Bike Buying Tips

							Title:
Bike Buying Tips

Word Count:
454

Summary:
Want to buy a bike but don_t know w
here to begin? Maybe a friend of yo
urs recommends getting a certain bi
ke, while another biking buddy insi
sts that his bike is the best choic
e for you. Who do you listen to? Ho
w about neither?
Keywords:
Mountain Bike Parts, Mountain Bike
Accessories, Mountain Bike Clothing

Article Body:
The Right Bike for You

Want to buy a bike but don_t know w
here to begin? Maybe a friend of yo
urs recommends getting a certain bi
ke, while another biking buddy insi
sts that his bike is the best choic
e for you. Who do you listen to? Ho
w about neither? What you need to d
o is sit down, relax and figure out
 what your priorities and preferenc
es are to determine what bike is go
ing to work best for you. Here are
some points you will definitely wan
t to consider before you pick out y
our new set of wheels.

What_s Your Riding Style?

Start by asking yourself why you wa
nt to ride to begin with. Is it for
 exercise? Do you want to fly throu
gh the air for the thrill or the sp
ort of it? Where are you going to r
ide? Through city streets or back r
oad trails? Once you define your st
yle of riding, it will be easier fo
r you to choose the kind of bike yo
u need.

There Are a Variety of Bike Options
Available

Although there is a multitude of bi
ke styles, the following are some o
f the most popular:

Mountain Bikes: These are durable b
ikes you can take off the road. Mou
ntain bikes have fat tires, comfort
ably wide handlebars, and low gears
 for easier navigation of hills.
Road Bikes: If you plan on doing lo
ng rides, pavement riding, this is
the bike for you. Road bikes are bu
ilt for speed, have thinner tires a
nd handlebars, and are overall, muc
h lighter in weight.
Hybrid Bikes: This type of bike com
bines the features of mountain bike
s and road bikes. Hybrid bikes are
perfect for those who want to exper
iment with all styles of riding.
Cruisers: These bikes are generally
 one speed and are constructed for
literally just that_cruising.
Comfort Bikes: These are specialty
mountain bikes or hybrids that offe
r more upright riding and softer se
ats. These bikes are essentially de
signed for riders who desire more c
omfort in their ride.

Size Matters

Some bike models offer up to eight
different sizes. To determine the r
ight size for you, measure your ins
eam_this will determine the right s
ize frame, in terms of stand-over-h
eight. Like a pair of jeans, the ri
ght fit is important.

Ask Questions

Don_t be afraid to ask advice about
  what you don_t understand, such as
  quick release, bike maintenance, w
hat kind of equipment you need, etc
. Knowing what you need to know is
the difference between easy riding
and not so easy riding.
Buy a Bike You Like

Take even the smallest details into
 consideration when buying a bike:
how it rides, size, how it looks, c
olor--everything. After all, it_s y
our set of wheels--ride it proudly.