Nao Hotladiesguide He Board Index Php Hot Ladies Guide Ladies Bicycles: How to Choose a New or Used Ladies Bicycle/Bike

Lugged joins are a sleeve-like decorative bracket that join the components of a frame. Typically a bicycle frame constructed in this way will be of high quality. 

Welded joins - although not as attractive - are just as strong, though depending on the type of bicycle can be indicative of the quality of the rest of the bicycle.

There are two types of bicycle that have only one gear: single speed, and fixed gear bicycles.

Single speed bicycles allow the rear wheel to "run free" - meaning that you can stop pedalling and the bike will continue moving.

Fixed gear bicycles by contrast, compel the pedals to move as long as the bike is moving.

Both have the advantage of decreased maintenance and increased fitness - but are not for everyone. The specialised nature of these types of bicycle have created a "cult following" amongst many bicycle riders.

Choosing the right ladies bicycle is as much about personal preference as it is about practicalities. Consider these factors before making a decision on which ladies bicycle to buy.

What will you use it for? Commuting? Off road racing? Have a firm idea of what the main use will be for your bicycle.

Not all ladies bicycles are created equal. Using the wrong kind of bicycle for the wrong kind of task is possible – but can both dramatically reduce your enjoyment of cycling, and the actual life-span of your ladies bicycle.

New or Old? With the resurgence of vintage bicycles, restored bicycles the market for reconditioned bicycles has become a lot stronger. As someone who has restored multiple bicycles, I can tell you there is absolutely nothing wrong with a reconditioned bicycle. In fact, the bicycles of 10, 20, even 30+ years ago can in many instances be far superior to anything made today.

My favourite bicycle had a frame older than I was (it was 35+ years old), and stood up to a horrendous amount of abuse without ever flinching or missing a beat. Sometimes, older bicycles are better than newer bicycles. It really depends on the purpose you want to use your bicycle for. Vintage or reconditioned bicycles are especially well suited to urban commuting – and the customisation available with a reconditioned bicycle makes them especially aesthetically pleasing.

Whichever you choose, be aware that for every $3,000 superbike that is advertised, there will be 10 reconditioned vintage bicycles capable of very similar levels of performance and bought for a fraction of the price.

How Comfortable can you Make it? Features to look for when it comes to increasing a bicycle’s comfort factor include seat adjustability (can the seat be raised, lowered, shifted forwards or backwards?), distance of the seat from the handlebars, the type of handle bars, the size of wheels and whether or not mud guards come with the bicycle.

Of course, setting up your ladies bicycle for optimal comfort will help.

Steel or Aluminium? What will your frame be made of? Steel frames, while generally cheaper than aluminium frames, are typically heavier. Noticably so. On the other hand, aluminium frames tend to be considerably lighter

Most newer frames on quality ladies bicycles are aluminium. On some mass-produced models, it is steel. On nearly all vintage bicycles, the frames are made of steel.

There’s no “perfect material” for a bicycle frame – just be mindful of the impact that the frame’s composition can have on your ladies bicycle’s handling, and cost.

Be Mindful of Quality. Related to the issue of frame material is quality. Look at the joins in the frame. Mass-produced bicycles – while often adequate for most tasks – will generally be welded at the joints. Sometimes poorly. This has more of an effect on the appearance of the bicycle than anything else, though in exceptional cases can compromise the integrity of the frame. Though generally, a quality bicycle – particularly a vintage one – will have its frame components joined with steel lugs: a decorative sleeve that the frame components slip into and are heat fixed in. Both are strong, though steel lugs tend to make a bicycle look quite a bit better. Regardless of your preference, be mindful of small signs like this that indicate the larger concern for quality that the manufacturer has for the bicycle.

What ratio of gearing will you need? Most bicycles these days incorporate some form of gearing. Though some riders prefer single speed or fixed gear bicycles (myself included), these are generally inappropriate for the commuting purposes which most ladies bicycles are purchased. In choosing the “right” gearing for your ladies bicycle, consider how hilly your regular riding route will be? How fast, on average will you like to go? Will you be carrying loads often? How large will those loads be?

As a good rule of thumb the greater the amount of hills that you will climb, or load that you will carry, the larger the number of gears you will need. For instance, in a city like London, which is mostly level, you can use either a single speed bicycle, or a 3 speed. In a city like Brisbane, Australia, or San Francisco in the US, the number and height of hills generally necessitate a 7, 8 or 9 Speed ration for most casual cyclists.

Additional to that is the issue of chainrings, or sprockets – the little cogs at the rear of the bicycle, and the larger cogs near the pedal.

Once you have decided how many speeds your bicycle will need, you can further adjust the gearing ratio by changing the size of the chainrings and sprocket on your bicycle. Done correctly, this can give you an almost infinite level of customisation for your bicycle, allowing you to travel any distance, carrying any load, up any sized hill, without looking ruffled or like “you’ve just stepped off a bicycle.”

Maintenance: Will you maintain the bike yourself, or have a bicycle mechanic service the bike? Maintaining and servicing a ladies bicycle is not difficult, though there are a few qualities you should look for in a ladies bicycle if you wish to maintain it yourself. I’ve covered them here.

Adaptability: Whichever kind of bicycle you choose, be mindful of its ability to be adapted to different tasks, within reason. Today, a range of features can be bought “as standard” on many bicycles to make this possible. An example are braze-ons: small fixing points with a screw on the bicycle that allow you to quickly fix a luggage rack or basket. Of course, it’s always possible to find a way to fix a luggage rack or basket on to a bicycle without these, but purchasing a bicycle with them already on can give you great flexibility down the road.

X-Factor: Does it make you buzz? At the end of the day, no factor will influence your appetite for bicycle riding more than your passion for the bicycle.

When it comes to purchasing a ladies bicycle, above all else make an emotional decision. If you want to get the most out of living with bicycles, you need to LOVE your ladies bicycle.

What do you look for in a ladies bicycle? What stops you riding more than you’d like? Tell us!

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