Knowing what to look for in your new bicycle is of paramount importance. Even for pro bicyclists, deciding on their next bicycle can be a challenge. The truth is that there are a lot of things to think about when buying a bicycle. You need to think about safety, comfort, what the bike will be used for, how often the bicycle will be used, where the bicycle will be used and, if we’re being honest: style. How can you make a decision when there are so many different choices available, and new options being released every day? It’s easy to just use our criteria to pick the best bike for you.
The first thing to ensure is you get a bike that is the right size. To accomplish this you need know your inseam measurement. To do this, simply run a measuring tape up the inside of your leg from the bottom of your foot to your groin. You should be able to sit on your bike while keeping both feet flat on the ground. This is for saftey reasons and will allow you to stop the bike if your brakes fail, avoiding any injury.
If you intend to get a road bike then take 9" away from your total inseam. This is due to the type of tires you will be using for a road bike. Designed to additional reading work best on concrete pavements, road bikes are best suited to cycling around the city. You will want to subtract 12" for a mountain bike. Mountain bikes have different tires than a road bike. You will find them to be much bigger and designed to handle rocky terrain. 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.
Another thing to keep in mind is purchasing safety gear. The new bicycle helmets look and feel nothing like the old bicycle helmets. Now they offer better protection while being a little bit more stylish. It is important that you never ride your bicycle without also wearing your helmet. You'd be surprised at how many lives have been saved from that one simple thing.
If you are going to be taking your bike off road, then you need to also invest in some knee and elbow pads, as well as ankle and wrist guards. Another piece of safety equipment that you should think about getting are pants clips, especially if you are going to be using your bike as a primary mode of transportation. 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. When deciding upon using a bike for transportation you need to keep this in mind. Comfort and saftey are the two most important aspects of riding a bike.