The Lowdown on Road Bikes and Frames
The road bike is one of the most popular and oldest of all types of bike out there. If you’re mainly going to be riding on pavement, and distance or speed are important priorities for you, you’ll want to invest in one of this sort. These bicycles are built for racing in most cases, and have lightweight frames built to allow good cycling posture without discomfort. Using a road bike is highly recommended, and among the very best are the Colnago Bicycles and the Fuji Bicycles.
Road bicycles don’t have the knobbly surface you might associate with mountain bike tires – they often have narrow tires that are kept at a high pressure, and which are smooth surfaced. These minimize contact with the road, giving you the minimum amount of possible rolling resistance. However, they allow you to feel more when it comes to bumps and stones – that’s why they are best suited for pavement that’s well maintained.
You will need to think about the frame, as well. The frames of road bikes are made from a variety of materials, and the price varies based on the material and the way they are made. Lighter frames are usually more expensive – better suited to climbing. Heavier bikes result in slower times for competition riders. This may or may not be a consideration for you.
Nearly all beginners’ bicycles have frames of either steel or aluminum, with aluminum steadily taking up more and more of the market. Neither is a bad choice, but each has its pluses and minuses. For instance, steel frames weigh more, but offer more flex, and can cushion bumps a little better. Aluminum frames are manufactured to be particularly stiff, resulting in a slightly rougher ride. How do you find out which one’s the bicycle for you? Test as many as possible and determine which one feels the best.
You will start to see bike frames made from different materials as bike prices increase. The front fork, for instance, may be made from carbon fiber – a light, but strong material. Higher end bicycles may have an entire frame made from carbon fiber, delivering great lightness and strength. Even more exclusive bicycles are made from titanium and other specialist materials. Since these are such expensive bikes, most of them are purchased only by serious cycling enthusiasts.
Handle bars are another significant element. On road bicycles, they often project straight out from the stem, then curl under so that riders who want to avoid wind resistance can hunch over. Riders are also able to sit in a position that’s more upright and keep their hands at a higher position on the bars. Brake levers and gear shift are often mounted on the handlebars on road bikes, giving you greater control.
Pay attention to riding position, as well. Most modern road bicycles are built to enable cyclists to bend forward, decreasing their wind resistance and enabling them to direct the maximum power from the hips and legs into the pedals. This good cycling position is good for short term speed, but can cause discomfort in the long term, causing arm and hand problems.
Road bicycles normally come with a lot of speeds in the gearing – eight or nine gears and two or three chain rings – affording anywhere from 16 to 27 different gear combinations. You will also usually get platform pedals equipped with toe pedals, but clipless pedals are also available. They allow you to pedal the cycle on the downstroke as well as the upstroke.
