Buying a new bicycle can be a tedious task. Buying a new bike is like purchasing a vehicle, the more effort you put into the purchase, the more satisfaction that you'll have in the long run.
There are three main factors when purchasing a new bike; weight, cost, and durability.
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First, determine the purpose of buying a bike. Do you want to use the bike for commuting? How about mountain bike riding? Do you want to perform tricks on a bike? Determine which type of a rider you are is the first step in purchasing a bike.
The weight of a bike is what most advanced riders are concerned about when buying a bike. The price difference between a 22 pound bike and 23 pound bike can be considerably large. If you are a beginner and are planning on doing recreational and "light" riding, choosing a bike that is a bit heavier and cheaper is the right option as you do not need to spend a fortune on a bike with functions you'll never use.
Should you buy a bike from a bike shop or from a discount store? This depends on if you want to hand assemble your bike or have a professional assemble it. When you purchase your bike from a discount store, most of the time your bike is in a box and hand assembly is required. Likewise if you do pay additional money to get your bike assembled at the discount store, most of the employees are not bike mechanic professionals, this will result in you paying double as you will have to take your bike to a bike shop to repair your bike. There have been times where people have purchased their bikes from a discount store and went mountain biking and the first dip that they encountered resulted in a totaled bike.
Choosing quality over price is an important factor in our price sensitive society. However choosing the cheaper bike is not always the best option as costly repairs can add up. If you purchase a more expensive bike from a licensed bike store, minor repairs are usually free and most times bikes purchased from a real bike shop do not break as often.
Make sure you test ride the bike before purchasing it. Here are a few tips when test riding a bike. Is the bike to high for you? Your knees should be slightly bent when riding. If your knees are locked when riding, the bike is too tall for you. Is it comfortable? If you are not an advanced rider, then choose a bike that is comfortable (bigger seats). Are the gear shifters responsive? Make sure to shift through all the gears at a medium speed. Do a "hard-stop" with the bicycle when moving at a fast rate. Do the breaks squeak? Are they responsive? These are factors you should take into consideration. Test the durability of the bike by riding on uneven ground and on the dirt. There's nothing like purchasing a bike and noticing later that it does not respond well on uneven terrain.
This article went over some key factors when choosing a bike. Make sure to check the purpose of the bike, weight, durability and cost. Remember that cost is important, but it shouldn't be the main factor when purchasing your new bicycle.