There are several different reasons people choose to cycle as a mode of transportation. You may not even choose to ride a bicycle as a means of transportation at all. Some people have decided to take up cycling as a way to exercise. The thrill of competition draws other people to the sport of cycling. Still others ride bicycles as a hobby because they enjoy the feeling of riding a bicycle around their neighborhood. No matter your reason for needing to choose a bicycle, you need to consider a number of different things in order to choose the one that is right for you. These tips are intended to help you along your way.
The first thing you should think about, which is pretty obvious, needs to be the cost. Of course there are going to be other things to think about, like where you plan to ride or how long you will be using this bicycle, but the price is still most important.
Good bicycles can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It's not going to matter if you don't have thousands of dollars to put on a bike, because there is a way you can find a great bike for a runaway price. You can go to auctions and find some of the best bikes available for a fraction of the price of new ones.
Will you need more bells and whistles for your bike to function optimally? If you will need to transport things with your bike, you’ll need a basket. Will you be travelling with a child? Then you have to choose a bike that will allow for a child seat attachment. Do you think you'll ever tow anything behind the bike? Choose a bike that can support the weight of a trailer, if this is something you’ll do.
Be certain to leave adequate room between yourself and your bikes crossbar. When you get a bike be sure to move the seat up a couple of inches from the crossbar. Sit on check my reference it and make sure you can rest your feet flat to the ground. Each type of bike will require differing clearance amounts. As an example, with a touring bike you will only require around 1". With a mountain bike a clearance of 3" will be necessary.
You should keep these things in mind when you go out and buy a bicycle, especially if you want to find the one that is right for you. It can become a frustrating process at times to try and figure out exactly what bike you need and which accessories you should get to go with it. As long as you go about the process slowly and research a little before you go, you should have no problem finding the perfect bike.