1. Set your goals<\/h2>\n
Where to start? Well, we\u2019d recommend deciding on your goals for the bike. If you can describe what you want to do with your new bike, you\u2019ll start to immediately narrow down your options.<\/p>\n
Broadly speaking, you have the following main options when it comes to deciding on the best bike<\/a> for your needs: a road bike, mountain bike, hybrid bike, gravel bike, folding bike, city bike or singlespeed\/fixie.<\/p>\n Form follows function, and that\u2019s especially true of bikes. Different bikes are intended for different types of riding and some are very speci\ufb01c to their purpose. While most bikes will be versatile enough for you to ride to work, to the shops and round the hills on the same bike, honing in on your goals will result in choosing a bike better-suited to your riding intentions.<\/p>\n One of the most common aims is simply to start cycling to work<\/a>, replacing the crush of public transport or the (financial and environmental) cost of driving.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re in the UK, Cycle to Work schemes<\/a> make this an attractive, tax-efficient way to buy a bike. If you\u2019re not based in the UK, see if your local government offers a similar scheme.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the best bike for commuting<\/a>? Many bike commuters prefer the more upright position provided by a \ufb02at handlebar, on a hybrid bike<\/a> designed to combine speed, comfort and versatility.<\/p>\n Drop-bar road bikes<\/a> are another good option for the commuter, especially those bikes designed with the ride to work in mind and with the required mounts for mudguards and a rack. They\u2019re also likely to be a bit faster than a hybrid.<\/p>\n In either case, it\u2019s a good idea to fit mudguards<\/a> to protect yourself from rain \u2013 important if you intend to commute by bike regularly \u2013 and possibly a rack at the rear to carry luggage more comfortably than in a backpack<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want to venture further afield than the ride to work, a hybrid or road bike will also allow you to explore country lanes and bike paths at the weekend.<\/p>\n If your goals are a bit sportier or you\u2019re expecting to ride further, but still on tarmac, then you should almost certainly be looking at drop-bar bikes.<\/p>\n They come in race-oriented designs, with a more aggressive, aerodynamic riding position<\/a>, or endurance-type bikes, where the position is a bit more upright.<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re racing, an endurance road bike<\/a> is the sensible option, with a more relaxed geometry and, in many cases, increased versatility thanks to increased tyre clearance and mounting points for mudguards and a rack.<\/p>\n If you are focused on performance, and are confident a racier position will work for you, the latest aero road bikes are designed for all-out speed, while climbing bikes place more focus on low weight.<\/p>\n If you want to head out onto the trails, then a mountain bike is the way to go. Perhaps you\u2019re already into outdoor sports and you want to get deeper into the countryside, or you fancy zooming round your local trail centre or bike park.<\/p>\n Either way, you need an upright position for control, fat tyres with lots of grip, a big range of gears and powerful brakes.<\/p>\n Bridging the gap between road bikes and mountain bikes, the best gravel bikes<\/a> are a popular choice.<\/p>\n They have drop bars, but chunky gravel bike tyres<\/a> with plenty of grip, so you can tackle tow paths and other unmetalled surfaces such as gravel tracks and bridleways, but still ride reasonably fast on roads.<\/p>\n Not con\ufb01dent of your \ufb01tness or want a little help getting up the hills? Take a look at an electric bike<\/a>. The latest advances in battery and motor design mean that electric bikes offer a genuine advantage, especially when it comes to tackling hills and zipping away from the lights.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a broad range of bike styles available with a motor, from flat-bar hybrid electric bikes<\/a>\u00a0to electric mountain bikes<\/a>. You can even find racy-looking electric road bikes<\/a> with drop bars and a neatly-integrated motor.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning \u2018mixed-mode\u2019 trips, such as a commute that involves a train ride, then a folding bike<\/a> may be perfect for you.<\/p>\n While folders are usually a bit slower and heavier than regular bikes, nothing beats their convenience or ease of parking\/storage. You can\u2019t sneak a full-size bike onto a rush-hour train or under your desk. At the luxury end of the market, there are electric folding bikes<\/a> available, too.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not going very far, and you live somewhere \ufb02at, a city bike or \u2018Dutch bike\u2019 is a viable option. Upright, sedate and digni\ufb01ed, they\u2019re perfect for simple transportation.