A Look at Road Bikes and Frames
Out of all the sorts of bicycles available, the road bike is one of the oldest and most popular. You’ll want to invest in one of this kind if you’re mainly going to be riding on pavement, and speed or distance are important for you. These bicycles are built for racing in most cases, and have lightweight frames built to allow streamlined posture without discomfort. Riding a road bike is highly recommended, and among the preferred are the Colnago Bicycles and the Fuji Bicycles.
Road bikes usually have narrow tires that are kept at a high pressure, and which are smooth surfaced – they don’t have the knobbly surface you might associate with mountain bike tires. These minimize contact with the road, giving you the lowest amount of rolling resistance. However, when it comes to bumps and stones they allow you to feel more – that’s why they’re best used on pavement that’s in good repair.
You’ll need to think about the frame, also. Road bike frames are made from a variety of different materials, and the costs vary depending on the way they’re made and the material. Lighter frames normally cost more – better for climbing. Bikes which weigh more lead to slower times for competition riders. This may or may not be a consideration for you.
Almost all beginners’ bicycles have frames of either aluminum or steel, with aluminum slowly but surely taking over more and more of the market. Neither is a bad choice, but each has its pluses and minuses. For example, steel frames weigh more, but offer more flexibility, and can handle bumps a little more. Aluminum frames are crafted to be particularly stiff, resulting in a slightly harder ride. How do you find out which one’s the right bicycle for you? Test as many as possible and choose which one feels better.
As bike prices climb, you will start to see frames made from different materials. For instance, the front fork may be made from carbon fiber – a strong, but light material. High end bicycles may have an entire frame made from carbon fiber, offering great strength and lightness. Other high end bicycles are made from titanium and other specialist materials. The majority of these bicycles are bought only by serious cyclists, since they cost so much.
Another important factor are handlebars. On road bicycles, they usually project straight out from the stem, then curl under so that riders who want the least resistance to the wind can lean forward. Riders can also sit in a position that’s more erect and keep their hands higher up on the bars. Brake levers and gear shift are commonly mounted on the handlebars on road bikes, giving you more control.
Give thought to riding position, also. Most modern road bicycles are built to allow cyclists to bend over forward, allowing them to put the most power from the hips and legs into the pedals, and lowering their wind resistance. This streamlined position is good for short term speed, but can cause discomfort in the long term, inducing pain in the arms and hands.
Road bicycles almost always come with a lot of speeds in the gearing – two or three chain rings and eight or nine gears – allowing anything from sixteen to twenty seven different gear combinations. You’ll also usually get platform pedals which come with toe pedals, but clipless pedals are also to be found. They allow you to pedal the bicycle on the downstroke as well as the upstroke.



