SHOP TALK : Buying a Bicycle Requires Research and Attention to Details : Don’t rush into anything. Decide where you’ll be riding, how often and what special features you’re likely to use.

If you’re like us, you used to ride your bicycle all over the neighborhood as a kid. But as you grew older, you rode less and less. And now you don’t have a bicycle at all.

But guess what? Bicycling has come a long way since those old Schwinn days. And buying a bike can take as much consideration as buying a car.

Not to mention money. It costs a minimum of $200 for a quality bike from a bicycle shop, and if you really want to go all out, you can spend upward of $4,000. There are cheaper bikes out there, but they are also more cheaply made and break down more easily.

Now that you’ve got an idea of the price range, don’t just plunk down the cash on the first bike you see. First determine where you will be riding: on the streets around town or off-road on hiking trails.

“If you’re off-roading, you should have a bike with wider tires and a sturdier frame. If you’re riding strictly on the pavement, you want a road bike with thinner tires,” said Mark Eaton, owner of Bill’s Bike Shop in Camarillo. “There are also hybrids, or cross bikes, that are a mix between road and off-road. They are for well-groomed dirt trails or commuting, nothing rugged.”

Besides the difference in build, the off-road varieties tend to cost more than road bikes.

Once you’ve decided on your primary use of the bike, then decide whether you are more interested in performance or comfort, or would like a balance of the two. Ron Jacobson, owner of Westlake Cyclery in Thousand Oaks, said performance bikes are generally more expensive than comfort bikes.

Whichever way you go, you’ll want to take the time to find a proper fit. Consider the style of the bike’s handlebars, the type of seat and its frame size.

“The easiest way to get the proper size is to stand over the frame,” said Eaton. “There should be two to three inches of clearance from the top tube of the frame.”

The weight of the bike is also something to keep in mind. Lighter bikes tend to be more expensive, but the extra cost may be worth it.

You also may want get a bike with shock absorbers or a high-tech shifting mechanism. Gary Klein, part owner of Cycle Scene in Ventura, said road bikes with front shock absorbers are as inexpensive as $400. On off-road bikes, he said, models with shocks are available beginning at about $600.

The latest technology is called “index shifting,” which allows the rider to shift gears more easily than in the past.

“Index shifting started out in just the real expensive bikes,” Klein said. “Now $200 bikes are fully indexed.”

Once you’ve selected your bike, there are still some accessories to gather before you hit the road. First and foremost, the helmet. California law requires riders age 18 and under to wear one. It’s not a bad idea for adults either.

A helmet runs from $30 to more than $100. Klein said most helmet companies have a crash-replacement policy: They will replace your helmet for a small fee after a mishap. He said if you land on your helmet, it’s a good idea to get it replaced whether a crack is visible or not.

As for other accessories, there are repair kits, water bottles and extra parts you might want to take along on your ride.