choosing a bike

What To Look Out For When Choosing A Bicycle

1. Choose according to your gender

2.The kind of terrain you will be riding on.

• On-road (Paths and pavements)
• X-roads (A mix of dirt and pavement)
• Off-road (Single tracks and dirt paths)

3. Purpose of buying the bike?

• Performance (Riding to compete)
• Sports (Riding for fitness and exercise)
• Lifestyle (Riding for recreation and transport)

4. Choose the right size for your body.

• For general bikes, stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A road bike frame will give an inch or two of clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch.
• A mountain bike should more space, roughly around the width of your hand across your fingers.
• For ladies' bikes, they do not have the high top tube going between the seat and handlebars, so this step can be skipped.
• Bicycle seats should be of a height that allows your legs to be almost completely straight when you are sitting on the seat.
• There should be only a slight bend to the knee when your foot is on the pedal in the bottom position.
• For comfort and pedaling efficiency, the seat should be level.
• For road bikes, the top of the bike's handlebars should be a bit lower than the top of the saddle (by an inch or two). This allows for a more definite forwarding-leaning.
• As for mountain bikes, the top of the bike’s handlebar should be three or four inches below the saddle.This is to provide a low center of gravity, which is especially useful if you're going to be riding off the pavement. Also, mountain bike riders often come out of the saddle to negotiate bumps, logs and other obstacles, and the lower handlebars provide a better, more balanced position in distributing the rider's body weight across both wheels.
• When buying hybrids and cruisers, the handlebars should be approximately an inch or two (or more) higher than the seat. Therefore, your body weight will be borne by your rear, instead of your shoulders, wrists and arms.

Some tips

1. Always choose a bike shop instead of a "big box" store because the staffs at a bike shop have the professional knowledge that will be helpful.

2. Mountain bikes can be used as general purposes road bikes. If you are buying a mountain bike for general purposes, remember to get a mudguard (which will prevent you from getting a muddy streak up your back) and avoid chunky tires (which make cycling more difficult on the road).

3. Always wear a helmet when cycling to avoid head injuries.

4. Always turn on your night lights when cycling at night. This is for safety reasons and also to avoid getting fines and summons.