What Bicycle Is Right

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Buying Your Bicycle…

Decide if you are buying a bicycle shaped can opener…

…because if you are buying that then go to a supermarket or a department store. But a bicycle is a means of transportation which goes at speed on the street.

Doesn’t it then make sense to go to an expert bicycle dealer where they have the knowhow  to help you to make an educated choice? These people have been working with bicycles for decades so they know what they are talking about.

This is a shorty video about what bicycle to choose. You get basic guidelines there.

What bicycle shop to look for…The one with the right atmosphere!

…because in a shop that you don’t like… you might get an unconscious urge to buy something that just isn’t for you. Move around and see how many minutes – or are minutes enough – it takes before you’re noticed.

Are they helpful, or do they make you feel stupid? And do you feel that they know what they are talking about? Yes, it is very important that you get the feel that everything is alright.

By the way, men as salespersons – and most of them are men – seldom treat women as their equal in bicycle shopping situations.

Planning on Riding Your Bicycle to Work?…

…if you are, consider the Government’s Cycle to Work Tax break and find out about it. You could save some of your bicycling expenses back.

How much are you willing to invest?…

…because you should buy the best bicycle you can. There are those below-hundred-bill – so called bicycles, but in everyday use… well, you really do get what you pay for. That goes as far as all parts and equipment, not just the frame.

If you pay a decent price for a bicycle, it will be more durable, lighter, better equipped and be  safer and a greater joy to ride. But what bicycleis the perfect choice?

A top quality bicycle can cost a small fortune, but if you are realistic and know what you need, you won’t regret setting the budget carefully.

Where you plan to ride, and how far, determines what bike is the right one…

Don’t let them techno- talk you into buying the bike they want to sell…

…you may not understand everything the salesperson is saying in his sales effort. He probably knows a lot more than you, but don’t be ashamed to admit that. After all, it is their job to help.

One size doesn’t fit all, so make sure you get the right size…

…the wrong size will be uncomfortable and might cause an accident. If you’re buying for children, you may have the temptation to buy just a little bigger bike – not a good idea. Get the right size for them too.

Children are more at risk in traffic so make sure they have everything as a perfect fit.

And speaking of children isn’t it a good idea to take the whole family out to shop for bicycles, and take the whole saturday to spend?

Happy shopping, and have a great bicycling summer!

Some simple advice on how to get more energy here.

We’ll get back to biking issues in the near future.

Flash