what's the best type of road bike?
Mandygring
Posts: 704 Member
I'm sorta new to this topic so I'm curious what the best type of road bike is. Is it different for men than woman? What do I look for when looking for a bike?
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All I've heard is thin tires0
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One with a motor5
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Hahaha
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Lots of great options. I like Specialized myself but there are plenty of others like Cannondale that make good bikes. In the UK the bikes from Boardman are great value.0
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I'm in US0
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It depends on what you want to do with it. Go to a couple of local bike shops (not a big box) and start looking around. I'm partial to Specialized but really, it's about going in and trying a few different bikes to see what fits for you personally...there is no universal "best".
Do not get a bike from a big box store like Wal-Mart...get a real bike...you will enjoy it much more and if you enjoy it you will use it.4 -
The only real difference between male/female bike design is the frame design in some cases but you might not find any difference in road bikes. frame size and fitment is the only difference. You will find a few differences in the high end bike shops whether you're planning on doing triathalons, sprints, cyclocross or just riding and most differences are primarily in the angle at which your body will be situated on the bike the other will be the tire/wheel setup. You could get a hybrid that will work decently in semi-offroad situations as well as on the road, or a pure road bike. Decide what your plans are and I would suggest talking to a sales rep somewhere to find your best options. I have a high end road bike but want another just for riding to work because I don't want to leave that high end of a bike parked outside all day. Your needs will steer you in the right path with a good salesman. After that's decided, the best thing you could possibly do is get a proper fitment for the bike and get it set up for you to allow for a comfortable ride and more so to prevent injury.1
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cwolfman13 wrote: »It depends on what you want to do with it. Go to a couple of local bike shops (not a big box) and start looking around.
This is best advice. Go to the shops and ask questions of knowledgeable people. There are way too many variables to find the answer online.
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xmichaelyx wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »It depends on what you want to do with it. Go to a couple of local bike shops (not a big box) and start looking around.
This is best advice. Go to the shops and ask questions of knowledgeable people. There are way too many variables to find the answer online.
Seconding this^^ Go to your local bike store!!0 -
It depends on what you're looking for Not all road bikes are created equally. You've got Performance, Endurance, Gravel, Cyclocross, Fixed Gear/Single Speed, and Comfort. It depends on what you want to get out of it.
I'm going to Echo the statement of go to a LBS [Local Bike Shop] and try some out and see what you like. And don't be afraid to go to a couple different shops. Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Jamis, Felt or another other brand fits different people differently.
as @cwolfman13 stated I am partial to Specialized myself. I have a Pitch, which is a mountain bike, and I have a Secteur which is an endurance frame. But I'm also looking for a performance bike and their Allez doesn't really do me justice but the Cannondale CAAD12 fits me like a glove. So don't be afraid to try different brands.
The other thing I would recommend is look at the bikes Group Set and see what replacement parts are going to cost.1 -
And remember to have a budget in mind. As long as the bike fits you a lot of them will be pretty good. Plenty of good riders can get awesome time/speed on a budget aluminium framed bike. The difference betwen a £500 road bike and a £2500 one is a couple of seconds on a ride and letting other people know you can afford an expendive bike.3
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A word of advice. Pure road bikes are usually the most fragile off all bikes and more expensive to maintain. I'd recommend looking into a trekking bike3
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Is that a brand?0
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Trekk is a brand. The first thing you need to decide is what you really want to do and then how much you want to spend. If you want it for just riding than a hybrid is the route you want. Trails would be more of a mountain bike. Just road and more distance than it would be a road bike. I ride at least 20 miles a day on a hybrid. Definitely recommend going to a bike store, not a sporting goods store to talk about what direction you want to go.1
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Mandygring wrote: »I'm sorta new to this topic so I'm curious what the best type of road bike is. Is it different for men than woman? What do I look for when looking for a bike?
The best type is the one that suits your purposes and fits you.
What do you want to do with the road bicycle?0 -
I currently ride a Cannondale; two bikes prior were both Treks.
Terrain: since you specifically asked about a road bike, I assume you want to ride pavement.
Budget--bikes range from a few hundred to thousands. So set a budget that includes cost for bike, helmet, lock
Woman specific bike: women's bike frames are smaller than men's bikes. Women's bikes will have shorter top tubes and narrower handle bars. The overall frame size will be scaled down as well. Handle bars should be the same width as your shoulders. The handle bar drop (distance from the curved end to the top of the handle bars) on a women's bike isn't as deep to allow easier access to the gear shifters and comfortable grip for smaller hands.
Saddle: women's bikes are outfitted with a women's saddle. Women have wider pelvis than men, so a women's saddle will be wide and short. Men saddles are narrow and long.
My philosophy is buy the best frame you can afford. You can always upgrade your drive train (pedals, cranks, cogs, derailleur, etc) but you can't upgrade your frame without buying a new bike. This go around I bought a carbon frame. Much lighter and maneuverable that my old aluminum frames.
