The preferred mode of transport has taken an unlikely turn in recent years. 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. It could be down to efforts to remain green, perhaps people want to save money on high gas prices, or maybe many people just want to get in shape! No matter what has caused it, the fact is there are now more cyclists on the road than in a long while. Maybe you have been pondering purchasing a bike? If you have then there are several things you should look at when you do.
It goes without saying that choosing the correctly sized bike is of utmost importance. To do this, you will need to measure your inseam. Simply measure through your inner leg from your groin to the bottom of your foot to find out your inseam. 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 saftey 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. This is down to the tires a road bike equips. These tires will be thinner and designed for efficiency on concrete roads or pavements. If you are looking for a mountain bike, you will want to subtract about a foot (twelve inches) from your inseam measurement. Mountain bikes have different tires than a road bike. They are thicker and meant for a rockier terrain. You can always use a mountain bike for city cycling, although this is not how they are best used.
The angle of your seat (also called the saddle) is also important. There are a variety of options for tilting the bicycle seat. Most people find a seat that is flat to be a bit too uncomfortable, so they tilt it the way that feels the best. Find the position that will be most comfortable to you, and stick with it. You could leave it as it is, but the narrow part of the seat might not allow you to rest comfortably in a forward leaning position. There are many different factors to take into account when finding the right bicycle. Do you want to ride your bicycle every day or do you see yourself only riding it once in a while? What height makes you feel the most comfortable? Do you prefer your feet to rest flat on the ground or do you like to have some room between them and the ground when you are sitting on the bicycle’s seat? Think about check out here all this when buying your bike, and you will make the right choice.