The specifications of a bicycle

In general, it is good to know the specifications of the bicycle you are interested in. If you discover a shop selling a bicycle way below the price of other shops, hopefully, it is because it is doing a great promotion to draw customers in and not that they have replaced expensive components with cheaper brands or models.

The same applies if you are buying a used bicycle. You would want to buy a second hand bicycle because the components have been upgraded. You can haggle on the price if you know that the original components, which were better, have been replaced.

Here is another point to take note of when you are buying a bicycle for a child. Bicycles for children are usually supplied with mudguards installed. If you don’t see them, they are likely removed by the retailer to be sold separately. Australian brand bicycles for children will usually be supplied with coaster brake and bell installed.

Some brands have websites with specifications of their bicycle posted online. Some distributors supply their bicycles to their retailers with tags that include the price and specifications.



You know that you are getting a real discount on the price if every components/model indicated on the tag are still on the bicycle.

If you want to know the specifications of a bicycle, you need to know:

1. the brand of the bike.
2. what kind of bike it is, eg, MTB or roadbike, etc.
3. the tyre size, eg, 26″ or 27.5″ or 29er or 700C.
4. the model name or number of the bike.
5. if possible, the year of manufacture, just in case some components have been changed for later models.

Do a search for “specifications (brand name) (type of bicycle)”, and you should be able to find the models that are available if they are posted online. If you are able to find their facebook page and it is actively managed, you can post a message there, to find the specifications of the bicycle you are looking for.

Finding ways to integrate cycling with public transport

The first thing to do is to make it safe for cyclists to use public roads. So, cycling-specific infrastructure, such as, bicycle lanes should be part of the development by government agencies.



Since it is not possible to go long distances on a bicycle, cyclists will consider utilising public transport part of the way.



Would you be comfortable parking your bicycle in an open space environment like this?



If bicycles are not allowed to be brought up public transport during peak period, there must be allocated parking spaces that have been enhanced to prevent theft and the elements of nature that could damage bicycles.

Once these issues are looked into, there are many ways to integrate cycling with public transport. The good thing is that you do not have to crack your head for answers.

If you google "public transport and cycling", you will find many reports and studies made on integrating cycling with public transport. Reading them will inspire you to discover ways to adopt some of the ideas for your own country.

These are some I found by searching "public transport and cycling":

Integrating cycling with public transport

Public transport and cycling: living apart or together?

Another way to find more of such reports is to google “intermodality bicycle”. These are links I found through that search.

Cycling and Intermodality

Bikeways and intermodality between bicycles and public transport 

How do you commute on a bicycle in Dubai?

The best way to find the answer to your question is to find cycling clubs or cycling community near you. I googled "cyclist in dubai" and found this club:

Rides and Clubs - Dubai Cyclist

If you can tolerate the summer temperature of 40-50 Celcius, I am sure that club members who are already cycling in Dubai should be able to give you some tips of what you should and should not do while cycling in Dubai.

If you don’t like the idea of joining a club, you can read about “Cycle laws and safety in Dubai and UAE” at Cycling in Dubai. That is where I discovered that cycling is not allowed on major highways and motorways and there are no bike lanes. So, if you are concern that cycling on roads in Dubai is not safe, consider cycling in the desert. That should be a great way to work out for fitness.

If you are thinking of cycling in the desert, a fatbike is what you should consider cycling on because it can handle sandy, muddy, grassy and rough terrain well.

Here is what it is like cycling on sandy places like the desert.
https://youtu.be/grZ-LL6NOgI

When should I change my gears?

You do not have to zoom down a slope when descending if you put more resistance on the pedals by using the "higher" or "harder" gears.  The lower gears are easy gears are for ascending hills.

Shift down to a lower gear = Ride uphill = ride on lower gears to climb uphill with less effort.

You are cycling on low gear when

1) your chain is on cog of smallest chainring = gear 1
2) your chain is on cog of biggest sprocket at the rear = gear 1

Shift up to a higher gear = Ride downhill = add resistance on the pedals and to reduce cadence (in your own term, heaviest).

You are cycling on highest gear of your bike when
1) your chain is on cog of largest chainring at the front = gear 3
2) chain on cog of smallest sprocket = gear 8 = you are running on 24 speed

This diagram of cogs on a chainring and freewheel of a 24 speed bike gives you an idea on which cog your chain is sitting on when you change your gears.

What this video if you would like a clearer picture of how your chain moves on the chainrings and cogs when you change your gears.

What is the best bike for a child age 5?

