Beginner Tips and Pro Mistakes
Aug 22 '02
The Bottom Line Ride a lot of bikes before you buy, and get the right one the first time, don't buy a bike you intend to upgrade later.
There are a lot of things to consider when purchasing a road bike, but one of the most important things to remember is that you will be stuck with whatever you decide on for quite some time. I still have the second road bike I ever owned. I bought it used 10 years ago and it still has all of the original componentry excepting a new bottom bracket that I bought when I was riding it on an 8000 mile round the country excursion. My first road bike was stolen in its prime, and my current bike I only purchased because I finally decided that I couldn’t wear out the old one, and I needed an upgrade.
My point is, that unlike mountain bikes, road bikes tend to last longer than you want them to, so you may as well get one you like. Here is the quick list of things to consider, so that you can scroll down to the ones that interest you.
I Price
II. Frame Material
III. Componentry
IV. Wheels
V. Fit
VI. The add ons
I. Price:
$0-400 Great for collecting dust, or banging around town, if you can find one in this price range, it is probably used.
$400- 750 You can find some great bikes in this range, especially if you are looking at last years model that a shop owner it trying to get off the floor. Expect a solid frame and okay componentry. In this range you are looking at an Aluminum frame, maybe a carbon fork if you are lucky.
$750-1000 You are now into quality bikes that should last you a while. At this point you may be able to find some good steel frames, but you are mostly looking at Aluminum. These are bikes that you can show up at your local races and blend right in.
$1000- $1500 Now you are in the good stuff. High quality steel, aluminum, and maybe even some Carbon fiber. Bikes are race ready and well crafted. People in group rides may compliment you on your frame, don’t worry they are talking about the bike.
$1500-1900 Aluminum, steel, carbon fiber maybe some Titanium. You are ultra-light, and probably have some fancy wheels. Expect some jealousy from the folks who are saving up their pennies for their race entry fees.
$1900- ???? You better be good, because there are a whole string of guys on $1300 bikes waiting to laugh at you as they blow by you and your Titanium frame on a climb. On the other hand, if you have the cash, why not?
II: Frame material
Aluminum: This is what most people ride because it is lightweight and inexpensive. It is what Pros ride because it is lightweight and efficient. Aluminum is a very stiff metal with very little natural flex. This makes it ideal for racing, as it is very little power lost in each pedal stroke. There are, however, a couple of downsides. Because of the lack of flex, every little bump in the road is transferred into your body. This gives aluminum frames a jittery feel, and the vibrations tend to wear on the body on long rides. The other problem with aluminum is that if you bend it, you can’t bend it back. When exposed to the air Aluminum (Al) oxidizes to form Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) Aluminum sticks to itself just nicely, but Aluminum Oxide does not. So when you bend a piece of Aluminum, metal on the inside is exposed to the air and oxidizes prohibiting you from bending it back. Try bending an aluminum can back and forth a few times and see what happens. This gives aluminum frames a shorter lifetime and may be the reason that a lot of riders claim that their aluminum frame has a “flat” feel to it after a few seasons. This being said, if you are racing or just getting into the sport, aluminum is probably the way to go.
Steel: Although you will see racers on steel most of the steel folk are either mountain bikers training on the road, or people who just love the feel of a quality bike. There are two levels of steel bikes: K-mart quality, heavy and clunky and the good stuff. Expect to pay at least $800 for a good steel frame. In order to get steel to be light enough for people to really consider it, there is a lot of work to be done with alloys and engineering. Steel can be expensive, but it is worth every penny. Steel has much more natural flex which allows the frame to absorb much of the roads vibration. Anyone who spends long hours on the road will come to appreciate the value of steel, and it is no surprise that riders of steel frames are so passionate about their frames. Steel also oxidizes when exposed to the air (we know this as rusting), but the process is much slower and requires moisture. Rust is easily prevented by painting over chips in the paint and putting some oil in the tubes every now and again. Lemand and Bianchi make some great steel frames, and we are all on the edge of our seats to see Specialized’s new steel alloy that they claim will rival the market standard Reynolds 853
Carbon Fiber: Carbon Fiber is probably the most interesting of the frame materials as it can have different amounts of flex depending on which way the fibers are laid. Because of this frame builders have been able to create frames with varying amounts of vertical flex (takes vibration out of the road) without creating lateral flex that can give the bike a bendy feel when you are really hammering. As Carbon fiber is light, and can be laid into any mold the builders want, expect to see some crazy frame designs. Also expect the bike to have a plasticy hollow sound when tapped or when riding, this is normal, but it throws a lot of people at first. They are great lightweight frames that come with a large price tag.
