So You’ve Decided to Buy a New Bike….
There are a lot of choices when buying a new bike. You may be buying a bike to complement your exercise routine, to commute, to race, to ride with your kids, or many other reasons. Getting the right bike can be the difference between regularly enjoying those activities and having your bike collect dust in the garage. Making the right decisions when buying a bike can enhance the riding experience and play a part in the frequency it’s ridden.
Bike Werks Mobile Bike Shop is interested in making sure that you get the right bike. The following information will put you on the right path. I’ve broken down the process to five topics: Type, Size, Where to Buy, Brand and Accessories. Click on links in each topic below for more detailed information. Now, let’s get started:
Type of Bike
What kind of riding do you picture yourself doing? Riding a mountain bike in the woods? a Road Bike in the countryside? Riding a hybrid around town? Those are the most common categories, and to keep things simple, I’ll stick to Mountain, Road and Hybrid. There are subsets of those categories and multi-use bikes as well. Click here to learn about each one.
Size of Bike
People come in many different sizes as do bicycles. Kids bikes are categorized by wheel size including 12-1/2, 16, 18, 20 & 24 inch. and in a future post, I’ll cover best buying methods for those bikes. For the purpose of this article, I’ll stick with adult bicycles. Adult wheel sizes stay pretty consistent among bike types (with the exception of the mountain category which comes in 26″, 27.5″ and 29″). In nearly all cases, with the adult bike, it’s the frame dimensions that separates one size bike from another, but there’s more to it. Just for kicks, I researched measurements used when buying a pair of pants. According to myblueprint.com, there are 10 measurements when buying a pair of pants: waist, high hip, full hip, upper thigh, thigh, calf, ankle, length, crotch length and crotch depth. For bicycles, things like standover height, leg extension and reach are important, but there’s more. Click Here to learn more.
Brand of Bike
There are Bike Companies that pour millions into research and development, and you’ll find their bikes scattered throughout the Tour de France peloton. Then there are bike companies who focus thier efforts on using budget materials and parts to sell as many bikes as cheaply as possible. Most of us are looking for something in between. But the name on the side of the frame doesn’t always define the bike. Click here to find out more
Where to Buy
It’s possible to buy the perfect bike for your needs in one of many methods, depending on what you’re looking for. Click here to learn more about the following methods: Local Bike Shop, Sporting Goods Chain, Big Box Store, Online and Direct from Manufacturer.
Accessories
Buying the bike is just the beginning. There’s a host of accessories which will enhance your riding experience. click here to learn more.