Millions of people worldwide are riding bikes, from the casual rider to the competitive athlete. The question you must face is what is the best bike for me. If you are thinking about buying a road bike then there are some things you must ask yourself to help determine the best choice for you.
What is the reason I want to ride?
How much should I pay for a road bicycle?
What is the difference between the low priced bikes and the higher priced bikes?
The first question we must ask ourselves is why we want to ride a bicycle. If you are just a casual rider there is no need to buy the high priced, carbon fiber bicycle, go ahead and get the lower priced entry-level bike. There will be less need for ongoing maintenance because you won’t be riding as many miles. Regardless, you will still have to perform a certain degree of maintenance on whichever bike you purchase. You may not have a need for the upgraded components because you don’t need to shave a few seconds off your times. The corollary to this is that the lower priced bike’s components will wear out quicker and not be as efficient as the higher priced bikes.
The Tommaso Velocita is a first rate example of a mid priced road bike that offers both quality and better prices.
The price of the bike will also be a determining factor for many people when deciding the best road bicycle for them. Most entry-level bikes will run you about 250 to 450 dollars depending on what bike you buy and where you decide to buy it. This bicycle will suit you well as a casual cyclist because you won’t be putting a lot of miles on the bike. You are better off buying a better bike if you plan on riding more than once or twice a week. Depending on the road bike and where you purchase it, a mid-range bicycle will cost between 500 and 1200 dollars. If you are considering using your new road bike for more than just a leisurely ride then you should buy a bike that will hold up to the rigors of everyday use. The higher-range road bikes can range dramatically in price and can reach prices in the 00 dollar range with the lower end of the spectrum at around 1200 – 2000 dollars.
The difference between the low priced, mid-range price and the higher-range priced road bicycles are basically in the quality of the components of the bike. Many beginning riders won’t notice how heavy his bike really is until he he sees his friend scream by him on the road with his 14 pound Tommaso with an upgraded derailleur and crank set. The novice may not even notice that he has to slow way down when he comes to the bend in the road at the bottom of the incline while the higher-ranged bike seems to glide effortlessly through the turn with speed and confidence.
This is only several examples that should have given you enough insight to help you choose your next road bike wisely. Your long term and short term goals are the keys to choosing the best road bike for you. Choose a bicycle that has a proven track record of reliability and customer satisfaction and has proven itself over time.
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About Author
I have been a bicycling enthusiast for many years and have ridden many different types of bikes. The most popular low priced bike is the Schwinn Prelude. The most popular mid priced road bicycle is the Tommaso
Velocita Dura-Ace Road Bike. I urge you to check these both out before
buying your next or first road bike.
Hi! Amazing video! I got your message last June 15 and i didnt read it before, I was browsing my mail, then I saw your message that I just read today! So i discovered this video! Amazing!
5 stars!!
Hi
My favorite brand is trek. (tour de france/ lance armstrong..)
I bought a 21 speed 3700 mountain bike in 2004, which at the time was the cheapest model which had the frame made out of alpha aluminum instead of steel (steels heavy.. makes a difference). Even if you never go off road, front shocks are great for bouncing off curbs. I wouldn't spend more to get the "soft tail"/ full suspension bikes ..(rear shocks). Makes the ride squishier. I also wanted a bike that came in a women's frame design. Trek has a number of models that come in the "WDS" I bought it on sale at the end of that summer for $280 new. I believe you get a better bike frame with better components than you do with specialized.
The miles on the bike don't really matter if it's been maintained well. I've gone hundreds on mine and it still looks brand new. The gears still shift easily. You can look at the gears and see if they look like new or if they look all ground down.
Disc brakes are a newer feature.. they're great (you can make really straight fast stops) but not necessary and add $ to the price.
I'm 5ft 3 and a half and have a 29" inseam.
