How to Choose Your Perfect Bike?
Don’t know how to choose your perfect bike? This article discusses the steps that you should take before buying the bike of your dreams.
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So you have decided to buy a bike, right?
That’s fantastic, you have made a great choice!
You can start your riding journey to get fit, be healthy, lose weight, or spend some quality time so that you can release all your stress.
Close your eyes, and now imagine the feeling of fresh air on your face and the wind blowing through your hair.
Even thinking about it can bring a smile on to your face 🙂
So since you have decided to buy one, that first thing that comes to your mind would be…how to choose your bike, right?
I know that there are plenty of bikes that are available in the market, and it might be overwhelming at first.
So you have come to the right place.
Choosing the right type of bike is not an easy task, but it can be done in a simple way if you know why you want to purchase a bike.
I know that there are so much jargon and misinformation online regarding this topic.
If this has left you more confused than empowered, take a deep breath, and relax.
We are going to take aim at this confusion and make things as simple as possible.
Step #1: How To Choose The Right Type Of Bike?
So you might have seen it, there are a bunch of different types of bikes out there, each one good for a different purpose.
So first, let’s see these different types of bikes.
Note if you already know which bike to choose then, you can skip this step.
- Mountain bikes – Mountain bikes are perfect for you if you spend a lot of time on unpaved roads. If you love to go on for a ride on gravel, forest roads, or as they say, in off-road conditions, then this type is for you.
- Road bikes– Road bikes are intended for you if you plan to stick on paved roads for the majority of times. These bikes are built for speeds rather than off-road conditions.
- Hybrid bikes- Hybrid bike is a combination of the above two. They combine the advantages of these bikes into one. They are great for city rides and your daily commute as well as they can do well on moderate off-road conditions.
- Beach cruiser bikes – They have a relaxed upright geometry, perfect for a ride along the beach or on cycling lanes.
- BMX bikes– These bikes are usually preferred by kids and riders who wish to perform stunts and tricks.
- Cyclocross bikes– CX bikes are ideal for riders who like riding on dirt and mud and plan to enter cyclocross competitions.
- Cargo bikes-This type of bike has a big basket or a platform used for transporting goods. They are mostly used in industrial facilities.
- Electric bikes– These type of bikes has an electric motor that gives you some additional power while pedaling.
- Fixed gear bikes – These are single gear bikes that are mostly used in urban areas for getting from place A to B.
- Folding bikes- Yes, you are right, these bikes have a folding frame and are suitable for you if you want to bring your bike along with you during your travels. You can fold it and take it along with you in a car, train, or even in a plane.
- Gravel/Adventure bikes – These are similar to CX bikes, but are more suitable for longer gravel and off-road trips.
- Kids bikes– They are ideal for children or very short individuals, due to their smaller wheel diameter.
- Recumbent bikes – These bikes put the rider in a more laid-back position and are great for older people or individuals who suffer from back pain.
If you still have any doubts or want to know more about these types go to
Read More: Bicycle Chain Cleaning and Maintenance
Step #2: Where Do You Plan To Ride Your Bike?
The most important question that you need to ask yourself before choosing a bike.
If you are plan to ride your bike only on paved road, then choose a road bike.
If you want to go for a trial or wish to stick to off-road conditions, then choose a mountain bike.
If you plan to do both, then the best choice would be a hybrid, gravel, or cyclocross bike.
If you want a bike for your daily commute, then you can choose between a hybrid, cruiser, cargo, electric, or a fixie.
Step #3: How Often Do You Plan To Ride Your Bike?
So, how often do you plan to ride?
Do you want to go for a weekend ride or want a bike for your daily commute?
Going too cheap will leave you with high maintenance costs. Therefore, in the long run, you will not be saving money.
Step #4: How Much Should You Spend On Your Bike?
When it comes to the quality of a bike, you get what you pay for.
So, let’s see.
Weekend Riding- Around $350.
So if you wish to ride only during your weekends or on Sundays, then you have to spend around $350.
At this price point, a Shimano Tourney or a single-gear drivetrain along with an aluminum or a steel frame with a set of rim brakes is a good choice.
Light Riding – Around $500
For a light riding, an aluminum frame with Shimano Deore or an SRAM alternative is a good option.
On a mountain bike, you would get mechanical brakes along with a front fork as well.
Serious Riding – Around $500-$2000
At this price range, you would get a quality aluminium frame along with quality components or a carbon frame with lower components.
Both hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes are commonly seen at this price range.
These bikes are usually lightweight but not extremely lightweight.
If you are choosing a mountain bike, you can get a decent full suspension setup.
Competitions- $1500 and up
If you are going to compete in a competition, then you can choose a great bike according to your budget.
Depending on the money you are willing to spend, you can expect a quality bike with a super lightweight card frame and top-line Shimano and SRAM components.
Powerful rim or disc brakes are commonly seen on these bikes and may weigh as low as 5kg.
So how much should you spend?
When choosing a bicycle, it’s always better to spend slightly more than you need.
The thing is that if you spend less at the time of purchase, your bike won’t be that durable, and your maintenance cost will go up.
