Before You Buy a Bike, Follow These Tips to Make the Most of Your Test Ride
Just as you would never buy a car without driving it at least a few miles, you shouldn’t buy a bike without tossing a leg over it and going for a ride. Here, Bicycling’s Selene Yeager and Wendy Holliday, Ph.D. in exercise science and bike fitter based in Asheville, North Carolina share their tips on how to get the most out of your test rides. Follow their tips for ensuring you make the best purchase for you!
Figure Out What You Want
Before you head into a shop, have an idea of the type of riding you plan to do, and scan some bike reviews to get ideas about the kind of bike that you want. This helps your local bike shop employees steer you toward the best pick for you, based on your style of riding, your body, and your budget.
Whether buying new or secondhand, cheaper isn’t always better—but nor is it the priciest bike on the market. For cheap bikes, if it seems like it’s too good of a deal, it probably is. But even if you have money to burn, the priciest bikes may not be the right choice for you (yet). That’s because the ultra-high-end models are often designed with bike racing—and bike racers—in mind, and their geometry might be extreme.
“I see two extremes: people buy second-hand bikes because they seem to be good deals, and the bikes don’t fit them at all,” says Holliday. “I’m also seeing people who are spending a lot of money and buying top end bikes that really aren’t designed for recreational riders. The bikes are so aerodynamic that they’re uncomfortable to ride for most newer cyclists and can actually cause pain and injury.”
Ask for a Test Ride
To actually test ride a bike, you have to ask. So even if you’re buying a secondhand bike in a parking lot, make sure the person who’s selling it will let you take the bike for a spin. At a minimum, do a few laps around the parking lot just to make sure everything on the bike is working and that the fit feels comfortable.
Not sure how high to set the seat for your test ride? At a bike shop, they should be able to help you estimate that. If you’re on your own, stand next to the bike and set the saddle to your hipbone height. It may not be perfect, but it should be close!
If possible, try to take out at least three bikes so you can make a real comparison—even if you’re fairly sure about the bike you want. Take your time. Too often, people get stressed about test rides and just spin around the parking lot for 30 seconds and declare it good enough. But try to ride for at least a few minutes to really get a sense of how the bike feels.
At a Minimum, Stand Over the Bike to See the Fit
This is your first line of defense when it comes to fit, especially if you’re in a department store or are meeting someone in a parking lot to purchase a bike secondhand. “Just swing a leg over the bicycle, and you’ll know straight away if that bike isn’t the right size for you. It might not be the perfect size, but being able to comfortably stand over the bike frame is the bare minimum starting point,” Holliday says.
She also suggests checking the reach—how easy is it to sit on the saddle and put your hands on the handlebars? This shouldn’t feel like a stretch, nor should you feel like you’re cramped between the bars and the saddle. (Yes, you can always move your saddle forward or shorten your stem, and vice versa, but those adjustments should be minor tweaks, not requirements just to be able to sit on the bike!)
Get to Know Your Local Bike Shop
Head to your local shop rather than to a big-box store. Your bike shop won’t just be where you buy a bike. It will also be your go-to source for repairs, ancillary gear, information on places to ride, people to ride with, and much more. And unlike big box stores, bike shops will almost always allow test rides when you’re bike shopping. (If a shop won’t let you try before you buy, walk away!)
“Having a good relationship with a local bike shop is so helpful,” says Holliday. “Sure, you can probably get a bike cheaper online or at a department store. But at bike shops, you’re able to get educated about your bike, you can find out about great spots to ride in your area, you can get introduced to clubs and groups, and you can get advice about your riding. It can be daunting, but a good shop will make you feel at home.”
A caveat: Not all bike shops are created equal. If you don’t get the service you expect at the first shop you enter, leave and try another. Though most shops are friendly and accommodating to riders of all shapes, sizes, and levels of experience, you’ll probably run across a few that seem to give the time of day only to a select few. No need to give them your hard-earned cash when there are plenty of places that will give you the attention you deserve.
Buying Online? Test a Friend’s Bike
You know your measurements, and you know the measurements of a bike from a different company that fits you pretty well. So, ordering online should be easy, right? With more bike companies switching to a direct-to-consumer model where you shop online and it’s shipped to your door, it’s tempting to hit Buy Now. But if possible, try to find a friend who has a bike from that company, so that you can get their honest opinion and even do a quick test ride to see how the sizing works.
