Bike Buying Guide

So many bikes, so many choices!! This is how to narrow down your choice, in buying the perfect bike for your needs.

Shop11 Ross Crt Tel. (07) 3821 2801

Bloomfield St Fax. (07) 3821 2802

Cleveland 4163 ABN: 88 485 424 537

www.redlandscyclecity.com.au

Let us help you make that choice!!

Dear Cyclist

It doesn’t matter if you are a high flyer or a low roller, if you have the perfect bike for your level of riding, it will be a joy to ride it and you will be in it for a lifetime. Top athletes use only the best, precision-made equipment. In Cycling they need something that is light but strong, like something out of NASA’S space lab. Frames are made from a combination of alloys to Carbon fiber and even pure Titanium. Not everyone can afford the fifteen or twenty thousand dollar racing machines that they use for 3 weeks on the roads of the Tour de France.

Where do you find your specific bike in this see of seemingly endless variety of bicycles? Must it be a Hybrid, Comfort, Road, Flat bar Road, BMX, or a Mountain bike? Must it have Carbon Seat-stays or chain-stays or both? Do I need an oil-bath or an oil cartridge front suspension fork or can I go without both of them? You need an expert well trained person to tell you the difference to help you make the right choice. We are those people; we are those expert well trained persons.

We know bikes. We ride bikes. We love bikes.

We endeavor to help you make that very important choice. It is our Cycle City Promise that you will be satisfied with your choice of bike or accessories, purchased with us. We guarantee our workmanship is of a very high standard and that you can have the peace of mind that our qualified mechanics and salespersons will look after you and your bikes.

Please take the time to read our bike buying guide and then come and visit us at our shop in Cleveland where you will find our friendly staff ready to serve you.

Yours faithfully

Henry Engelbrecht

Get the right bike the first time

Step 1: Type of rider

As you can see, looking at the chart above, there are many different levels of bikes available. You must decide in which category you fall and then come and see what is available at our store. It is great to save some money upfront, but like most things in life you get what you pay for.

If you know what kind of rider you are, you can go unto the next step.

Step 2: Size

Don’t shop for a certain size, because each bike manufacturer uses different methods to size their bikes up. First decide which brand you will go for and then get measured up to make sure what size you need.

You might ask: “How important is getting the right size?” It is most probable the most important aspect of buying a bike. Just imagine buying clothes that is too small or too big. You will always feel uncomfortable. The same goes for the size of your bike. Only the right size will feel comfortable.

There are more than eight measurements that you have to get right to have the perfect position on the bike, where the frame size is the most important, because you cannot change that after you’ve purchased the bike. All other parts of the bike can be changed so that the other measurements to get your ideal position will be met. That brings us to the next step.

Step 3: Fitting you on the bike

Every measurement with you on the bike must be correct to the centimeter. Just the perfect fit on the bike will give you the most efficient pedal stroke i.e. you will go faster and use less energy to do so. The risk of getting injured will also be minimized. Here at Cycle City we can do that for you. It only comes with years of experience and good training and here at Cycle City we’ve got plenty of that.

Some of the measurements we look at are:

· Crank length

· Pedal/Cleat position

· Headstem length

· Headstem angle

· Position of brakes

· Seat height

· Seat position (angle, forward/backwards)

· Knee to pedal position

· Top tube length

· Handlebar width

Too many bike shops don’t get it right. We’ve seen it all, from the cannonball-forward to the lazy-boy position. You have to make sure you don’t compromise efficiency with comfort.

Step 4: Accessories

In our shop you can choose from a wide variety of accessories. We stock over $200 000 worth of stock in just accessories.

Final word:

We don’t sell bikes in boxes. When we get the bikes from our suppliers, we put them together and perform over a hundred checks before you can take it out of the door. Unfortunately, some other bike shops are taking shortcuts in this area which might lead to your bike not working well. Be well assured our competent staff will check the whole bike before selling it to you as if it were their own bike they are buying.

Remember that with each bike purchase you will receive $69 worth of services for free. Within the first 4-6 weeks your bike will be run-in and will be in need of a proper service. We offer that first service for free. We do not, like other bike shops offer a “free adjustment”, we offer the same service as we do on a $69 service. NO SHORTCUTS!!!

Through the local cycling clubs, we offer organized and self-guided rides so that you can enjoy your cycling experience with likeminded people.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Call us at (07) 3821 2801 and make an appointment to buy your next bike or just pop in at any time to Shop 11 in Ross Court, Bloomfield street which are next to Queensland Transport in Cleveland.

Until we meet

Happy Cycling