There is no shortage of reasons for choosing to cycle. 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 your reason for choosing to take up cycling, you need to know some important things before you decide on your first bicycle. You will be surprised at how much more there is to a bicycle than just the looks. This article gives you some tips and pointers to help you pick the bicycle that will be perfect for you.
It is important to know how your bike comes to a stop. You need to make sure you understand how your brakes work and what kind of brakes you need your bike to have. Those who do not use their bikes very regularly will be happy with normal brakes, those which simply squeeze the tire with two small pads to slow the bike down. If you decide you want your bike for more off-roading adventures, you need a different kind of braking system that can keep up with that particular style. For such cycling you should look to disc brakes, these are located within the wheel itself and are less likely to be weakened over time or worse, fail.
If you intend to get a road bike then take 9" away from your total inseam. The size of the tires a road bike uses are the reason for this. Road bikes are meant for city cycling—the tires are thinner and work best on concrete paving. You will want to subtract 12" for a mountain bike. Again this is to account for the type of tires you will be using. You will find them to be much bigger and designed to handle rocky terrain. You can of course use a mountain bike for road cycling but this isn't supposed to be their primary use.
How many gears do you need? If you plan to ride in rocky or mountainous areas, you’ll need more gears than riding on flat land. Just because a bike has more gears doesn't make it better. You may never even get around to using all the available gears. Don’t spend money on something you won’t use. Ensure you have enough gears to handle the situations in which you will be riding, especially if you bike will be your main mode of transport. There are plenty of things to consider when choosing a bike. The durability of a bike may be the most important thing depending on how you intend to use it. These folks are looking to find a bike that allows them to get where they are going without having to worry about a breakdown. Price can also be a point to consider. As long as you take your time to find out all you need to know about buying a bike, you should be good to go. If you just get the look what i found first one you find it may not be the best suited for you and could even be a bad bike.