Road biking is a way to improve physical fitness, make new like-minded friends, have a lot of fun, and explore the beautiful surroundings. This sport attracts more and more people, providing the development of many muscle groups.
To choose the “right” road bike, you need to decide what you want to do on it and where to ride. But, important and the amount you can allocate for the purchase, because in addition to the bike will need to buy additional accessories: equipment, spare parts, tools.
Next, decide whether you can assemble a road bike on your own or will have to seek help from professionals, which will require additional costs.
Counted road bike for those who like competitive riding and physical exertion. Road bike, in comparison with others, assumes a long ride. At the same time, it expends the same effort as when riding classic bikes with higher speed, but on roads with a special surface – bicycle paths and highways.
Features include:
A handlebar that resembles the shape of ram’s horns;
narrow wheels;
low weight of components and the frame itself, made of carbon fiber, aluminum alloy or titanium;
strong and lightweight front fork made of carbon fiber.
Components of a road bike
Frame. The price depends directly on the material from which the frame is made. In this case, it is aluminum alloy. Such a road bike is not characterized by a high price, which means that it is suitable for beginners. Frames. They are made in a rigid form, which makes the design durable, reliable, lightweight, not causing difficulties when riding at high speed.
If carbon (carbon fiber) was used to manufacture the frame, the price of road bike will be high, but the structure becomes high strength and lightness.
For professionals, road bikes with a frame made of titanium are suitable – super strong and lightweight. They belong to the most expensive group of bikes.
Wheels. This type of bike uses narrow tires with a small number of treads (Continental, etc.). Their choice is justified by the small friction of the tires on the road, which affects the value of speed. But their disadvantage is that the cyclist feels all the bumps on himself if he rides on an uneven road. If, however, to use a road bike to ride on the roads intended for him, the bike behaves very well.
Handlebar. Its curved handles reduce air resistance. Regardless of what position the cyclist takes, it is controlled by the straight section of the handlebars where the brake lever and gear shifter are attached. To the cyclist, the combination of all these points provides a comfortable riding experience.
Gears. The range of gears in a modern road bike is quite wide. Low gears are intended for overcoming steep and long climbs, while high gears are used on high-speed roads.
Usually a road bike is completed with 2-3 front and 8-9 rear gears, which gives 16-27 combinations.
Pedals. Pedals are not included with the base model, so the buyer is concerned about where the pedals are. Anyone who buys a road bike can choose their own design.
A comfortable set of pedals for road riding is purchased at the same time as the purchase of the bike, which will provide further and quality riding at high speed. Pedals with clip-on hooks that allow you to not just push, but also pull the pedals upward will do.
Brake levers and shifter. In earlier models, these elements were mounted in different parts of the road bike. In modern road bikes, they are placed close together on the handlebars for convenience.
When buying a road bike, check to see if you can easily handle the bike, i.e., how easy it is to push the brake lever and change speeds. This is very important to ride comfortably and safely. If difficulties arise, try to “play” with the distance between the levers and the handlebars, and even look at another model in which parameters suit you more.
Bicycle Lounge. Another useful accessory for long road bike riders that allows you to change your posture so your arms and back can rest. It allows you to reduce wind resistance. But, in urban environments where there are a lot of traffic lights, this bulky accessory only gets in the way.
What is considered to be the right fit
To make the right choice, you need to study the recommendations:
When driving, put your hands on the steering wheel so that your fingers can reach freely to the gearshift and brake. The angle of the body in relation to the hands is 90 degrees;
After you sit on the bike and put your hands on the handlebars correctly, pay attention to the front hub: you should see it either in the center or 75% of the torso’s extension. If you can’t get it right, it means the frame is not right for you;
There should be symmetry between the width of the shoulders and the width of the handlebars. To improve aerodynamic performance, narrower handlebars are used in competitions. The breathing will be clearer and more stable with a wide grip;
To adjust the saddle correctly, put your foot on the pedal: it should not bend, but it should be parallel to the road surface;
The saddle is set parallel to the road surface, but if it is uncomfortable to ride, you can tilt it slightly;
To prevent excessive load on the spine, it is not desirable to bend strongly in the lower back. One should breathe freely while driving;
The minimum distance between the hip and the elbow should not be less than 1-2 centimeters.
Trials and freestyle bikes
This is where we put the BMX and triathlon bikes. It is easy to recognize the trials, they have long, low and light frames, no saddle, a long stem, and a wide handlebar. The rear tire is often thicker than the front. All of this makes for great balance on the rear wheel and difficult sporting tricks.
BMX-type bikes also have a low frame. Wheels are 20 inches. Special tubes (pegs) are attached to the axle. On BMX, you can rotate the handlebars as much as you like and the cables are not tangled. This feature is usually used in tricks.
Prices start at $ 200, but it is better to choose a model more expensive.
Track Bicycle
Also known as a track bicycle. This is a special kind of bike, designed for racing on the track. It has no transmission and no brakes. The wheel is connected to the pedals, so there is no freewheeling. As the pedals spin, so does the wheel. The handlebar ram is to achieve a sporty fit.
This is the lightest of all bikes, but prices for professional track bikes start at several thousand dollars.
The Cutting bike.
This is a subspecies of the road bike and is used in split start races and is also popular in triathlons. There is an emphasis on aerodynamics here. Narrow wheels, handlebars with a recumbent, the geometry of the frame is sharpened to maximize airflow.
Prices for the carving bikes start at $3,000.
