Guide to Buying a Bicycle

What type of bike should I buy?

The type of bike you are going to buy should reflect what you are going to need it for. Will you want to ride off road or do you just want to commute? Will you be riding mainly on roads, or on dirt tracks and through fields and forests? You might want to get a general all purpose bike or one that is more specialised.

What different types of bike are there?

There are lots of different styles of bikes available today. Here is a brief description of the styles available to help you make your choice:

• Mountain Bikes
  These bikes have a lot of gears to enable you to climb steep hills and rough tracks. They also have big tyres with a deep tread. The riding position is upright. These bikes are also good for general cycling due to the comfortable seating position.
• Racing Bike
  These have thin tyres and are designed for going fast on tarmac roads. They are not very comfortable due to the narrow saddle and hunched forward seating position, but they are very light.
• Roadsters or City Bikes
  This is a relatively new style of bike that is designed for the commuter. It is fast and ideal on smooth roads, but not good on non smooth surfaces. It has more gears than a racing bike and a more comfortable seating position, but the narrow tyres do not offer much shock absorption.
• Hybrids
  A hybrid, also known as a Trekking bike, is a cross between a mountain bike, a touring bike and a racing bike. The tyres are wider than on a racing bike, but have a smooth centre line for cycling on roads, but a knobbly outer tread for grip on other surfaces. It has the same gearing as a mountain bike, and the seating position is a comfortable upright one.
• Tourers
  Tourers are similar to racing bikes, but are heavier and have more gears. They are designed for going long distances on roads.
• BMX Bikes
  BMX have just one gear and are popular with teenagers for riding round purpose built circuits. They originated in the latter half of the 1970's but have recently made something of a comeback.
• Tricycles
  Tricycles have three wheels and are very stable. They are useful for carrying shopping.

How can I tell if it's a good fit?

It's important to buy a bike with the correct frame size. Some bikes have men's and women's versions - the men's version normally has a high cross bar, whereas women's have a much lower crossbar. If a bike has a conventional high cross bar, if stand astride the bike, the cross bar should be about 5 cm below your crotch. When sitting on the saddle, you should be able to put your toes on the floor on both sides together. (Note that the height of the saddle is usually adjustable.)

What accessories do I need?

It's important to have a helmet, a set of lights, a secure lock and a repair kit. Lights are a legal requirement for cycling after dusk - you must have a red light on the rear and a white light at the from. Halogen lights are the brightest and therefore the safest. Note that the helmet you get should be brand new (so you know it has not been damaged - they only work once!), and should fit snugly to your head, not obstruct your vision, and attach with a strap under your chin. A helmet will not prevent you from having an accident, but it may prevent you from getting a serious head injury.