Bicycle Buying Guide

From LoveToKnow Buy

Researching and planning your bike purchase, including looking at bicycle buying guides, can help you choose the right bike that will give years of service.

Whether the new bike is going to be a super-fast racing bike for a sportsman, or a first bike for a young child, it is important to plan the purchase well to ensure that the most suitable bike is chosen.

Planning Your Bicycle Purchase

Nowadays there is no such thing as a standard bike. Many years ago, buying a new bicycle was such a straight forward task--there was a very limited choice and most bikes were very similar, vastly reducing the purchasing decisions that needed to be made. Today, the results of many years of bicycle research and the advent of new technologies have resulted in many new developments in the world of bicycles. For instance, at one time the vast majority of bicycles had the same brake mechanism--today there is the choice of different types of brakes that are designed for varying circumstances.

Before buying a new bicycle there are some important decisions that need to be made.

Budget

It should go without saying that it is essential to set a budget for any major new purchase. This saves both time and disappointment and allows you to focus solely on products within your price range. This is particularly important when planning a bike purchase, and the cost of any accessories or add-ons should also be contained within the budget.

Use

How is the bike to be used? If it is going to be a daily workhorse, taking you on your daily commute to work, then the requirements will be completely different than those of a freestyler who is looking for a BMX bike on which to perform tricks and moves on trails, flat ground and dedicated freestyle bike areas. When deciding how the bike is going to be used, try to anticipate how your needs might change over the coming months or years. This saves any frustration or disappointment later and is particularly relevant when buying a bike for a child who is still growing.

New or Secondhand?

Buying a used or secondhand bike is a real option and can offer a good way to buy a highly specified bike at a lower price. As with cars, bicycles depreciate in value once they leave the bike store. However, there are potential pitfalls with buying a secondhand bike and it is essential to buy one from a reliable and reputable source. Unfortunately, bikes are often stolen, and these bikes can be found in classified ads alongside genuine sales, so it is very much a case of ‘buyer beware’. Bikes bought new from reputable bike stores will come complete with guarantees and after sales service.

Accessories and Spares

As technology has increased, so has the range of choice within bikes; that has added to the number of accessories or options available. For instance, it is possible to buy alternative saddles, handlebar grips, GPS systems, pannier bag sets--to name but a few! It is important to check that any necessary accessories will be compatible with the new bike. Highly specified or top-of-the-range bicycles will require specialist spares. The cost of any spares, accessories or upgrades should also be anticipated to avoid any nasty shocks later.

Other Costs

It is important to factor in other costs that might arise. These include insurance and servicing costs. Many bike owners now chose to insure their bikes, and while this cost might not be too great, it is worth investigating before making a purchase.

Online Bicycle Buying Guides

There are some excellent bicycle buying guides that can be found for free on the Internet and these can help when making a bike purchase. Many buying guides are specific to certain bicycle types and this can be useful when looking to buy a particular bike. Some useful websites to look at when planning a bike purchase include: