When its time and you’ve made up your mind or, when that moment hits you like a brick, and you tell yourself it’s time for a new bike. It’s important that you have some basic ideas ready to go when you show up to talk shop and get the bike you want at a price you can justify.
1. The most important thing is to have a price point. Know how much you can spend and be willing to give yourself a little bit of wiggle room. There are so many models of bikes, styles of size, materials, colors, gears, group sets, brakes, wheels sizes, tire treads, seats, angles, reaches, and names of manufactures it will make your eyelids sweat. Don’t get caught up in all that and, don’t believe that you have to spend a fortune to get some of these specific items to fit your style. By setting a price limit it allows you to be realistic about what your wanting and, it allows the salesperson some restraint on what they will want to show you. As opposed to showing you what you cant afford.
The goal is to get the most bang for your buck. If you come in under your price limit, that’s great. Now you can go celebrate with a bottle of whiskey or cranberry juice, its your party and its your money. Or, now with the extra cash you can think about the extra accessories which, is most often the miscalculated part of the deal. I see it all the time. The lock $50.00, the lights $40.00, the Bell $15.00, the helmet $60.00, the shoes, the shorts, sunglasses, panniers, sunscreen, etc. It is too hard to remember all that and still budget it. So be kind to yourself and, allow for some room to accommodate the onslaught.
2. Have an idea of what you want to ride. You know from your old bike what you liked and, hated about it. Take that along with you on your next search. However if you’re just starting out and new to riding, then ride everything. This applies for everybody in the market, ride every style, type, and price of bike you can. Reading up on the different styles and brands of bikes is always a good thing to bring to the table but, riding is the key. Test riding bikes will help you really define what you consider performance and/or cheap. Its easy for a magazine or, a shop to tell you that a particular brand is the best thing in the universe and nothing compares, when thier walls are lined with the brands they are referring to, and every other page is a advertisement for the bike in question. Although, be careful about what you say, especially around the BPA shop, because we guarantee to turn your head, and make you zip your trap with a huffy.
Once you tried on an arrange of bike styles and prices, you will be able to choose something with confidence. It might motivate you to pick up those extra shifts at work or, you will realize that price and name don’t always mean performance.
3. Everything is not set in stone, be willing to haggle. Even the big shot bike shops will dance a bit if they know your ready to bite.
4. Don’t believe the hype. If you hear the salesperson talk down about second hand bikes or, other bike shops, then you’re dealing with a vulture, not a bike deal-er. Our main purpose in having a bike shop is to promote bicycling for all people and there price ranges. Yes, we need and want money. It is a necessary evil but, you deserve the best bike for you. Its important that you can afford it and most of all that you love it. All bikes are cool, but when someone is riding it, that’s when it becomes a thing of legend, in your mind and heart. So, don’t believe the negative.
5. Know your size. You will find at most bike shops, that any employee will be able to size you up for a bike your size, just by looking at you. Her’s what you gotta know when figuring it out for yourself, by yourself. This goes for both genders and all sizes of bikes; it shouldn’t hurt or, make you sing when standing over the top tube of the frame. Generally, with a road bike you want it just grazing your Netherlands. The tight fit shows that when sitting on the seat, there will be proper leg room on the down stride and the up stride, that it performs with your bodies in movement which uses our strength and energy in the most effective and efficient way. As if, you and the road bike are fluid and one. Together you glide over bumps and, slide around pot holes like water does to a rock. I like to refer to riding road bikes as; ” Zen Motion.” A Mountain bike should have about 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches of clearance. You will be thankful for the extra room when dismounting. Mountain bikes are designed to be more physically demanding and able to go through pot holes and jump, dip, jerk, push, and punch through the trail. These ideas are just a start to figuring out the bike that mutates with your body structure. There is much more to cover and that should be relayed to you by your salesperson when you’re trying out bikes. I’ll be sure to cover that in a blog coming to a lap top near you.
6. Always buy from a reputable dealer! Make sure that they will back there own work and, that they will help you be comfortable and safe, as well as make the adjustments, answer your questions and, listen to your suggestions.
7.The last and most important thing to keep in mind when you’re buying a bike for you is; have fun. Be open to new ideas, the bike industry is coming out with new concepts daily. I believe that BPA is helping revolutionize the way bikes are thought of and built. So, be inquisitive, ask questions, check around at other shops, compare prices, don’t forget to ask about warranties. Make sure it fits not only your body, but also your style! We are a vain and, we all want to be seen and heard. We all express ourselves in every different ways. Some of us like clothes, tattoos, and now our bikes. It is your excessory, it says who you are, and what you are trying to do and accomplish in the moment, the day, and in life. So, let your freak flag fly when it comes to your bike. Have fun, feel healthy and, get involved. Be active, allow creativity and, motivate yourself and, your friends, your neighbors, and your community, to ride bikes.
So, when its time to look for a new bike, you will know a few things and, will be properly prepared. Prepared not only means knowing what you want but also, knowing what you don’t want will fend off any preconceived attitudes that the salesperson will have of you. We, here at BPA, will not dominate you into submission so that you end up walking out with a bike you don’t want. So, good luck and, may the force be with you.
