Road Bikes - Race

Take the road!
 

It's no secret that cycling has got more popular over the last few years - which we are delighted about! There is a vast range of bikes for cycling on the road, whether you are doing sportives, racing or club riding there is something for you!

Road bikes are designed to be fast on the asphalt. Lightweight frames, thin tyres and drop handlebars all help towards a svelte and speedy ride..

So, what material frame should I go for?

Aluminium is used as it is strong and lightweight, whilst at the same time cheaper than carbon fibre. It is easy to mass-produce frames in this material, which means it's very popular on entry level road bikes. Road bikes are made out of aluminium because it is extremely stiff when made right and stands up to crashes better than most carbon frames. The downside of aluminium is it can be too stiff to be comfortable over long distances, but as a value for money material it's hard to beat.

Carbon fibre has become the standard frame material in recent years for most top end road bikes. It can be made into various profiles, thicknesses, shapes and sizes to offer different properties for different parts of the frame, allowing the designer to perfectly optimise contruction to a particular use. Carbon is stiff enough for power transfer yet can take the vibration out of the road to increase comfort and allow the rider to go faster for longer. It is also the lightest material and so will generally  command a higher price tag.

Steel still has its followers too. Used well, modern steel tubing can offer a good trade off between the demands of an aggressive road bike geometry and a comfortable feel that doesn't leave the rider worn out after a short ride. Steel is great for comfort as it's flexible - dealing well with the small vibrations and 'road buzz' without feeling like all power from the rider is being sapped away.  Another advantage of steel is it's easily repaired, with individual tubing replaced if the worst happens. You can create very light frames using the exotic steel alloys, although carbon will always better it in terms of weight saving.

Whatever your choice of frame material, we will have something to suit.

For best results, book a bike fit first: Bike fitting in York, North Yorkshire