In recent times the western world has undergone a transportation change. More and more people are leaving the car behind in favor of the bicycle, in the west the car reigned supreme but we are now seeing a growth in popularity of the bike. Perhaps the trend can be put down to 'green' thinking, or maybe just the prices of gas are starting to get to people. Either way there are now more bikes on the road then ever before. Maybe you have considered buying a bike? If so the following is some handy advice on what to look out for.
The first thing you need to do is try the bicycle on for size, meaning sit on it and make sure that your feet are still flat on the floor so you will be able to stop yourself. There are experts who state that this isn't a good way to choose a bike, however. These people explain that the best way to pick a bike is to ensure there is a few inches between the ground and your feet, and you will be provided with a much more comfortable ride. When buying a new bike, you will see the seat is placed extremely low to the crossbar, so when you sit on the bike with your feet on the ground and are able to bend your knees, you should pick a different bike. If you can bend your knees, your knees will come up too high when you are pedaling.
Take 9" away from the total of your inseam if you plan to get a road bike. This is to account for the size of tires you will use on a road bike. City riding is done with thin tires, designed to work perfectly with the smooth concrete roads and sidewalks you find in a city. With a mountain bike you will need to take away around one foot from the inseam. Mountain bikes have different tires than a road bike. These tires are designed to handle rocky and jagged terrain so are therefore thicker. You can use mountain bikes for city cycling, but the opposite is not true and they are nowhere near as good on city streets as road bikes.
The number of gears you’ll use will also affect your choice. Traveling through flat areas requires far less gears than riding in a mountainous area. The number of gears doesn’t make one bike better than another. The truth is that you might not need all of those different gears. Don’t spend money on something you won’t use. If your bike is going to be the main means of travel for you, you absolutely must get the number of gears you need for the situations in which you’ll ride.
So many options are available to you as you shop for a new bike. From fashion to safety, read more you have a multitude of choices to make. It’s perfectly normal for you to feel a little overwhelmed and perhaps a little perplexed when starting out. The good news is that, with a little research, you can make a very informed decision about which bicycle is best for you.
Before heading out to the store, learn a little bit about the available choices. The peace it will offer during shopping makes it very worthwhile.