The choice to utilize a bicycle as your main mode of transportation, is beneficial for a number of reasons. There are a lot of reasons to ride a bicycle that have nothing to do with your preferred method of getting places. Some people choose to cycle because they need the exercise. Others go cycling because they compete in it as a sport. Still others ride bicycles as a hobby because they enjoy the feeling of riding a bicycle around their neighborhood. Regardless of your reason for needing to find a bicycle, you need to take some things into consideration when the time comes to choose the perfect bicycle for you. These tips are intended to help you along your way.
One way to choose the bike that fits you is to sit on the bike and see if your feet will rest flat on the floor, in case you need to stop yourself. There are experts who state that this isn't a good way to choose a bike, however. These experts say in order to have the best cycling experience you can, you should allow for a few inches between the ground and your feet. If your feet are sitting flat on the ground while your butt is on the seat, this usually means that the seat is too close to the crossbar and will need to be adjusted for comfort. This is because when you are pedaling with this bike, your knees are going to come up too high. You shouldn't keep the bicycle seat at the lowest setting, either. You always want to change the position of the seat so that it is a few inches higher than normal, so keep this in mind when picking your bike. Adjusting your seat up a few inches will give you more clearance between you and the crossbar of your bicycle, which can add quite a bit of comfort to your ride. The goal here is to create a height with your seat so that when your pedal is at its lowest position your leg should be almost (but not quite) fully extended.
Never leave out the safety gear, either. There have been many advancements on bicycle helmets since they first were introduced. They are now designed to offer click to read better protection while looking a bit better, as well. You must always wear your helmet when you are riding your bike, no matter what. Sometimes that fraction of padding really can save your life!
It wouldn't hurt to also grab some elbow and knee guards, as well as ankle and wrist guards, just in case you decide to take your bike off the road. If you plan to use your bike as a sole means of transportation, buy yourself some pants clips. They work by clipping your pants out of the way so they can't get tangled in the chain or gears.
When looking for a bike your main goal is to find one that suits you physically. Selecting a bike with a good fit for you is of the utmost importance, when using a bike as the main way to get from A to B. Comfort and saftey are the two most important aspects of riding a bike.