Road Bikes buying guide

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Contents

1 Important Factors
    1.1 Sizing
    1.2 Frame
    1.3 Components
2 Top Picks
    2.1 Less than $1,000
    2.2 $1000-$5,000
3 Popular Brands
4 Related Products and Guides

Road Bikes Buying Guide

Road Bikes are built for paved roads and fast speeds. Their thin tires are quicker than thicker ones and the lower handle bars are placed strategically to put you in the most aerodynamic position as you fly down the road. You should first decide on whether you're going to use it mostly for comfort or for speed in order to get a bike that adequately suits your needs.

Important Factors

Sizing

When trying out bikes you should be able to comfortably reach the handle bars.

If they are too close or too far away, you won't be able to employ the brake or switch gears properly.

Always use the length of your inseam when determining frame size.

Standing up, there should be an inch or two of clearance between the top bar and your crotch.
If the peddles are too close, you'll end up with knee problems, but if they're too far away, you won't get much power from pushing them.

Frame

When purchasing a bike, you should know what kind of frame you're looking for. The frame will determine how fast or how sturdy your bike is or how much maintenance you're going to have to put into it. Keep these things in mind when choosing a frame.

Stiffness - How stiff your frame is will determine how much impact it can take. The stiffer the frame the more impact you will feel, but your bike will be more sturdy. Choose how stiff you want your frame to be depending on how good a biker you are.
Weight- How light your bike is will determine how fast it will be able to go. Lighter materials will ensure a quicker bike, but may not be as steady as a heavier bike. Again, it should be determined by how good a biker you are.
Material- The material the frame is made out of will greatly influence how light and stiff it is. Here are the most common materials:

Aluminum

Aluminum frames are pretty light and durable. They are usually larger tubes and are pretty stiff to ride.
Although the weigh less, consumers have reported them as less comfortable than other brands.

Carbon

Very light and very efficient, but very expensive.
Mostly used by pros and usually only in parts of the frame.

Titanium

Light and more durable than aluminum, but more expensive.

Steel

Heavy and durable, but cheaper and easier to repair.
Tends to rust easily.

Combo

Some bikes combine two or more of the above materials in order to get the effect of lighter materials without the expensive quality.

Components

Types of Pedals

Flat Pedals

Flat and easy to use, but aren't very effective.
Your foot tends to easily slip off and you may end up with a bruised shin.
Good for casual biking or biking with any kind of shoe.

Toe Clip Pedals

A cage or straps wrap around your toe to attach your sneaker to the pedal.
Easy to get in and out of, and much more efficent than a flat pedal.
These are flexible and can be adjusted to your foot.

Clipless Pedals

These require special cleats that will clip to your pedals.
These are super efficient, but take some getting used to.

Cranksets or Chainsets

There are many different types of cranksets with different weights and different fits. The type of crankset you choose will determine how many gears you have and how mechanically efficient your bike is.
Cranksets should be light and stiff.

Aluminum cranksets are cheaper, but heavier.
Carbon cranksets are lighter and more efficient, but can be a bit pricey.

Parts

Chainrings - These are usually removable and can be replaced when they become worn out.
Bottom Brackets -These connect the chainrings and chainarms to the bike frame

Types

Two-chainring

Pro: Traditional choice for racing, lighter, standard on many high-end models.
Con: Little help on very steep climbs and long trips.

Three-chainring

Pro: Great for steep hills, touring.
Con: Adds some weight, shifts a bit slower, requires upgrade on high-end bikes (cheaper at purchase).

Cassettes

The number of Cassettes you choose will determine how many rear gears you can adjust.
Cassettes are measured by how many teeth they have.Take a look at this chart to get the right cassette for the type of biking you're going to be doing. The first number is the number of teeth on the smallest cassette and the second is the number of teeth on the largest cassette:

11-21 -- flat course racing.
12-23 -- competitive road racing (popular pro choice).
12-25 -- for some hills.
12-27 -- for significantly easier climbing.
12-34 -- very easy gears, only available on triple chainrings

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