| There are so many different models of bikes | | | | websites out there that also offer reviews of |
| on the market today that it is almost | | | | products. When you're searching the web, |
| impossible for the average rider to know them | | | | however, be very careful as to whose words |
| all. It's a good thing, therefore, that bike | | | | you take as gospel. These days anybody can |
| magazines and websites provide reviews of all | | | | set themselves up as an expert - but very |
| the bikes and gears available. | | | | rarely do they give you a byline and a brief |
| | | | bio so that you know their credentials. And |
| The sport of bicycling has exploded in the | | | | when it comes to buying big ticket items - |
| last several decades. No longer are people | | | | you should know the credentials of the people |
| content with casual over-the-road cycling - | | | | advising you what to buy. |
| not that that has lost its allure, merely | | | | |
| that it has competition now. The sport has | | | | How Much Do You Want To Spend |
| expanded to embrace adventure-loving | | | | |
| individuals who like to head cross country on | | | | Before going out and buying a brand new |
| their fat-tired bikes, or head down mountains | | | | thousand dollar bike, and a couple of hundred |
| at full-tilt, or even go round and round in | | | | dollars worth of bike gear - the shorts, the |
| velodromes. | | | | jerseys, and the cool sunglasses - you have |
| | | | to ask yourself... is your enthusiasm going |
| And with the expanding biking disciplines | | | | to be the same a year from now? |
| comes an expanding array of bicycles - each | | | | |
| one specially designed with certain needs in | | | | Just as many people buy memberships to health |
| mind. | | | | clubs and never go, so many people buy |
| | | | expensive bikes, use them once, and then |
| Now that there are so many models available, | | | | never use them again. You know who I'm |
| made from so many different kinds of | | | | talking about! For newbies to the biking |
| material, with all kinds of sophisticated | | | | scene, you still want to get a good bike - |
| gadgets on them, and with corresponding | | | | because riding an ill-fitting cheap bike that |
| prices to match that sophisticatoin - it's | | | | isn't comfortable and is a pain to pedal will |
| imperative that the buyer make an informed | | | | turn you off biking quicker than anything. So |
| decision. | | | | in a sense you're walking a tight rope. |
| | | | |
| And how can buyers better inform themselves | | | | The solution is to try a few disciplines |
| than by reading reviews of the latest models | | | | first, borrowing bikes from friends who are |
| that come out each year? | | | | "in" to it, checking it out over the course |
| | | | of a couple of weekends, and then making your |
| Every bike magazine has a section that | | | | decision at that time if the sport of biking |
| reviews the latest technology - from the | | | | is for you. |
| bicycles themselves to the various pieces of | | | | |
| gear and accessories that you can add on to | | | | Reading reviews is all very well and gives |
| them. It only makes sense to do as much | | | | you invaluable information when you go out to |
| research as possible before going out to a | | | | acquire the bike or the gear in question, but |
| bike shop to consult with the people there on | | | | there's no substitute for actually getting on |
| what to buy. | | | | the bike and riding it to see if the reviews |
| | | | are right! |
| There are also a vast array of biking | | | | |