So, you’re looking to get into biking? Great! You’ll be joining a vibrant community of enthusiastic people that love to welcome new folks into the fold.
Not only is biking a great way to meet people, but it’s also a great way to get in shape. There are so many awesome things to love about biking! But if the only bike you’ve ever ridden was the one your parents bought for you as a kid, there are a lot of things to take into consideration when purchasing your first bike. It can be a bit overwhelming to say the least!
If you’re new to biking, we’ll go through some key pointers on how to buy the best bike for you so you can fall in love with this awesome activity too!
Road vs. Mountain Bike
Something that you need to decide before you purchase a bike is the style of riding you want to do. While there are several variations of bikes within these two broad categories, the main styles of bikes you’ll likely be viewing are road bikes and mountain bikes.
Road bikes are specially designed to be ridden on paved surfaces. Whether that’s on highways, roadways, or paved bike paths, these are great for crushing tons of miles with ease. They’re also pretty easy to maintain in comparison to mountain bikes as they are designed to be ridden on smooth surfaces instead of rough terrain like mountain bikes.
One thing about road bikes that can be a problem for newer riders are the handlebars. While there are many varieties of handlebars out there, the most common style is drop handlebars. These pull the rider forward on the bike, forcing their chest to be lower to the ground. If you’re brand new to cycling, this may be a bit of an adjustment to how you learned to ride a bike before where your chest is more upright.
On the other hand, mountain bikes are great for beginner riders as the handlebars are in a more traditional position, so your chest can be more upright compared to most road bikes. Mountain bikes are great for those who want to ride in mixed conditions, whether that be on paved surfaces or on rough trails. This is due to the suspension systems built into most mountain bikes.
Mountain bikes come in two main varieties when it comes to suspension: hardtail and full suspension. Hardtail bikes only have suspension in the front forks, whereas full suspension bikes have an additional shock on the rear wheel of the bike. If you’re brand new to biking or if you plan on doing a fair amount of riding on paved surfaces, hardtail bikes are the best way to go as you won’t need the additional rear suspension as much.
The biggest downside to mountain bikes is that there is a bit more maintenance that needs to go into them due to their suspension components in comparison to road bikes. While the additional maintenance won’t take too much more time or money to complete, it’s still something worth keeping in mind.
Specialty Bike Shop vs. General Big Box Store
Once you’ve begun to narrow down the style of bike that you’d like to try out, it’s time to start looking for a place to test ride some bikes. The two main places you’ll find bikes are at specialty bike shops like Giant or Specialized and at general big box stores like Walmart, Target, and REI.
If you want to get a high-quality bike with expert advice, definitely hit up a specialty shop. The techs that work in at shops like Giant or Specialized are extremely knowledgeable about bikes and have a lot of experience in fitting bikes to fit each rider just right. The biggest downside to these shops is that you’ll likely spend a lot more money in comparison to big box stores.
Conversely, big box stores have a ton of bikes that are really inexpensive. You won’t find the same quality of bike at stores like Walmart or Target that you would at specialty shops, but if you’re just trying out biking to see if you like it and you don’t want to spend a bunch of money, they’re a great place to start.
A good medium between specialty shops and box stores is REI. While REI has more expensive bikes in comparison to big box stores, you’ll get a decent bike with decent components there. The staff is also fairly knowledgeable on bikes, depending on who you get to help fit you, so you’ll have someone around that can help get you all set up. Plus, REI has a great deal that if you buy an REI brand bike like NOVA, you can return it for a full refund within a year if you’re not satisfied with your bike. This can give you some peace of mind if you decide that biking just isn’t for you after riding for a bit.
Final Thoughts
Alrighty! Now that you’ve finished reading this post, you should have the knowledge to confidently go find the right bike to begin your riding journey. Be sure to test out plenty of bikes to get the right feel before you purchase the right one for you.
As you test the bikes, get a feel for how well it shifts, how well it brakes, and how well it turns. Take it around the parking lot a few times and put it through its paces. Be sure to write a few notes down after you test each bike to remember what you liked and disliked about each bike before you make your final decision.
Once you’ve got your bike, consider joining a riding community! Whether you find one locally through a Facebook group or you join a digital one on an app like Strava, riding is always better when you can do it with other people. Now get out there, buy a bike, and go ride!
