A road bike is ideal for long distance riding where speed is of the essence. Not so long ago it was only used by professionals. Nowadays many amateurs are also interested in this model of bike.
Facing the choice of a bicycle, you first need to answer the question, “In what situations will I use it most often?”. Depending on whether you need a bike for getting around town, for long trips with panniers, or for fast-paced rides on lake-flat asphalt roads, you’ll need different equipment for optimal performance.
City bike
– seems to be the most popular. Because of its frame design (the cyclist, sitting on the saddle, assumes an upright posture), it is ideal for a leisurely ride around town. It provides good visibility on the road, and larger wheels than other models allow you to cover the distance faster, although developing dizzying speeds in this case can hardly be out of the question.
Road bicycle
– at first glance it differs from other types of bicycles and with the recognition of a popular cyclist should not be a problem even for those who keep away from sports. Its special features include a rather specific frame, wheel size and a unique handlebar, which is hard to find in other types of bicycles. On a road bike you can cover long distances in a relatively short time, because it allows you to develop quite high speed.
Touring bicycle
– its construction allows for long trips with all the equipment, which is attached to the bike rack and frame in panniers – due to the specifics of the equipment, it must be solid and durable.
When you have clearly defined goals, making a final decision about what bike to choose should not be a big problem. It turns out, however, that this is only a pretense. The further you get into the woods, the narrower and more winding the paths start to get, and the choice, instead of decreasing, grows even more. The types of bikes mentioned earlier are just a general division. If you know that your proverbial “horsepower” is long-distance riding, then you will certainly opt for a road bike. But will it be a typical cyclocross, gravel, or maybe a triathlon bike? In order to make the best decision, it is worth taking a moment to get to know what characterizes each of them.
You can distinguish between:
– typical cyclist,
– gravel,
– triathlon bikes.
The cost of a bicycle will ultimately depend not only on the manufacturer’s brand or the intended use (although, of course, training bicycles will be cheaper than those intended for competition), but also on the quality of the components installed in it. People who are just beginning their adventure with riding a road bike, can safely be tempted by cheaper models. Professionals and cyclists, for whom road cycling has been a hobby for many years, will feel the difference in riding comfort on different components. What components should you pay special attention to?
Bike
frame – in this case it is worth to take into account both the material of which the bike frame will be made, and the size properly suited to the figure. The user has a choice of an aluminium or carbon fibre frame. The former is stiff, solid and relatively cheap. A carbon frame is a very lightweight solution, but also much more expensive.
Gears
– should you choose the popular Shimano or a slightly higher class SRAM? A lot depends on individual preferences and expectations from the equipment. In this case, the price may be an indicator – the more expensive the drive, the higher class it will probably be.
Brakes
– the most common solution for road bikes are shoe brakes. They are more efficient than disc brakes, which are better suited for off-road use than on asphalt.
A road bike is the perfect solution for professionals and amateurs who enjoy long rides on hard surfaces. Choosing a bike with the right frame, good gears and above all the right size will make the ride more comfortable.
Photo credit: pxhere.com
