Are you looking to purchase a new bicycle but don’t have a clue where to start? You’re not alone! Today, you can’t just buy a “bicycle.” There are so many options out there, from mountain bikes to road racing bikes to touring bikes to commuting bikes to hybrids and more! This article will give you a five-step process to choose a new bicycle that will fit your needs.
Step 1: Pick the Type of Riding You Will Do
Ask yourself, “what type of riding will I be doing?”
This is the hardest part, but you have to figure it out first so you can narrow down your bicycle choices. And be realistic – this is about the type of riding you will actually be doing, not the type you imagine yourself doing! Let’s face it, it’s unlikely you’ll be racing the Tour de France!
To help you out, here are some typical scenarios I have seen from bicycle customers:
- I’m going to start commuting by bike, so I need something to ride on bike paths and city streets to get to work and back.
- I want to ride for fitness, and I plan on taking some nice long rides on rural roads.
- I love to get out in the woods and ride trails with rocks, roots, logs, and mud.
- I will be riding for fun, on a mix of paved roads, dirt roads, and gravel rail trails.
- I want to pedal across the USA!
Step 2: Find a Type of Bike That Matches Your Plans
Now that you have decided on your type of riding, it’s easier to narrow down the type of bike that will work for you.
If you plan to commute by bike, you might look at regular road bikes (versatile,) hybrids (comfortable,) and utility/commuting bikes (a new breed of bikes specifically for commuting, picking up groceries, etc.)
If you want to go for long rides to improve your fitness, look at regular road bikes, which will provide great speed and some comfort.
If you want to get out in the woods, you’ll want a real mountain bike, most likely with a front suspension fork and big knobby tires so you can navigate the terrain.
If you’ll be riding for fun, and sticking to a mix of paved roads and rail trails for shorter rides, you’ll probably want a hybrid. It is a cross between a road and mountain bike that is pretty fast on the road while still being comfortable for dirt and gravel paths.
If you want to pedal across the USA, then you’ll want a touring bike. These bikes are purpose-built to carry you and all your gear long distances, perhaps even 3,000 miles!
Step 3: Look at Manufacturer and User Review Websites
Now that you’ve narrowed down your choices, you can look at different bicycles that you might like. Try searching for these popular brands: Trek, Gary Fisher, Giant, Specialized, Felt, Cannondale, Fuji, and Raleigh. (A simple Google search should bring up their website.) Each website will show categories of bikes – just browse through that category to get a feel for the bikes.
You can then look through user review websites such as www.MTBReview.com and www.RoadBikeReview.com to see what other rides think about a particular bicycle.
Note: The point of this step is to browse bikes, NOT to pick out the bike you are 100% set on buying! You won’t know for sure until Step 5.
Step 4: Decide on Your Budget
Different types of bikes fit into different budgets, so that’s why I had you browse bicycle models before deciding on a budget. Now you should have a better idea of what the various bikes you like cost, and that can help you narrow down your choices.
For example, if you want to commute by bike but don’t have much money, you might want to forget about road bikes and instead look at entry-level hybrids, which usually have lower price points. You might also decide to look for used bikes, or ask if any shops have last year’s model bike at a discount.
Also, consider that you will probably need a bicycle helmet, and perhaps some accessories like lights, a rear view mirror, etc. Those costs add up, so make sure not to spend your entire budget on the bike itself!
Step 5: Test Ride Some Bikes!
The final, and most important, step in choosing a bicycle is to test-ride all the available bikes.
To do this, head to all your local bike shops and tell the employees what type of riding you will be doing. They will show you the bikes they have in stock that fit your needs.
While you want to get a bike that looks nice, it’s more important to choose a bike that fits you well and feels comfortable. You won’t know this until you test ride multiple bikes, so don’t skip this important step!
About the author:
Levi Bloom is a lifelong cyclist who has ridden all types of bikes in all types of terrain. He writes for BeginnerBicyclingTips.com, which provides tips on bicycle buying and everything else a beginner cyclist needs to know.
