Selecting The Best Bike

In the last couple of decades a major shift has been happening in transportation. More and more people are leaving the car behind in favor of the bicycle, in the west the car reigned supreme but we are now seeing a growth in popularity of the bike. This could be because down to the prices of gas and running a car, or perhaps people are deciding to care more for the planet. Either way you will now find the roads filled with more cyclists than ever before. Maybe you have considered buying a bike? If so the following is some handy advice on what to look out for.

One of the major parts of choosing the right cycling bicycle for you is making sure that the bicycle is the right size. The measurement of your inseam is needed for this. Simply measure the distance from your groin to the bottom of your foot, down the inside of your leg. The goal is to be able to sit on the seat of the bike and still rest your feet flat on the ground. This is for safety reasons and will allow you to stop the bike if your brakes fail, avoiding any injury.

For a road bike you should take away 9" from the inseam measurement you took earlier. The size of the tires a road bike uses are the reason for this. City riding is done with thin tires, designed to work perfectly with the smooth concrete roads and sidewalks you find in a city. With a mountain bike you will need to take away around one foot from the inseam. This is because the tires of a mountain bike are different than those on a road bike. Mountain bike tires will be thick and designed for mountainous terrain. It is possible to use mountain bikes for city cycling although this is not what they are best suited for.

It is important you allow for room between you and the crossbar. When selecting a bike make sure you move the seat up slightly, to around a few inches above the height of the crossbar. Make sure you can place both feet on the ground if need be. You will want to leave different clearance lengths depending on the type of bicycle you are buying. A good example is a touring bike, with these bikes you will only need around 1" difference. With a mountain bike a clearance of 3" will be necessary.

The idea behind buying cycling bicycles is to make sure that you and the bicycle fit well together-physically. This is the most important thing to consider when looking into using a bike to get around. Comfort and safety are the two most important aspects of riding a bike.