What do you want?

To find your ideal bike you first need to decide how you’re going to use it.

If you’ve been inspired by the Tour de France or want to race in your first triathlon, a mountain bike is unlikely to give you the speed you need. You’ll want a lightweight bike with slim tyres and drop handlebars that you can power up hills and down country lanes.

Similarly, if you want to get off the beaten track and tackle some tricky terrain, a road bike won’t be up to the job. You’ll want a bike with sturdy tyres and, at least, front suspension.

If you’re planning to do your shopping on the bike, or carry files to and from the office, you can wear a back pack or you might want a model that you can fit panniers to or a bike with a basket.

Ask the bike shop if you want to cycle with your children as some models might be better suited to carrying childseats or tag-along tail gators than others.

How much do you want to pay?

Check if your employer offers a Cycle to Work scheme.

These tax-free arrangements allow you to pay for your bike in instalments taken straight from your salary over 10 months, with the company paying a share, meaning you could save up to 40 per cent off the cost of your bike.

Whether buying in a scheme or entirely from your own pocket, decide on your budget, factoring in the extras (a helmet, lights, water bottle, bell and the all-important lock) and remember that you get what you pay for.

The best quality bike you can afford will be a better investment than scrimping on what looks like a bargain.

It’s difficult to find a good quality adults bike for less than £250, but there are second-hand deals to be found when someone has bought a good quality bike but failed to give it the use it deserves, or when someone has fixed up a worn bike to give it a new lease of life.

You’re likely to get a better value bike for £200 second-hand than you will if you spend £200 new.

Shop around and go local

Support your local independent bike shop.

They often offer a much better service and are staffed, run and owned by people who are not only passionate about bikes and helping people like you to enjoy cycling, but who want you to come back again and again.

Talk to them about what you want. If they don’t have what you’re looking for they might be able to order it in or suggest something similar.

You and your bike are hopefully going to be spending a lot of time together, so don’t be fooled into choosing something for its looks over its comfort.

Just as you wouldn’t buy a car without hearing the engine and taking it for a test drive, don’t buy a bike without having first sat on it and taken it for a spin.

Size matters

There are online calculators to show you what size frame to look for.

You can adjust your seat but if a frame is much too big or small – of if you’re straining to reach the brakes or gears – it isn’t going to be a happy ride.

When straddling the frame the crossbar (if there is one) shouldn’t be more than 1.5 inches from your crotch with road bikes and hybrids, and at least two inches away with mountain bikes.

Sitting on the saddle you should be able to touch the floor with your tiptoes and when holding the handlebars, with the right pedal in its lowest position, your heel should only just be able to reach the pedal.

If your knee is bent when your heel reaches the pedal you need to raise the saddle. If your heel doesn’t reach the pedal you need to lower the saddle.

If you need to alter either the saddle or handlebars to be as high or as low as they can go, try scaling up or down a frame size.