choosing the right bicycle

There are many types of bicycle available, each with a different purpose and range of features. If you are new to cycling - or returning to the saddle - it can often be a bit daunting making the right choice from the many options available.

Your local cycle shop is the best source of advice and information to assist you in making the right decision, and of course nothing can substitute sitting on a bike and giving it a test ride to decide if its right for you before you buy.

Here is some useful information to help you get started.

A couple of questions you need to answer

• "What type of cycling will I be doing?" - to get the most out of your bike and enjoyment when you are using it think about what type of cycling you will be doing most of. Cycling for transport - such as to work or the shops. Cycling for leisure - such as along local cycle paths, forest routes or mountain biking. Cycling for competition - such as road or off-road racing.
  
  
• "What's my budget?" - you get what you pay for and never more so that when it comes to buying a bicycle. Try and get the best you can afford because it will ultimately be a better investment in terms of quality components, features and durability. We generally suggest that a budget of around £200 is really the starting point for a good quality adult bicycle for general leisure / transport use.
  
• Further information on how much to spend can be found here
  

• View our list of the different types of bicycle here