If you have an REI near you, check out the free bike maintenance class.
REI also offer an in-depth bike maintenance class to learn how to fix/replace bike components. You bring your bike to the class for hands on training. Definitely worth the money if you become an avid biker.
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It's better to have a moderately priced bike that fits you, than an expensive bike that doesn't fit. The fitting will include the size of the frame, the height and tilt of the seat, the width and position of the handlebars, and other variables based on your measurements and the type of riding you want to do. Good luck, have fun, try to check out a few different bike shops before you make a decision.0
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Real quick... local bike shop, buy something nice, pre-owned, with a comfortable seat. Get yourself something called a hybrid bike. Any name brand will do. Make sure it is the right size for you. Don't spend a ton of money until you prove to yourself that you will get a lot out of your bike. Buy a hybrid, with a comfortable seat. If you are not comfortable on it, you'll never ride it.2
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OP, some good suggestions above. My two cents: Go to the bike shop and explain the type of riding you intend to do. Then you'll know whether a mountain bike, hybrid or a true road bike is the right tool for the job. After you know what type is needed, it is a decision based on other factors such as cost, fit and personal preference.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »It depends on what you want to do with it. Go to a couple of local bike shops (not a big box) and start looking around. I'm partial to Specialized but really, it's about going in and trying a few different bikes to see what fits for you personally...there is no universal "best".
Do not get a bike from a big box store like Wal-Mart...get a real bike...you will enjoy it much more and if you enjoy it you will use it.
^^ This.....there are so many variables.
Are you planning on racing? What's your budget (yes, you can spend $10K on a bike if you want...)?
Probably the single most important thing is fit. Different manufacturers will have slight differences in frame geometry which can have a significant impact on riding comfort, try as many different bikes in your price range that you can. As far as quality goes you can't go wrong with Trek or Giant or Specialized or Cannondale or Felt etc etc etc
If you're riding on fairly flat terrain the weight of the bike is less important but investing in decent wheels and tires with lower rolling resistance is worthwhile (other than improving your own physical fitness this is often one of the best upgrades to make to a bike)
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I've been looking into bikes myself for a couple of months. I'm not even close to an answer. I saw a lady on a Cannondale. She loved it. I looked them up, several thousand dollars but depending what you want. I saw some in the 500s. I saw a guy on a Giant, haven't looked them up yet. But he liked it a lot. I do know you have to pick the right size of bike. One size does not fit all.0
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I love my Trek.
I ride for pleasure and exercise, not competitively or for speed. It was a bit pricey (450$) but it was fun and comfortable right off the bat. I bought it at a bicycle shop so they helped me measure what size bicycle I need it and then I picked out the color and design I liked. I have had about 8 years now.0 -
Definitely shop the small bike shops. Get an idea on correct size too. Online shopping is difficult without getting on the bike. Lots of sites list S, M, L. You need to know the correct frame size for you. Road bikes=research. What is best for you. Once you have an idea of what you want, and how much you can spend then you can shop. Try BIKESDIRECT.COM. Some brand names, lots of their own stuff (they buy the frames and then build the bike around it with their own label). BIG SAVINGS! I got one of their Gravity labeled bikes. Same components as a Specialized or Giant but around $1200 less.0
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I have a Cannondale Road Bike and I love it, the price was like $800.0
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Mandygring wrote: »I'm sorta new to this topic so I'm curious what the best type of road bike is. Is it different for men than woman? What do I look for when looking for a bike?
As with a number of others in thread, the right answer for type of bike really depends on what type of riding you want to do.
In terms of types:- Road - Generally lighter weight with a broad range of gears, but will generally have a slightly more aggressive riding position. You'll generally find these have narrow tyres, which can limit their utility on poorer road surfaces.
- Mountain bike - A broad range of models exist, but at entry level you're looking at bigger tyres, and for offroad use those would be heavily textured but you can get smoother tyres for road use. The gear range is generally reasonably wide, but at a lower power conversion level, so lower gears at the bottom of the range but the top gears will be slow in comparison. They're generally more robust and more rideable as they've got a more relaxed ride position, but slower and harder work to go distances on.
- Hybrid/ Commuter - Generally a frame similar to a road bike, but with flat bars, bigger tyres and a decent gear range. They'll cope with poor weather and surfaces better than a pure road bike, but they're faster than a mountain bike.
- Cyclocross - Originally designed for cross country racing, they're generally very similar to road bikes, but with offroad tyres, a more relaxed ride position and a slightly lower gearing set.
