Fitting of …

How to check it …

Notes ..

Helmets

Make sure you measure your head and get the appropriate sized helmet, also that it has a CE EN1078 or SNELL B.95 kite mark.  The helmet must be worn so that it is level on the head, just above the eyebrows. When the straps are done up it should fit snugly. The rear strap should meet the front strap just under your ear near the hinge of your jaw. All straps should be equally tight and free from slack. A test for this is that you should only be able to get two fingers between the straps and your chin.  The helmet should not restrict vision or hearing in any way as it may prevent you from seeing or hearing approaching traffic or any warning signals from other road users.

Which bike is right for you?

ROAD RACING BIKES: Designed for use on paved roads (opposed to track-racing bikes designed for tracks), road racing bikes are designed for speed. They have a lightweight frame made of aluminum or carbon. Riders usually sit at an incline, crouched toward the handlebars in a streamlined position.

OFF ROAD BIKES: Mountain bikes have the weight and tread you need to move around unpaved areas. They can have tires more than 1.75 inches wide, up to 27 speeds, toe clips to keep your feet on the pedals, and often come with a dense foam seat/saddle that has some stitching to keep you from slipping around while you ride.

HYBRID BIKES: Hybrid bikes make great all-purpose bicycles. Hybrids allow riders to sit in a more comfortable upright position than mountain bikes, lightweight frames make them perfect for use on pavement, and they can handle light off-roading on dirt and gravel.

CITY/COMMUTING BIKES: A relatively new development although an old idea. The basic ingredients for this style are; frame similar to a racing bike, plenty of gears but not the ultra low gears found on Hybrids and mountain bikes, straight bars like hybrids/MTBs to give the comfortable more upright position, slim fast tarmac tyres. It is ideally suited to commuting as long as you don't have masses of gear to carry.  And of course there are the folding bikes which are ideal for taking on trains into town in the first instance, one of the most popular being manufactured by Brompton ~ check out all your options at  www.foldingbikes.co.uk !!

COMFORT CRUISERS: Comfort bikes have the same sporty look as mountain bikes, but let riders sit more upright for superior comfort. Although they will not go as fast as a hybrid bike or deal with rough terrain as well as a mountain bike, they work great for beginners, commuters, or people who want to take a ride through the park.

BMX: Older kids and teenagers love BMX bikes, which have the look of a motocross dirt bike. They have higher handlebars than road bikes and mountain bikes and the frames look small compared to the rider. Be careful though, if they are too small then they will, as per the advice given re the frame size, put a lot of unnecessary pressure on their knees and ankles giving them grief later.

CHILDREN'S BIKES: Bikes geared toward younger kids have a small frame and raised handlebars fit a child's body. They also include a spoke guard and coaster brakes that allow a child to stop when pedalling backwards.

More unusual choices!

RECUMBENT BICYCLES: Recumbent bikes allow riders to sit in a chair-like seat lower to the ground than traditional elevated seats. Although some people may be taken aback by the unconventional look, recumbent bikes offer riders a comfortable place to sit back and relax. 
TANDEM BICYCLES: Great for a day in the park, tandem bikes have enough room for two or more people. Share your pedal power!
SPECIAL NEEDS BICYCLES: For FREE up-to-date advice golooksee at www.velovision.co.uk  After all, The benefits of cycling for the disabled are just the same as for the able-bodied.

For cycling in those really hilly areas ..

ELECTRIC ASSISTED BIKES: There are various models around which vary in price and capacity - amongst the names are PowaCycle, Powabyke and Giant but beware- there is a legal aspect here which is this, electric bikes are still bicycles, so have no road tax, no insurance, no MOT, no license  plates, etc. To comply with this, they have to be limited to a maximum speed under power of 15mph (although you can pedal faster than this if you want, of course) and an average power of 200W (250W for an electric tricycle). At present in the UK, both E-bikes and Pedelecs are covered by this, although there are moves to make E-bikes conform to the same regulations as mopeds.  If you are thinking of getting such a bike keep an eye on www.whycycle.co.uk  

Frame size

Are you able to stand astride the bike just in front of the saddle, with your feet flat on the ground and at least 3cm clearance between the top tube and crotch?

