Source:velosurance.com

A Simple Guide to Choose a Bicycle for Your Needs

Do you love it when the air hits your hair and you are bicycling on your favorite street? If the answer is yes, then it is certain that you are a cycling enthusiast and you prefer cycling both as an exercise and pleasure!

An interesting study showed that cycling is one of the most common mediums of transport and that close to 3.43 million Australians love to cycle for fun or commute, every week!

Impact of Cycling on our day to day lives

Cycling is one of the easiest and most natural forms of physical exercise. This helps you to save time and is one of the most common forms of commutes, too. If you are an environment lover, then bicycles have to be your thing. Trust me, it is as good as running (or maybe, better!).

With cycling, you can get rid of your body fat easily, and even prevent some common diseases like diabetes, cholesterol, etc. So, now, that we have a clear understanding of how important cycling can be, let’s look at the comprehensive guide to bicycle buying!

1. Types of Bicycles and it’s uses

Source:road.cc

According to the need or use of bicycles, they can be easily classified into the following types:

  • City or Commuter Bicycles: These are the most common kinds of bikes that are seen on the road. They come with user-friendly attachments like a basket, lights, and mudguards. These cycles are quite comfortable and upright for commuting and are available at affordable prices.
  • Flat-Bar Road Bicycles: These are quite similar to the regular commuter bicycles, but they feature a flat handlebar. However, they are faster than normal bicycles and are majorly purchased by professional cyclists.
  • Cruiser or step-through Bicycles: These bicycles are usually called urban or sit-up and beg bikes. These bikes are usually shorter than regular bikes and have a relaxing posture.
  • Mountain Bicycles: These bikes feature plenty of customizations like the shock absorbers, and come with an added advantage of flat tires, which are good for off-road cycling. These cycles are usually quite tough and can easily handle bumpy city rides. They are a bit expensive as they also have gears.
  • Electric Bicycles: These are newly introduced and come in two options – pedal-assist or without pedals. If you want to go uphill and do not want to pedal, or you travel longer distances, this is the bike for You. With conversion kits, you can convert your normal bike to an electric bike.

If all these types of bicycles are confusing you, you can visit xds bicycles, stroll through various options, read the specifications, and then purchase whatever fits you the best.

2. Consider the size of the bicycle

Technically, there is no universal size for any bicycle. It usually depends on the comfort of the user. There are certain bicycles that are height adjustable while a few others are not.

Primarily, there are two lengths in a bicycle that you must consider before making a purchase – the height that is between the pedal and the seat and the stretch, which is basically the length between the seat and the handlebars. Both of these things are important, as the effort, which is required to be put depends on both of these sizes!

3. Which is the right frame for Your New Bicycle?

There are three kinds of materials, available for bicycles – Steel, Aluminium and Carbon Fibre. All these materials have their own pros and cons.

While carbon fiber material is used in Mountain bikes, steel and aluminum are seen in the city bikes. Carbon fiber is a highly expensive material, and a lot of cycling enthusiasts prefer custom creation with carbon fiber!

4. Are gears a useful addition to your bicycle?

Source:bikeradar.com

In modern days, bikes come with more than 20 gears. If you have a longer distance to cover, or you have to cycle at a faster pace, these gears help you to reach there at a comparatively lesser effort than riding on a gearless bike. But gears also add to the maintenance cost making the cycle a bit more expensive!

These gears come as a complete package and are accompanied by the entire brake system, and other modifications like the shock absorbers, front and rear derailleurs, cassette, chain, cranks and shifters, etc.

5. What should be the best combination of Wheels and Tyres?

Source:bikeradar.com

There are certain clichés when it comes to the cycling world. When it comes to the durability of the wheels, double-walled rims are far more strong than single-walled rims. Also, if you want to ride on roads, which are bumpy, then, you have to increase the count of spokes in the wheels.

If you want to have a perfect bicycle, you have to invest in your tires. So, what is the right kind of tire? You should go for a higher quality tire, as it has a lesser probability of punctures.

While you are at it, invest in wider and flatter tires, as they are more durable than the other available options.

6. The must-have accessories for your bicycle

Source:businessinsider.com

There are certain accessories that are mandatory and extremely necessary for your bicycle.

  • Helmet and Bells: It goes without saying that road safety is an important part of riding bicycles and commuting. So, you must invest in a quality helmet and bells. These are meant to keep you safe and ensure that the helmet is subject to the standards of Australia.
  • Lights and Reflectors: If you are riding in the dark, both of these things are important for a safer ride. The lights and reflectors can be USB-chargeable and also have a great battery backup. You can easily buy it at any of the bicycle stores, or even explore options online.
  • Lock and Repair Kit: You just can’t forget a repair kit if you are on the roads for a long ride. The lock will help to keep your cycle secure when you are not around to keep an eye on, whereas the repair kit is meant for probable accidents on the road.

There are other accessories, which come in handy too – mudguards, racks, high-visibility vests, etc. which will help you with a smoother cycling experience. You can also go for phone holders on the handlebars!

Over to you…

A statistic showed that Australians purchased about 1.2 million bicycles in the fiscal year of 2017. So, if you are going to buy a new bicycle, do not just read this article, but also make use of it! This will keep your post-buying experience hassle-free!