Buying a bike for beginners

Buying a ​bike​ for beginners

Before buying a new bicycle you need to inform and advise yourself in advance. In this article we give tips and advice when buying a new bike online. We handle most aspects that come with buying a bicycle online. Among other things advice on the type of bike, the price, what you should pay attention to when buying and where you can best buy a bicycle online.

New kind of bicycle It is important that you examine beforehand what you want to use the bike for. A road bike and mountain bike are nice bikes for relaxation and for sports, but for doing the shopping not very suitable. City bikes are very suitable for short trips and groceries, because, for example, a shopping bag and bicycle

seat can also be mounted, but not suitable for longer bike rides. A hybrid bike can be used for shopping as well as for longer bike rides, but is often somewhat more expensive than a 'simple' city bike. Also think about things like where you park your bike and whether it is secured, an expensive bike often rides better and lasts longer, but is also more sought after by the guild. A cheap bike can then offer a solution. Are you a bit younger and do not like a city bike, then the popular omafiets might be something for you.

Which bicycle brand is the best There are hundreds of different bicycle brands, from well-known Dutch bicycle brands such as Gazelle, Cortina , Batavus and Sparta to the less well-known brands Popal or BSP . Now we read about Popal bicycles on the internet that cycling is of good quality, but that rust spots are quickly created. Especially when you park your bicycle outside, a bicycle from a cheaper brand like Popal is not recommended. The bikes of Batavus and Sparta are made of better material, which rust less quickly. Also on consumer sites like Radar There are some negative reviews about Popal and the customer service of the company. Of course, a bicycle of a good brand will also wear if it is poorly maintained and days in the rain, but Popal creates rust very quickly so the reviews of various customers, in addition, the quality of the bicycle parts a lot less in comparison with that of Cortina, Sparta and Batavus bicycles.

Bicycle frame size calculator Determining the frame size is one of the most important aspects when buying a bicycle. The frame size determines how big the bike is and whether it is suitable for you. Usually there is a size chart with a bicycle or tips are given which frame size

best fits to what length, if this is not listed you can of course ask the customer service of the relevant webshop which frame size at your length fits. They have experience with these kinds of questions and can therefore usually provide you with good advice.

Best bicycle frame material Most frames are made of steel or aluminum. Both materials have advantages and disadvantages. For example, a steel frame is durable and solid, so it can take a beating. However, it is a lot heavier than an aluminum frame. Also, aluminum rusts less quickly than steel in case of paint damage to the frame.

Road bikes are usually made of aluminum or carbon frames.

Carbon is very light and very strong.

Bicycle braking system Bicycles are delivered with different types of brakes. Most bikes have hand brakes, which can be subdivided into rim brakes and drum brakes. Rim brakes are the well-known brakes that break through brake pads on the rim, these have the disadvantage that they work less well in wet weather. Drum brakes do not have this disadvantage, so you can make a good emergency stop in wet weather. The nice thing about these brakes is that you can slow down with both the front and rear wheel. Finally, you still have the coaster brake with which you have the disadvantage that you only brake the rear wheel so you can slip at an emergency stop. Bicycles with a coaster brake (for example, motorcycles) are often cheaper than bicycles with hand brakes.

Bicycle gears parts

Gears ensure that you can cycle faster or slower with the same number of pedaling movements. If you switch to a lower gear you kick a lot lighter, but you also cycle slower. Switch to a higher gear than you kick heavier, but you also cycle faster. A bicycle without acceleration, for example many city bikes and omafiets, has the advantage that they are a lot cheaper than cycling with gears. But how many gears does a bicycle have and what can you do with this number? You calculate the number of gears of a bicycle by multiplying the number of sprockets in front and behind. A bicycle with three blades in front and seven blades behind has 21 gears. However, keep in mind that this will be less in practice.

Note: Absolute minimum for a bicycle used even to a small extent, however, We should be ​bike gear review​ ​once every year because it’s good for everyone helpful-

Bicycle lighting regulations

It is mandatory to have good-working lighting on the bike in the dark. Most bikes do not have an alternator on the rim anymore.

Nowadays most bikes have a dynamo in the hub. Also, bicycle lights with a battery and LED lighting are becoming more common, often with a sensor that ensures that the light automatically lights up when it is dark.

Comfort bike reviews To increase the comfort while cycling there are several extra points where you can pay attention to make the bike even more satisfying your needs. For example, it is possible to buy a bicycle with a suspension fork and suspension seat post. With this you cycle more comfortably over different surfaces. The disadvantage is that you can transfer less power on the wheels.

The suspension can be adjusted so that it functions optimally with your body weight.

An adjustable stem allows you to adjust the handlebar easily and without special tools. Do you prefer that the wheel is higher or lower, then you have this in a few seconds. Very useful also if you use the same bike together with someone else.

Best accessories for road bikes When purchasing the bike, pay attention to any bicycle accessories that you want to mount on your bike. So you have to check in advance if there is already a certain type of lock and stand on the bike, so you do not accidentally buy it yourself. Also if you need a child's seat for your child or a bicycle bag for shopping, you can look in advance or that this is possible with the bike you want to buy.

You can best go to ​bestbikeus.com​ for bicycle accessories

Buying a bicycle online or at the local bicycle repair shop?

The biggest advantage of buying a bicycle from a bicycle repair shop is of course that you can make a test drive in advance so that you know what you are buying. Disadvantage is the price.

Webshops do not have a showroom at an a-location, but only a warehouse where they can store the bicycles in their original packaging. This saves a lot of space and this can make a big difference in the price.

The prices of webshops are generally a lot lower. Because they already buy a lot of bicycles in advance, they will give big discounts on the old models as soon as new models of a bicycle can be ordered. The question you have to ask yourself is whether you need the test drive if you plan to buy a bicycle from a reputable brand such as Batavus, Gazelle or Sparta. Often you can also rely on the reviews of other customers who have already reviewed the bike.

If you know your own length, the size of the frame can easily be determined on the basis of the given information from the webshop or in consultation with the customer service