It’s getting warmer outside, there’s a change in the air, and chances are you’re feeling the itch to ride your bike. As the new road bike and mountain bike models make their way into the shop, it’s tempting to purchase a new bike. And why not?The pleasure of buying a new bike includes a process of joy, smiling, and endless thoughts that stimulates your pleasure receptors that leaves you tingling with anticipation of the adventure ahead. Making sure you up your giggle factor, here’s our guide to help you make the best of your new bike purchase.
First off, build your bike profile. Decide what type of riding you will be doing, how often, and the types of terrain you plan to ride. Because there are so many bike parts to build a new mountain bike or road bike, it’s important to get clear on what you are looking to do. Here are some questions you need to get you started:
- What type of bicycle do I want? Will I be mountain biking, road cycling, or is comfort my biggest factor in a bike?
- Am I interested in casual riding? Entry level competitive cycling? Full on racing?
- How many miles might I log per week, or year?
- What type of tires should my bike have?
- What size bike do I need?
- Do I want a bike with gears? If so, How many?
- What kind of seat do I want?
- Cycling accessories – what matters to me most: high-tech gadgets or are simpler designs?
- What kind of handlebars do I want? Straight or curved?
- Am I interested in the highest quality bike parts? Or, can I get by with industry standard bicycle accessories?
- Most importantly, how much am I willing to spend on a bike? This will determine alot of the questions asked above.
Next, consider the bike fit and how the bike feels when you ride it. Following are the 5 important bike fit tips to help you dial in your ride.
- Get the correct bike for your needs. Getting a bike whose frame matches your body is the most important part of bike fit . If the frame size is wrong, you probably won’t be able to adjust the seat and handlebars enough to compensate. Some adjustments can be made easily with the bike’s existing components (seat height, angle, etc.) and some may require swapping out a component (as in, a new stem can change the location of the handlebars for a more comfortable riding position).
- Seat height. When you’re pedaling and your leg is all the way down, your knee should be slightly bent. If your leg is straight (knee locked), your seat is too high. If your knee is very bent, your seat is too low. Either problem can hurt your knees, and a seat height that’s too short robs you of power and makes it harder to ride. To get the proper seat height, you want the saddle to be high enough that your heel barely touches the pedal at the bottom of the pedal rotation, but not so high that your heel comes above your toes at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
- Seat position. Saddle setback another important measurement to get right. The front of your kneecap should be directly over your pedal spindle when you’re mid-pedal stroke. Most bike fitters dangle a piece of string with a small weight at the bottom (a plumb line) from the side of the rider’s kneecap to see if it lines up directly with the spindle—you may need to enlist a friend to help get this exactly right. Or better yet, schedule a bike fit at our shop and we’ll help you do it!
- Reach to your handlebars. Handlebar reach is simply the distance you reach from your saddle to your handlebars. Aim for a riding position that gives you a modest amount of shock-absorbing bend in your arms without forcing you to reach too far to apply the brakes.
- Handlebar height. Your handlebars should be at least as high as your seat.
Fortunately, now is the best time to shop for a new bike. There are so many options available today. Visit us at Peak Cycles in Golden or online at bikeparts.com. We can help with your decision making and offer advice you need to get you rolling on your new bike just in time for summer riding.
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