How much should I spend?

So you now know what type of bike you are going to buy. The next step is deciding how much you will spend. Obviously your budget will greatly influence what you purchase, but the reality is, at some levels, you will get what you pay for.

Choose your price point based on how often and how hard you will ride your new bike. If the bike is likely to collect dust in your basement after riding once, go cheap. If the bike will be ridden daily, then it will be worth it to invest in a bike with equipment made from solid materials that won’t wear out in a season. Likewise, if you will ride your bike in muddy conditions, for long distances, or over severely rough terrain, the price you pay now may prevent repairs later.

When I sold bikes, I often sold riders cheap bikes in their first year of riding and sold them a bike costing three times as much for their second season. I sold one guy a $400 bike in year one and a $2,400 bike in year two.

Below you will find some different guidlines to consider when buying a bike.

• Road
• Mountain
• Hybrid
• Others

Road

Mountain
Typically, a mountain bike capable of running on trails, or being ridden regularly will cost $500.