The choice to utilize a bicycle as your main mode of transportation, is beneficial for a number of reasons. You may not even choose to ride a bicycle as a means of transportation at all. Some people take up cycling in order to exercise. Some people cycle as a competitive sport. And there are others who decide to take up cycling as a hobby to share with their family or friends. When deciding to purchase a cycling bicycle, there will be a number of elements that need to be taken into account, and this is true for those wishing to enjoy cycling as a hobby, sport, or a means of getting from point A to point B. Try these tips out to see if they can be of help.
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. There are certain professionals, though, who disagree with this concept. It is their belief, that your time on your bicycle will be much more comfortable, if you allow your feet to remain several inches off the ground. If your feet are sitting flat on the ground while your butt is on the seat, this usually means that the seat is too close to the crossbar and will need to be adjusted for comfort. Also, if you find that your knees are bent when sitting on the bike, your knees are going to come up too high when you are pedaling your bike.
For a road bike you should take away 9" from the inseam measurement you took earlier. This is to account for the size of tires you will use on a road bike. City riding is done with thin tires, designed to work perfectly with the smooth concrete roads and sidewalks you find in a city. For a mountain bike you will need to take 12" away from your total inseam. Again this is to account for the size of tires. You will find them to be much bigger and designed to handle rocky terrain. It is possible to use mountain bikes for city cycling although this is not what they are best suited for.
The number of gears you’ll use will also affect your choice. If you plan to ride in rocky or mountainous areas, you’ll view it now need more gears than riding on flat land. Many beginning cyclists think that the more gears a bicycle has, the better it is. In actuality, you may never use all the gears. Why spend extra money paying for something that you don’t need? Of course, if your cycling bicycle is going to be your primary mode of transportation you might need to make sure you have enough gears to handle rough situations. There are plenty of things to consider when choosing a bike. Some people will need a bicycle that can stand up under a lot of wear and tear. You may simply be looking for the bike least likely to malfunction because you rely on it to get around. Price can also really affect your decisions. It is important to do your research and to shop around before you buy a bicycle. If you just get the first one you find it may not be the best suited for you and could even be a bad bike.