5 frequent errors when buying a bike ... and how to avoid them

Posted on August 30, 2021

We are all spent here, stuck with a bike which does not really suit us. It may have been due to an offer that we could not pass, or a model we had always dreamed, or just a beautiful design! We did not know how to resist and, afterwards, the bike of our dreams turned out to be as well as we imagined it ...
If you are new in the world of cycling, you may not have committed this error yet. But here, at The Cyclist House, we all did it. It's normal because cycling is a sport of passion. So sometimes our emotions take over the reason.

To help you avoid some traps we have met ourselves, we will talk about five mistakes made by many beginner cyclists when buying their bike. We will help you avoid and buy, at first, the bike of your dreams and that suits you!

Error 1: Not be prevalent enough

Many beginner cyclists make the mistake of buying a bike for today and not for tomorrow, off it is difficult to predict where cycling will bring you. At The Cyclist House, during our many years of practice, we liked several types of cycling: the road, the Bike, the gravity, then the cyclocross etc ... Our desires and our interests change and evolve over time, you have to try to take into account this parameter. If you plan to ride with friends, you will be able to look or even try (if they are nice!) Their bike to help you in your choice.

It is essential to ask the good questions upstream. Do you want lightness and speed? Turn to a race bike. Do you prefer adventure and more difficult paths? Prefer mountain biking, VTC or Gravel bikes. If, on the contrary, you want comfort and a more right posture, focus on a city bike.

Error 2: Buy a bike according to your rear derailleur

It is a classic bike industry trick: put a beautiful rear derailleur on a bike, then lesin on the other components. A road bike equipped with a shimano ultegra rear derailleur will not always have controllers, cranks and ULTEGRA brakes. It is not necessarily wrong to have an ultegra derailleur with controllers and brakes 105, for example. But do not conclude it directly that this is a complete ultegra model. Take the time to read the bike characteristics you want to acquire, to know exactly what you will have in the hands. This can make the difference between a bike you will like for many years and a bike you will get tired quickly and that you will constantly improve. All Used certified bikes That we sell have a complete list of components - we do not hide anything!

Error 3: Buy only a bike

Just as important to get cycling than buying a bike, he  there is the purchase of accessories: it is essential! You have certainly planned a budget at your first bike, you can now deduct € 400 from it. Although trying to increase your budget to get the best possible bike, it is essential to use part of it for high quality accessories and clothing. Shoes, a strand shorts, sunglasses and a suitable helmet will make a bigger difference than slightly better components or wheels. Comfortable and well-adjusted items will allow you to ride better and longer.

Error 4: Buy a bike that does not suit you perfectly

Find the perfect bike size for you is not always obvious! There are many parameters to take into account. But nYou offer a general picture of sizes that can already help you determine the size of bike that suits you. The sizes are based on the height of the cyclist, but some people have relatively longer or shorter arms and / or legs. Unfortunately, we can not cover all the shades of bicycle size in this article. If you wish to know more about the different sizes and measures to take into account, we invite you to read This article.

Here are some simple tips to follow:

Things to do: 

• Use our sizes to get a general idea of ​​what might be suitable for you.
• Check the bicycle manufacturer's website for additional tips on size - they sometimes offer size calculators or cyclist size suggestions.
• Take the bike of a similar person and roll on to have a point of reference.
• Ask our experts if you are not sure of your size.

Things to Do not do: 

• Assume that you can correctly adapt a bike with an extremely short or long stem.
• Provide a saddle stem too high or too low in the frame to adapt to the bad frame
• Assume that the size system of a bicycle manufacturer corresponds to that of another manufacturer (this is not particularly the case for mountain bikes).

Waist guide for road bike

But the size of the bike you choose is not just a matter of measurements and dimensions. You also need to feel comfortable and have a good feeling. This will make your outings much more enjoyable!

Error 5 (and not least!): Buy a new bike

Good, since THE CYCLIST HOUSE Is the reference for certified used bikes, this advice could make you look up in heaven, but let's listen well! If you start in cycling, your budget is probably limited. You may not surely want to continue practicing this sport until the end of your days. And it is very likely that you did not notice the difference between a bike of 2021 and a model of 2019 (honestly, it happens that experienced cyclists can not distinguish them either). So when you buy a used bike, you avoid immediate impairment (think of your car if you have one). You do not have to fear from scratching the new and brilliant painting on your bike if you drop it (and you will do it!). And finally, if you buy a used certified bike at The Cyclist House, you can enjoy our Guaranteed redemption program To move on to another model or resell it to recover your money, and that, as soon as you want.