Guidelines for Purchasing Bicycle - A Bike Defines an Owner

 

A Bike Defines an Owner

Guidelines for Purchasing Bicycle

Bicycles (also called as cycles or bikes) are being a part of human-civilization, since decades, instead it would be more than a century now, and this machine, having passed the ‘Test of Time’, has proved itself to be useful in numerous circumstances, situations, ways and manners. Since you (the ‘Reader’) have searched for and/or are prepared to know about the subject-matter herein (i.e. ‘Guidelines for purchasing bicycles’), I would instantly, without any prologue hereto get to the fundamentals, while assuming that you are well-acquainted with the advantages of the bicycles, and consequently, inclined to purchase the same, but having confronted with the gigantic varieties of cycles (causing even an highly intellectual mind to be bewildered, especially those, who are going to purchase their first one, or who belong to an era of 1970’s or 1980’s, whereby one had to choose only out of the four/five models of cycles, available in a nearby retail shop), you, skeptically, have either to leave the proceeds of your purchase thereof, or have constrain yourself to leave freshly gained passion towards cycling, or have refrain yourself till you gained ample knowledge thereto for arriving at a final conclusion. If in case, you would have any such scenario or any other likewise one, then I, via this article, would certainly be helpful to you to retrieve yourself from the aforesaid perplexity/ies.

In our voyage to find out which machine would be perfect for us, the first & foremost way-point is to churn & gain an answer from within ourselves qua the purpose for which cycle is going to be used, since this would, by itself, refine our search to a pointed level. In other words, in this modern techno era, where everyone possesses devices/machines providing technology & information for fulfillment of their goals/purposes, similarly, for bicycles also, we have to know our expectations, before even stepping into any shop or initializing to even browse into an online application-cum-shop. For regular consumers, the cycles in this era, are, basically & succinctly, of six different types (enumerated hereinbelow) manufactured & sold for distinct and particular purposes, and as envisaged hereinabove, we have to opt a specie/s from the following ones, in consonance with purposes for which bicycle is going to be used:

Types of Bikes: -

11. Road Bikes: - These are look-alike of ‘professional-sports-bikes’ which run fast and could easily be pushed to long distances. They usually possess drop top-tubes; sleek & less resistant tyres; super light frames and drop handle-bars;

                   

2. Mountain Bikes: As depicted from the name itself, these are meant to move through mud, woods, heavy off-roading, have to manage steeps and need to run over the hills easily, and consequently, they have express resistant-tyres; suspension on front and rear wheels; disc brakes for thorough control, and flat handle-bars;

                 

3. Hybrid Bikes: These bikes are manufactured to couple-up features of the aforesaid two breeds of bikes, to fulfill the demands of other people in the world, likewise the ones who need to use bike of light trailing (off-roading) and regular use on roads/pavements. This type could be further sub-divided into three varieties:

A) Fitness Hybrid: These are somewhat identical to ‘road-bikes’, but these would have flat or a little reclining top-tubes; flat handle-bars; light frames and sleek tyres. This type could go around 20-30 miles on flat road without any discomfort;
            

B) Dual Sport Hybrid: As the name suggests, these bikes depict an impression as that of a ‘mountain-bikes’, and possess suspension on the front wheels (frequently at rear wheels also); disc brakes, and thicker tyres. These have caliber to bare light-trailing and easily move over pavements, but it would be less speedy than road/fitness bikes, and have to be pushed harder than those;
              

      

C) Comfort Hybrid: These look distinct from any other bike-type (enumerated hereinabove), and could be easily separated from all of them, and are meant for adding excessive comforts to biking. These would possess big saddle; very upright riding position with help of high handle-bars; suspension on the front wheels and the most prominent difference, which outrightly make these distinct from other bikes, is no ‘Top-tube’.
               

        

       COST – only a Factor, not the Sole Reason:

Having opted from the types, enumerated hereinabove, now the next junction of our voyage is ‘Cost’ of the bike. This should be one of the major factors to opt from the aforesaid types of bikes, but not at all the sole factor to book a purchase, since even if one gets an expensive bike, but in case, the same is not upto the expectations, then it’s nothing more than a scrap, however, in case, one considers the ‘cost’ as a factor only, while purchasing a bike, then one would certainly get a bike which would be in consonance to the expectations, even if it’s cheap one, particularly, when every bike is upgradable, except the frame & fork, for the changed demands by changing tyres, saddle, brakes and/or pedals etc.

