There are lots of reasons to take up cycling. There are many that decide to ride bicycles because they are able to save a ton of money on both the price of gas and maintenance costs. Others choose it because riding a bike is better for the environment than travelling in a car or using public transportation.
Still others simply ride bicycles for fun. No matter the reason you want to find the perfect cycle for you, you should keep certain things in mind when you are ready to go shopping. Choosing the right bicycle is more than just picking the one that's the best looking. Contained hereafter are some hints and tips you can use to pick the bicycle that is perfect for you.
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. Some experts, however, say that this is not a good idea. They state the best way to choose a bike is to leave a few inches between your feet and the ground so you can have a more comfortable ride. The seat will usually sit a little low and too close to the crossbar if you are able to bend your knees while your feet are on the ground and your backside is on the bicycle’s seat. This is because when you are pedaling with this bike, your knees are going to come up too high.
Do you need extra gadgets for your bike? 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 other goods. Will you be travelling with a child? If this is the case, you must choose a bike that can support a child's seat. Will you be towing anything behind you? Then you’ll need a bike that can support a trailer’s weight.
How many gears do you need? If you are going to be travelling in relatively flat places, you will not need as many gears as you would need in rockier terrain or a terrain with lots of hills. You can’t evaluate the bike only by the number of gears it has. You may never even get around to using all the available gears. Save your money for a different feature you’ll really 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.
There are many different things you should consider when the time comes to buy the perfect bicycle for yourself. There are tons of varieties of bicycles, as well as innumerable amounts of accessories available to you, so sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. As long as you go prepared and know what you need and are looking for, you can shed some of that frustration and find the perfect bike.