Bike Style Guide: Road

Kyle Anderson

Road bikes are used on paved trails and roads; hence the name. They are light in weight and great for commuting and riding long distances for fitness.

Handlebars

Road bikes come in two distinct handlebar styles, drop-bar and flat-bar. Drop-bars are much more common.

Materials

Road bikes are generally made up of two types of materials, aluminum, and carbon.

In general, an aluminum frame is ideal for a beginner road cyclist, or someone who doesn’t care about cutting time off their miles and just wants a good ride for fitness and fun. Road cyclists who are seriously training for a competition or are concerned about their speed would be best suited for a carbon fiber frame.

Pedals

There are several types of pedals that you can use while on a road bike. You should choose the pedals that provide you the most comfort and efficiency possible for the best riding experience.

Wheels

Often times you will see road bike tires labeled something like; 700×25. The first number (in this case, 700) indicates the diameter of the tire in millimeters and is fairly standard in the category. The second number (25) shows the width of the actual rubber tire in millimeters and is more likely to vary across individual bikes in the category.

Brakes

In the past road bikes were almost uniformly designed to have just one form of brakes, and those were rim brakes. Since then, disc brakes, which were originally seen in the mountain biking category, have made their way into the road scene, creating a great debate among road cyclists.

Cranksets and Chainrings

Road bikes have several options when it comes to the crankset, chainrings, and gearing of the bike.

The different types of cranksets found on road bikes vary based on the number and size of chainrings found on the bike.

Friendly Tip: A great addition to any road cyclist’s wardrobe is a pair of bike shorts. They may feel funny off the bike, but trust, us your body will thank you!

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