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Road bikes are a trendy two-wheel option. However, this style of bike is often misunderstood.
So, we wanted to run through the six things people get wrong about road bikes to challenge any misconceptions you may have heard.
1. Road Bikes Are Uncomfortable
This idea is just wrong.
People seem to forget, or maybe not even know, that you can get an endurance or a racing road bike.
The latter is much more aggressive in the riding position, which many people will find uncomfortable. These tend to be climbing road bikes or aero road bikes.
An endurance road bike has a much more relaxed geometry to offer a less aggressive position, which tends to be much more comfortable and is often marketed at leisure and sporty riders.
Another aspect to consider is the fit of the bike and your body. You shouldn’t be uncomfortable. Therefore, a bike fit will make most bikes comfy as long as they are the correct size for you.
So, if your road bike is uncomfortable, it might be time to get your body and bike checked out.
2. A Road Bike is Always the Fastest Option
Although road bikes are often engineered to be more aerodynamic, this is not entirely true.
Whether a bike is “fast” or not is primarily subjective. Yes, they are more aerodynamic than a city bike, but a time trial bike will be much “faster” than a road bike in that sense.
Remember, it’s also about the rider: if you aren’t fast, no bike will make you “fast.” It’s more the position and having less drag in terms of aerodynamics.
So, if you want to get fast, our advice is to train harder, not just buy a road bike, thinking it’s a done deal.
3. Road Bikes Are Super Expensive
Yes, they can be, but they don’t have to be.
For example, a second-hand bike or certain brands can be much cheaper than the high-end luxury options bought from new, which for many people may be overkill.
Even then, the value of a really expensive road bike will plummet after it’s been ridden a lot, making it easy to pick up a really snazzy second-hand road bike for a bargain price.
A full-suspension mountain bike is also very expensive compared to a basic hybrid or city bike. That’s because more technology and research have been done to develop the bike, making it higher quality and thus, a higher price.
Remember: you wouldn’t be shocked to know that a brand new Ferrari will cost you a lot more and feel a lot more high-performance than a brand new Ford Focus. It’s chalk and cheese: you can’t compare them.
4. Road Bikes Are All Really Light-Weight
Although road bikes tend to be some of the lightest on the market, they aren’t always.
Equally, hybrid and cross-country mountain bikes can be incredibly light. Therefore, it depends on what we deem as lightweight.
Road bikes can sometimes be made from heavier materials such as steel, but they aren’t always made from carbon fiber, which is known for being a good option when looking for a light rig.
Therefore, this is a sweeping statement that isn’t true.
5. Road Bikes Will Snap Easily
First, any bike made of certain materials is more prone to snapping when crashed, but that’s not to say that a road bike will definitely snap.
It all depends on the frame’s material and the crash’s force; for example, carbon fibre is solid until it is hit in a certain way, and then it can snap. But that’s not to say it will.
Carbon fibre bikes must also be reinforced in certain areas to strengthen the frame. Therefore, you can ride a carbon road bike without having to worry.
As previously mentioned, many road bikes are made of other materials such as steel, aluminium, and sometimes titanium, which can all be damaged when an impact occurs.
If this were true, you’d see people snapping road bikes left, right, and centre! But it’s not, so you don’t.
6. Road Bikes Are Not Versatile
This misconception may well be the most annoying of them all.
It’s not the bike that’s not versatile; it’s your mindset.
Road bikes can be used in many different ways. They do not just have to be for those who want to race; they are also great for a variety of other uses.
The first is that they can be really great for commuting. Of course, a lot of people go for a hybrid, but if you feel more comfortable and prefer a road bike, there’s absolutely no reason nor any rule to tell you that a road bike can’t be a commuting bike. Plenty of people ride road bikes to work.
Next, they can also handle a small amount of gravel; in fact, many road races even have gravel, so of course, a road bike will be able to handle bike paths and gravel roads.
However, we recommend avoiding a full-on rock garden and serious mountain bike trails while riding a road bike.
Road bikes can also have trailers fitted to them to allow your child or beloved pet to venture out with you on two wheels, making them an excellent option for family bike rides and popping to the supermarket.
We all judge a book by its cover a little too fast, but now we’ve clarified these wrong ideas about road bikes, you can now go free into the world with your new knowledge
Unless you already knew, then good.
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