There are lots of reasons to choose a bicycle as your primary means of transportation. Many of these reasons are not at all related with how you like to travel. Some people have decided to take up cycling as a way to exercise. The thrill of competition draws other people to the sport of cycling. Still others ride bicycles as a hobby because they enjoy the feeling of riding a bicycle around their neighborhood. Whatever the reason you have for wanting a cycling bicycle, there are a lot of different things to consider when you are trying to decide which cycling bicycle is right for you. Try these tips out to see if they can be of help.
How your bike brakes is incredibly important. You have to think about what you are most comfortable with along the lines of stopping your bicycle. If you only want a bike to use occasionally as a hobby, you can go with normal brakes which are just small pads designed to clasp the wheel when used. For more hardcore cycling on tough terrain you may want some better brakes. Disc brakes sit within the wheels themselves and work are less likely to give out under stress. Believe it or not, your bicycle seat should not sit at its lowest setting, resting against the crossbar. You want to adjust it up a few inches and take those inches into account when you are choosing your bike. Adjusting your seat up a few inches will give you more clearance between you and the crossbar of your bicycle, which can add quite a bit of comfort to your ride. The goal here is to create a height with your seat so that when your pedal is at its lowest position your leg should be almost (but not quite) fully extended.
The number of gears you’ll use will also affect your choice. 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. Many beginning cyclists think that the more gears a bicycle has, the better it is. You may never have cause to use all the 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.
So many options are available to you as you shop for a new bike. Your choices range from safety issues to those of fashion. It’s perfectly normal for you to feel a little overwhelmed and perhaps a little perplexed when starting out. A little time spent looking into the choices will allow you to relax and buy the best bike for you.
Do this research before you go basics shopping. It will pay off in the end.