Popular methods of transport have altered in recent times. More and more people are leaving the car behind in favor of the bicycle, in the west the car reigned supreme but we are now seeing a growth in popularity of the bike. Perhaps the trend can be put down to 'green' thinking, or maybe just the prices of gas are starting to get to people. The fact is there are plenty more cyclists on the road now than there were just a few years ago. Maybe you have been pondering purchasing a bike? If you have been thinking about using a bike as your main mode of transportation, or just thinking about getting one for fun, there are a few things you need to think about.
The first thing to ensure is you get a bike that is the right size. Begin by measuring your inseam. Simply measure the distance from your groin to the bottom of your foot, down the inside of your leg. You should ideally be able to place both feet on the ground when sitting in on your bike. This is for saftey reasons and will allow you to stop the bike if your brakes fail, avoiding any injury. You shouldn't keep the bicycle seat at the lowest setting, either. You always want to bring the seat up at least a few inches when you begin to ride, so keep this in mind when you are picking your bike. You want to have the comfort of the seat being higher up than the crossbar on the bike, because if the seat is sitting on the crossbar, you will not be comfortable. The ideal seat height can be achieved, by ensuring that your leg is very close to completely extended, when your foot is at it's visit site lowest position while on the pedal.
The angle of your seat (also called the saddle) is also important. There are several angles you can tilt your seat at. Some cyclists are more comfortable in a slightly forward position, and therefore, find a completely flat seat inappropriate for them. Adjust your seat so that this is possible. You may not want to adjust the seat at all in the beginning, then after a ride realize that the way it was positioned is not the way you want it at all.
You will see there are many things you should consider when you are finding the bike that's right for you. There are tons of varieties of bicycles, as well as innumerable amounts of accessories available to you, so sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. As long as you go about the process slowly and research a little before you go, you should have no problem finding the perfect bike.