycling as their primary form of transportation. Safety is important when on a bike but do not overlook comfort, otherwise those long rides will soon grow tiresome.