All About Road Bikes and Frames
The road bike is one of the oldest and most popular of all varieties of bike out there. If you’re mainly going to be riding on tarmac, and speed or distance are important for you, you’ll want to invest in one of this kind. These bicycles have lightweight frames produced to allow good cycling posture without causing discomfort, and are produced for racing usually. Riding a road bike is highly recommended, and among the highest quality are the Colnago Road Bikes and the Fuji Bicycles.
Road bikes mostly have narrow tires that are kept at a high pressure, and which are smooth surfaced – they do not have the knobbly surface you might expect from mountain bike tires. These reduce contact with the road, giving you the minimum amount of possible rolling resistance. However, when it comes to bumps and stones they allow you to feel more – that is why they are best used on tarmac that is in good repair.
You will need to give thought to the frame, also. The frames of road bikes are made from a variety of materials, and the price varies according to the material and the way they are made. Lighter frames normally cost more – better for climbing. Bikes which weigh more result in slower times for competition riders. This may or may not be a factor for you.
A lot of entry level bicycles have frames made either from aluminum or steel, with aluminum gradually taking over more and more of the market. Each has its pluses and minuses – neither is a bad choice.. For instance, steel frames weigh more, but offer more flexibility, and can cushion bumps a little better. Aluminum frames are manufactured to be particularly inflexible, resulting in a slightly harder ride. How do you know which one is the right bicycle for you? The only way is to pick which one feels best after testing as many bicycles as possible.
You will start to see bicycle frames made from different materials as bike prices go up. For instance, the front fork may be made from carbon fiber – a light, but strong material. Higher end bicycles may have an entire frame made from carbon fiber, endowed with great strength and lightness. Even more exclusive bicycles are made from titanium and other specialist materials. Because these bikes are so expensive, the majority of them are purchased only by serious cycling enthusiasts.
Another important element are handlebars. On road bicycles, they mostly project straight from the base, then curl under so that riders who want the least wind resistance can bend forward. Riders are also able to sit in a position that is more upright and keep their hands at a higher position on the bars. Brake levers and gear shift are normally handle bar mounted on road bikes, giving better control.
Take heed of riding position, also. Most modern road bicycles are produced to let riders bend over forward, bringing down their wind drag and enabling them to direct the most power from the legs and hips into the pedals. This good cycling position is good for short term speed, but can be uncomfortable in the long term, leading to pain in the hands and arms.
Road bicycles as a rule come with many speeds in the gearing – eight or nine gears and two or three chain rings – allowing anywhere from sixteen to twenty seven different gear combinations. You will also usually get platform pedals equipped with toe pedals, but clipless pedals are also to be found. They give you the option of pedaling the bicycle on the downstroke as well as the upstroke.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=a812ee36-c532-476e-8762-16213e522689)