Naked Family Points
Invented in 1817 and still a thing of the moment in 2025: the bicycle. No sport is currently booming as much as cycling. Therefore, many are looking for a new two-wheeler. With the multitude of bike types and components, it's easy to lose track. In this blog, we'll show you what to look for when buying a bike, what questions you should ask yourself, and the advantages and disadvantages of different components.
Purpose?
First, you should consider where you want to ride your bike and what you want to do with it. Also consider your surroundings and the area where you plan to use the bike. You should also consider what kind of bike the people you'd like to ride with have. You usually won't be able to keep up with a group of road cyclists on a mountain bike. You can read all about the different types of bikes and which bikes are suitable for which terrain HERE.
Price?
Next, consider how much you want to spend on your bike. Solid bikes start at around €1,000. However, to enjoy your bike in the long run, it's worth it to avoid buying the cheapest bike and instead focus on quality and value for money. The fun of cycling quickly disappears if the bike doesn't run well and is constantly breaking.
Used or new?
Once you've decided on a type of bike and selected a price range, many people ask themselves whether they should buy it second hand or new. Used bikes are generally a bit cheaper and offer better value for money. However, a second hand bike carries more risks, as you usually don't have a manufacturer's warranty or guarantee, and you don't know exactly how the bike was previously treated or what hidden defects it may have. Furthermore, you don't have a dealer in the background who can give you good advice and who you can relate on if something breaks. This means that if you're buying a used bike, it's advisable to do your own research on what to look for in a bike, or to ask a bike enthusiast among your friends for advice and, ideally, even take them along to inspect the bike. The general rule is:
- take a close look at the bike,
- pay attention to any dents and scratches
- test ride the bike before buying
- test whether brakes, gears and wheels are working properly
- compare prices to see if the risk is worth it
Carbon or aluminum frame?
Another important consideration is choosing the right frame. A distinction is made between carbon and aluminum frames. Carbon is generally lighter, stiffer, and therefore more expensive than aluminum. However, this also makes it more fragile. Aluminum is very stable and robust, but somewhat heavier than carbon. This means that the decision largely depends on the intended use of the bike. If you want a light, fast road bike and aren't short on money, you're more likely to go for a carbon bike. However, if you're looking for a more downhill-oriented, stable downhill bike, or if you want to save some money, aluminum is a good choice.
Gear system?
When it comes to the gear system, the details of the bike become more apparent. The fundamental question among cycling enthusiasts is: electronic or mechanical gears. This decision, again, depends on the intended use and personal preference. Electronic gear systems offer the advantage that shifting requires very little effort and the gear shifting is very precise. Just pressing a button is enough and the gear changes to the next chainring. This can be particularly useful on long rides. Furthermore, the "shifting experience" is extremely cool and futuristic. The disadvantage is that the gear system needs to be charged. This means that if you forget to charge the battery, you won't be able to ride the bike or you'll suddenly no longer be able to shift gears. This problem doesn't exist with mechanical cable gear systems. The only thing that can happen is that the shift cable breaks. Logically, electric gear systems are somewhat more expensive than mechanical gear systems due to the technology involved. But to be honest, for beginners, a mechanical gear system is completely sufficient and serves its purpose: changing gears precisely and reliably.
In addition to how the gear system works, the range or number of gears is also important. 2x12-speed gears are the standard on road and gravel bikes. This means you have two chainrings at the front and 12 different chainrings at the back. This results in 24 different gear combinations. This intends to have a very easy gear for steep climbs and a very hard gear for fast flat sections. Therefore, especially as a beginner, you should make sure that the gear ratio is not too “heavy,” meaning you have very few easy gears and many hard ones. A good choice here would be a 50/34 crank with an 11/34 cassette. The number always refers to the number of teeth on the chainring. At the front of the crank, the smaller the chainring, the easier the gear; at the rear it is the exact opposite: the smaller the ring, the harder the gear.
The standard for mountain bikes these days is 1x12. This means one chainring at the front and 12 gears at the rear. The front chainring should be smaller for beginners and mountain tours (30 or 32 teeth). At the rear, 10/52 cassettes are now available, which offer a very wide range.
Brakes?
When it comes to brakes, there's almost only one way to go these days: disc brakes. In recent years, disc brakes have even overtaken rim brakes on road bikes. This is because the braking performance of disc brakes is considerably better and more reliable, especially in wet conditions. In these cases, the compromise of the extra weight of the brake disc is a good one. One more important piece of information regarding brakes: the taller and heavier the rider or the bike, the larger the brake disc should be to prevent overheating. Therefore, 140-160mm discs are usually sufficient for road bikes. Heavy e-mountain bikes, on the other hand, often require even 200mm discs.
Tires?
The choice of tires depends on the type of bike, but also on the intended use. Generally speaking, the rougher the terrain, the thicker and knobbier the tire should be. This is why road bikes use very thin, treadless tires, while downhill mountain bikes use very thick tires with deep knobs. The advantage of thin tires is that they offer very little rolling resistance and are therefore faster. Thick tires, on the other hand, are more resistant to punctures and offer more grip.
For all gravel riders who also like to use their gravel bike as a road bike, it might be a good idea to get a second pair of wheels. Then you can equip one with wide, knobby gravel tires and the other with fast, thin road tires, saving you the hassle of a second bike and the constant tire changes.
Pedals
Finally, there's the question of whether to use clipless pedals or traditional platform pedals. The advantage of clipless pedals is that you're firmly connected to the crank or bike, which greatly improves power transfer. This is especially beneficial for more athletic cyclists. The disadvantage is that clipping in and out takes some practice, and you might fall over while standing because you can't get off the pedals. You also need special shoes to use the clip pedals. This also means that you can't ride a bike well in regular street shoes. This means that clipless pedals are ideal for all athletic road and mountain bike riders for whom speed and power transfer are important. All everyday and recreational cyclists should opt for platform pedals. For those who can't decide, there are also combination pedals, where one side of the pedal has a platform pedal and the other side has a clipless pedal.
As you can see, there is no such thing as a universally perfect bike. Therefore, you have to consider what's important to you and what you want to use your bike for in order to find your individual dream bike. Of course, your dream bike also includes your dream bike equipment. You can find it HERE .