For information only:

In India, good bikes, without pre-installed gears, would be available at around 8-10 thousand Rupees and with pre-installed gears, the costs would be around 13-20 thousand Rupees. I hereby would not point-out which is/are the best bike/s currently available in the Indian-markets, rather, I, having furnished you with the requisite intel thereto, leave it up to you to decide the best/suitable for yourself.

                       

Components: -

While proceeding with our voyage, now let’s know about the components of the bikes, deserving the necessary consideration thereto:

A) Gear: This component is the most important one in a cycle, since any trouble with this, has to be repaired by the professionals, otherwise, a cycle would always have an uncertain & troublesome ride. So, before purchasing a bike, consider major brands (viz. ‘Shimano’, Compagnolo, SRAM, Microship, etc.), and more expensive, this component would be lighter, featureful, and smoother-gearshifts a cycle would  gain.
                   

A good cycle should have a ‘11/32’ gear-ratio (meaning thereby that lowest gear would have eleven tooth and the largest one would have thirty-two tooth) to ride on hills, otherwise, it would be harder to push, even if ratio is slightly different, likewise in case of ’11/28’ ratio. To ride hills enjoyable and not forceful, one should have extra tooth on the gears.

B) Rear Derailleur: This component is the most necessary for gear system, since it is only this, which shifts chain from one gear to another. So, it must be of good quality for smooth gear-shifting, otherwise, the chances of gear-stuck would increase to an alarming level.

                                            

Appositely, it would be necessary to add herein that albeit, the wired derailleurs are issueless, but in some markets wireless rear-derailleur are also available, however, the same have exorbitant price-tags, so it depends upon your finances to opt it.

C) Chain-ring: There are numerous types of chain-rings in the market, but mainly those of only three kinds (i.e. firstly, the sole chain-ring, secondly, the two chain-rings in one component, one would be small and other ring would be larger (as depicted by the figure hereinbelow) and third, would have three chain rings, however, all would have different tooth ratios viz 50:34 (one of the best ratios); 48:32 or 46:30. The purpose of this is to have better acceleration, while converting every magnitude  of force from body to cycle-acceleration. The better the ratio, the better the acceleration and it would further help you to push your bike over the hills/mountains.
                  
                  Doubled Chain-ring

                                          

D) Brakes: The next component requires your consideration is Brakes, these are available in two types: 1) Rim Brakes & 2) Disc Brakes. The disc brakes, although expensive than rim brakes but have much advantages over the rim brakes viz. good for inclination in hill/mountains, more robust; better control in rain, however, if you would ride only in dry and flat surfaces then rim brake are adequate, lighter and inexpensive than discs.

     Rim Brakes                    Disc Brakes
              

            

E) Frames: The frame is the chassis of the cycle, and the lighter & stronger the frame the better & prominent effect would be upon the ride. The frame should be of such a quality which could easily bear the regular wear & tear and while bearing those, it should absorb the road bumps etc., without any hitch. The cycles now-a-days are manufactured from steel, (usually used for budget bike), aluminum or aluminum alloys (used for good bike but not for high-end and/or for exorbitant price tags) and carbon fiber (used for professional bike, with exorbitant prices tags). The steel would be the least to absorb those road bumps being the heaviest and the carbon-fiber is the most strongest of them, and could bear anything, however, in case, one can’t bear the exorbitant price tags of carbon-fiber bikes, then most appropriate option would be to buy aluminum frame with carbon-fiber fork, since that would certainly nails every sound/noise, while riding the bike.

                 
                    Cycle Frame

                           

Besides, the frame should be designed in such a way that it provides ample wheel clearance, so that in case of change of tyres/wheels, the frame should be able to adapt with it.

F) Rims: Bicycle rims basically comes in only one type for regular user, i.e. spokes rims. And what we have to consider is higher the number of spokes in the rim, better the strength it would have, and second to consider, diameter of the rim, usually it is 26, 27 or 28, but 26 inch would be better would, since there is abundance of such rims size in the market, at least in India.

G) Wheels: Basic bike purchased would come with basic wheels, however, these could be upgraded without any issue, as one gets serious towards pursuing the passion of biking. For info, wider tyres are better, since these provide more grip, and low rolling-resistance.

H) Other Relevant Considerations: firstly, ‘saddle’ – the downy the better, and secondly, pedals, these should be clipless, if travelling for long distances.

Now, our voyage has come to an end, and I hope this article would have cleared all the clouds around your view, by elevating your knowledge, and also hope that you would get to your cycle and pursue your passions of biking/cycling.

Pertinently, I would suggest you to prefer and look for brands with better guarantee/s options, if you are opting for the cycles costing above Rs.13-15k in India.

However, in case of any doubt, you could contact me, and I would try to resolve the issue, you might be confronting.