Cycling as a way to stay fit has been growing among the people in general. You don’t need many equipments or a partner for cycling as a simple bicycle will do for it. If the weather is right, you can go cycling instead of jogging or walking as you will have many benefits to your health by riding a bicycle. To get the utmost benefit from cycling, you need to choose the perfect bicycle for your ride.
If you are new to buying a bicycle, then there is a lot you must know before you consider buying it. There are a lot of bicycle types with different feature sets and you must choose the one that fits your style. In this post, we will give you a detailed post on the things that you should look for before buying a bicycle.
Buying Guide of Bicycle for Beginners
The type of bicycle
There are many types of bicycles present in the market and the type that you choose should depend upon the area where you want to ride. Bicycles mainly come under four different types such as Mountain bike, Road bike, Hybrid bike, and Cruisers.
The Mountain Bicycles are the rugged ones that you can use to cycle off-road. Though they are meant for off-road use, you can also use them to ride on pavements and roads.
Hybrid and normal road bikes are similar when it comes to usage. They can be used to ride on roads, pavements, road paths, and other natural surfaces. They are also good for commuting too.
Cruisers are the bicycles used for a casual ride. You can use this type if you want to take a ride around the boardwalks, or just for a fun ride.
Based on where you want to ride your bike, you can choose the type from any one of the above.
Frame Size and Type
The size of the frame depends on the type of bike, your height, and your inseam. To get the right frame size for your height, you should find a way to try the bicycle before you get to buy it. You can go to a bicycle store and try out the cycle to find if the frame size fits your height. Generally, the frame size should be 0.65 times your inseam.
The type of frame matters a lot when it comes to bicycles. Bicycle frames are typically made from steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium, and other alloys. Aluminum frame bicycles are affordable and lightweight but they can be easily damaged than other ones. Steel cycles are highly durable than aluminum, but they are heavy. Carbon frames have the best of both worlds. They are durable and yet lightweight. If you can afford it, we suggest that you go with carbon or titanium frame bicycles.
Brakes
Brakes are an important part of a bicycle. There are various types of brakes available, each with its pros and cons. You will not have any choice on brakes as it depends on the bike type but it is good to know the brake types. The types of the brake are,
Rim Brakes – They are the traditional ones that attach to the rim of the wheel. Rim brakes are easy to maintain and use, but they can easily wear out over time.
Disc Brakes – Disc brakes attach to the wheel hub and provide good friction when used. They work better than rim brakes under any weather condition but are difficult to maintain and repair.
Coaster Brakes – These brakes work when you pedal backward. They are easy to use, so kids enjoy using it much. It is not ideal for riding downhill as it doesn’t provide as much friction as the brakes mentioned above.
Drum Brakes – Like the Disc brakes, drum brakes are integrated into the wheel hub. They are easy to maintain and works well in any weather condition. If the drum wears out, then you should replace both the hub and wheel. It is much costly to repair this brake type.
Suspension
Suspension on a bicycle helps to absorb the shocks, so you get a smoother ride. There are bikes with full suspension, half suspension, and even with no suspension. The price also varies depending upon the type of suspension used.
If you are riding your cycle in a rough area, then you should consider buying a cycle with suspension. It gives you a much comfortable ride by absorbing the shock. Mountain bikes come with suspension by default as it is mostly used on mountain trials whereas road bikes don’t come with suspension by default. Do check our review on best cycle under 30000.
Gear
Gear bikes are the popular ones as they give you more control over the speed. If you typically ride your bicycle on hills, then you should consider buying your cycle with gears. Most mountain bikes come with gears whereas normal road bikes don’t come with it. But you can choose road bicycles with gear to get more challenge in your riding.
Handlebar types
Handlebars in a bicycle matter too if you want to get a comfortable riding experience. The handlebar should be present at a sufficient distance from the seat so you can reach it easily. The gap between the handlebar should be present at an optimum distance too so there is no awkward gap between them. Different bikes have different handlebar types and let us see them here.
Drop Bar – Drop bars are lightweight and provide for much faster riding. They are commonly found in normal road bikes.
Flat Bars – Found normally in hybrid bicycles, the flat bars allow you to sit upright to reduce strain on your body.
Riser Bar – They allow you to sit farther back on your seat to get good visibility and steering control. Because of this use, they are mostly found in mountain bikes.
Finally, Your BUDGET!
Your budget matters a lot. The features that you get with your bicycle highly depend on your budget.
With a low budget, you can expect the bicycle to have a basic metal frame with no suspension and gears. These bicycles are fine for commuting and short ride. But if you want to get a professional riding experience, then we suggest that you spend higher.
In the midrange budget category, you can expect the bicycle to have aluminum frames with high-quality wheel, gear, suspension, and brakes. They are great to have a long commute and riding. They also give you high durability. If you are a beginner and want to go cycling regularly, then get one from this budget category.
The high-end bicycles are the one that most professionals buy. They have carbon or titanium frames with full suspension, gears, and high-quality build. Though they are pricey, they give you the most out of your money. If you can afford it, then go for the high-end ones as you will not be disappointed with it.
If you don’t have much money but want to get a good riding experience, then you can check out good second-hand bikes in your local store. Though they are old, you can easily repair and use them to have good riding at an affordable cost.
Conclusion
We highly suggest that you try the bicycle before you set to buy. It will be impossible to try out if you are buying from an online store. But go to your local store and check out the bike, before you buy online or offline. You will get a good idea about how it fits you, so you will have a comfortable riding for a long time. We hope that this buying guide helps you in choosing a good bicycle for your cycling experience.
