Embarking on your cycling journey is an exciting adventure! But stepping into the world of bikes for the first time can feel like navigating a maze. With countless options, from different wheel sizes and tire widths to frame materials and brake types, knowing where to begin can be daunting.
This guide is designed to simplify the process. We’ll walk you through the essential steps to choosing the best bike to kickstart your cycling experiences, ensuring you find a ride that perfectly matches your needs and aspirations.
Cyclist riding a bike on a paved path through a park
Discover Your Ideal Riding Terrain
One of the beautiful aspects of cycling is its versatility. A bike can be your ticket to explore diverse landscapes, from bustling city streets to serene backcountry trails, and everything in between. However, it’s crucial to understand that bikes are not one-size-fits-all. Each bike is engineered for a specific purpose. Some excel at absorbing shocks on rugged mountain trails, while others are built for speed on smooth roads. Some are designed for carrying loads, and others for long-distance adventures.
Therefore, the first and most crucial question to ask yourself when choosing a bike is: Where do I envision myself riding most often?
Consider these common riding environments to help narrow down your choices:
- Smooth Paved Surfaces: Think city roads, dedicated bike paths, and greenways. These surfaces are ideal for speed and efficiency.
- Mixed Terrain – Pavement and Light Gravel/Dirt Paths: If you plan to venture beyond smooth pavement onto well-maintained gravel or dirt paths, versatility is key.
- Gravel and Dirt Roads with Occasional Smoother Trails: For riders seeking adventure on less predictable surfaces, a bike that handles gravel and dirt roads, and potentially some easier singletrack trails, is essential.
- Dedicated Dirt Roads and Singletrack Trails: If your heart lies in off-road exploration, navigating challenging terrain and enjoying nature, a bike designed for dirt trails is the way to go.
Cyclist riding a gravel bike on a dirt road through a forest
Define Your Riding Style and Goals
Once you’ve identified your preferred riding locations, the next step is to consider how you want to ride. Even within categories of bikes designed for paved surfaces, nuances in components, frame geometry, and included accessories cater to different riding styles and objectives.
Now, ask yourself: What do I hope to achieve with my new bike?
Reflect on these potential riding goals to further refine your bike selection:
- Fun and Fitness Riding: Are you looking for a bike for leisurely rides, exercise, and enjoying the outdoors?
- Family Exploration: Do you want to cycle with your kids, explore local parks, and enjoy family time on bikes?
- Daily Commuting: Will your bike be your primary mode of transportation for short or longer commutes to work or school?
- Long-Distance Cycling: Are you dreaming of longer rides, exploring new routes, and pushing your endurance?
- Overnight Bikepacking Adventures: Do you envision multi-day trips, carrying gear, and exploring remote locations on your bike?
- Competitive Cycling: Are you interested in starting to race, improve your speed, and challenge yourself in cycling events?
Establish Your Budget
A common misconception among new cyclists is that cycling is an expensive hobby to enter. However, finding a good bike for beginners doesn’t have to break the bank! Setting a budget before visiting your local bike shop is a crucial step. Remember to factor in essential accessories like a helmet and potentially other gear depending on your cycling goals.
Generally, bikes designed for performance, emphasizing lightweight construction and speed, tend to be pricier than bikes built for casual fun and fitness. While more expensive bikes often feature higher-quality components that may offer enhanced durability and comfort, there are fantastic options available at various price points.
If a brand-new bike stretches your budget too thin, exploring the used bicycle market is a smart alternative. Many bike shops offer certified pre-owned bikes or can guide you to local resources for finding used bikes in good condition.
The Importance of a Test Ride
With a clearer picture of the type of bike you need, it’s time for the exciting part – test rides! Visit your local bike shop, where experienced staff can assist you in determining the correct bike size and setting up bikes for test rides around the shop area.
It’s highly recommended to try out several bikes and styles to get a feel for what’s most comfortable and responsive for you. If you’re considering an off-road bike, inquire about demo programs or rental options. This allows you to experience the bike on trails before making a purchase, ensuring it meets your expectations in real-world riding conditions.
Recommended Bikes for New Cyclists
For those new to cycling, here are some excellent bike models that cater to various riding styles and preferences:
For Fun, Fitness, and Commuting: Liv Rove
The Liv Rove is a fantastic all-around choice. Its 700c wheels and moderately narrow tires with a subtle tread pattern offer efficiency on paved roads while remaining capable on dirt or gravel paths. The inclusion of a suspension fork enhances comfort on less-than-perfect surfaces.
Liv Rove hybrid bike for commuting and fitness
For Efficient Commuting and Urban Adventures: Liv Alight Disc
The Liv Alight Disc is specifically designed for efficient commuting, city exploration, and building fitness on paved bike paths and greenways. Its smooth, fast-rolling tires and rigid fork prioritize speed and efficiency on pavement. The Alight is also equipped with mounts for racks and fenders, making it easy to add panniers for carrying work essentials or groceries.
Liv Alight Disc commuter bike with rack mounts
For Road Riding and Fitness Progression: Liv Avail
If your goals include longer rides, fitness improvement, or joining group rides and races, the Liv Avail is an ideal road riding companion. Drop handlebars, which curve downwards at the ends, provide multiple hand positions for enhanced comfort on longer rides and improved control at higher speeds on paved surfaces. The Avail comes with 28c tires, a tire width that balances speed and comfort, and a smooth tread optimized for efficient paved road riding.
Liv Avail road bike for fitness and long rides
For Versatile On and Off-Road Exploration: Liv Tempt
Whether you’re seeking a bike for navigating city streets or exploring singletrack mountain bike trails, the Liv Tempt offers versatility. Wider, knobby tires provide enhanced stability on varied surfaces. Combined with a suspension fork and powerful hydraulic disc brakes, the Tempt can confidently handle rougher trails.
Liv Tempt mountain bike for trails and city riding
For Dedicated Mountain Bike Trail Riding: Liv Embolden
To elevate your singletrack trail riding experiences, the Liv Embolden features both front and rear suspension. For riders serious about mountain biking, full suspension provides significantly more comfort and forgiveness compared to bikes with only front suspension, especially on challenging trails.
Liv Embolden full-suspension mountain bike for trail riding
For Gravel Adventures and Bikepacking: Liv Devote
If your rides primarily involve gravel or dirt roads, with the option to explore singletrack trails, or if you’re considering bikepacking, a gravel bike like the Liv Devote is an excellent choice. Combining drop handlebars similar to road bikes, wider knobby tires reminiscent of mountain bikes, and mounts for racks, fenders, and extra water bottle cages, the Devote is a true “Swiss Army Knife” of bikes, ready for diverse adventures.
Liv Devote gravel bike for bikepacking and mixed terrain
Exploring the Electric Bike Option
Another exciting avenue for beginner cyclists is the world of electric bikes, or e-bikes. It’s important to clarify that e-bikes are not motorcycles; they are pedal-assist bicycles. When you pedal, the electric motor on an e-bike adds a boost of power to each pedal stroke. You control the level of assistance via a handlebar-mounted system, allowing you to tailor the power output to your specific needs and goals.
E-bikes excel as commuter bikes, grocery-getters, and tools for urban exploration. They also empower you to ride further, explore off-road paths with greater ease, enhance the fun on mountain bike trails, and even keep pace with faster riding companions.
For beginners, fantastic e-bike options abound, ranging from versatile commuters and gravel-capable bikes like the Rove E+ and Amiti E+ to trail-ready explorers like the Tempt E+ and Embolden E+.
Liv Rove E+ electric hybrid bike for commuting and leisure
Liv Amiti E+ electric commuter bike for city riding
