There are several different reasons people choose to cycle as a mode of transportation. You may not even choose to ride a bicycle as a means of transportation at all. Lots of people go cycling as a form of exercise. Others go cycling because they compete in it as a sport. Another group of individuals take pleasure in a simple, relaxed ride through their neighborhood. Regardless of your reason for needing to find a bicycle, you need to take some things into consideration when the time comes to choose the perfect bicycle for you. This article provides some advice to help you along your way.
It goes without saying that choosing the correctly sized bike is of utmost importance. Begin by measuring your inseam. This is accomplished by measuring from your groin to your foot down the inside of your leg. Ideally you should be able to place both feet on the ground while on your bike. This is for safety more than anything else, if your brakes should fail you will not be able to easily stop the bike otherwise.
For road bikes take away 9 inches from the total of your inseam. This is to account for the size of tires you will use on a road bike. Road bikes are meant for city cycling—the tires are thinner and work best on concrete paving. If you are looking for a mountain bike, you will want to subtract about a foot (twelve inches) from your inseam measurement. Mountain bikes have different tires than a road bike. Mountain bike tires will be thick and designed for mountainous terrain. Mountain bikes can travel on city pavement but that is not what they are designed to do.
You also need to acquire some safety gear. Bicycles of then and bicycles of now are two completely different things. Now they offer better protection while being a little bit more stylish. see post You should never even think about riding the bike without first putting on your helmet. This little thing can mean the difference between life and death.
It wouldn't hurt to also grab some elbow and knee guards, as well as ankle and wrist guards, just in case you decide to take your bike off the road. 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. Pants clips are designed to hold your pants in place so they don't get caught up in the chain or the gears of the bike.
The options and technologies available for biking are overwhelming as you search for a new bicycle. From fashion to safety, you have a multitude of choices to make. If you feel like you are being deluged by choices, you are perfectly normal. The good news is that, with a little research, you can make a very informed decision about which bicycle is best for you.
Try to understand your choices before you go shopping. The peace it will offer during shopping makes it very worthwhile.