Whether it’s your first time down the bike-buying road or you’re looking to upgrade from a poor first choice, there are a few factors to keep in mind when selecting a bike. These are important elements to go over when deciding between the Schwinn Phocus 1400 vs 1600 or between any bike models, for that matter.
To help ensure you don’t end up with anything less than the right bike, we’ll look at some crucial areas to consider for choosing one.
Factors for Choosing a Good Bike
Bike selection requires a thorough education on the different types of mini bikes for adults among other things. Being informed in these areas ensures your choice meets all aspects of your biking needs.
Different Types of Bike
You can’t just walk into a shop and ask for “an awesome bike.” You first need to be aware of the bike varieties available and move forward from there.
In most stores, the general types of bikes are mountain bikes, road bikes, cruisers, and hybrid bikes. You should know the differences and similarities between these bikes to make a suitable choice.
- Mountain Bikes: Generally, rugged bikes you can use on both off-road and paved trails.
- Road Bikes: Used mainly on pavements or around the city, and speedier than most bikes.
- Cruisers: As the name suggests, this bike is meant for cruising more than anything else. Have you ever noticed those bikes people ride on boardwalks? They’re these types of bikes.
- Hybrid bikes: As a combination of the mountain and road bike, it’s neither as rugged as the former nor as fast as the latter. However, that’s what makes this bike great for commuting.
Knowing the different bike types also helps you break down what’s best for beginners. It also opens the door for learning about the additional kinds, including specific models like the fixed-gear, BMX, and tandem bikes. You also have the option of Used bikes for sale if you want to check first and then you can upgrade to a new bike later.
Of course, these aren’t bikes people are likely to start with. In most cases, a good transportation bike would fit a beginner perfectly. Though, you can go for a hybrid for something a little less common.
Budget
Like in most ventures, purchasing a bike also requires you to calculate a budget. The price range is quite wide and can run from several hundreds of dollars to a few thousand. Though, for a beginner, there is no need to break the bank with your selection.
Here are some of the price ranges to consider when in the market for a new bike:
- Low-Range: Around 100 to 300 dollars and made of basic metal frames, which are mostly up to the standard and often stylish.
- Mid-Range: Usually made of aluminum or some kind of lighter metal with excellent qualities for everyday riding. Their wheels, tires, pedals, seats, and chains are usually up there in terms of durability.
- High-End: Bikes above a thousand bucks are typically made of the strongest and lightest stuff. Some of the few materials worth mentioning are titanium and carbon, which can be taken through the most rigorous course and come out unscathed. This price range is also where riders can customize their own steeds to fit their super-specific riding needs.
Fit
Like your favorite clothes, your chosen bicycle also has to fit you well. It should match your style and color preferences. They come in many colors, such as this pink electric bike. Also, if you’re on the tall side, you obviously can’t go for a small-sized bike. You can figure this out by taking your candidates out for a test ride.
If you feel like the bike is uncomfortable and hard to manage, it probably isn’t the right size for you. Choosing the correct frame size depends on the kind of bike you want, the length of your inseam, and your height. There are reliable frame-sizing charts to reference online, so you don’t have a hard time selecting the right bike frame.
Shopping at a bike store should have you covered in this aspect, but if you’re looking to get a bike at a garage sale, having a dependable resource ensures you still make the right decision.
Bike Adjustments
Choosing a bicycle can be tricky. You could end up with one whose lowest adjustment keeps your feet from touching the ground, making you opt for a bigger-sized model. The fact is, the right-size bike should only let the tip of your toes touch the ground, so the previous candidate could have been right for you all along.
Ideally, the bike should have an adjustment that lets your knees bend slightly when pedaling and allows your legs to move all the way down.
Test Riding Is Important
Test riding the variety of bikes could be key to finding out your most fitting style. In particular, those who aren’t bike enthusiasts will want to go down this road.
There’s a vast assortment of bicycles out there that could complicate the process of bike buying for the less knowledgeable. When you master the basics of bike selection, it should be considerably easier for you to land a bike that meets your needs and comfort.
