How to select the perfect parts when buying your new bike
Campagnolo, Shimano, and Sram are some of the most popular and trusted component companies out there. These three companies all make dependable well functioning multi-tier parts. These parts come in groups that can be defined as the following: the chain and cassette, crank set, bottom bracket, brakes, derailleurs, and shifting brake levers. Your decision on choosing parts, especially when were talking about the weight of the bike and the type of braking, will really come down to your own personal preference, style, and ergonomics.
Shimano shifts have distinct ratchets that are uniformly positive with the swinging brake lever. The shifting action will feel very smooth as you ride. The wheels and cassette bodies are equal to that of SRAM, in turn giving you greater flexibility when purchasing new wheels. Being the most available out there, Shimano makes it really simple and easy to find any type of replacement part for your bike. With their impressive group parts adding up to more than one hundred, Shimano is seen as the industry leader for mid prices bike ranges.
Campagnolo is much different, in that they use a swing lever with a thumb button shift. This can be some what annoying for some riders, because the minimal action will feel tight and stiff. This type of shift, however is the easiest to repair out of all the groups. On the good side you can shift all the way down with a single punch of the button.
SRAM accomplishes shifting with the swing lever nestled right against the brake lever. This happens with a double or single length. The levers are known for their ergonomics and accommodating people with small hands. Becoming more popular with mid-rangebikes the shifting action falls somewhere between Shimano's precision and Campy's fluidity.
Is moving up to the next lever right for you?
The highest level parts use bearings instead of bushings and have much better materials with nicer finishing. A companies parts and components of the many models they have in their line is what separates the top bikes from the rest. Believe it or not the frame may be exactly the same. Invest in a good quality frame first because the parts can always be replaced and will wear out before the frame.
Look for the best components. Figuring out where you going to consistently ride and how much your going to ride can only help you with your purchasing decision. If you decide to get really serious and use the bike for more than three hundred miles per week, pick something of highest quality all the way around. There's nothing with second tier parts, but top shelf parts will always last long and work better.
What kind of handlebar, drop road or flat?
For casual fitness riders and everyday commuters who use mountain bikes the maneuverability is the most important. A flat handlebar offers the upright position necessary to achieve this ease of riding and flexibility. But, you will quickly notice one main drawback if you start riding for any length of time. There isn't a wide range of hand positions to use. Here is where a drop bar can come into play. They can give you more speed and efficiency due to a better use of aerodynamics, because the bar makes you drop and hunker down.
Deciding which type of framing components you want for the new bike can be very exciting. Don't be afraid to test ride a variety of bikes regardless of what price range you're looking in. You will feel the difference and have a better understanding of what you're paying for. This will help you get what you really want and make you feel better about your purchase. It's like shopping for a television. When you get to the store you don't just pick the first one you see, you look at all the models and makes, the expensive ones, the cheap ones, the small ones and the big ones. This way you can narrow it down to exactly what you want.
Shimano shifts have distinct ratchets that are uniformly positive with the swinging brake lever. The shifting action will feel very smooth as you ride. The wheels and cassette bodies are equal to that of SRAM, in turn giving you greater flexibility when purchasing new wheels. Being the most available out there, Shimano makes it really simple and easy to find any type of replacement part for your bike. With their impressive group parts adding up to more than one hundred, Shimano is seen as the industry leader for mid prices bike ranges.
Campagnolo is much different, in that they use a swing lever with a thumb button shift. This can be some what annoying for some riders, because the minimal action will feel tight and stiff. This type of shift, however is the easiest to repair out of all the groups. On the good side you can shift all the way down with a single punch of the button.
SRAM accomplishes shifting with the swing lever nestled right against the brake lever. This happens with a double or single length. The levers are known for their ergonomics and accommodating people with small hands. Becoming more popular with mid-rangebikes the shifting action falls somewhere between Shimano's precision and Campy's fluidity.
Is moving up to the next lever right for you?
The highest level parts use bearings instead of bushings and have much better materials with nicer finishing. A companies parts and components of the many models they have in their line is what separates the top bikes from the rest. Believe it or not the frame may be exactly the same. Invest in a good quality frame first because the parts can always be replaced and will wear out before the frame.
Look for the best components. Figuring out where you going to consistently ride and how much your going to ride can only help you with your purchasing decision. If you decide to get really serious and use the bike for more than three hundred miles per week, pick something of highest quality all the way around. There's nothing with second tier parts, but top shelf parts will always last long and work better.
What kind of handlebar, drop road or flat?
For casual fitness riders and everyday commuters who use mountain bikes the maneuverability is the most important. A flat handlebar offers the upright position necessary to achieve this ease of riding and flexibility. But, you will quickly notice one main drawback if you start riding for any length of time. There isn't a wide range of hand positions to use. Here is where a drop bar can come into play. They can give you more speed and efficiency due to a better use of aerodynamics, because the bar makes you drop and hunker down.
Deciding which type of framing components you want for the new bike can be very exciting. Don't be afraid to test ride a variety of bikes regardless of what price range you're looking in. You will feel the difference and have a better understanding of what you're paying for. This will help you get what you really want and make you feel better about your purchase. It's like shopping for a television. When you get to the store you don't just pick the first one you see, you look at all the models and makes, the expensive ones, the cheap ones, the small ones and the big ones. This way you can narrow it down to exactly what you want.
