There are many people who decide to cycle as a way to get from one place to another. Many of these reasons are not at all related with how you like to travel. Engaging in exercise is one of the overwhelming reasons that a large number of individuals choose to go cycling. The thrill of competition draws other people to the sport of cycling. And some people decide that they want to take up cycling as a hobby with their family and friends. Regardless of your reason for needing to find a bicycle, you need to take some things into consideration when the time comes to choose the perfect bicycle for you. These tips are intended to help you along your way.
You must make sure you get a bike that is the appropriate size for you. For this you must calculate your inseam. This is accomplished by measuring from your groin to your foot down the inside of your leg. You should be able to sit on your bike while keeping both feet flat on the ground. 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. The size of the tires a road bike uses are the reason for this. Designed click to work best on concrete pavements, road bikes are best suited to cycling around the city. You will want to subtract 12" for a mountain bike. Again this is to account for the type of tires you will be using. These tires are designed to handle rocky and jagged terrain so are therefore thicker. You can use mountain bikes for city cycling, but the opposite is not true and they are nowhere near as good on city streets as road bikes.
You should already have your safety gear bought and ready to go. Bicycle helmets have come a long way since they were first introduced. They are now designed to offer better protection while looking a bit better, as well. It is important that you never ride your bicycle without also wearing your helmet. You'd be surprised at how many lives have been saved from that one simple thing.
You might also consider investing in elbow, knee, wrist and ankle guards—especially if you are going to be going “off road†on your bicycle. Another piece of safety equipment that you should think about getting are pants clips, especially if you are going to be using your bike as a primary mode of transportation. These things are little clips that clip the pants leg up so they don't get tangled in the chain or the gears.
Your main priority is the physical fit of your bike. That is the primary goal of anyone who chooses cycling as their primary form of transportation. Comfort and saftey are the two most important aspects of riding a bike.