Buying A Road Bike-Which Features Are Important

This is Part four of my series on buying a new road bike.  In part one we covered how to determine the type of bike you need.  Part two discussed the importance of setting a budget.  Part three covered the process of researching possible bikes.  Now, in part four, I will show you how to determine which features are important and how to select the right features for you.

Temptation Awaits

Now that you have done your research, hopefully online, you are ready to go to some LBS’s to find out more about the bikes you are considering.  This is one of the most exciting, and potentially dangerous (to your wallet), part of the whole process.  In the bike shop you can see, feel, and even smell, all of the latest and greatest bikes on the market.  The danger comes from the possibility that you might blow your budget and/or make a snap decision while in the shop.  Remember, the goal of this visit is not to buy but rather to find out more about the bikes you are interested in.  A reputable shop will be more than happy to help you out without pressuring you to make a decision.  So, if you feel pressured at any time to make a decision, leave the shop and find another one.

What Matters

For something so simple, road bikes have a huge number of technical features.  There’s the fit, the frame, the geometry, the wheels, the component set, tires, seat, and on and on.  Some of these things matter a lot, most matter  a lot less.  So what are some features you should consider:

1. Bike Fit-  This is the number 1 most important thing when buying a bike.  If the bike doesn’t fit you it won’t really matter if it costs $1000 or $10,000.  In fact, a $1000 bike that fits you properly will beat out the $10,000 bike that doesn’t fit you hands down, every time.  Any reputable shop should pretty much demand that they go through a proper fitting process to make sure that you get the right bike.  If a shop doesn’t talk about it find another shop.  A complete professional bike fitting will cost $75-$125 most of the time.  Many shops will credit the cost of a fitting toward a bike that you purchase from them.  Don’t skimp on the fitting or you will most likely regret it every time you ride your bike.
2. Frame Material- What the frame is made out of and how it is constructed determines to a certain extent the type of ride you will experience and how “stiff” and responsive your bike is.  Lots of people will tell you that aluminum frames are “harsh” while carbon fiber frames are “soft” and “steel is real”.  The fact is that all of these materials can be used to make frames that meet all of those criteria.  It’s all a matter of how the frame is designed and built.  I have an aluminum framed bike that fits me and it is very comfortable, not harsh at all.  Don’t let a particular material determine by itself the bike you buy.  Learn about how the manufacturer builds the frames and use that as a starting point.
3. Frame Geometry- The geometry of a frame has just about the greatest impact (next to fit) on how the bike will handle and perform.  There are a number of factors that work together to create the overall geometry such as: top tube length, head and seat tube angle, wheelbase, fork trail, and head tube length.  Some bikes are designed to be more steady in their handling while others are designed to be responsive.  You should choose an overall frame design based on the type of riding you will primarily be doing.  If you are going to be doing casual paced long rides you probably won’t want a bike designed to be used in criteriums.  Ask about the geometry of the various bikes you are considering and be wary of anyone who won’t give you the details.
4. Components-  Most road bike components (cranksets, derailleurs, shfters/brakes) today are well designed and built.  For the most part they function well and are fairly durable.  You will need to make some choices in the components for your new bike.  There are three major manufacturers, SRAM, Shimano, and Capagnolo.  All three have a few different “levels” of components.  Usually, the differences are related to weight and appearance rather than ultimate functionality.  Each bike manufacturer sells their complete bikes with a different mix of components.  When you are looking at bikes be sure to ask about the mix of components and just know that oftentimes the only difference between two bikes (same model) is in the components, not the frame.
5. Wheels, saddles, spokes, etc- All of these various bits and pieces are important to the bike, but not as important to the buying process as many people think.  Here’s why:  These are pretty much personal items that can be swapped out and mixed and matched depending on your preference.  Most bike shops will allow you to swap out one wheelset for another or change saddles if one is uncomfortable.  There may be an additional cost associated with the change. Ask about the shops policies regarding trading out these types of components in case you want/need to.

 Narrow Your List

Once you have reviewed the different features and options available on the road bikes you are interested in you should narrow your list down to the top 3-5 choices.  You want to do this so that you won’t suffer from “paralysis by analysis”.  Every decision has trade-offs assciated with it.  You want to focus on the best candidates based on your research and discussions with the bike shops you visit.  Be honest with yourself and stick to your budget if at all possible.  Once you have your “final list” the next step is to test ride the candidates.  I’ll give you some tips on that in the next part of this series.