5 Things You Should be Looking for When Buying a High-End Bicycle

5 Things You Should be Looking for When Buying a High-End Bicycle

5 Things You Should be Looking for When Buying a High-End Bicycle – If your last bicycle is nearing the end of its life or you’re just looking for something that will perform better, you have probably started looking at a new one. Maybe you have your eyes on a premium model or simply an upgrade from the one you actually have. The problem is that you may not know what truly separates a high-end bike from a regular one, and might end up paying out for a model that won’t give you that much of an upgrade.

This is why you must know what to look for, but also prepare to make some additional expenses. Here are some of the things you should be looking for when buying a high-end vehicle.

Insurance

Insurance should be the very first thing you start thinking about when buying an expensive bike. We’re talking about a serious investment here, and it’s one you want to protect. You first have to insure it for theft, then for potential damage. Serious cyclists should also have some sort of liability coverage in case they get in an accident.

This is why it’s worth investing in bicycle theft insurance and comprehensive coverage for your bike. Services like Velosurance offer bicycle theft insurance in addition to general collision insurance. They have a roadside assistance service and will cover your bike for the damage it may suffer, which could be significant depending on the value of the bike. They will even cover some of the medical bills in case you get injured while riding your bike.

Weight AND Durability

Some assume that a lightweight bike will always be better and most high-end bikes indeed tend to be lighter. However, some might be so lightweight that your security is compromised. Some will also be less robust as a result. This is why you need to take all of these points into consideration and don’t simply go for the lightest bike out there.

Also, bikes that are too light do not always offer the best experience. They might be a little shakier when going downhill, or they might not handle tight turns as well. In these cases, your security could be severely impacted.

You Need to Get a Proper Fit

Getting the bike properly fitted should be expected when buying a high-end bike. The fitter will make modifications to the parts and positioning to give you the right fit. Know that the fit doesn’t have to be exact and it probably won’t be, but as long as it’s close to optimal, there’s no reason to complain. 

5 Things You Should be Looking for When Buying a High-End Bicycle

Don’t Be Fooled by Specs

Specs are important when buying any bike, but you also need to know how to interpret them and not fall for the tricks. For instance, brands will have a top of the line derailleur on the back and fill the rest with sub-par components. Someone coming in seeing that derailleur could automatically assume that all the parts are high end. You have to check every part, and this means double checking things like the type of chain being used and the bike’s cassette among other things. 

Also, be careful when picking a bike with house-branded parts. While these parts can be great, they’re usually there to reduce costs. So, make sure that you consider that when comparing prices. You should also make sure to compare bikes from the same generation.

Be Careful with Sales

Some people prefer to wait until a particular bike is on sale, but that could be a mistake for many reasons. If a certain bike is on sale right in the middle of peak season, then that could be an indication that no one wants to buy it at its regular price. So, you could end up getting a great price on a poor bike. 

Also, you might never know why a model is on sale. In some cases, it’s because the bike is getting discontinued. This could mean that it is either becoming outdated or that you’ll have trouble finding parts later on. And, if you do end up finding them, you can expect to pay much more.

Looking Beyond the Bike

You might also have different considerations when picking a bike brand. A lot of people choose to cycle for environmental reasons and it’s nice to know if a company is truly committed to the same cause as well. You could look at their sourcing and supply chain and see how responsible it is. Some might also want to look at how much a brand is involved in the community. This shows a different level of commitment and that a brand truly cares about the people.

These are just some of the things you should be looking for when buying a high-end bicycle. These are essential if you want to be satisfied with your purchase and enjoy it for years to come.

Poppy Watt

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