How to buy your first road bike

Road bike is very much an umbrella term describing a machine designed for riding on tarmac. These bikes have narrower tyres compared to hybrids and mountain bikes, a frame that aims to keep the weight low, and (in the vast majority of cases) drop handlebars to allow for multiple hand positions.

Price

The price range between models can be huge, the cheapest can be picked up in the low to mid hundreds; the most expensive cost more than a perfectly decent car. First, you need to decide how much you're prepared to spend. The more you spend the lighter and better specified a bike will be.

Decent road bikes start under £500; There's a great choice between £500 and 1000, and above £1000 you're entering the territory of very capable road bikes.

Frame materials

The frame is the heart of your new road bike and it's where the majority of the budget goes. Frames are made from a range of materials, the most common being steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon fibre. Broadly, frames made from any particular material will have common characteristics, though what the designer does with a material is as important as the material itself.

Aluminium is the most common frame material for road bikes costing under £1,000, and there are plenty of excellent aluminium-framed bikes at higher prices too. It's inexpensive, and a very good material to make bikes from because it builds into stiff, light frames. The latest aluminium frames boast some advanced features and design touches.

Better aluminium frames use butted tubes. These have varying wall thickness, with the ends thicker than the middle to handle the greater stresses at the joins. Butted tubes are lighter too, and can offer more comfort.

Steel was the dominant road bike frame material until the 1980s and is still a lovely material in the hands of a good designer. It's most often found on custom bikes and those designed for touring because in those applications its weight penalty is less important. It's heavier than aluminium but can be wonderfully comfortable.

Titanium was once the most exotic material of them all. A titanium frame can be as light as aluminium and as durable as steel, making it a wonderful material for bicycles. Its corrosion-resistance is the icing on the cake.

However, titanium is difficult to work with and this means that it has always been an expensive option. It's slightly more affordable now than when it was the hot new material back in the 1990s, but it's still not exactly cheap.

Carbon fibre is now the most coveted road bike frame material. Once an ultra-expensive choice, bikes with carbon fibre frames are now available from about £1,100.

Quality carbon is by far the lightest, and most compliant (comfortable) material. Carbon can also be moulded into any shape - so it's the most popular when it comes to aero road bikes.

Carbon fibre frames aren't all equal though. There's a huge difference between cheap and expensive carbon fibre, down to the type of fibres used, how it's manufactured and other important factors that make a big impact. Carbon fibre can be relatively easily manipulated by designers to create frames with the particular balance of properties they want, whether that's low weight, comfort, stiffness.

Xiamen Tour de Cycling Industry&Trade Co.,Ltd. has 15 years experience to design and produce carbon road frames or frameset,we design 2-3 new style each year . you can visit our website www.xmtourdecycling.com or contact us by email jessie@tourdecycling.com

Geometry

There are many styles of road bike. Key differences are found in the geometry - the dimensions of various elements of the frame which position the rider in a way that runs on a scale of 'relaxed' to 'head down/flat back', as well as the components.

Most entry-level road bikes share a geometry similar to endurance bikes, that means they'll be more comfortable to ride over long days in the saddle, though this is always on a sliding scale - there are models designed to be more aggressive which can see you through to your first races. Test riding a few bikes, and comparing geometry tables, can help you determine where your ideal machine sits on the scale.

The wheels

The next important area of your new bicycle is the wheels and tyres. The wheels heavily influence how the bike rides, feels and responds. Lighter wheels with less rotating mass are slightly quicker to spin up, but real speed comes from  deep-section aerodynamic rims. Lighter and faster tyres feel more responsive.

When researching your first road bike, decent wheels should be high on your list of priorities. While you can easily replace components like the rear derailleur and other components that will eventually wear out, the wheels take up a large chunk of the bike's overall cost so they're more expensive to upgrade.

The road bike tyres fitted also impact the ride. Traditionally, 23mm tyres were the most popular, but wider tyres are much more popular these days - with 25mm, 28mm, 30mm and even 32mm rubber featuring on road bikes.

