As you know, there are numerous reasons to start cycling. Some decide they want to cycle more now because the price of gas has risen so high, and because it costs so much to keep a car maintained. Others choose it because riding a bike is better for the environment than travelling in a car or using public transportation.
And there are other riders who love to do it because it's fun. No matter what the reason is for choosing a bicycle, there are some things you should keep in mind before you decide. You will be surprised at how much more there is to a bicycle than just the looks. Outlined hereafter are some pointers you can take into consideration when going out to buy your bike.
We’d be misleading you if we didn’t admit that fashion does impact your decision. We all like one color or style more than another. Your new bike should reflect your favorites. Using style and fashion preferences as your main criteria is silly, unless you are only getting a bike to look good. You really need to look at safety and comfort issues before any others. more But once you have found the safest and most comfortable bicycles, there is no reason you shouldn’t narrow down your choice further by how the bike appeals to you visually. You shouldn't keep the bicycle seat at the lowest setting, either. You want to adjust it up a few inches and take those inches into account when you are choosing your bike. You want to have the comfort of the seat being higher up than the crossbar on the bike, because if the seat is sitting on the crossbar, you will not be comfortable. 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.
You also want to make sure you leave some room between you and the crossbar of your bike. When selecting a bike make sure you move the seat up slightly, to around a few inches above the height of the crossbar. Sit on it and make sure you can rest your feet flat to the ground. Each type of bike will require differing clearance amounts. A touring bike for example will require around 1", perhaps slightly more. If you are buying a mountain bike you’ll want more—three inches or so between you and the crossbar.
As you can see, there are several things you should keep in mind when you decide on a bicycle that's right for you. It can be a bit tedious and frustrating to try and figure out what all you need when you are buying a bicycle. Take your time and do some research and you’ll find the right bike before you know it.