Buying a First Road Bike

CYCLING · GLOBAL

Buying a First Road Bike

Fit before everything, frame materials, groupsets and what to budget for

A road bike that fits is faster and more comfortable than an expensive one that does not, and fit is the thing most first-time buyers pay least attention to.

Fit comes first

Frame size is based on your height and, more usefully, your inside leg and reach. Most discomfort blamed on a saddle or a bike is actually a frame a size out or a badly set position.

A professional bike fit costs a fraction of a frame and is the best money in cycling. At minimum, get saddle height right — a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

Frame materials

Aluminium is light, stiff, inexpensive and the sensible choice for a first bike. Steel is heavier, comfortable and durable. Carbon is lightest and most expensive, and it damages differently — impacts can cause hidden cracks.

At entry level, a good aluminium frame with better components beats a cheap carbon frame.

Groupsets

The gears and brakes, sold as tiered ranges. Moving up a tier buys smoother shifting and a little less weight rather than transformative performance.

Disc brakes stop better in wet weather and are now standard. Rim brakes are lighter and cheaper and perfectly adequate in dry conditions.

Gearing

More important than weight for most riders. A compact or sub-compact chainset with a wide cassette makes hills manageable, and struggling up climbs is what stops people riding.

Budget for the rest

Helmet, lights, a pump, tubes, tyre levers, a multi-tool, bottle cages and padded shorts. That list adds a meaningful amount to the price of the bike.

Maintenance that matters

Keep the chain clean and lubricated, check tyre pressure before every ride and replace the chain before it wears the cassette. A worn chain replaced late turns a cheap job into an expensive one.

Check brake pads, and learn to fix a puncture before you need to.

Riding safely

Lights front and rear day and night, a helmet, and riding far enough from the kerb to be seen and to avoid drains. Assume you have not been seen at junctions.

Clothing and contact points

Padded shorts, gloves and proper shoes make more difference to comfort than any component. Saddle discomfort is usually height or fore-aft position rather than the saddle itself.

Give a new position a few rides before changing anything, and change one thing at a time.

Buying used

Excellent value, since many barely used bikes are sold within a year. Check for cracks, worn chain and cassette, and that the frame is not stolen by checking the number.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Rockbros Bikes? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Rockbros Bikes — official site

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