If you know the age of the child, you can refer to this "bicycle chart" to determine the right wheel size bicycle to buy.  A 16" wheel size bicycle will be suitable for a child age 5.

Note that if you get the child a 12” bicycle when he should be riding on a 16”, his legs will ache due to fatigue as the saddle is too close to the handlebar for him to ride comfortably. He will often stand on the pedals to cycle to ease the ache. The PVC pedals installed will not be able to withstand his full weight on them. So, if you have to replace the pedals frequently, you will know that the child has outgrown his bicycle or you have bought the wrong size bike. 

Bicycles with wheel size of 12” right up to 16” will have training wheels already installed on them. There are also 12″ bicycle with removable rod attached so you can hold on to the rod while the child learns to ride.

This is very helpful when it is time to remove the training wheels as the child may still need support.  Without the rod, you may have to lean over to hold on to the handlebar and saddle to assist the child.

If you opt for a 12” balance bike you will have to note the age range the model is suitable for. Example, the JDBug models I carry is suitable for children age 2.5 to 5 years and can take a rider’s weight load of up to 30kg. There is also an option to install pedals when these are required at a later stage. So, if you decide to get a balance bike, you will have to study what is suitable for a child age 5.

I noticed that children enjoy choosing bicycles in my shop. They will try to find the kind of bicycles that their friends are cycling. They will be even happier if they can find bicycles in colours of their choice or with cartoon characters they like.

If it is possible, bring the child to a bikeshop.  Let him sit on the bicycle of his choice. Does he feel comfortable on it? Is the bicycle too big and heavy for him? You will know that it is not suitable if he has difficulty pedaling it.

There are a great variety of bicycles for kids in the market. Make sure that the regular bicycle you choose comes with mudguards and a bell attached. The child will be able to sit in a more upright position if you get him a bicycle installed with BMX handlebars like this.

Add front and rear lights if he intends to ride out at night. If it is within your budget, also provide the child with a protector set.

How do I get the bike fit done on a cycle?

Sit on the saddle of the bicycle you are interested in buying. Place your hands on the handlebar. Do you feel that you are leaning way too forward? If it is and you still like the bike, you can request the bicycle shop to change a stem with a shorter reach or replace it with one which is adjustable so that you can raise the handlebar nearer to you.

As you sit on the saddle, are your feet sitting flat on the floor? Raise the seatpost up so that only the tips of your shoes are touching the floor. Sometimes, you may have to change the seatpost if you can’t push the seatpost down any lower as the bolts installed for the cage could be blocking the way. To resolve that, you can change seatpost to one that is shorter in length or have it cut shorter by the shop.

Now get off the saddle and straddle over the toptube. Is your crotch area touching it? If it is, ask the shop to let you try one with a smaller frame size. So, if a 16″ to 17″ frame size (M size) is too high for you, you may have to try a frame size of 15″ (S size). Anything above 18″ is L size. The size is usually printed on the frame where the seatpost is inserted, just below the toptube.

It is safer to buy the bicycle if your crotch area is about 2–3 inches away from the toptube as you straddle over it. That way, should you have an accident and fall, you will not be hurt by the toptube.

Is it a good idea to buy a used high end carbon road bike?

Many people buy bicycles without checking on the warranty provided for the frame or its components. Eg, I have customers requesting us to repair their hydraulic disc brake and gears on their new bicycle which should still be under warranty.

If you want to buy used bicycles with carbon frames, find one from companies that offer the best warranty. Eg, manufacturers from China like XDS, provides 3 years warranty on their carbon frames and 5 years warranty on their alloy frames for the original owner. Trek offers only 2 years warranty for carbon frame but lifetime warranty on other type of frames. I read that they also have a loyalty program, whereby they will offer a discount to replace damaged carbon frame.

These warranties are for manufacturing defects, so the warranty will be voided if you have an accident which damaged the frame. However, companies like Calfee provide 10 years warranty for carbon frame repairs from the original date of service. They will even perform an inspection for second buyers of their used frame and perform any repairs which are covered under warranty at no additional charge.

So, if you still intend to buy used carbon frame bike, you may want to check with the owner the kind of warranty he still holds for the carbon frame. Then you will have to negotiate with the seller to see if there is a way you can get him to assist you in getting this warranty claim should you face a problem after riding it.

Note though that you may like the carbon frame but not like the components already installed. The next question to ask the seller or discover for yourself is whether you will be able to find spare parts for its components during repairs. It will be time consuming and costly for you to replace parts that are difficult to find, especially if you intend to maintain a complete groupset.