In this article, we will look at the main important points when choosing a bike. Professional cyclists are very well versed in bikes, so we will devote this review to choosing a bike for amateur people, designed for active, but not extreme cycling.
Agree that almost everyone likes to ride a bike. In this pleasant and at the same time useful activity, you can find many advantages for yourself. If you decide to go in for cycling, then you need to know the basic rules when choosing a bike.
The huge variety of models creates more and more difficulties in how to choose the right bike. So let’s solve this problem and find out which bike is better to choose. Having learned all the main characteristics, choosing a bike will become much easier.
Now the so-called mountain bikes have become very popular. On the market, such bikes are represented by various manufacturers and models. Why mountain bikes have become so popular remains a mystery, because there are many other modifications in which products are not inferior in quality and convenience.
If you are planning to buy a bicycle, then first of all you must decide for yourself how you will use it and for what purposes you are purchasing it. If for walks in nature, then this will be one model of a bicycle, if for sports training on the highway – another. There are some general criteria for choosing a bike for all models. For example, there are mountain bikes, as well as for children and adults, as well as women’s. How do they differ ?, below we will put everything on the shelves.
Mountain Bike
So, let’s figure out how to choose a mountain bike. This type of bicycle is designed for walking along forest paths. Characterized by high permeability. They have good stability on loose soil. Such models are suitable for sports, hiking, driving to work. This is the most affordable and versatile option. On it you can go anywhere. But as you understand, these bikes have their drawbacks, and their main drawback is speed, they are not suitable for fast riding. In terms of speed, they are significantly inferior to the road options.
>Pros:
- A lot of accessories and components for this type of bike – Versatility.
- Ride comfort.
Minuses:
- On the track, it is inferior in speed to road bikes.
- Virtually no rollover.
Road Bike
Want to choose a bike for the city? On a road bike, you can go faster than the wind. On hard surfaces, he has no equal in speed. The model has a maximum roll due to the fact that it has no depreciation at all. Therefore, if you climb into the forest on such a bike, then it will be difficult for you to ride it, and if you meet mud or sand on the way, you will not be able to ride at all. The hallmarks of a road bike are a light, strong frame and a curved handlebar in the form of ram’s horns.
Pros:
- Excellent rolling, high speed on a flat and hard surface.
- Lightness.
Minuses:
- Weak cross-country ability.
Tourist Bike
If you intend to choose a sports bike, then consider, for example, a touring option that is made for long journeys. It has the lightness of a frame of road models and the reliability and patency of mountain models. On it you can quickly go on a hard surface and feel quite confident on rough terrain. But in this case, it is also important to choose the right bike frame size.
Pros:
- Versatility.
- Good rolling.
- High speed on asphalt.
Minuses:
- Patency is worse than that of the mountain.
- Handling on rough terrain is worse than that of a mountain.
- The speed is lower than that of the highway.
Children Bicycle
If you have children between the ages of 7 and 14, you must purchase bicycles designed for children. The weight of the bicycles for children is lighter, and the dimensions are smaller, the dimensions depend on the age of your child, so that you can comfortably and safely ride. And for small children who are just learning to ride bicycles, additional wheels are provided on the sides so that the child does not fall. By the way, these wheels are removable.
Women’s Bike
Yes, there are bikes designed for our ladies. A distinctive feature of the design is that women’s bikes are painted in colors that girls like so much. Perhaps there are additional advantages in such bicycles.
Briefly, we examined the main types of bicycles. Now it remains to learn how to choose a model for your height and how to choose a bike in general. There is a marking on the frame of every bike. If your height is 180 cm, then a 19 or L frame will suit you. Experts recommend that when choosing a bike, stand above it and measure the distance from the groin to the top frame pipes. If the model suits you, then a palm passes freely between the groin and the frame. If you are over 180 cm tall, a 21 or XL frame will do. That is, choosing a bike by height is very simple.
When choosing a bike, the most important criterion is the material from which the bike is made. After all, the quality and service life of the bike depends on the material. When choosing a material, you must first decide for what purpose you will purchase a bicycle. For example, almost all mountain bikes are more durable, so the material must also be durable, namely steel and aluminum alloy. But if you are going to buy a bicycle exclusively for walking children and a women’s bicycle, then in this case, bicycles made of aluminum alloy and aluminum are suitable, but sometimes there are bicycles made of steel, but this does not really affect its weight.
Number of speeds
How many speeds do bikes have, and which one is better? These questions are often asked by buyers when choosing a bike, but the number of speeds depends primarily on the purpose of its use, as well as for whom you are buying a bike. For example, mountain bikes have a number of speeds from 7 to 21, as riding on uneven and mountainous surfaces becomes more extreme, so more speeds are needed to control the descent or ascent. But if you buy bicycles for everyday walking, as well as for children, then in this case bicycles with a small number of speeds are suitable.
On long trips, be sure to take a pump, a backup chamber and light tools for replacing it, as well as tools for repairing the chain, with you. When buying a bike, do not forget about safety.