There are lots of reasons to take up cycling. Some folks are having a hard time keeping up with the rising cost of gasoline and maintenance bills, so they choose to ride a bike. Some are 'going green' and taking an active part in trying to help our environment by choosing to ride a bike over a car.
And then there are those who choose to cycle because they simply love it. No matter your reason for choosing to take up cycling, you need to know some important things before you decide on your first bicycle. Choosing the right bicycle is more than just picking the one that's the best looking. This article is intended to give you a head's up on what you should keep in mind when it's time to buy your bicycle.
The brakes on your bike are of utmost importance. You need to make sure you understand how your brakes work and what kind of brakes you need your bike to have. Those who do not use their bikes very regularly will be happy with normal brakes, those which simply squeeze the tire with two small pads to slow the bike down. However if you use your bike regularly and on serious terrain you should go with more sturdy brakes. For such cycling you should look to disc brakes, these are located within the wheel itself and are less likely to be weakened over time or worse, fail. The type of handlebars you choose is also important. You may think all handlebars are the same, but they're not. Those handlebars which extend horizontally out offer great control for maneuvering. They are good for distributing your weight as you ride over a bigger area. For racing however you will want special handlebars, ones which are thinner and are positioned in such a way you can lean over them as you cycle. This is to lower wind resistance and will allow you to go faster. If you aren’t going to be using your bicycle very often, you might simply opt for a handlebar style that feels comfortable and makes it easier to store your bicycle while he said you aren’t using it.
When getting a bike for kids you need to consider some altogether different criteria. You want to choose a bike that has brakes that are easy to apply (like moving the pedals backward) as well as something that is nice and sturdy. You will definitely have to consider how the bike looks when shopping for a child and you will want to find a well priced bike because children grow so fast.
There are lots of things to think about when you are buying a cycling bicycle. From how safe the bicycle is to what it looks like, there are lots of choices to make. If you don’t have a lot of experience with cycling bicycles, you will probably feel overwhelmed and insecure as you start your shopping. You can rest assured that by doing minimal research into your options, you’ll make the perfect decision for you.
Do this research before you go shopping. It will pay off in the end.