“My biggest advice is if you can actually sit on that bike—or even a size smaller or size bigger than what you’re planning to order—and take it for a test ride, even if it’s just around the block, you will know if that bike will work for you,” says Holliday.
Holliday points out that size charts are great, but companies all measure things like top tube and standover height slightly differently. And the recommended sizes can be wildly different. (She cites one online brand that, according to their size charts, puts her somewhere between an XXS and a Medium bike, depending on which chart she’s looking at.)
If you do order online, make sure they have a solid return policy if the bike isn’t the right size for you.
Take Your Time
Whether you’re the one in a rush or you feel like the shop owners are hurrying you along—slow it down. Don’t worry about taking up too much of the shop’s time: It’s your job to be an educated consumer and it’s their job to help you out. In the last few years with bike shortages, people have been panic-buying any bike that’s available. But as more stock is coming, you can afford to be pickier. Don’t be afraid to walk away without a bike if the ones you test rode didn’t feel right.
“People have been just grabbing a bike when they see it and then trying to make it fit,” says Holliday. “That doesn’t serve you.” Sure, it feels weird to walk away empty handed, especially if you’re meeting up with someone to test-ride the bike they’re selling on Facebook Marketplace, but it’s better for you in the long run.
Wear Riding Gear
This may be obvious, but when test-riding bikes, wear the clothes and shoes you plan to ride in. Bring your favorite chamois, as well as your cycling shoes and pedals.
You may even want to consider bringing a saddle that you love, if you’re a longtime cyclist simply looking for a new bike—especially if you know you’re fairly picky when it comes to saddle choice. That way, when you test ride, you can tell if any issues with fit are coming from the bike versus a mismatch between you and the saddle that comes with the bike, says Holliday.
“Bikes are expensive, and if you’re going to drop that money, you really want to know that it’s right for you with your pedals and your saddle,” she adds. “I’ve test ridden bikes in the past and dismissed them just because the saddle was awful for me, but that really narrows down your options because now the bike and the new saddle have to fit you.”
Be Adventurous
If possible, Yeager recommends put each bike through its paces by taking it up hills, pedaling quickly, and trying to come to a quick stop (safely, of course). Pay special attention to details like how quickly and fluidly the chain moves when you shift and how smoothly it comes to a stop when you squeeze the brakes. These are features that have a profound impact on the quality of your ride and how much you’ll enjoy being out on your bike.
Ignore the Labels
If you’re a woman shopping for a bike, don’t feel compelled to buy a women’s bike. “Bike fit isn’t really gender based,” says Holliday. “It’s about your proportions as a person, no matter what your gender is, and what model fits you best. For some women, that may not be a women’s bike.”
Holliday also notes that while it may be tempting to pick one bike on the basis of its color scheme (we’ve all been there), try to look beyond the paint job and pick the bike that feels the best.
Don’t Assume You Can Make It Fit
Whether buying new, second hand, or getting a hand-me-down bike from a partner or friend, there are some bikes that just won’t fit you, no matter what you do. If you’re a 5'3'' woman, you very likely will not be able to ride your 5’11’ husband’s bike, no matter what he tells you.
Seriously, this is something Holliday sees more often than you’d think. “I still remember a number of years ago, this woman came in with her husband’s old bike asking to have it fit,” she recalls. “Her husband had bought himself a really nice fancy bike and gave her his old bike. She was the first person I ever told that she was not allowed to ride that bike. It was so big for her. She couldn’t get on and off the bike. She could not reach the brakes. It was so dangerous.”
…But Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
While you should feel as though you could take your new bike out on a decent length ride straight from the shop, it’s normal that the fit will need a bit of tweaking. Things like stem length, handlebar height, seat height, and your saddle position can all easily be tweaked to improve your bike fit. Things like the length of your cranks or width of your handlebars can also be adjusted, though those will come with a higher price tag.
Know Your Bike Shouldn’t Hold You Back
While we mentioned you may not need an ultra-aero race bike as a new cyclist, it’s worth mentioning that you may also damn well deserve that higher-end, racier model, says Yeager. Lots of women (and men as well) don’t realize that it’s actually their bike that's holding them back from being as fast as they want to be.
Even if you never pin on a number, if the highlight of your Saturday ride is being the first in your group to the top of the hill, you’re racing in some capacity. And in that case, if it’s your bike that's holding you back, and not your fitness, then it may be time for a new bike.
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