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Advice Centre - Bike Basic's  
 

Tired of that pavement blowing your knees to shreds when you jog? Or is that favourite outfit suddenly looking like a polyester suit? Without any gimmicks or short-term gains riding a bicycle for pleasure or for fitness it is certainly a life-changing experience, one that we hope you adopt.

There is no best bicycle - it depends wholly on what you intend to do with it. And we take the responsibility of finding the right bike for your needs and physical conditions very seriously. Our reputation depends on your enjoyment, and terms and conditions are in place to retain your loyalty for life.

Things you should ask yourself:

What are your primarily interests: fitness, commuting, adventure, family fun? Consider also what your friends and family are riding, and what they enjoy.
Consider your riding style and body type. The more aggressive and/or bigger you are, the more durable the bicycle components need to be.
Consider your budget, keeping in mind the following:

  • Include in your budget the essential accessories you will need. Items such as helmets and puncture repair kits are not trivial add-on's but are essential kit, think about skiing without a jacket or goggles. The chart below defines the recommended accessories for different types of riding.
 
 

Mountain

Road

Commute

Exercise

Leisure

Bell

   

X

 

X

Computer

     

X

 

Gloves

X

X

X

X

 

Helmet

X

X

X

X

X

Hydration

X

X

X

X

X

Inflation

X

X

X

X

X

Lighting

   

X

   

Lock

   

X

 

X

Mirror

   

X

   

Multitool

X

X

X

   

Reflective

 

X

X

   

Shorts

X

X

 

X

 

Tube repair

X

X

X

X

X

 
  • How long do you want this bike to last, and how hard are you on your stuff? Money spent on better components now is much cheaper than buying better upgrades later.
 

Things you should know about bicycles:

· Bicycles nowadays are highly specialized for different riding

· How many different sized shoes can you fit? That's about how many different sized bicycles you can fit. Never compromise the fit of the bicycle for anything. Ever.

· A better quality bicycle will perform better in both the short-term and the long-term.

 
 
 
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