Knowing what to look for in your new bicycle is of paramount importance. Choosing their next bicycle is difficult, even for professional riders. Because there are so many choices, it is hard to buy a new bike. Planning ahead for things like bike use, safety and comfort, as well as where it will be ridden, and what it looks like, will help you make a better decision. Trying to keep yourself informed of all the new choices, as well those just about to be released, can make it really hard to finally choose the bike for you. Take the easy road, and use the tests we suggest to choose your new ride.
It is important to know how your bike comes to a stop. You have to think about what you are most comfortable with along the lines of stopping your bicycle. For light use you can get a bike with traditional brakes, ones which simply squeeze the tires with small pads. If you are going to be using your bicycle more often or in heavy terrain, you will want brakes that are a little more hard core and complicated. These disk brakes are perfect for serious bike use, they sit inside the wheel and will be able to handle heavy use without malfunction.
If you intend to get a road bike then take 9" away from your total inseam. This is to account for the size of tires you will use on a road bike. City riding is done with thin tires, designed to work perfectly with the smooth concrete roads and sidewalks you find in a city. You will want to subtract 12" for a mountain bike. Again this is to account for the size of tires. Mountain bike tires will be thick and designed for mountainous terrain. You can use mountain bikes for city cycling, but the opposite is not true and they are nowhere near as good on city streets as road bikes.
Another essential element in a comfortable cycling experience is the angle of the seat(also known as the saddle). There are several angles you can tilt your seat at. What angle you tilt your seat at is solely going to depend on what position you find most comfortable. The seat allows you to make this adjustment to conform to your desired riding position. You may not want to adjust the seat at all in the beginning, then after a ride realize that the way it was positioned is great site not the way you want it at all.
As you can see, there are several things you should keep in mind when you decide on a bicycle that's right for you. It can be a bit tedious and frustrating to try and figure out what all you need when you are buying a bicycle. If you will not jump into things and try and educate yourself on what you need, you will be pleased with the results.