It can seem very hard to find a new bike when you have so many choices. Take heart! Even professional cyclists struggle when choosing their next bicycle. All the varieties and options make it really hard to buy a new bike. If you know how and when you want to ride, where you are going to ride, how comfortable and safe you must be, and what you’d like to look like as you ride, you’ll have an easier time choosing your bike. Choosing between all of the options available can be overwhelming, especially since new developments in cycling happen all the time. Take the easy road, and use the tests we suggest to choose your new ride.
It goes without saying that choosing the correctly sized bike is of utmost importance. To accomplish this you need know your inseam measurement. This is accomplished by measuring from your groin to your foot down the inside of your leg. You should ideally be able to place both feet on the ground when sitting in on your bike. This is mainly for safety and will allow you to use your feet to stop the bike without the brakes if needed.
Take 9" away from the total of your inseam if you plan to get a road bike. This is because of the size of the tires on your road bike. Road bikes are meant for city cycling—the tires are thinner and work best on concrete paving. For a mountain bike you will need to take 12" away from your total inseam. Again this is to account for the type of tires you will be using. They are thicker and meant for a rockier terrain. Mountain bikes can travel on city pavement but that is not what they are designed to do.
It is important you allow for room between you and the crossbar. When browsing for a bike try some out, make sure the seat is a few my link inches above the crossbar. Your feet should still comfortably rest on the ground. Which bike you get will greatly alter the clearance you will require. A touring bike for example will require around 1", perhaps slightly more. For mountain bikes you will require somewhere around 3 inches. When you are searching for the appropriate cycling bicycle to suit you, there are a number of factors to consider. Are you going to be riding your bicycle every day or riding it only when you feel the urge to? At what height do you feel the most comfortable? Do you feel more at ease with your feet just above the ground as you sit on the seat, or would you rather that your feet sit flat when you are at rest? You will want to answer all of these important questions, as you make your bicycle selection.