So in the long run, it’s better to spend slightly more when you are buying your bike.
Step #5: Where Should You Buy Your Bike From?
Basically, you can buy from four different places.
Local Bike Shops
So you can go to your local shop to buy your first bike. If you need to try the bike and need the expert’s advice, then it is the best choice.
You might even get some discounts and service plans as well. The only downside is that the choices will be limited, and most of them will be expensive.
Craigslist,eBay
If you want to buy a cheap bike, then this is your option. Be warned, the risk of getting scammed is high, and you won’t get any warranty.
Dealers
You can buy your bike straight from the dealers. You will be able to choose from a wide range of models, and often they are willing to accept a return if your bike doesn’t fit you.
There are very few online dealers, and you won’t be able to do a test ride.
They are often much cheaper, and the bikes come unassembled.
Online dealers
You can easily find the best bike from a wide range of collections at the best price available.
No test rides are possible as well as your bikes will come unassembled.
Step #6: How To Choose The Right Brand?
So you might be wondering, which are the best brands that provide the best bikes with quality service, right?
So, there are some top brands, as well as some unknown ones that still make a decent bike.
If you have the budget then, you should always go for top cycling brands, such as Diamondback, Trek, Schwinn, Mongoose, sixthreezero, and so on…
Some of them provide affordable bikes, so you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money to buy one of their models.
If you want to buy bikes from one of the unknown brands, then your best choice is to go to amazon.
With a little research and background check, you can buy a decent bike.
Step #7: How To Choose The Right Bike Size?
There are three main factors to choose the right bike size:
- Height
- Inseam length
- Ape Index
So, obviously, your height plays a part in choosing the right bike. Your inseam length is the length of your leg from your crotch to the heel. The ape index is the length of your arm span relative to your height.
Most of the time, you can choose the right size just by taking your height and comparing it to the bize size chart.
Your inseam length and your ape index come to the party when you are in-between two sizes.
The Golden Rules is that if you are in between to sizes, then you should always go for the bigger size.
But if your length of the arm span (ape index) is smaller than your height (inseam length), then you might consider going for the smaller size and just raising the saddle a bit more, will do the work.
If you are still in doubt, you can refer Bike Size Chart – 8 Simple Ways To Choose The Perfect Bicycle
Difference Between Men's and Women's Bikes
You might have seen that most of the bikes come with a label like women’s specific and men’s specific.
The difference between men’s and women’s bikes are minimal.
Sometimes, these are the same bikes with different stems and saddles. More often, the frames might have a different geometry and design as well.
So, if you have an opportunity to buy a women’s specific model, then you should definitely go for it.
Otherwise, go for a men’s bike.
Don’t worry!
Men’s bike can be perfectly good for women as well and vice versa.
Women usually have a shorter torso than men, so their effective top tube length should be smaller.
Therefore, if a woman buys a men’s bike, they should consider using a shorter stem.
Types of Measurement
Bikes are usually marked with some letters. The most popular are letters marked as S, M, L, XL,etc., centimeters and inches.
One thing that you should remember is that the size in letters like S, M, L, or XL will be different for different brands.
So depending on the brand, sometimes L will perfect for you, and sometimes XL will be the one.
So, whenever possible, you should try to find out the correct frame size shown using either centimeters or inches.
Wheel sizes
The most popular wheel sizes that are found on most bikes are:
- 700C: Found on most road bikes and hybrid bikes.
- 650b: Becoming more popular on road bikes for short riders, and on touring bikes.
- 29″: A popular option on MTBs used by taller riders and built for faster descents.
- 27.5″: Mostly found on MTBs. Combines the best features of 26″ and 29″ wheels.
- 26″: Not as popular as before, they still can be found on some MTBs and a lot of touring bikes.
- 24″,20″,16″,12“: Kid’s sizes. BMX bikes commonly have 20” wheels.
If your confused right now, don’t worry, most of the time, the choice will be already made for you by the manufactures.
Around 99% of the time, road bikes come with 700C wheels. The same goes for hybrid and city bikes.
However, if you are short, for example under 5’4″, you could consider 659b wheels to get more standover clearance.
In the case of MTBs, you should consider what kind of riding you want to do.
If you mainly want to focus on fast descents and riding on extreme surfaces, then you should opt for 29ers.
However, if you want a bike that will be more nimble when cornering and that will accelerate more easily coming out of bends, then opt for 27.5″.
So, what are you waiting for, go get your bike today!
Make sure that you do all the research before buying your bike so that you won’t regret it after.
So if you don’t know where to start, check our bike review below.
Hybrid Bikes
Hybrid Bikes under 500 Dollars
Hybrid Bikes under 300 Dollars
Mountain Bikes
Mountain Bikes Under 1000 Dollars
Women’s Mountain Bikes Under 500 Dollars
Mountain Bikes Under 300 Dollars
Mountain Bikes Under 200 Dollars
Road Bikes
Well, I hope that now you know how to choose the perfect bike for your needs.
Got any questions? Feel free to ask me in the comments section below.