Saddle height

When sitting on the saddle with one foot on either pedal at it's lowest point, your knee should only be slightly bent or depending on the type of bike and the position of the pedals as that can differ, perhaps with your leg straight … you should be able to touch the ground though albeit on tip toe ..

Tyres

Are both tyres pumped up so you can barely squeeze the sidewalls between your finger and thumb and do that have at least 3mm of tread without being cracked or split?  Finally nothing should be rubbing against the tyre when the wheels are turning

Wheels

Quick releases must be firmly closed with the levers not exposed and wheel nuts should be be tight with the wheels centralised in the fork and the frame.  The rims should not touch the brake blocks nor the tyre the frame.

Spokes

Spokes should not be corroded or loose and if any are bent or missing, they should be replaced immediately.

 Handlebars

The stem should not exceed the maximum extension height mark (the mark should not be visible).  Turn the bars gently side to side, the stem must stay aligned with the front wheel fork.

Saddle and seat post

The saddle should not move either up or down or side to side.  It should however either be level or point slightly downwards.  Also check maximum height mark on the seat post has not been exceeded at all - again it should not be visible.

Frame

Check the forks have no signs of accident damage such as wrinkled paint near the top of the forks.  The alignment of the forks should follow the same line or appear to travel forwards of the head tube.  On folding bikes, ensure frame clamps are firmly closed.

Pedals

Check they are complete .. No missing rubbers, no excessive wear and two orange reflectors.  Ensure they are fastened securely to the cranks.

Brakes

When applying the brakes, pulling the levers back hard making sure nothing 'gives'.  Cables must not be frayed and brakes must make contact with the rim before the lever is pulled back more than one third of it's travel.  Also can you reach and apply both brakes comfortably?  Excessive effort should not be required and the position of the brake levers reviewed subject to the type of handle bars in use.  Lastly check the brake blocks - they should wear evenly [if they are not touching or travelling under the wheel rims] but do need changing every so often to be effective after a while.  The metal shoe must NOT touch the rim.  

Chain

The chain should be lightly lubricated with no evidence of rust [making it prone to breaking] and should not come off the front chain wheel[s] or come off and jam between the smallest rear sprocket and the frame.  The play in the chain should not exceed 25mm at it's mid-point between front and rear sprockets.

Gears

Go through the gears to ensure the derailleur doesn't foul the wheel and with hub gears, check they do not slip in which case they may need to be adjusted by your local cycle shop.

Lights (if fitted)

Check that lights  are firmly attached and cannot slide off or fall off and swing into a wheel.  Be especially careful of lights attached to the front forks.  Front lamps tend to flatten their batteries slightly faster than rear lamps as the bulb would generally be of a higher wattage.  Some headlamps (better quality ones generally) run at 6volts (4 x AA cells), not 2.4volts (2 x C cells). These headlamps tend to last longer on a set of batteries for an almost identical cost per set of batteries.  Whether LEDs make suitable front lights is debateable. Unlike filament bulb lights, LEDs do not throw a beam of light which would sufficiently light up your path. LEDs are more about being seen that actually seeing.  UK Law changed in 2005 to permit the use of "flashing" LED's but above all CHECK THOSE BATTERIES!!  If you have flat batteries you've got a problem especially if you do a lot of cycling at dusk or in the dark winter evenings!

Reflectors

By law you MUST have a red rear reflector fitted … there should be reflectors on each of the wheels and two orange reflectors on both pedals plus a white reflector on the front of the bike.

I HOPE THIS HELPS A LITTLE !!  However please be aware ~ Carrying out these checks does not guarantee that a bike is safe, only

      that it is in an acceptable condition for a short ride .. We recommend that you have your bicycle serviced and maintained