Start the new year by buying a bike. In eight steps, we will help you find your best bike purchase.

1. What kind of cyclist are you?

What type of cycling will you engage in? On a mountain bike it is possible to ride on asphalt, but it is not possible to use a road bike in the forest. In other words, it is about either cycling on the road or cycling in the woods - with some exceptions.

2. How big a bike should you have?

A serious bicycle dealer will help you find the right bike size based on the bike shape and the right seating position.
Since you basically sit in the same position for a longer period of time on a road bike, the sitting position is also more important than on a mountain bike where you move significantly more and where your body is rarely in one and the same position for particularly long.

3. How good a bike do you need?

A more relevant way of categorizing bicycles than based on price is a sorting by level of components and frame materials. When it comes to frame materials, with few exceptions, there is only aluminum and carbon fiber to choose from. In general, it can be said that bicycles with aluminum frames are cheaper than bicycles with carbon fiber frames, but of course there are exceptions here as well.

4. How much are you willing to pay?

Decide how much money you want to spend on a bike. Keep in mind that it is usually a little more expensive than you thought. When you look at bicycles, find out which accessories are included in the price as it is not always obvious what is included. To cycle, you also need shoes, helmet, bottle rack, pump, etc. Expect that you may want to buy something you do not intend to buy from the beginning, but still do it in the end.

5. Who do you want to shop from?

In a bicycle shop, you shop from a salesman who can guide you to a good choice and can also service the bicycle when needed. If you buy a bicycle online, you do not have the personal contact, it is also one of the reasons why bicycles are often cheaper online. Previously, the price was the only reason to shop online, but now many online retailers have a very competitive range. Shopping online requires a little more prior knowledge as you do not get the same help as if you were shopping with a natural person.

6. What do you get for your money?

Once you have acquired a basic knowledge of what kind of bike you want and arrived at the amount you are willing to pay, it is quite difficult to find something really bad. However, there are quite large differences in how much you get for your money. Compare different bikes. A small indication of what the relationship between price and quality / performance looks like in the bicycle industry can be seen in the graph above.

7. Shop at the right time!

Some bike models sell out. Of course, it is the bikes that everyone wants that sell out first. In the fall and winter, you can often buy year models and sizes that are not sold out. The bike shops will have the most to do from the first really nice spring days. Shop before spring is on its way or wait until the autumn sale. It is also during the low season that the bicycle dealer has time to help you a little extra.

8. Out and cycling! Very!

A new and nice bike and all the right stuff does not mean that cycling will go like a dance. You usually get pain in the buttocks, neck, cramps in the legs and experience fatigue. As you get used to the body, it will get better. Even the cycling professionals get a little sore at the beginning of the season. Whatever it is, you will rush forward, km after km and long for the next cycling experience.

Hub-shifted standard bikes

The length of the cyclist Wheel dimension Frame height
90–120 cm 16" 10 ″ (25.5 cm)
110–140 cm 20" 14.5 ″ (37 cm)
130–160 cm 24" 18 ″ (45.5 cm)
150–170 cm 26" 20 ″ (51 cm)
160–180 cm 28 ″ (ladies) 21.5 ″ (54.5 cm)
170–190 cm 28 ″ (men) 23 ″ (58.5 cm)
About 190 cm 28" 24 ″ (61 cm)

Chain shifted

The length of the cyclist Wheel dimension Frame height
118–140 cm 20" 14,5"
135–160 cm 24" 18 ″ (45,5 cm)
155–185 cm 26 ″ -27.5 ″ 20 ″ (51 cm)
165–195 cm 29" 22 ″ (55 cm)

Size chart MERIDA bikes

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Size chart NISHIKI bikes