Mistakes You Should Avoid When Buying a New Bike
When it comes to buying a new bike, many factors will influence your purchasing decision, but some of them are just marketing tricks that influence your choices. In this article, we cover all the essential information including what equipment you'll need, where to ride, and what mistakes you should avoid in detail. Before buying the new bike, consider the following points when selecting a bicycle that meets your needs. Let's take a closer look.
Mistakes You Should Avoid When Buying a New Bike
1. Before you make a purchase, take a test ride
A bike can't really be judged by its fit and handling until you sit down and ride it. Many bike manufacturers offer free demo tours at physical stores throughout the year. Speak with a salesperson about your options.
2. Avoid buying the wrong bike size
An uncomfortable ride will result from choosing the incorrect bike size. The wrong bike size and consequently the wrong bike fit can even result in injuries. Knowing how to select a bike size will help you avoid a variety of issues, increase comfort, and enjoy your time riding. Pay attention to the frame size. There are numerous ways to choose it. But it's also the most unreliable. According to your inseam measurement and the bike size chart, we advise selecting it.
3. Budget
First off, you might spend all of your money on the bike and not have any leftovers for bicycle accessories like a helmet or cozy cycling clothing. Secondly, it doesn't make much sense to purchase an expensive bike if you are unsure of whether cycling is a good sport for you. Instead, try cycling for a while before upgrading eventually. The cost of road bikes for beginners starts from $300 and they’ll be suitable for daily commuting, short-distance riding, or going shopping. Furthermore, a bike costing more than $2,000 will likely be overkill if you are just starting out. So analyze your needs and get a bike accordingly.
4. Giving appearance priority over components
Selecting a bike based on appearance is similar to picking a dress based on how many sparkles are on it. Even if a bike has a beautiful aesthetic, you should prioritize functionality.
5. Bicycle purchase influenced by a TV ad
It's simple to get sucked into the hype of a TV commercial. After all, their purpose is to persuade you to buy a product. People rush to their local bike shops as soon as a TV campaign begins because they want the same bike that a famous person was riding in the commercial. However, because the advertisement had to be paid for in some way, those bikes are frequently overpriced and offer less value than those that aren't advertised on TV.
6. Choosing the correct brake system
Accidents and injuries are more likely to happen with slow-acting brakes. To avoid such traps, you must always maintain precise and effective brakes. Depending on the style of riding and bike you ultimately select, taking particular brake systems into consideration is a crucial decision. Moreover, a coaster or a fixed-gear bike cannot be distinguished from the other by simply looking at the braking system of the bike. There are three general types of bicycles, each of which has numerous subtypes like hybrid bikes, road bikes, and mountain bikes 2023. Fortunately, there are a variety of brakes available for most bikes that will be suitable for both experienced cyclists and novices:
Disc brakes - The best brakes for all weather conditions are disc brakes. These brakes come in a variety of types, including hydraulic disc brakes and cable disc brakes. The majority of bicycles have cable disc brakes because they provide powerful stopping power.
Rim brakes - Next to disc brakes, rim brakes are the most effective braking mechanism. They are low maintenance, do well in dry climates, and are simple to replace. With the help of hand levers and cable, rim brakes are securely fastened to the brake. Rim brakes are simpler and more manageable. Having said that, they are not sturdy enough for mountain bikes.
Drum brakes - They are completely resistant to dust, water, moisture, and all other types of weather because of the integrated and enclosed wheel rear hub. More powerful than rim and disc brakes because of their durability. They are ideal for everyday use.
Coaster brakes - If you're looking to buy a kid's bike, coaster brakes provide plenty of features without requiring much hand power or endurance. But they don't function well on downhill grades.
Fixed-gear brakes - Since this isn't the most typical brake system you'll encounter, we saved it for last. Fixed-gear brakes on bicycles are uncommon because they don't coast and have weak stopping power. Fair enough, a fixed gear bike requires little upkeep. The pedal will be seen moving forward as the bike does.
7. Frame Size
Frame materials may have a great impact on your ride. In general, here are the 3 types of frames,
Steel frames - Durable, and affordable, but they can be heavy
Aluminum frames - Lightweight, does not rust easily, a pricer than steel frames
Carbon frame - Light, stiff, durable, expensive, and corrosion resistant
Apart from the type of frame you choose, you should also consider the frame size according to your height.
8. Suspension
You might find bicycles with a decent suspension below INR 15000. It can take the beating from Indian roads but if you are looking for performance, you will have to invest more.
Most beginners to mid-level bikes provide a decent level of suspension that can take the beating from unruly roads. But if you’re looking for high performance, you need to invest more. Think about a normal car, it will help you from point A to point B, but what about performance, convenience, and other factors?
Full suspension will be required only when you planning to go on some serious off-road riding and have a budget over $500. Otherwise normal bikes provide good value for money with good frames and components with enough suspension.
9. Gear
These days bikes come with a wide range of gear options (20, 22, 27, and even 30). The gear ratios that are required for mountain climbing will be different from city riding. So the key is to select the gear system according to the type of ride you plan to go on a regular basis. The best thing to do is to visit a local shop and get advice from the experts to avoid any sort of confusion.
Conclusion
After reading through this article, we hope that you will be able to find the best value bike for your needs. Before you order a bike without seeing it first, take the time to go there and compare the size chart with your bike. Better to take a test ride to check the bike's performance at different speeds. You may feel excited and intimidated when buying your new bike. Make sure you don't let your nerves get you down. Knowing the mistakes that most people make can help you make a more informed decision. As you go through the process, bear the advice in mind, and you'll feel more confident once you've rolled out on your new bike.