How To Find Your Prefect Road Bike
A road bike is perfect for you if you plan to ride it on paved surfaces or use it as transportation. Road bikes have a frame that is lightweight so that the rider is seated in the most aerodynamic position possible.
The wheels of road bikes are narrow and smooth. The high pressure tires glide over the surface of the road and therefore provide very little resistance. However, the flipside is that these tires force you to feel any bumps or pebbles on the road and are therefore a bit on the uncomfortable side.
The frame of a road bike can be made of various types of material depending on how high end or low end the bike is. Usually the more expensive road bikes have lighter frames. Most lower end bikes have aluminum or steel frames with aluminum being the more preferred material. Aluminum frames are stiffer than other materials so the ride is a bit rougher. Steel frames are heavier than aluminum frames but gives a smoother ride. If you want to be sure about which frame is right for you, test ride a few bikes before making your choice.
Bikes that are a little more expensive have some of their components made from carbon such as the front fork. High end bikes have their frames completely made of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a durable material and is at the same time very light. More advanced road bikes have frames made out of titanium - a new age material that is sturdy yet very light. However, the bikes that use these sophisticated materials are quite expensive and are used only by serious cyclists.
The handle bars of road bikes are built in such a way that if a rider wants to travel very fast they need to hunch over to minimize the wind resistance. If a rider wants to sit upright, all they need to do is to sit with their hands on the flat part of the handlebars. In road bikes, the brake levers and gear shift levers can be found on the handle bars. This makes it easier to control the bike.
A road bike usually comes with accessories such as a frame pump, water bottle, cyclocomputer, tool bag and cage. Some popular brands of road bikes are LeMond, Trek Bianchi, Specialized and Cannondale. When you are buying a new road bike, go for the best frame that you can find. You can save on the components and upgrade those piece by piece in the future.
The wheels of road bikes are narrow and smooth. The high pressure tires glide over the surface of the road and therefore provide very little resistance. However, the flipside is that these tires force you to feel any bumps or pebbles on the road and are therefore a bit on the uncomfortable side.
The frame of a road bike can be made of various types of material depending on how high end or low end the bike is. Usually the more expensive road bikes have lighter frames. Most lower end bikes have aluminum or steel frames with aluminum being the more preferred material. Aluminum frames are stiffer than other materials so the ride is a bit rougher. Steel frames are heavier than aluminum frames but gives a smoother ride. If you want to be sure about which frame is right for you, test ride a few bikes before making your choice.
Bikes that are a little more expensive have some of their components made from carbon such as the front fork. High end bikes have their frames completely made of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a durable material and is at the same time very light. More advanced road bikes have frames made out of titanium - a new age material that is sturdy yet very light. However, the bikes that use these sophisticated materials are quite expensive and are used only by serious cyclists.
The handle bars of road bikes are built in such a way that if a rider wants to travel very fast they need to hunch over to minimize the wind resistance. If a rider wants to sit upright, all they need to do is to sit with their hands on the flat part of the handlebars. In road bikes, the brake levers and gear shift levers can be found on the handle bars. This makes it easier to control the bike.
A road bike usually comes with accessories such as a frame pump, water bottle, cyclocomputer, tool bag and cage. Some popular brands of road bikes are LeMond, Trek Bianchi, Specialized and Cannondale. When you are buying a new road bike, go for the best frame that you can find. You can save on the components and upgrade those piece by piece in the future.
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