When you set out to buy a new retail bicycle, your two top factors are most likely to be price and fit. A quality bike with a carbon frame will top $2,000 as of 2010 and can go as high as $10,000. If your budget is closer to $400 to $600, you'll still be looking for good value in an aluminum frame and can save more by finding older models of quality brands, ConsumerSearch recommends.
Step 1
Select a type of bicycle by the type of riding you enjoy. Look at mountain bikes for trails; road bikes for long distances on paved roads; and hybrids and commuter bicycles for intermediate distances, urban commuting, suburban transportation and mixed use. Within these types, you can check the specs on women-specific designs, which as the name indicates are fitted to the smaller feet and hands of women as well as providing more comfortable seats.
Step 2
Compare sizes, frame and fork composition, wheels and tires, drivetrain and components and manufacturer's suggested retail price. Avail yourself of online tools that compare up to three bikes by different makers at once, such as the websites Mazlow Find Your Ride or PedalsMonkey. Or compare models by a single manufacturer; Trek's website offers "Compare Bikes" drop-downs. You can for example look at side-by-side specs on Trek's women-specific designs for its flagship Madone WSD model, the Cronus Pro WSD and the Ion Super WSD.
Step 3
Narrow the choices to your three top models. Visit at least three independent bike retailers to compare the actual bikes.
Step 4
Measure for your frame size. Run a tape measure from the floor to your crotch to come up with an inseam length in inches; multiply this measurement by 1.7. For example, if your inseam is 30 inches, multiply by 1.7 to come up with a frame size in centimeters, in this case 51 cm. For mountain bikes, look for 2 cm to 4 cm of step-over height, which refers to the distance between your crotch and the top tube when straddling the bike.
Step 5
Test ride bikes within your calculated frame size. Test ride a larger or smaller frame size if you have a longer or smaller torso such that the frame doesn't feel comfortable. Also, test ride bikes by different manufacturers; Cannondales, for example, have longer top tubes to fit long torsos. Or test ride a women-specific design, which will adjust the top tube for the shorter torso of a woman.
Step 6
Make your final choice based on thorough test rides. Evaluate comfort, shifting, braking, suspension and handling, taking the bike on hills and hard turns as well as sudden stops.
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