Every year, Americans buy somewhere between 15 and 20 million new bikes. For the most part, they end up being very happy with their purchases.

But some people make critical bike shopping mistakes and pay the price for it. They aren’t always thrilled with the bikes that they buy because of these mistakes.

Here are the five biggest bike shopping mistakes that you should avoid at all costs the next time you’re in the market for a new bike.

1. Looking Around for the Wrong Types of Bikes

There are so many different types of bikes that you can buy in this day and age. You can choose from:

• Mountain bikes
• Touring bikes
• BMX bikes

You can even scoop up an electric bike these days if you would like. It would be a great idea to consider as many types of bikes as you can so that you don’t miss out on the chance to buy one.

You should also learn about the different bike sizes and look for the one that will suit you best.

2. Shopping for Bikes in the Wrong Places

You can buy a bike at a big-box store nowadays if that’s where you want to shop for one. But you’ll be so much better off shopping for one at a local bike shop.

A local bike shop will be able to show you a wide range of high-quality bikes. They’ll also be able to answer any questions that you might have about them since they’ll know them inside and out.

3. Failing to Read Online Customer Reviews for Bikes

If you want to know whether or not it’s worth buying a particular bike, read the online customer reviews for it. They’ll tell you almost everything you need to know about it.

Ideally, you should search for a bike with reviews that have nothing but nice things to say about it. It’ll give you more confidence in a bike from the very start.

4. Searching for Bikes Without a Budget in Mind

Some bikes will cost you under $100. Others will cost thousands of dollars.

For this reason, you should have a budget in mind when shopping for a bike. You should also go through the process of comparing bike prices to guarantee that you get your hands on a bike that will provide you with a great deal.

5. Getting Too Impatient When Buying Bikes

We get it. You want to buy a bike and you want to buy it now.

But if you’re in a huge hurry when you’re buying a bike, that’s when you’ll make the most bike shopping mistakes. Take your time and shop for a bike that you know you’re going to love.

Steer Clear of These Common Bike Shopping Mistakes

With so many bikes on the market today, it’s easy to make one or more of these bike shopping mistakes. It’ll result in you riding around on a bike that might not be your best option.

Avoid finding yourself in this situation by steering clear of all the bike shopping mistakes we’ve mentioned here. They’re only going to serve to drag you down and leave you with a bike that you don’t like as much as you should.

Find more useful buying guides by browsing through the rest of our blog articles!