Newbie Thinking about Getting a Road Bike.

[LPlateDave]

Forgive my lack on knowledge and or if I come across as completely ignorant. The long story short is after walking out of a local bike shop contemplating the purchase of a flat bar road bike with 28c tires, I have since been feeling the urge to go all out and get a fully fledged racing bike.

Whilst I don't have much experience, I do remember I did feel a lot more confident darting around in traffic on my old second hand racing bike compared to the cheap MTBs I have owned. I really enjoyed the speed factor. Memories are now flooding back of just how much I used to enjoy my drop down handle bared bike. I must admit though I did slightly tilt the bars up a little. I think a lot of people did way back then.

Enough about my limited experience. I've come back to the whole bike idea because I want to use a bike to get around on as well as use it for fitness.

I'm not the tallest guy and in fact will have to get a small frame as it is. Can picking a brightly colored bike and wearing high visibility clothing make up for the fact that I will not be sitting up as high as I would on a straight bared bike?

I'd love to get two bikes, but would rather put everything I can into a high end ride with all the bits and bobs and maybe even some Lycra and possibly join a group. Not sure about the group. I would have to get my fitness up to reach such a level, but I the thought of doing some early morning runs on a quiet road with a speedy road bike is getting me excited as I think back to the days of old.

My only concern is using the same bike to commute with. So it is that I am wondering if many of the road biker enthusiasts in here use their road bikes to commute at all? At least those of you who only have the one road bike?

[grimbo]

I commute on my roadie, it's fine. I don't think it's any faster (commute-wise) than my old hybrid, as the frequent lights and give-ways are the main constraint. There are no safety or other issues that I have ever noticed.

I think the best advise is to ride what you love, then you'll enjoy every ride even more.

[LPlateDave]

I hear ya. Sounds like good advice. I have had a rethink since making the opening post. Since I can't afford to buy more than one bike, I am again unsure how to go about deciding, other than contemplating what activities really make me happy.

I use to love riding between towns and have to admit the roads near me could be worse and in fact make for good rural riding all things considered. I love camping, day hiking and or just hanging out in places not so accessible by skinny tires. A single wheeled trailer works well with such thinking and makes for new challenges + also add variety to a work out if I so wished.

I still think I will settle for drop down handle bars but possible something a little more comfortable that has gearing to carry weight up slight hills.

I agree ... I need to pick something that is going to cover most of the activities I enjoy. I think the whole bling bling of faster bikes is like trying to pick a telescope with the largest aperture that money can buy. More meaning aperture fever.

You comments has somewhat grounded me. TY.

[you cannot be sirrus]

I bough a flat bar thinking it was all I needed and would last me forever
I'm now on drop bar number 6,
I don't feel any less visible on the race bikes, sit up with hands on the hoods or tops.

[g-boaf]

Forgive my lack on knowledge and or if I come across as completely ignorant. The long story short is after walking out of a local bike shop contemplating the purchase of a flat bar road bike with 28c tires, I have since been feeling the urge to go all out and get a fully fledged racing bike.

Whilst I don't have much experience, I do remember I did feel a lot more confident darting around in traffic on my old second hand racing bike compared to the cheap MTBs I have owned. I really enjoyed the speed factor. Memories are now flooding back of just how much I used to enjoy my drop down handle bared bike. I must admit though I did slightly tilt the bars up a little. I think a lot of people did way back then.

Enough about my limited experience. I've come back to the whole bike idea because I want to use a bike to get around on as well as use it for fitness.

I'm not the tallest guy and in fact will have to get a small frame as it is. Can picking a brightly colored bike and wearing high visibility clothing make up for the fact that I will not be sitting up as high as I would on a straight bared bike?

I'd love to get two bikes, but would rather put everything I can into a high end ride with all the bits and bobs and maybe even some Lycra and possibly join a group. Not sure about the group. I would have to get my fitness up to reach such a level, but I the thought of doing some early morning runs on a quiet road with a speedy road bike is getting me excited as I think back to the days of old.

My only concern is using the same bike to commute with. So it is that I am wondering if many of the road biker enthusiasts in here use their road bikes to commute at all? At least those of you who only have the one road bike?

Yes, I use my road bike for commute purposes all the time. 60-70km every day (and ridden 8200km this year so far). It's fine. I'm on a Canyon Ultimate CF Evo frameset I built up with parts I already had. It's a quick and comfortable bike to ride. Just use some good lights, be predictable on the road and you should be okay.

[LPlateDave]

Thanks for the replies,
That's really good to know info to know.

I've since come to the conclusion that I'll be carrying a lot of gear from time to time and have thus decided to go the touring bike. I am even thinking of building my own design. Not quite sure ... but after learning so much about today's tech, it seems like the options to customize is more open than I had first thought.

Thanks all the same for the info. Much appreciated.

[jules21]

hi Dave. my advice is - it's horses for courses.

I commute on my old roadie. for me, a commuter ideally is not so expensive that it is attractive to thieves. I want to be able to lock it up outside the shops without stressing about whether my $5k bling roadie is being stolen. I don't want to pay $150 to change a Dura Ace cassette just for commuting km.

another consideration is that road bikes with 23/25c tyres won't provide you as much grip on greasy commuting routes as a less racy hybrid or anything else with wider commuting tyres. this is partly a matter of where you live - it wasn't a big deal for me in Melbourne, but in Brisbane there is a lot more deciduous tree droppings, wet and dodgy roads. I've already had a couple of spills on the roadie, that I may have survived on a bike with grippier tyres.

[Mububban]

I'd love to get two bikes, but would rather put everything I can into a high end ride with all the bits and bobs and maybe even some Lycra and possibly join a group. Not sure about the group. I would have to get my fitness up to reach such a level

Sounds like you've got the bike sorted.

As to groups, call around your local bike shops and see what they offer. My local bike shop group ride splits into multiple groups, from fast (30kmh+), medium (28s), medium-slow (27s) to slow (rare). Depending on who turns up and how they're feeling. I'm skinny and have no power so started out riding with the slow group (called the 27s), made up of those that love riding but are older, or unfit, and/or carrying a bit of extra weight etc. I have no trouble keeping up with them. Nice bunch and a great way to learn how to ride with a group, call out road conditions and "slowing" and "stopping" etc. Also a good group to ride with when returning from injury, illness or laziness.
When I'm in good shape I ride with the 28s (the group names are a guide only, not strictly an average speed as terrain varies on different ride routes) but don't personally have the leg muscles to keep up with the fast groups.

[Howzat]

I've since come to the conclusion that I'll be carrying a lot of gear from time to time and have thus decided to go the touring bike.

That might take you back to slow and ponderous... I found careful planning and organisation can minimise the amount you need to carry each day. I commute on a road bike, most days I can fit what I need in the jersey pockets. At most, a light backpack is enough.