Bicycles are convenient, save gas money and promote good health. They also come in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, models and colors, but choosing the correct one can be difficult without extensive bike knowledge.
Sarah Vukelich, senior in chemistry, rides her bicycle up a hill to her apartment complex just off campus in Moscow. philip vukelich | joseph engle
Many people go for the cheapest or best looking bike, but to find the perfect one there are a number of factors to consider according to T. -Jay Clevenjer, owner of Paradise Creek Bicycles in downtown Moscow.
“Many people have preferences when it comes to biking, but the most important thing to know is what you’ll do with your bike 90 percent of the time,” Clevenjer said.
He said this is important because what you will do with your bike will determine the type of bike to get and it is important to get the right bike for the right purpose. For example, a mountain bike would be appropriate if the sole purpose of purchasing a bike is to go mountain biking, but a mountain bike might not be appropriate for daily commuting.
Another factor to consider when purchasing a bike is the size.
“If you are going to buy a mountain bike and go mountain biking or if you want to go racing, size is very critical but if you are getting a bike for commuting around, size is not that important. A bike that is too small–you can’t pedal it efficiently because you can’t get your legs straight and if it’s too big, you fall over,” Clevenjer said.
Geoff Jensen, an employee at Paradise Creek Bicycles, said he can tell if a bike has been used for the right purpose by taking a quick look at the bike.
“Anytime I’m working with a customer, I always try to see where they are at and explain to them what they need to stop doing wrong. You can get a lot of use out of any bike…sometimes it gets to a point when — in order to get your bike fixed– it costs up to $300 and you better get a new bike,” Jensen said.
Clevenjer said finding the right size can be difficult but there are general guidelines that can help when looking for a bike.
“You need to get a bike [on which] you can stand over the top tube by two inches. For a small person, it would be less than 16 inches, medium size, 16-19 inches and large size is 20-22 inches,” Clevenjer said.
Price is another factor that many people take into consideration when looking for a suitable bike.
Chester Brockington, an employee at Follett’s Mountain Sports located in downtown Moscow, said it’s important to consider how much you have to spend on a bike depending on its purpose.
“The range of prices for bikes is also important to look at when choosing a bike to buy. Depending on its purpose, you can get bikes that cost as much as cars. It all depends on why you need a bike and the type of bike that would suit the purpose,” Brockington said.
Toluwani Adekunle can be reached at [email protected]