Many different means of evaluating a bike make purchasing a new one difficult. Choosing their next bicycle is difficult, even for professional riders. The fact of the matter is that getting a bike involves many different choices. Evaluate the safety, comfort, and use of the future bike. You also need to see how the bike looks, and how frequently you’ll ride and the location of those rides. All the existing options make it hard to make a choice; this choice is made more difficult by all the emerging technologies. 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. For this you must calculate your inseam. Simply measure the distance from your groin to the bottom of your foot, down the inside of your leg. When you get a bike you should be able to lay both feet flat to the ground if need be. 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.
Will you need more bells and whistles for your bike to function optimally? If you are using your bicycle as your primary form of transportation you might want to consider whether you will need things like baskets to help you transport goods. Will you ever carry a child on your bike? Then you have to choose a bike that will allow for a child seat attachment. If towing something behind the bike, your need will change again. You will have to get a bike that can support the trailer's weight.
It is important you allow for room between you and the crossbar. When you get a bike be sure to move the seat review up a couple of inches from the crossbar. Sit on it and make sure you can rest your feet flat to the ground. Each type of bike will require differing clearance amounts. If you are buying a touring bike, for example, you only need an inch or so of clearance. However for a mountain bike you will need 3" between the crossbar and yourself.
The options and technologies available for biking are overwhelming as you search for a new bicycle. Your choices range from safety issues to those of fashion. If you don’t have a lot of experience with cycling bicycles, you will probably feel overwhelmed and insecure as you start your shopping. Do your research and then you’ll feel better prepared to choose your new bike.
Look up some of your choices before you hit the store. It will pay off in the end.