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Brief Guide to Buying a Bike |
| Which type of bike? |
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The most important thing to think about when considering a new bike is exactly what you intend to use it for – the main difference being whether you plan to ride mostly on-road, off-road, or a combination of both. It is also important to consider what sort of distances you intend to ride, and what will be the most comfortable for you, as cycle designs can vary greatly. A carefully chosen bicycle that is looked after will be a trusty friend for many years.
Price is also an important consideration. Most people will have an idea of how much they want to spend on a bike before they start looking, but it is worth investing, as you really do get what you pay for. The more expensive bikes are lighter, tougher, have better ride handling and often have more features. |
| Mountain bike |
Probably the most popular bikes these days, especially among the younger generations, are mountain bikes. Originally designed to be ridden on harsh off-road terrain, these bikes have a number of features to make them very robust, including:
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| Road bike |
The anti-thesis of the mountain bike, road bikes are typically designed to be as light and efficient as possible, as they do not need to withstand as much punishment. Speed is of the essence, normally at the expense of comfort. This leads to the following general features:
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| Hybrid/city |
These are a cross-breed, designed for commuting, casual riding, and riding both on- and off-road. Because of their comfort and practicality, they are very popular among casual adult riders. Hybrid bikes, as their name suggests, are a hybrid of both mountain and road-style bikes:
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| BMX |
The famous BMX-style bike is not just for children, but is also popular with many people interesting in stunt riding. They are specifically designed to be as flexible and manoeuverable as possible:
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| Finding a shop |
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Shopping for bicycle equipment on the internet is brilliant if you know what you're looking for, and there are often bargains to be had. For help, see http://www.bikeshop.co.uk.
However, when deciding which bike is best for you, it's best to visit your local specialist bike shop. There is a list of some of these on http://www.briefguides.co.uk/guides/content/bikeshops.php. It is much better to visit a specialist shop than a general toy or car shop, as they can give you much better advice, and their bikes will normally – though they may be a little bit more expensive – be of a much better quality. A good specialist shop will also be able to help you through the whole lifecycle of your bike, whether it be maintenance, upgrades, or replacement. |
| The perfect fit |
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When choosing a new bicycle, it is very important to buy the correct size for you. If the bike is of the wrong size, not only will it be uncomfortable to ride, but it may also be dangerous. In particular, when buying bikes for children, it's always tempting to buy slightly too big in order to give them room to grow. However, this can be particularly dangerous, especially if they're not yet very confident cyclists.
The problem with bicycle sizes, is that every manufacturer has a slightly different idea as to what shape a frame should be, so they all end up measuring them slightly differently. Whilst you can may have some idea of what size you want, it is impossible to be confident without trying them out in person. The standard rule of thumb is to check the standover height. This is the distance between your lowest point between your legs, and the tube that runs along the top of the frame when you stand over the bike with both feet flat on the floor. For off-road cycling, this should be about three to four inches, in case you have to stop in a hurry and the ground is uneven. For on-road cycling, you can get away with a little less, maybe two inches. Everything else can be adjusted by moving the position of the saddle, and adjusting the stem. Of course, it is possible to ride bikes with more standover height than you need by making these adjustments, but this often leaves you leaning over the front wheel a bit too much, which makes handling difficult. |
| The test ride |
| When you take your potential bike purchase out for a ride, you should make sure it's reasonably set up first. It may take a little while to find the exact configuration that is most comfortable, you should definitely make sure that you can touch the floor without hurting yourself, otherwise the first junction you come to could be painful... |
| Accessories |
Once you have purchased your bike, there are a few essential accessories:
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| Maintenance |
| A specialist bicycle shop will often give you a first free service – make sure you take advantage of this. Even so, remember to keep your bike clean & well-oiled – a few drops of oil on the chain every once in a while can work wonders. Beyond this, buying a few simple tools to do your own adjustments can be a fun and rewarding way to learn about mechanics. |
| Summary |
| Finally, a bike is a great way to stay fit, get some fresh air, and will probably make you live longer too. Remember to have fun and ride safely! |
| Comments, copyright and linking |
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Comments on this brief guide would be welcome. Also, please let us know if you do put in a link to this guide from your website and we will try to reciprocate with a link from us to your site.
Copyright: these pages are protected by copyright and reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited. Copyright belongs to Giant Games Limited, owner of the briefguides.co.uk and onlineshopping.co.uk websites. © 1997-2006 Giant Games Limited, but you are welcome to have a link to this webpage. |