Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Road Bike - What to get?

I've been looking into roadbikes a bit lately. Definitely a complex field and it's hard to make a decision on what to get.

First of I need to define what kind of riding I want to do... Looking at the terrain around here it will most definitely involve tons of climbing. As far as I gather popular rides in the area are between 20 and 60 miles. That would call for a light frame... Aluminum or carbon.
Other things to consider:
  • Do I want to race my bike? Probably no, except for a Tri perhaps.
  • Do I want to tour? No.
  • Do I want to commute by bike? Unlikely.
Alright...

What else is there to consider?
  • Gearing: Questions here: Double or triple? What cassette? 12-25? 12-27?
  • Wheels: Box vs. Aero? Which tires? 700-23? 700-25?
  • Components: Compagnolo or Shimano? Which level Ultegra? 105? Dura Ace? (or equivalent)
  • Size: Probably in the neighborhood of 62cm
  • Cost: Yeah... well...
Perhaps it's time to hit the shops and look at some bikes... I hear the most important factor is fit...

Comments anyone?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Carbon frame. Campy Chorus 10-speed (or a SRAM group). Compact crank -- 50-34 (be kind to your joints...lots of climbing around here). 11-25 cassette. If you have to have the traditional double in front, get the 13-26. 700x23. Box vs. aero/dish...eh, not sure it matters that much for recreational purposes. So many choices...fun, huh?