正在加载...
正在加载...
In Italy, over one million new bicycles are sold each year. To this figure must be added those operating in the used bicycle market.
Buying a bicycle is one of the most important investments in a cyclist’s life. The risk of making a mistake in the choice is high. And not just because of the cost involved. Also for everything to do with deciding which bicycle is right for you: compare models, read opinions, visit stores, know the right size …
A bicycle is not a pair of sunglasses that you can replace with another one the following month if you don’t like them or don’t like you. You will use a bicycle almost every weekend for the next two years.
As important as buying a bicycle is knowing when it’s time to change it. The type of use that is made with it, the kilometers traveled, the weather conditions are factors that directly affect the condition of the bicycle.
Maintenance and support you receive are also important. A bicycle that has been punctually checked, the transmission and brake consumables have been replaced before reaching the end of its useful life and has been carefully washed and lubricated at the end of each ride, it will have a longer life.
The combination of all these factors – maintenance, type of use, weather conditions, kilometers, etc. – makes it difficult to determine exactly when the bicycle needs to be changed.
However, there are some indicators that can give you the idea that your current bicycle can no longer offer you more and that the time has come to change it.
The same thing that happens with cars also happens with bicycles. When purchases begin to devalue, depending on the type of bicycle, the brand and the components it carries can lose between 15% and 30% of its value each year. To this we must also add wear and maintenance.
There comes a time when the resale price of a bicycle in the used market is less than 50% of its original price. This usually happens after 3 or 5 years of use, although in some cases it may happen earlier.
There comes a time when you need to replace the main components of the transmission (pinion, plates, etc.), suspension (shock absorbers and fork), brake discs or tires.
Calculate the money you need to perform these operations per year. If the cost is more than 50% of the value of the bicycle or its current market value, it is time to change it.
Bicycles not only lose value due to the passage of time and wear. They do it also because of their geometry and the equipment they carry.
The main manufacturers update their range of bicycles practically every year, focusing on two aspects: on the one hand, the design of the frames, with new angles and geometries to adapt them to the models and the usage trends. On the other hand, the type of components.
For example, a few years ago most of the road bikes on the market had a racing type geometry. Gradually they diversified in depth, planes, climbers, etc.
In the mountain bike segment, something similar happened when the 29 “tires arrived on the market. A 26” mountain bike was obsolete for cross country practice.
If you fall behind your friends because you don’t have the same level of equipment, or notice that the gear, wheels or any other object is not up to it, it would be time to replace your bike.
One of the main reasons why many cyclists change bicycles concerns ergonomics and body position during pedaling. It happens especially with those who have been cycling for years, both on the road and in the mountains.
There comes a time when you stop evaluating how responsive a bicycle is, its aerodynamics or the speed with which the power of pedaling is transmitted. And you start to appreciate that your back doesn’t hurt, that your hands don’t fall on the handlebars or that the unevenness of the ground doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable.
If with your rigid bike you end up with any back pain, maybe it’s time to change it for a double suspension.
Sometimes we buy a bicycle for a specific use, but we end up loving another kind of mode.
The reason why there are different frame geometries in the market is because not all bicycles have the same purpose. Even within the same category, such as mountain bikes, an enduro bike is not the same as a cross-country bike.
The bikes indicated for a certain mode, such as those of cross country, have a certain frame geometry, a type of suspension and a wheel format very different from those designed for the enduro or for the whole mountain.