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