How to find the right size bike

While there is no universal method for fitting a bicycle to the rider, fit theories do agree on most things, and proper training and equipment help bike-shop workers and fitters do their job consistently well. You'll have an easier time shopping if you know a few benchmark measurements. Start with figuring your frame size and seat height, and then, when you have the bike, determine your proper cleat placement, saddle position and handlebar reach, in that order.



This is the most variable of all measurements, as it depends greatly on your flexibility. You want a slight angle at the elbow when your hands are on the hoods or drops, but you shouldn't force yourself to bend double to get it. On a new bike, ask the shop to leave the steerer tube long and add 2 inches of spacers under the stem. Move the spacers above or below the stem to fine-tune your fit, and have the shop cut the steerer later, if needed. In socks, place a thin hardcover book, spine up, between your legs with about the same upward pressure a saddle produces. Measure your inseam, from the book's spine to the floor, in centimeters. Multiply that number by 0.65; the result is your approximate road frame size. For example, 81cm x 0.65 = 52.65-a 52 or 53cm frame (sizes are the seat-tube length). Note that compact sizing uses a virtual seat-tube length, so don't go by the stated size unless it has the same virtual size. To convert to inch sizing, divide by 2.54. For mountain bikes, subtract 10-12cm from your road size.



The front of your forward knee should be directly over the ball of your foot when the pedal is at the 3 o'clock position. Check this with a plumb line. If the line doesn't pass the front of the pedal axle, move your seat forward or back on the rails until it does. Your seat should be level, or point at most a couple of degrees up or down. Check it with a carpenter's level. Your knee should have a slight bend in it at the bottom of your pedal stroke. (The bottom is when the crankarm is parallel to the seat tube, not perpendicular to the ground.) To check this, in cycling shoes, pedal unclipped with your heels on the pedals. You should barely maintain contact with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke, without rocking your pelvis. Measure the distance between the bottom bracket and the top of the seat. This is your seat height. It should be very close to the product of your inseam (in centimeters) multiplied by 0.883.



Mount your cleats on your shoes so that the ball of your foot is directly over the pedal spindle for maximum power transfer. Unless you have an unusual stride or stance (splayfoot, etc.), point the tips of the cleats at the tips of the shoes for a neutral pedaling stance to start out. Pay attention to your pedaling style on the first couple of rides and adjust as needed-this is one place where professional fit advice may be worth the cost to help avoid injury. Nowadays, bicycles are easier to ride than ever before. Lightweight frames, indexed derailleur gears (which click-click into place) and strong, reliable brakes mean the bicycles of today are easy-to-use, highly efficient and very safe. Considering the amount of moving parts they are made up of, and the enjoyment to be gained from them, bicycles are remarkably good value for money.



There are many types of bicycle available - ranging from the popular mountain bike, which can cross hill and dale with ease, to the sleek road racing bike used in the Tour de France. In between, there are bicycles for touring, racing against the clock, for transport and, of course, for simply having fun. Which you'll buy depends first on the depth of your pocket and then on what you want your machine to do. How much to spend? Prices range from under £100 to £5000 and above. The cheapest bikes may not be as sturdy or as safe or as long-lasting as slightly more expensive ones.



Even just for casual use it is best to buy the best bike you can afford: it will last longer and will need less repairs in the long-run. But don't forget no matter how much you spend you do not suddenly become faster or more skilful on an expensive bike, it's still your legs that do the pedalling.



A MOUNTAIN BIKE (MTB),(also called ATB, All Terrain Bike), has a strong frame with a basic shape ('geometry') that allows for good hill climbing and plenty of mud clearance. Fat, knobbly tyres for grip, straight handle bars for leverage, lots of gears for getting up hills or on rough ground. Most MTBs also come with suspension forks for comfort and for extra speed over rough terrain. Many also come with rear suspension.



A ROAD BIKE has a lightweight frames with very little 'give' so every ounce of pedalling energy is converted into forward motion, losing nothing in flexing the frame. Road bikes are built to travel fast so come with 'drop handlebars' which give the characteristic 'dropped' riding position for aerodynamic efficiency. Thin tyres mean as little rubber as possible is touching the road, leading to low rolling resistance and greater speed. TOURING BIKEs have a sturdy frame and strong wheel with either drop or straight bars and with lots of gears to get the bike and luggage up hills. Thick treaded tyres add comfort and will cope with rough road conditions. Good tourers also come fitted with mudguards and pannier racks.



City Bikes,also called Hybrid or trail bike are a mixture of mountain bike, tourer and road bike that is an excellent all-round machine. It has similar frame geometry to an MTB, straight bars, but with higher gears and thin tyres so it can travel fast on roads yet still be able to cope with gentle off-road routes. A BMX is a small wheeled, small framed bike with a single gear designed for short-course track racing, ramp skills or riding over and on street obstacles. BMX stands for Bicycle Moto-Cross. BMX racing becomes an Olympic discipline at the 2008 Beijing Games.



On a Recumbent bike the rider is low to the ground in a reclined position, sitting on a seat with a backrest with the legs pushing forward on the pedals situated at the front of the bike. The slungback position is very aerodynamically efficient. Racing recumbents were banned from road racing in the 1930s because they were faster than 'conventional' bicycles. Recumbents come in all shapes and sizes, including trikes. These are often 'fully faired' - ie covered - to increase aerodynamic efficiency. A Tri Bike has a very aerodynamic riding position usually on 'tri-bars' (ie handlebar extensions that mimic the position of a down-hill skier). These sling the rider well forward leading to an aerodynamically efficient position. Triathlon bikes are designed for travelIing fast on flat straight roads.