Tips to consider when buying a bike

With spring just around the corner, many excited cyclists are dreaming about a new bike. The hard part is how to find the perfect one.

What kind of bike should I get?

This is often the most difficult decision a cyclist has to make! Start by asking yourself a few questions, such as:

• Where are you planning on riding most often? Is it likely to be a bike path? A dirt trail?
• What type of distances do you plan on riding?
• Who will you be riding with most frequently? Are they an advanced rider or not?

The most important thing when answering these questions is to be honest with yourself and be realistic about your expectations. Doing so will ensure the bike you purchase is ridden regularly and doesn’t collect dust in the garage.
Below is a brief description of the four main categories of bicycles.

Comfort Bikes
For those looking for a leisurely ride, comfort bikes have a more relaxed riding style. They provide an upright riding position, 26-inch wheels much like a mountain bike, and smooth or semi-smooth tires. Comfort bikes typically incorporate features, such as, front suspension forks, seat post suspension with wide plush saddles, and handlebars designed for easy reach while riding in an upright position.


Hybrid Bikes
A hybrid bike combines features from a traditional road bike with those of a mountain bike. Hybrids are all-purpose bikes that are great for commuting and riding on a variety of surface types (pavement, hard packed dirt, gravel, etc.). A hybrid will have a straight bar, like a mountain bike, allowing the rider to be more upright, which is great for riding in the city or commuting. The larger wheel diameter with a smooth tire, like a road bike, offers its rider speed and the thicker rim offers more stability and strength than a traditional road bike wheel. Some hybrids offer a small amount of suspension in the front fork which adds to the rider’s comfort.


Mountain Bikes
Depending on your off-road needs, there is a huge selection of mountain bikes to choose from. These bikes usually utilize wide, knobby tires for improved traction on uneven terrain and shock absorption. In the current market, front wheel suspension has become the standard, as well as full front and rear suspension becoming increasingly common.


Road Bikes
Often referred to as “racing bikes” or “21-speed bikes,” road bikes have drop handlebars and usually have multiple gears. Single gear road bikes and fixed gear road bikes are a niche market in the cycling community. They also use narrow, high-pressure tires to decrease rolling resistance. These bikes tend to be lighter than other types of bicycles but are not suited for varied terrain.



What size bike should I get?
For the best fit, consult your local bike shop or one of the many shops that support the MS Society and the RONA MS Bike Tour in Ontario. A basic rule of thumb, when looking for the appropriate sized bike, is to have a couple of inches between yourself and the crossbar when you straddle the bike.

This is a very basic guideline. Every person has different proportions and, because of this, a larger or smaller sized bike may be needed to accommodate the cyclist. Just as clothes often need to be custom tailored, so do bicycles. Most reputable bike shops offer a basic fit included with the purchase of a bike, and more in-depth fits at a cost to the customer.

Come back later next week to learn more about accessories.