Bicycle parts online supplier right now: How do I choose the right size road bike for me? It’s important to get the right size bike. Most bikes come in a range of sizes to fit your stature and bike makers will usually publish a rider’s height range which a bike of a specific size will fit. You should feel comfortable seated on your bike and be able to put both feet flat on the ground when standing over the crossbar, without it touching you. You’ll usually find more detailed frame dimensions listed too, which give you more details of how your bike will fit you. The most important are reach and stack, although they’re a bit complex to interpret. In general, the higher the stack number (usually shown in cm or mm) the more upright your riding position will be. If you enjoy a ‘taller’ riding position then look for a more generous stack height. Equally, a shorter reach will put you closer to the bars, thus in a more upright position. For the most part, race bikes will feature a lower stack height than endurance models. Read extra information at specialized mountain bike.
Ride longer, farther, and with more confidence on this mid-range carbon do-it-all road bike. The carbon frame and wheels make the bike more aerodynamic when you’re riding serious mileage. It’s designed to fit wider, 35-millimeter tires, for more varied terrain, which is important for endurance rides that may venture off the beaten path, explains Judd Rench, multiple Ironman finisher/podium placer/World Championship qualifier. The bike is made out of carbon, which is extremely lightweight — but pricier than other materials. It features electronic shifting, which can be helpful on rides that involve climbing (especially combined with the featherlight weight of the bike). “The geometry of this type of bike allows the rider to be in an aerodynamic position for endurance rides but also, it’s not so aggressive that it could only be ridden for short distances at high speeds,” says Dr. Metzl. “Carbon is more costly to manufacture, hence the higher pricing compared to alloy.”
If you’re riding on hilly roads, or planning a trip abroad to the Alps for example, you’ll certainly appreciate a lightweight bike. However, if you’re going to spend your time riding fast on flatter terrain then aerodynamics are probably more important to you. And If you’re looking to race, the stiffer, more edgy handling of a race bike will work better than the more stable handling of an endurance machine. An increasing number of bikes are designed to take you off the tarmac as well as letting you ride efficiently on road. A gravel bike will give you wide tyres and lower gears. But many endurance or ‘all-road’ bikes now offer plenty of tire clearance as well as an expansive gear range, letting you take in a wider variety of routes.
For 2023, Cervelo revived its game-changing Soloist franchise with an impressive list of updates and improvements that make for a compelling race bike at a fair price. The new Soloist is equipped with a completely redesigned frame, featuring a new carbon layup that has increased stiffness and reduced weight. The bike’s aerodynamics are also far better, with the incorporation of Cervelo’s latest Squoval Max tube shapes. The cockpit includes Cervelo’s “externally integrated” two-piece handlebar and stem system, which provides a clean and aerodynamic cockpit but still allows tinkering—the cables run underneath the stem and through the headset bearings. It’s not perfect, but the system allowed for easy fit adjustments, and the ergonomic design of the bars provided a comfortable grip.
Cannondale has long been a master of performance alloy frames and the CAAD13 follows in that vein. It’s got long and low geometry based on that of the pro-level carbon SuperSix, with aero tube profiles leading to handling which is second to none. Priced low enough to be a first bike it’s a frame that you won’t outgrow. At this price point, you get a Shimano 105 hydraulic groupset with a RS510 crank set. The wheels have had a slight upgrade, so you’re now getting DT Swiss R470 rims with the Formula hubs. The only thing that we found fault with was the rather high front end stack. It’s easy to rectify but means you’ll have to have your head tube cut down to avoid an ugly stack of spacers above the stem. Read additional info at capitolcyclery.com.
Ridley’s Grifn is a jack-of-all-trades road bike for those who don’t want to invest in a fleet of bikes to ride roads—whether paved or not. Its relaxed geometry and stable yet responsive handling is in line with endurance road bikes, but it has enough gravel DNA to regularly hit some dirt roads. Tire clearance maxes out at 40 millimeters with a 1x drivetrain, or 38 millimeters with a 2x set-up. It’s suitable for many gravel jaunts, though the limited tire clearance means it’s not the best tool for the most grueling gravel events. Cyclists often joke about N+1 being the perfect number of bikes, where N is the number of bikes you currently own. During testing, we thought of all the ways this genre-defying bike could replace multiple bikes hanging in our garages. If you want a do-it-all machine, the Grifn is worth a look.