I made 1 mistake when buying mine and that was buying a frame that was 1 size too small..
i got a 13 inch.. is measured from the center of the pedal attachment point (sorry don't know the techical terms.. i ride em/ don't build em) to the top of where the seat post goes into the frame. Optimally I should have gotten a 15" frame. Even so, I modified the bike to get some extra room.. added a handlebar stem that pushed the bars further forward, raised the seat to the max and slid it as far back as it can go (they're on rails and can be adjusted forward or back). While a 15" may be perfect for me, it might not be for you due to people having different inseam lengths dispite being same height. Best thing is to test bikes out.
My husband has a 16" trek 4300 mountain bike.. it's a 24 speed. It has shifters that are just a little better than the 3700 and if I was buying again I'd make that my minimum.
If you buy a trek you should splurge and upgrade the saddle with an aftermarket model unless you have an @zz of steel. That's the only bad thing about trek.. the seats are lousey. After I switched that i could ride all day. Be sure to get one that's built for your anatomy.. male or female.. the support for your bones are different.. womens are wider. I went with a mountain bike because of the more upright ride and the stable fatter tires. I rarely ever go "off road".. (tho i live on a gravel road, and I have ridden it on the jetty). The mountain bikes come with knobby tires. I eventually swapped my tires for smoother (tho still fat) road tires for a smoother ride. The shifting on the bikes are great now.. the thumb shifters click right into gear.. none of that having to "feel" for it like the old days.
Bike stores will hate me for saying this but I'd try bikes out there to see what you like the feel of then start watching craigslist for the specific ones you want.
I'll redeam myself here:
There's 1 HUGE advantage for buying your bike at your local bike shop:
Anytime you need an adjustment, you can ride in and they'll probably do it for free. Now I can put my chain back on if it happens to come off but that's the extent of the adjustments I can do myself. Even if you buy it used from them.
I bought my bike to get healthy after recovering from anemia. I could barely ride up my fairly level street at first.. in 2 months I was flying up long steep hills. LOVE those gears!
Get yourself a good lock and if you do upgrade the seat I'd remove it and put it in your locker.
If you find a bike that's outfitted with panniers (racks for bags) all the better.. less to add on later if you really go hard core and use it for all your errands. A helmet's a must and good pair of riding gloves with padded palms will help keep you from getting numb if you ride alot.
If you'll be riding in rain, add some lightweight fenders so you don't get a dirt stripe up your back.
Even if you don't have a rack, a small day pack is excellent for carrying your stuff and you don't have to stop to load and unload it from the bike. Don't use those bike messenger bags.. especially if you're hauling books. Day packs distribute the weight where the messenger bags don't.. awful for your body.
You can use treks website too look up bikes you read about on craigslist because they have an archive that shows all the models back to 2003. Don't get anything really old.. the technology is way better now.
When you try out a bike, adjust the seat so your legs are almost but not quite straight when at the lowest point of the pedals rotation. Try to spend at least 10 minutes on the bike to get a good test and see if there's anything that doesn't work in the fit. Hopefully you can find a hill to give it a go on.
Frame sizes.. some years they have 15" frames, other years not.
If I was going to get a regular road bike and had the $$ i'd get the trek pilot. Even tho it's got drop bars, it still has a more upright position. I rode one a year ago and it was a dream. But I'll never give up my 3700.
Lastly, i know it isn't technically important.. but don't get a bike that you don't like the color of.
It may seem trivial, but if don't like something obvious like the color, you'll have one more excuse not to ride. One thing that attracted me to mine was the yellow. I love it and it really makes me want to ride. Iknow if it was any other color I would not be as driven. I know it's nutty but whatever motivates is worth it's weight in gold..or yellow
A fun gadget.. you can get a cheap $10 gadget from Bell that tracks your mileage, speed, total miles etc. It even gives the approximate calories burned (you punch in your age/weight/sex). I've yet to find any of the expensive ones that have that feature.
There's one huge advantage to buying used:
There are Tons of people who have the best intentions and buy a fantastic bike and then ride it once and that's it. It sits in the garage until they decide to sell it. You can get a super deal if you take your time.
Good luck and happy riding.