Choose a bicycle from the many new hybrid bicycle styles that are available today. While at the bicycle shop, get safety gear for comfortable and stress free riding.
A Bicycle Must Fit You
There are three basic types of bicycles: road, hybrid, and mountain. For the last few decades, bicycles were primarily used for racing and for off-road recreation. The hybrid bike was more popular with people who could not decide between these recreational uses. Since gas prices have climbed and carbon emissions have become an ecological concern, the hybrid has taken off as the right bike for commuting and running errands. Hybrids are best for getting exercise.
Today’s hybrids come in a daunting number of styles. They are called urban bikes, commuting bikes, city bikes, cruisers, and comfort bikes. At one end of the hybrid spectrum, the performance hybrid has thin wheels and other features that make riding fast and efficient. The cruiser and comfort bikes are the most like bicycles from the 1960s. They have large seats and curving handle bars. In between, are a range of bicycles with features intended to appeal to particular lifestyles and riding styles.
Local bike shops are very busy helping their new customers find bikes that suit particular needs. You should visit several manufacturers’ Web sites: Trek, Gary Fisher, Diamondback, Specialized, Fuji, and more. Then go to one or more bike shops to talk to staff about features you like and where you plan to ride.
After choosing a bike, have the shop staff lift the seat to your height. You should be able to extend your legs when pedaling and touch the ground with your toes. Be sure that the seat to handlebar length is comfortable for you and suits the length of your arms.
Buy Bicycling Safety Gear
Buy a helmet that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission; look for the CPSC label. A good fitting helmet should sit level on your head and not shift easily. The v-straps on each side should be adjusted to fit beneath the ear lobes. The chin strap should be snug, leaving about a finger’s width of room. See instructions on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration site.
- Buy a mirror to fit on handlebar or helmet. You want to be able to look behind without swerving. Learn to rely on a bicycle rear view mirror as you would a car mirror.
- Buy a bicycle lock to fasten your bicycle to a stand when in a store or other location.
- Buy gloves if you plan to ride for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time. They will relieve pressure and prevent the sensation of your hands “falling asleep.”
Next, buy lessons in effective riding and bicycle maintenance. Lessons will make you a more confident rider on today’s busy highways. Regular riders believe that confident and predictable riders ensure motorists that they can share the road with bicyclists. Lessons in maintenance will allow you to fix a loose chain or flat time so that you won’t be stranded.
Look for League of American Bicyclists courses. Riding and maintenance courses are also offered by Parks and Recreation Departments and bike shops.
