What could go wrong in choosing the wrong bicycle?

Buying your first bicycle is exciting. If you are new to cycling, you might be surprised to know not all the bicycles are created equally. If you go wrong in choosing the right bicycle, there's a chance you'll stop cycling altogether. In my journey as an MTB Specialist, I've seen hundreds of passionate riders stop riding because they didn't choose their bicycle right.

What to consider before buying your first bicycle?

• Purpose
• Budget
• Size
• Frame material and Components
• Accessories and add on’s
• Online or offline?

Chapter 1: Understanding the bicycles and it's purpose-

• MTB (Mountain Terrain bicycle) - Made for off-roading and rough use
• Road bicycle - Made for speed and efficiency on smooth roads
• Hybrid bicycle - Made for comfort and leisure rides on road and a bit off-road
• City bicycles - Made for leisure city rides and commutes

How do I know if it's the right bicycle for me?

Think of where you want to ride. Take a test ride at the local shop and see how it feels.  Don't hesitate to ask someone's opinion who's been riding for a long time. Talk to an expert or a salesman at the store. Tell them if you have any medical conditions, your future cycling plans and whatever you are worried about And find the right bicycle for you.

Chapter 2: How to set the budget?

Study the bicycles!

Take your time and understand your requirements.

Visit a local store, the salesman will help you out.

Every type of riding requires its own kind of components and frame geometry. It all depends on your requirements.

Talk to an expert connect to interakt

Chapter 3: Does size matter?

I've seen people getting the wrong size and experiencing discomfort, back pain and wrist pain and regret buying a cycle. Imagine, if you spent 2 minutes finding the right size and enjoying your rides without any discomfort for the rest of your life!

Here's how we can select the right frame size depending on your height.

• Frame size - Check the size chart provided by the manufacturer online and match your height with the size provided in the chart.
• Take a test ride at a local store to get the feel!
• Look for easily adjustable handlebars and seat posts if required.

Chapter 4: Frame material and components? What can you get at what budget?

• Steel - strong, reliable, economic.

You can get steel frames in the bicycles below 15000

• Alloy - Light weight, efficient, value for money

You can get alloy frames in the bicycles above 15000

• Carbon fiber - crazy strong, crazy light weight, pricy

You can get carbon fiber frames in the bicycles above 1.3Lakhs

Check out carbon fibre bicycles

• Titanium - Simply better than carbon fiber

You can get titanium frames in the bicycles above 3 Lakhs

Components:

Pay attention to the quality of the gears, breaks, tyres.

Look for the components available locally for the ease of repairability. Study about the leading gears manufacturing brands and its budget friendly options to race category to get the idea of what you can get at what price range.

Or refer to (blog.link) to dive into the world of components.

Chapter 5: Accessories and ad on’s

Most of the bicycles don't come with mudguards, headlights, tail lights, horns, etc. You might wanna buy them with your bicycle or local shops usually include them with the bicycle since these are necessary.

Think of a puncture kit if you do long rides, a pump, a mini toolkit, gloves, helmets and what not if you are planning on longer rides.

Check out (blog.link) to understand what accessories you might need

Chapter 6: Should you buy online or offline?

Simple answer would be offline, at a local store because you can test ride it and get the feel. You even get free services at local stores. But online shopping has its advantages too. They provide competitive prices but compromise on reliability and trust factor.

Final verdict :

Spend a bit of time and Understand the necessary factors to consider before buying your first bicycle. You'll buy a bicycle once and ride for years. If you get it wrong the first time, you'll lose years of riding experience.