Titanium: “Ti” blends the flex of steel with the lightness of Aluminum. Ti is considered to be the crown jewel of frame materials, and you may notice that there are not too many people on them. They are sweet rides, but it not uncommon to spend $2000 on the frame alone. (Then you still have to buy the rest of the bike). If you like the feel of steel, and you have cash to burn, go Ti.
III. Componentry (The rest of the stuff on the bike):
The most important thing to remember when looking at the components on your bike is not to go cheaper with the idea that you will upgrade later. This common mistake ends up either costing you a lot of money or leaving you with a component package below what you really wanted. When you get your components with the bike you get a great discount, and you will find that piece-by-piece those same components would rival the price of your bike. There are two main names in road components Campagnolo (Campy) and Shimano. You cant really go wrong with Campy, I don’t know if they make any cheap parts, but if the do, you won’t see any of them speced on bikes here in the US. “Chorus” is their high end line and it is far and away superior to Shimano’s high end “DuraAce”. Campy’s second in line “Record” is about on par with DuraAce. Shimano’s run down looks something like this:
DuraAce- Super high end, ride it if you have the cash
Ultegra- Great value, it will never break, most of the hard-core people will ride Ultegra
105 - Most bikes in the $850-$1200 range will come stock with 105. It is a great solid package that should last you a lifetime. Primary difference between 105 and the nicer stuff is weight.
Tiagra- Here we are starting to see some quality drop off although this is still a great package for the casual rider or on you first bike. It certainly won’t fall apart on you.
Sora- I wouldn’t recommend going much below this.
Almost all road bikes you find on a dealers floor will be stocked with Shimano. The nice thing about this is that to some extent this will give you a way to compare the quality of frames from different companies. No one will put Ultegra on a cheap frame, nor will they build up a handcrafted gem with Tiagra.
IV. Wheels:
This is where experienced riders make their biggest mistakes.
It is common knowledge in the cycling community that cutting weight in your wheels is far more beneficial than cutting weight anywhere else. Rotational weigh, such as that in wheels, is continually being accelerated and slowed down as it moves around the circle. This process takes energy, and the more weight, the more energy it takes.
So what is the mistake? Experienced riders tend to gravitate towards light wheels. This means that they will often spend a large hunk of cash to get lightweight racing wheels on their bike. As a rule, the lighter the wheel the less durable especially when weight is shaved by using less spokes. If you must have a pair of super light racing wheels, use them only for racing, and pick up a set of sturdy wheels with standard triple cross spoke lacing to train on.
It is almost humorous to see how much time and money some people spend to keep their wheels round only to go out and crack to in a pothole on a local road on a Thursday afternoon. Get something sturdy for your everyday rides.
V. Fit:
There are two things to worry about here, stand over height and reach.
Stand over height: When you stand over a road bike, you should be able to pick the bike up by the saddle and handle bars and lift both wheels off the ground. Ideally both wheels should be about an inch off the ground before it hits you groin. In the newer compact frames a little more space is okay.
Reach: Now get up on the bike and ride it. As you are coasting, your weight should rest about evenly between you hands and butt. More casual riders will want that weight to shift back more. This weight can be shifted back by either raising the handlebars (done with the stem) or pulling the handlebars back (usually a function of frame length, although you can also do this with the stem). Moving the bars up will sit you up higher decreasing aerodynamics, moving the bars back may give you a cramped feeling which will become uncomfortable on long rides.
In the other direction, if you are stretched too far or too low, you will spend more energy holding your body up with your arms. The key to getting this right is to ride a lot of different bikes before you buy one. For the most part this is personal preference. Each person is a different height with a different arm length, and for this reason, different frames will fit different people better. Try to buy a bike that fits as is without switching a lot of parts to get it right.
VI. The add ons:
Pedals: Clipless pedals are the most efficient way to go, if you don’t have $100 to sink into pedals and shoes, start saving and get them as soon as possible. If you are a mountain biker with clipless pedals it may not be a bad idea to use the same pedals on your road bike so you won’t need new shoes. If you are riding road only, get Look pedals, don’t mess around with the other stuff. Looks have a huge platform and hold your foot securely. The large platform will help you avoid getting pressure spots on your feet during long rides.
Aero Bars: Used in time trials because they give you a very aerodynamic position. Used in touring because they are comfortable and allow you to rest your upper body while riding. Just so you know, you will have to take them off if you do any road racing, sorry it’s the rules.
Fenders: No
Tires: A great way to shave rotational weight, but the lighter the tire, the more expensive and the faster you wear through it.
Mr. Tuffy Tire Liners: Adds rotational weight to make you train harder will prevent all of those puncture flats. Great to use if you ride in a city with lots of glass on the street.
Well that just about wraps it up. Remember to ride a lot of bikes before you buy. Don’t buy a particular bike because your friend, or Lance for that matter, rides one. Get one that feels good to you. When test riding, try a couple of sprints and hard corners just to get the feel.
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