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Guides

What to buy, what it should cost, and how to make it fit. Every number here comes from physics, a named rule of thumb, or the same catalogue of 53 bikes the finder ranks — so you can click through and check it.

Before you buy

Work out what you actually need, then what it should cost.

How to choose a bike: the five questions that actually decide itWhere you ride, how far, what you carry, what you can store and what you can spend. The five answers that narrow the whole market to a shortlist.7 min
Road, gravel or hybrid: picking the category that fits your ridingThe categories overlap more than the names admit. A decision rule built on surface and handlebar, plus the right pick for five common riding patterns.8 min
How much to spend on a bike, and where the curve flattensWhat each price band actually buys, why the used market holds the value, what a year of ownership costs, and the straight answer on carbon.8 min
Frame materials explained: aluminium, carbon, steel and titaniumWhat each frame material does to weight, comfort, durability and repair — and why it matters less to how a bike rides than the tyres bolted to it.8 min
Groupsets explained: what each tier buys, and when to stop payingWhat a groupset is, how the Shimano and SRAM ladders work, what genuinely improves as you climb, and why gear range matters more than gear count.8 min
E-bike motors explained: hub or mid-drive, torque, and the legal classesWhere the motor sits and what that does to handling, how much torque you need, what the EU 250 W rule means, and why the sensor matters more than watts.7 min
E-bike range explained: watt-hours, and what you will actually getWhat the Wh number means, the watt-hours-per-kilometre rule of thumb, the seven things that move range most, and whether a bigger battery is worth it.7 min

Once it is yours

Sizing, fit and the maintenance that prevents the expensive repairs.