Bicycle rides.
Cycling is a great way to travel. After all, they can be not only short, but also long. There are fans who drag their “iron horse” with them to other cities and even countries.
And someone rents it on the spot. In any case, he does not need any gasoline or water, and the surrounding landscapes from him to view more conveniently and interestingly than, for example, from the window of a car or train. Good on a GOOD bike you can ride for a day more than one dozen kilometers.
Pay attention to the word “good”. After all, it is on the right bike depends on the success of the journey. Hence the question: how to choose the right bike?
How to choose the right “iron horse”?
Before you buy or rent a bicycle, you need to decide which roads you want to travel on.
Mountain bike.
Mountain bikes are theoretically suitable for trips on the asphalt, but they are designed for off-road travel. That’s why they have wide tires and a protector with a pronounced pattern – a guarantee of excellent grip with the road, whatever it may be: dirt, gravel, grass. In general, about a mountain bike any expert will tell you: “Very reliable horse with the raised safety margin of a design”.
It would seem – that’s the choice of the traveler? But actually it is not quite so. The disadvantages of such a bike includes its significant weight. The fact is that pedaling on such a bike is quite difficult, and therefore develop any significant speed will be difficult. Another disadvantage – tire tread, which this type of bike wears out pretty quickly.
In general, if your routes run exclusively through the countryside and off-road – this is your choice, if not, then do not rush to buy.
Highway sports bike.
For good urban roads, sports bikes are much more suitable: light, fast, with narrow, large-diameter wheels.
But there’s a trick to it, too, which is the inevitable landing of the driver. That is, the cyclist is forced to lean forward while driving, and this may seem uncomfortable to many people.
Well, and capricious, demanding nature of the bike should be considered: if you move it off the asphalt on some less smooth road, the probability of a puncture of the camera becomes almost guaranteed fact.
Tourist bike.
What can a person who is going on a bike trip do? Provided that our traveler is not inclined to extreme, the most suitable for him will be the choice of a tourist bike, which is able to pass through the city roads and forest trails.
The downsides of this type of bike are a big problem with depreciation. But there are also undeniable advantages: a tourist bike can be equipped with a trunk, wings and chain protection. Moreover, even electrical equipment can be installed on it.
Another pleasant thing: some models of tourist bikes can be folded. That is, if, say, you go on a trip by car, but to drive around the neighborhoods of the destination are going to be on a bicycle, folding model – your ideal choice. For the time being, let him wait in the trunk.
When choosing a bicycle, we take into account the height of the bicycle.
When we go shopping for a new bike, we decide in advance which model to buy. Even color plays a big role for someone. But we forget about the very important point: we have to choose a bicycle not only for its purpose, but also for the growth of the cyclist. It’s about the size of the frame: if you make a mistake, the pain in the legs and back cannot be avoided.
How do you choose the ideal bike for you? First of all, let’s remember: since we have already found out that for the average traveler, who is not inclined to perform acrobatic tricks on the bike and ride on the mountains, the best suited tourist models. We will choose them. So.
Bicycle rides for the whole family are a great idea. And if the children have already reached school age, the walk can be a long one. Therefore, the choice of children’s bicycles should also be taken very seriously. And again, the main focus is on growth.
Proper fit implies a flat back, the position of the arms is not above chest level and almost complete straightening of the leg in the knee when it presses on the pedals. Experts advise parents to be guided by the ratio of the child’s height and the diameter of the wheels – for example, when growing 130-140 cm “try on” a bicycle with wheels 18-20 inches.
You can also follow this rule: the distance from the child’s elbow to the tips of his fingers should be no less than the distance from the “nose” of the saddle to the rudder line.