Road Bikes

‘Road bikes’ AKA ‘racing bikes,’ are pretty much the lightest and fastest things with pedals on two wheels. In terms of technological evolution and competitive aspiration, they represent for many the pinnacle of cycle culture. At such a level, minute differences in specification assume an importance that seems out of all proportion to the cost. There are plenty of customers willing to pay for that difference and some very high class road bike specialists who cater to such tastes. If you are looking for a massive choice of road bikes and componentry then we are not the shop for you.

If on the other hand, you like the brands of road bike that we sell (basically Scott and Cannondale) and are looking for some sensible advice, need a Bikefit and some good quality fairly mainstream equipment (Shimano 105, Ultegra, Mavic wheelsets, good clothing basics etc) then we will be happy to help. Bikefit is a proprietary bike sizing system that helps us to choose the right size of bike based on your vital ergonomic statistics (more on Bikefit). Below, we have set out for the uninitiated some things to consider when choosing a road bike, followed by a selection of bikes that we offer.

The Frame

Road bikes are designed to be fast. To do this they have to be as light as possible and to be stiff enough in all the right places to enable the maximum power transfer from your legs to the back wheel. Against this, has to be set the demands of rider comfort on a bike that is often ridden for hours at a time.

For a summary of the different frame materials see the column on the left. You will find aluminium frames with carbon forks on bikes from entry level up to just over £1000. Our full carbon bikes currently start at just under £1,500. Pay a lot more for more complex configurations that will further optimise the balance of strength/weight and stiffness/flexibility. More hardcore road bikes are primarily made of carbon and aluminium

If you are looking for a road bike with a slightly more forgiving ride, for Audax,  Sportif or fast recreational riding, consider the Cannondale Synapse series (available in carbon at the top end), or something with a titanium or steel frame. Also, check out the fast tourers listed under Touring Bikes.

Components

Double chainsets are preferred by the sportiest riders, triple for those who need a bit more help with the hills and compact double for those seeking something in between. None of our road bikes come with pedals –that’s up to you to choose and we’ll always do a shoe/pedal deal with a new road bike. Standard full length mudguards won’t fit on most top end road bikes, but we can supply so called ‘Raceblades’  which will afford some measure of protection for bike and rider for winter riding.

Key Features of Road Bikes

Very fast and light
Very sporty low riding position
No extra equipment
Choose yur own pedals
Derailleur gears with high ratios
On road only!

Brands to consider

Scott Genesis and and Cannondale

Alternatives

If you fancy something more robust and practical - Touring Bikes