When it comes to buying a road bike, the process can be daunting to even the most experienced cyclists. While a new road bike is undoubtedly an exciting purchase to make, the endless lists of jargon and technical terminology can quickly leave you tongue-tied, and the abundance of different bikes to choose from can leave you drowning in decisions to make. But don’t worry, we’ve all been there.
As tech editor here at Cyclingnews, I’ve overseen the creation of hundreds of bike-related buyer’s guides over the past three years. Prior to this, I spent five years working in a local bike shop helping people from all walks of life choose the right bike for their needs. With that experience and some help from my colleagues and industry experts, I’ve put together this guide to buying a road bike, to help you choose the best road bike for you and guide you through the process from start to finish.
Since the definition of a road bike can be so broad and varied, what constitutes the best for you will depend on many factors personal to each reader.
For example, take the Specialized Tarmac. It’s a great example of a road bike, it’s won countless bike races at every level, and it’s lauded by many – myself included – but if you’re looking to commute 10 miles each way during winter, it’s not the right one for you as it can’t take mudguards. Equally, the Trek Domane is incredibly capable over rough ground, it can accept mudguards for the commute, and has also won races at the top of our sport, but if your aim is racing hill climbs or criteriums, then others would perform better.
I will therefore use this guide to explain what types of road bike exist, and explain what factors we look at when judging a bike’s quality and suitability in the first place. When I’m done, you will know what your options are, and have the tools to compare the merits and pitfalls of each, so that you will be comfortably buying a road bike in no time.
So without further ado, let’s get you a new bike.
Types of road bike
The first step to understanding which road bike you need, is to ascertain what types of road bike actually exist, and perhaps more importantly, what differentiates them from each other in their purpose. Bikes are predominantly unisex by design, but a few brands do make bikes specifically for women. The model hierarchy of these brands will usually mimic the unisex approach outlined below, but the best women’s road bikes will include subtle differences tailoring the frame and its…
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