<\/p>\n Similarly simple and well-suited for urban riding are singlespeed or fixie bikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Based on bikes used for racing on indoor bike tracks, \ufb01xies don\u2019t have a freewheel: if you\u2019re moving, you\u2019re pedalling, although most come with the option to swap to a singlespeed with a freewheel, too.<\/p>\n So, you\u2019ve decided what type of bike you need. Now, how much do you have to spend?<\/p>\n Non-motorised bikes typically cost from around \u00a3200 upwards. You can get bikes that cost less, but they\u2019re almost always poor quality.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re buying a cheap road bike<\/a> or cheap mountain bike<\/a>, \u00a3500-\u00a3750 is a good starting point for a \u2018serious\u2019 bike with a quality frame and components. The same goes for a cheap gravel bike<\/a> or good-quality hybrid.<\/p>\n At this price point, you\u2019ll start to see bikes with a relatively lightweight, well-thought-out frame and branded components. Most importantly, it should be durable. The Achilles heel of cheap bikes is that even if they work well when they\u2019re new, they might not stay that way.<\/p>\n However, if your budget can stretch and you plan on using your bike regularly, we\u2019d recommend spending around \u00a31,000. Here, the best road bikes under \u00a31,000<\/a> and best mountain bikes under \u00a31,000<\/a> start to sport quality components, with a frame worthy of upgrading as your riding progresses.<\/p>\n Needless to say, you can spend a lot more. It\u2019s not uncommon for the best road, mountain or gravel bikes to demand five-figure sums. As with any high-end purchase, it\u2019s a case of diminishing returns but, for most committed cyclists, an investment of around \u00a32,000 to \u00a34,000 will get you a top-quality bike.<\/p>\n Bike shops all have their own personalities. A shop that focuses on high-end road racing bikes isn\u2019t necessarily the best place to start if you\u2019re new to cycling<\/a>, unless you enjoy being bamboozled by jargon or just want to look at fancy bikes beyond your budget.<\/p>\n A shop that\u2019s friendly to beginner riders will have staff who run you through a range of options without bamboozling you with jargon. They will ask you what you\u2019re planning to do with the bike \u2013 and listen to your answers \u2013 rather than rattle off a stream of buzzwords.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about making the best purchase, browse a few bike shops before you think about buying. Listen to the way the staff deal with other customers, and get a feel for the type of bikes they sell. Different shops will stock bikes from different brands.<\/p>\n As well as expert advice, a bike shop should make sure the bike is put together properly. Bikes come from the factory in varying states of disassembly, depending on the manufacturer, and the right tools and knowledge are important to make sure the bike is fully safe and roadworthy.<\/p>\n A good bike shop will also offer a post-delivery check-up, typically after a month or two, so they can make sure everything has bedded in properly and is still working well. As bikes need maintenance and replacement parts such as tyres and inner tubes<\/a>, buying a bike can be the start of a long relationship.<\/p>\n A lot of the best deals available on bikes \u2013 new and old \u2013 are to be found on the internet.<\/p>\n Some brands (often referred to as direct-sales brands), such as Canyon and YT Industries, specialise in internet sales and only offer their bikes via the web. You avoid paying the bike shop\u2019s cut of the sale price, so internet vendors usually offer a higher spec for a given price.<\/p>\n However, buying a bike online<\/a> has its drawbacks. You miss out on the personal touch if you buy online, so if you don\u2019t have an expert friend to offer advice, or you\u2019re unsure of what you want and need, you might be better off with a bricks-and-mortar bike shop for your first purchase.<\/p>\n If you do buy online, the bike will likely arrive in a box with some basic assembly required. Assembling a bike<\/a> is a relatively simple job, but it\u2019s worth setting aside at least \u00a330 to \u00a350 to get things sorted mechanically with a basic service during the \ufb01rst month, in case you need some help from a shop.<\/p>\n eBay and other auction sites are another obvious online option. However, we\u2019d only recommend purchasing here if you know specifically what you\u2019re looking for. And make sure you read our guide to buying a second-hand bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section>Are you commuting?<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture><\/div> Is road riding your thing?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Taking to the trails?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>What about an electric bike?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Do you need urban practicality?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>2. Set your budget<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>3. Choose a shop<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>What about second-hand bikes, online shops and direct-sales brands?<\/h3>\n
4. Choose your gears<\/h2>\n