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Buying a new bike is a treat, and not just because a shiny new cycle makes you feel like a kid on Christmas morning in a corny TV movie. But, not all bicycles are created equal. Before you pay out a chunk of change for a new bicycle, it makes sense to hop on, give the handlebars a squeeze, and make sure it's the right bike for you. When you head to a bike shop for a test ride on a model you're thinking about buying, make sure you're giving it a full workout with these tips, and nip buyer's remorse in the bud by making a sweet, informed decision about your awesome new wheels.
Keep your Test Ride Near the Bike Shop
It's smart to stay within hoofing distance of the shop you're borrowing the wheels from. That way, if you find the bike uncomfortable, have a question about something, or discover an element that might need to be adjusted, you can simply walk back to home base and take care of whatever's going on. You'll have plenty of chances to break your long-distance record once you've taken your wheels home, but during a test ride, stay in the area of the bike shop, so you can get expert advice from people who know how that particular bicycle works.
Bike a Hill
Within the neighborhood, try to find a hill or incline where you can really put the bicycle through its paces by checking out how it feels when you're riding in low gears at low speeds uphill, and how in control you feel on it in terms of braking and general handling when you're going downhill. Is it quiet and smooth, do you hear any squeaks or weird noises? Do things feel solid or spongy, and is anything difficult to use, or inconvenient to reach? If something isn't copacetic, head back to the bike shop to find out whether it's an issue that can be adjusted, or whether it's a flaw inherent in the bike's design.
Dude, are you Enjoying your Test Ride?
In addition to all the technical stuff, make sure to just take a minute to simply ask yourself if you're having a nice ride. A bicycle that's objectively awesome still might not be the right bike for your riding style, so trust your intuition as well as your tech-spertise. Do you feel like a champion? A rock star? Lance Armstrong? Or like a gangly adolescent with too many (or too few) legs to wrangle? Do you find yourself whistling with joy? Can you see yourself hopping on this steed and biking to work, biking on errands, biking to the movies? Even if the bike you're testing is technically a good bicycle, if you just don't love it, don't be afraid to keep looking until you find the one that's really right for you. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and a bicycle is only worth having if you're going to want to ride it as often as you can.
Imagine the Worst
Once you're feeling pretty comfortable, and have circled the block a bit and dealt successfully with a hill, make sure it’s a bike you'd be able to handle in a worst-case scenario. A bike that you can avoid accidents on is the kind of bike that you want, so give it some speed, and then try some abrupt turns and stops to see how it handles. How responsive is it when you lean, brake, and take corners? A test ride is the ideal time to determine whether you can ride in true confidence.
Got some more tips for how to check out a new bicycle? Leave 'em in the comments, and share your know-how with other readers!
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Want to know what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint? Find out on Planet Green TV's Wa$ted.
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