Today’s road bikes are exponentially better and more efficient than ever before. The advanced design and technology in today’s bikes provide for a safe and efficient bicycle that can be lifted by only a few fingers. But with this great technology comes and even greater amount of choices. If you are looking for a new bike, these choices can be overwhelming. This guide is designed to help you narrow down your choice to select the perfect bike that meets your needs.

What kind of rider are you?
Before you decide on a bike, you should evaluate yourself as a rider and determine what type of riding you will be doing. Answer the following questions to help pinpoint what type of bike you need.

Are you new to the sport of cycling?
If you are new to the sport, you may want to think about an entry-level to mid-level bike. There is no need to spend your entire savings if you aren’t even sure if you enjoy the sport.

Is this a commuter bike?
I f this bike is going to be used as a commuter bike, you may want to think about features such as a more comfortable seat, a more upright positioning, and good traction for the tires incase of poor weather.

Interested in staying in shape (shorter rides)?
Mid-level bikes are perfect for the recreational rider. They offer excellent components and features for a good price.

Interested in long distance rides/recreational competitions?
If you fall under this category, you should be thinking about a mid-level to top-level bike. These bikes will last for the long rides as well as perform well for charity rides or competitions.

Planning on racing (road/triathlons)?
If you are planning on racing at the competitive level, you should consider the top-level bikes. These bikes will give you the greatest advantage on the road from their weight to quality of components. Also, if you are planning on racing in triathlons, then take a look at our selection of triathlon bikes.

It is also important to know your price range on how much you are willing to spend. Do you like to find a bargain or do you hate settling for less? It is more cost effective to spend a little more on the purchase of a new bike rather than upgrading later. Also keep in mind you may need to spend extra on necessary accessories, like a helmet, pedals, and shoes, so you should account for this in your budget.

Frame Materials
There have been many different materials used for bicycle frames. But there are four materials that have held true throughout the history of bikes. These materials are steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium. Each material has their own characteristics, and knowing these characteristics will help you find your perfect bike. There are also bikes that incorporate different materials into their frames. For instance, the Tommaso Trascinare uses a carbon fiber frame and fork with double butted aluminum lugs. These frames combine features from each of the following materials to fit the rider’s needs.

• Steel has stood the test of time and has been used by frame builders for over a hundred years. It is cheap, easy to repair, extremely strong, and has a good ride quality. Unfortunately, steel tends to be heavier than other, newer materials. Also, if not properly maintained, steel can rust. However based on price alone, nothing beats a well made steel frame.
• Aluminum has been commercially used in bikes for almost 30 years. It is the most commonly use frame material in biking today. It is lightweight, extremely stiff, and doesn’t rust. One downfall of aluminum is that it is so stiff it can provide a very jarring ride. But with the combination of different materials, like carbon fiber, aluminum frames are the best bet for beginning to advanced cyclists.
• Carbon Fiber is one of the newest materials being used in bicycle frames. It is unique because it is not a metal, but a combination of graphite and resin. It is extremely lightweight, very stiff, and incredibly reliable. It can also be designed into almost any shape imaginable because it is a fiber. But with this great technology comes a big price tag. If you are an experience rider of someone who loves the latest and greatest technology, carbon fiber is right for you.
• Titanium of the three metals discussed in this guide, titanium combines the best features into one excellent frame material. It is light and stiff like aluminum and comfortable to ride on like steel. It is also long lasting and doesn’t rust. But it is a very tough metal and is very hard to shape. This also means it is very expensive. If you are an avid biker with a large budget, titanium is the way to go.

Components

• Chainrings are the part of the bike in which your pedals attach. Two typical choices of chainrings are a double or a triple. Doubles (two ‘rings’) have been used the longest in road cycling. It is the typical chainring you would see in professional races. It is the lightest and most efficient gearing choice since there are only two gears to switch to. It is typically suggested that intermediate to advanced riders use these since the gearing can be hard to pedal.

• The other option is a triple (three ‘rings’). These are great because they are the most versatile to use. The third ‘ring’ (called the climbing gear) is great for steep hills that are very hard to climb with a double. The disadvantage is that it is heavier, less efficient, and more expensive than the double. But it is great for beginning to intermediate rider and for those who want to stay in shape.
• Cogs are the gears that are located on the rear wheel of the bike. Cogs come with anywhere from 8-10 gears. Depending on what type of rider you are dictates how many cogs you want. The more cogs you have, the more versatile your gears will be.
• Component Groups. There are three major companies making road component groups; Shimano, Campagnolo, and most recently SRAM. Each company offers a wide variety of options and, each have very reliable products. Information on each of the component groups for each company is available in the link below. Keep in mind, a group is considered the brakes, shifters, hub, cassette, chainring, cogs, chain, bottom bracket, and headset.

I ) Shimano Road Bike Components

Shimano’s 2007 road groupsets, listed in approximately descending order of price and quality are:

• Dura-Ace (10 speed) Top of the line
• Ultegra (10 speed)
• 105 (10 speed)
• Tiagra (9 speed with redesigned ‘10 speed’ hood shape for 2007)
• Sora (8 speed)
• 2200 (8 speed)

II) Campang Road Bike Components

Campagnolo’s 2007 road groupsets, listed in approximately descending order of price and quality are:

• Record
• Carbon crankset
• Record Pista
• Aluminum crankset
• Chorus
• Carbon crankset
• Centaur
• Aluminum crankset
• Veloce
• Mirage
• Xenon

III) SRAM Road Bike Components

SRAM’s 2007 road groupsets, listed in approximately descending order of price and quality are:

• Force - (10 speed) Top of the line
• Rival - (10 speed)
• Wheels. When looking at a bike, nothing stands out more than a good looking pair of wheels. The most improvement in bike technology has been made in wheel design. The ultimate goal in engineering a wheel is having it be as light and reliable as possible. When you drop the weight of a wheel, you drastically improve the bikes performance. This is due to the fact that wheels are rotating weight. When you drop a few hundred grams off the wheels, it’s like dropping a few pounds off of the bike. The first big upgrade a cyclist should make for their bike is a new set of high performance wheels.

Triathlon Bikes
If you are thinking about racing in a triathlon, these bikes are for you. They are engineered for going as fast as possible. The most obvious feature of these bikes is the different handle bar setup. The handle bars on a triathlon bike are designed to put the rider in a more aerodynamic position. After all, less air resistance equals higher speed. Also, these bikes are built to be stiffer so the energy put into turning the pedals is not lost through a bending frame. The component groups are ranked and function the same way as on a road bike. But a few components, like the brake levers and shifters, are designed differently so they can function on the triathlon handlebars. Remember, these bikes are most effective for a time trial or triathlon athlete, so if you are one of these then consider a triathlon bike.

Women’s Specific Bikes
Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus. Everyone knows it, and recently bicycle manufactures have begun producing bikes specifically designed for Women. These bikes are designed to accommodate for the longer legs and shorter reach of a woman’s body. Also, these bikes come with special colors and componentry that appeal to women’s riding style. It is a much safer bet for a woman to ride a women’s specific bike than to ride a man’s bike that is small enough to fit you.

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