Buying A Bike? Here's More Stuff You Need To Know So You Can Shop With Confidence - Part 3

So, this is the last of the series of three part series and we're going to touch on the other parts that come with your bike and that factor into the overall cost of the bike.  Because of their impact on your comfort, I'm going to start with the handlebars and the saddle.  Remember in Part 2, I mentioned that your body has three main points of contact with your bike:

1. Handlebars
2. Saddle
3. Pedals

Let's start at the top.

Handlebars

I don't think we've ever had a customer come in and say they were looking for something specific in a bike handlebar so I suspect it's not a topic you have given any thought. I first want to specify that I'm only referencing road bike handlebars, also known as 'dropbars'. Aerobars are a topic for a  whole other article.   There are 2 primary ways I categorize handlebars: size & shape.

Size

This is a pretty easy on to sort out and it's pretty easy to make sure you get the right one for your best ride comfort.  Handlebar sizes will be show in centimeters ("cm") and the measurement refers to the distance between the top edges of the bar before the bar curves down, using the middle of the bar as the measurement point.   Sizes typically range from 36 to 46cm in 2cm increments (36/38/40/42/44/46) with sizes 38 to 42 seeming to be the more common ones.  A lot of women's road bikes will have the smaller 38cm bar.  Which size is best suited to you is related to your own size, in particular your shoulder width but to some extent, you could also consider hand size.  Smaller bars will also have a tighter drop curve and a smaller reach.  So, people of smaller size and smaller hands will find smaller bars more comfortable.  Getting the correct size can also be a bit of a safety concern.  In particular, too large a bar can make it difficult to shift and brake easily and quickly.

Shape

There are a few common shapes for the curved on the drops:  standard, anatomical and compact.  There is no one shape that is best but here are a few things to consider:

• Typically, a compact shape drop allows someone with smaller hands to have multiple possible hand positions on the bar while still comfortably reaching brakes and shifters.   
• If you want a lower position in your drops as compared to riding with your hands on the hoods (where the brake & shift mechanism is mounted and covered), you might want the bigger drop on the anatomic shaped bar.
• Replacement bars made from aluminum tubing are relatively inexpensive (typically under $100) so you can change your bars down the road if decide to try something different.
• A lot of manufacturers do a pretty good job of pairing a bike with a handlebar that is a good fit for most riders of that size bike.  But we find most of or female customers are more comfortable with compact bars.
• There are also carbon bar options and they often feature ergonomic shaping.  The price is high but once you try them, you'll never want to go back to standard round aluminum tubes.  They are pricey, though, so this is probably an investment for the future.  You can always put it on your Christmas wish list and hope for the best.

Saddle

Since this is a stand alone topic all on its own, I'll just leave you with a few thoughts:

• Most often, if you don't get the saddle right, you'll have difficulty getting the fit dialed in and difficulty getting comfortable overall.
• Also most often, bike manufacturers are aware that there are so many different preferences on saddle shapes, sizes and configurations out there, they can't possibly guess what will work for the customer who is buying their bike that the saddle that comes with a new bike is often just a place-holder for the one you're going to put on there.
• There are some saddle fit systems out there but you might notice that they are usually made by a company that manufactures saddles.  So, yes, quite often they are set up to sell you one of their own saddles.  
• Saddle fit systems often only measure one or two metrics but they can't really address soft tissue issues.  Unfortunately, the only way to address those comfort issues could involve a slightly uncomfortable discussion with the someone you barely know.  Don't worry - we've heard it all and we can help make it as easy as possible for you.  Consider that discussion to be a rite of a passage for you as a cyclist.

Pedals

Bikes are sold without pedals so you will have to buy pedals with your new bike.  There are 3 or 4 different pedals, each with their own unique cleat.  Some pedals will have a few models with features like spring tension and degrees of float being the thing that differentiates the models.  If you are buying your first bike, you might not know what your preferences are yet.  So, consider this:

• If you've never used this style of clip in pedals (often called 'clipless' which sounds like a misstatement), you will probably be more comfortable with a pedal system that is easier to get in and out of so look for one with lower tension.  Look Keo Easy is a good example.  If the pedal system has adjustable tension, start with the lower tension setting.
• There will be different models in a line up and they will all function pretty similarly and the cleats will be common to all or most models.  For your first bike, start with a less expensive model.  
• There are now more generic versions of popular pedal systems like Look and Shimano pedals. The more generic pedals systems will usually be less expensive and will function exactly the same and don't let anyone tell you any different.  
• Clipping in is easy.  Getting out is what most of us find unnerving. Practice indoors on a trainer first. It becomes second nature quickly so don't worry too, too much. Remember, we've all been there and we've all sort it out.  You got this!

Hey, I hope that helped. Now, when you go to a bike shop to look around and ask questions, you should feel comfortable and confident that you are asking the right questions that will lead to find the best bike for you.