My Bicycle Buying Rules

With this likely being a big weekend for bicycle purchases I thought I would share my three rules for bicycle purchases.

RULE  1: Purchase a bicycle that is the same style or at least a similar style that your riding partner or buddies will be riding.

This rule is made to keep the fun factor up when you’re riding. It is no fun if you are riding a different style then your friends. You know the friend that has the mountain bike and you have the hybrid bike and they head off the paved trail to explore this dirt path that they saw and you struggle with your hybrid to stay upright as they ride off. This rule levels the playing field for everyone involved. Everyone in the group will have the same advantages and challenges as the other riders in the group. This way a rider won’t be at a mechanical disadvantage from the rest of a group. (Different wheel sizes roll at different speeds, different bicycles are geared differently.) This rule is especially important to follow in relationships.

Rule 1 B: Purchase a bicycle for the majority of your riding. If you are only going to be riding off road 10% of the time, don’t purchase a bicycle that is perfect for the 10% of riding you’ll be doing. Purchase it for the 90% of the riding. If you have some epic trip planned for the 10% of the riding style, rent a bike for that ride.

RULE 2: Always buy a bicycle one step above where you think you want to be.

Bicycles have come a long way since many people have purchased a bike. At Crofton Bike Doctor we are going to do a great job of helping the customer pick out the right bike for their riding and then properly fit them. I can’t tell you how many times I have had people who came back and said “I was only going to ride once or twice a week for 5 miles and now I am riding two to three times a week with at least a ten mile ride.”  For many of these customers they feel they outgrow their bikes sooner than later. Sadly for many customers they have never ridden a properly assembled and properly fit bicycle. When they do a new world is opened to them.

Did you know? The shop you choose to purchase your bike from will have a great influence in how your bike works and fits. Bicycles are not like microwaves that are ready to work out of the box. Bicycles require about forty five to sixty minutes of assembly time. Then you have the additional fitting time.

RULE 3: I rather see you purchase the right accessories with your bike then spend all of your money on the bike and have nothing left for accessories. (This rule sort of contradicts rule 2.)

A bike is going to be a lot more fun to use with the right accessories then without. I always recommend that customers figure out what accessories they will need to purchase and then back that out of the budget with the remainder being spent on the bicycle.

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the “Right Accessories”

With these rules and a trip to your local bike shop you’ll be on your way to a great ride on a new bicycle.