The move to disc brakes has made wider tyres (opens in new tab)much more accessible, and these offer a greater contact patch and therefore confidence in the corners and improved comfort. You'll get more comfort from an extra 3mm on your tyres than via most fancy "compliance" aids, the exception being at the seatpost where comfort aiding styles can lend a hand. You can expect a greater volume - from 35mm+ - on gravel and 'mixed terrain' bikes.

The small increase in weight and aerodynamic drag is more than compensated by improved comfort and roadholding.

Choosing the right size

Choosing the right size bike is absolutely critical when buying your first road bike. Take advice from the bike shop but don't go for a bike that is too small or too large just because it's a bargain. Only with the correct size bike for your height and dimensions will you really get the most out of your new hobby.

Picking the right size can be difficult. Generally, road bike sizes are given in centimetres but the way in which frames are measured varies between manufacturers. Some offer three sizes and some offer 10 with smaller increments between them. However, as everyone has their own individual body shape it can get complicated.

The best thing is to have a good look at the size chart on each manufacturer's website, and sling your leg over any bike you're considering buying. If you can get a short spin on a bike, even better. The minimum rule of thumb is that you should be able to stand over the frame with a couple of centimetres of space between you and the top tube. If you can't, it's definitely too big.

The bike fits

Bike fit services have become popular these days, and many bike shops offer such a service. They'll give you expert advice and will even fit you on the bike in the shop to make sure you leave a happy customer.

There are several parts of the bike that you can change to help find a good fit, and a good bike shop will be invaluable here. The height and fore-after position of the saddle can be adjusted. The handlebars can be raised or lowered with spacers on the steerer tube. Stems come in a range of lengths with 10mm increments to help you get the right reach. These are all changes that a good bike shop will happily assist you with.

If you're getting your first road bike after a history of mountain biking, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. On a road bike, you spend lots of time in one position, whereas on a mountain bike you move around a lot. Spending a long time in the wrong position can lead to aches and pains or even over-use injuries in some riders, so it's worth getting your position right to minimise the risk.

Bike Groupset

A groupset is made up of the shifters, crankset, cassette, brakes, chain and deraillieurs. Bike makers buy groupsets to build into bikes. There are three major manufacturers that you're likely to encounter: Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. At entry-level prices, Shimano is the most popular choice.

The order of quality and price for Shimano goes like this, from entry-level to top-end: Claris, Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace. More expensive groupset components will be lighter, and more responsive. It's often said that they will be more durable.

Disc brakes are becoming more and more common. They offer more effective braking, especially in the wet when compared to rim brakes. Mechanical disc brakes are cheaper and still use a steel cable to move the pistons, whilst the more expensive hydraulic discs are even more reliable and use a sealed, fluid filled system.

TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR FIRST ROAD BIKE

You're making a pretty big investment, and the bike you choose could be your companion for several years - so ensure you make the right selection.

Test ride

You can get some really great deals with direct only sellers, but you can rarely test ride these as they're not often available in bricks and mortar bike shops. However, frame geometry, material and construction make a huge difference to a bike's ride quality. Wherever possible, get down to a store where you can test ride a bike or look for a 'demo-day' near you.

Leave some in the bank

The wheels on most built bikes are perfectly adequate for training and general riding, but racers will want to upgrade - so if performance is your target then you might want to factor an upgrade into your spending plan. Most bikes come without pedals, so you can choose your own option. Other commonly swapped components are the saddle, stem and handlebars.

Buy a bike that fits

It doesn't matter how good the deal, don't buy a bike that's too big or too small because it's reduced. Ideally, buy your bike at a store where they can size you up and help you to change any components (stem/handlebars/saddle) required for a comfortable ride.

Check out the second hand market

There are some very good second hand bikes around, and if you buy the right one, you can enjoy a huge saving. Just make sure to check out our tips for buying a second hand bike,(opens in new tab) to make sure you're getting a good deal.