Personally I have a carbon frame road bike (Boardman) that I use for training, an aluminium frame CX bike (Boardman) that I use for commuting, having put a pannier rack and panniers onto it. I commute part of the way offroad, so a hybrid wouldn't do the job for me. I have an aluminium frame mountain bike (Specialized) for throwing around the forests and an aluminium frame road bike (Specialized) that I have on my turbo trainer for indoor training sessions. I also have a steel frame folding (Brompton) that I use when I'm commuting into London, as I can ride it to the station, fold it up and take it on the train, then ride it through London. They've all got different benefits and disbenefits, depending on what I'm wanting to do.
I'd also echo the points about getting the best frame you can, as you can upgrade gears, brakes, seat and wheels at somewhat lower cost than replacing the frame and forks.0 -
TONYPASCUCCI wrote: »Once you have an idea of what you want, and how much you can spend then you can shop. Try BIKESDIRECT.COM.
This is the kind of advice that will put local shops out of business. There is more to value than price, your local bike shop assembles the bike (properly) and will help fit it for you and most will include adjustments & tuneups for a year or two.....
If you know what you want and how to assemble / maintain a bike by all means buy on-line but really bad advice for a newbie.......
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BrianSharpe wrote: »TONYPASCUCCI wrote: »Once you have an idea of what you want, and how much you can spend then you can shop. Try BIKESDIRECT.COM.
This is the kind of advice that will put local shops out of business. There is more to value than price, your local bike shop assembles the bike (properly) and will help fit it for you and most will include adjustments & tuneups for a year or two.....
If you know what you want and how to assemble / maintain a bike by all means buy on-line but really bad advice for a newbie.......
Plus most likely, the bicycle shop will service the bike for you free for awhile, and lower if you bought it from them than someplace else. My bike shop also offered to exchange it, or give me store credit if I discovered I made the wrong choice or just didn't like riding at all (for a limited time). Again, 8 years later they are still of assistance to me when I need it
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TONYPASCUCCI wrote: »Definitely shop the small bike shops. Get an idea on correct size too. Online shopping is difficult without getting on the bike. Lots of sites list S, M, L. You need to know the correct frame size for you. Road bikes=research. What is best for you. Once you have an idea of what you want, and how much you can spend then you can shop.
Notwithstanding what might be considered as pretty parasitic behaviour, for someone asking the original question it's extremely bad advice.
fwiw your LBS may also provide some sweeteners in the deal. I bought a new bike about three weeks ago and got about 10% of the value in additional accessories and a low level maintenance package. They're giving me labour, and sundries, free for a year.
The originator is unlikely to be able to maintain and service her own bike, so is going to have to use the local shop that you're putting out of business. The idea of someone going out on a bike when they're potentially not maintaining it appropriately is lethal, both for the person you're advising, and other road users.
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I have two things to add:
First, women's bikes "tend" to fit women better, but that isn't universally true. My wife has a "men's" bike and loves it. Definitely check out both men's and women's bikes. I'm a guy, but I'd buy a women's bike if it fit me better. Seats are like that too. I have a men's frame bike, but I have wide ischial tuberosities (sit bones). As a result, my seat is wider than most men's seats. It isn't softer, though. If the seat fits, it doesn't have to be soft to be comfortable, and soft seats can squish pressure from bones designed to take the weight to soft areas that are not designed to take the weight. Getting a frame that fits is important, but getting a seat that fits is just as important. Final thing about fit: if you have a frame that is close to the right size, there are a lot of things that can be adjusted to "dial in" the fit.
Second, I'm partial to Performance Bike. They are a big chain, but they specialize in just bikes. They have some advantages of both a local bike shop (bike knowledge) and a big chain store (prices). I love my local Performance Bike store. I am sure that some are better than others, just like local shops. Some local shops will try to sell you what they have, not what you need (which I hate). The sales people at Performance don't work on commission. That means that the salesman doesn't directly benefit by selling you more than what you need. But, like an LBS, they do sell high-end bikes, too. They have a Web site, and prices in-store and online are fairly competitive with online-only bike stores. If you have a Performance Bike store in your area, check it out, too. (Disclosure: I have no affiliation with Performance Bike except being a customer.)
REI is a bit like that too. They sell higher-end bikes than a box store like Walmart. I've never been terribly impressed with their prices, though, and they don't specialize in bikes. I would expect that their knowledge about bikes would be noticeably better than a general box store, but not nearly as good as a bikes-only store. (I am an REI customer, too, just not for bikes.)0 -
The best type of road bike is the one that you're comfortable on and will ride.
I see people in this area go out and spend a lot of money thinking that will make them better riders, and make the same mistakes people make at a big box store picking bicycles. The only real difference being that the people at the big box stores waste less money on a bike they aren't sure they will ride.
Light weight, thin tires, less aero resistance, and more ratios will make you travel farther with the same amount of energy. But no bike will perform beyond what you put into it regardless. You can get just as fit with a lower priced bike, and if you decide you like or dislike certain styles, features, etc you can always move up to something that suits you better.
What is comfortable and suits what you want to do with it varies a great deal person to person.1
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