HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BIKE
The choice is huge, and even if you are looking for a specialist bike you can be overwhelmed by choice. So how do you choose the right bike for your needs?
You can narrow your search down to a reasonable number by deciding on the following:
- How much can I afford, set a budget?
- What are you going to use the bike for?
- Is it going to be use off-road, on-road or a bit of both?
- What size wheels and frame do I need?
- Is it being used for a specific purpose, i.e. competition racing, off-road use, going to and from work or for leisure?
Budget
It is possible to spend anything from £50 to £6,500 for a bike. Obviously a cheap bike will have much less features and it will not be as robust. More importantly, it will have been made with cheaper and weaker materials. In general, if you want to buy a bike that will serve you well then you will need to raise your budget expectations.
What will I use the bike for?
Mountain Bikes or Off-Road Mountain Bikes are also known as all terrain bikes. They are designed for cycling off-road on rough ground. They have thick, rugged shock-absorbing tyres with a heavy tread that provides a good grip on the ground. This allows for better steering control and grip on slippery ground. Off-Road bikes are ridden in a more upright sitting position than conventional race / road bike to give a better view of the ground ahead.
Sports / Race Bikes These bikes are built for speed. They have thin tyres with large diameter wheels to give a very low rolling resistance. The rider is sat in a more aerodynamic position leaning forward with their head forward.
If you prefer a more upright sitting position but want the speed of a race bike then Raleigh have their Sport range which is similar to a hybrid bike but with higher gear ratio's for extra speed.
Hybrid Bikes Hybrid bikes combine the mountain bike's comfortable sitting position and low gear ratios with the sports / race bike's lower rolling road resistance. It does this by using larger wheels but a less heavy treaded tyre. These are often used as leisure bikes and provide a great balance to allow use mainly on the road or off-road.
Leisure or Work Bikes These tend to be the more traditional bikes, sometimes known as “sit-up-and-beg” bikes. They can incorporate many of the good features of the other bikes but tend not to have as many gears and the tyres are less chunky.
What size wheels and frame do I need?
One way to find out is to try a bike for size and to consider the following:
Alternatively, measure your inside leg measurement from your crotch to the floor. For a mountain or hybrid bike subtract 11”(28cm). For a racing bike subtract 10” (25.5cm.
This measurement will give you the largest frame size that you will need. It is worth remembering that saddles can be adjusted by between 4" and 10" to help fit the bike to the individual.
It is also worth noting that as you increase the frame size that the distance from the saddle to the handlebars also increases. An approximate rule of thumb for this is that the handlebars are 1" (2.5cm) further forward for every 2" (5cm) increase in frame size.
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Cycle Size
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Age Group (Approx)
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Inside Leg
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Imperial (inch)
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Metric (cm)
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12" Wheel
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2½ - 5 yrs
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14 - 18
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35½ - 45½
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14" Wheel
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4 - 6 yrs
|
17 - 21
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43 - 53½
|
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16" Wheel
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5 - 7 yrs
|
18 - 22
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45½ - 56
|
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11" Frame with 20" Wheel
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6 - 9 yrs
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20 - 24
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50½ - 61
|
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13" Frame with 20" Wheel
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7 - 10 yrs
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22 - 26
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55½ - 66
|
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14" Frame with 24" Wheel
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9 - 12 yrs
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23 - 28
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58½ - 71
|
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16/17" Frame with 26" Wheel
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26 - 31
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66 - 78½
|
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18" Frame with 26" Wheel
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27 - 32
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68½ - 81
|
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19/19½" Frame with 26" Wheel
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28 - 33
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71 - 83½
|
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20" Frame with 26" Wheel
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29 - 34
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73½ - 86½
|
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21" Frame with 26" Wheel
|
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30 - 35
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76 - 89
|
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22/23" Frame with 26" Wheel
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32 - 37
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81 - 94
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At Pedal Power, we are able to supply bikes for all purposes. Our expert staff are all experienced and enthusiastic cyclists with a vast range of riding experience. Give us a call on 01509 269663 and you know that you will be in good hands.