Choosing a bike: road cycling guide

A responsible decision when choosing your first bike for sport and leisure always starts with identifying the most suitable category for yourself. If you feel most drawn to road cycling with fast rides or races, a road bike will be an excellent choice. In this article, we share insights on how to choose the most suitable road bike and its components — we hope they will help you make the optimal decision.

What is a Road Bike?

For beginner cyclists, it may be surprising to learn that road bikes are a broad category divided into smaller types. Road bikes share a few key features: a frame designed for narrow tires, a drop handlebar suited for different riding positions, and a relatively "aggressive" and aerodynamic geometry. Road bikes are stiff — they are built for riding and racing on smooth, hard road surfaces.

Advantages of a Road Bike

Road bikes are chosen by people who enjoy fast rides alone or in a group. Compared to hybrid or other bikes, a road bike allows for particularly fast acceleration and maintaining a higher average speed. This feature helps you exert less effort when riding in a group of strong cyclists and train effectively. Moreover, road bikes are lightweight — a feature that will delight cyclists who don't live on the ground floor.

How to Choose the Right Road Bike

Road bikes and their designs differ depending on the category. For example, "endurance" road bikes are considered more comfortable — their geometry is suited for longer rides. Racing road bikes stand out for their aerodynamics. However, if you buy such a bike, you can expect that the frame will be compatible with fewer accessories (having fewer mounting points), and your riding position will be more aggressive. An increasingly popular type of bike is the "all-road." These bikes are designed for wider tires, making them suitable for those who mostly ride on the road but also want to explore gravel paths. Therefore, before buying a road bike, it's worth considering the duration and type of rides that will dominate your schedule.

Road Bike Frame: Aluminum or Carbon?

For those who have not tried different frames, it may be hard to understand the impact of the material on the riding experience. However, after trying bikes with aluminum frames and carbon fiber frames, the difference becomes apparent quickly. Aluminum frames are very stiff and "hard," meaning the vibrations caused by road unevenness are transmitted to the cyclist. Carbon fiber is a much softer material, so such frames absorb vibrations. Because of these properties, aluminum is often used in entry-level bikes, while carbon is used for mid-range and high-end bikes. Also, the weight of the bike will differ depending on the material — aluminum frames weigh more than carbon ones. However, with advancements in aluminum welding technologies and bike design, these weight differences are becoming less noticeable.

Road Bike Wheels: What are the Options?

Like the frame, the wheels can also be made from aluminum or carbon fiber. The material will affect the wheel's weight and characteristics — carbon fiber wheels, like frames, will absorb road irregularities and vibrations better, making long rides more comfortable. When choosing wheels, it is also essential to consider their compatibility with the bike's groupset and brakes — the construction of wheels designed for disc and V-brakes differs.

Road Bike Sizes: How to Choose the Right One?

Since the riding position on a road bike is very sporty — requiring flexibility when bending towards the handlebars, it is crucial to choose the bike size precisely for your body. Only on a correctly sized bike will you pedal efficiently and comfortably. Although bikes are marked with frame size numbers or letters, these alone cannot be trusted — sizes differ between manufacturers and even their models. Therefore, before buying a bike, you must familiarize yourself with the bike size chart, which shows the exact sizes according to the rider's height. If you are between two sizes, you have two options — choose the smaller or larger size. A smaller bike will weigh a bit less, you will sit in a more aerodynamic position, and maneuvering will be easier, while a larger one will likely allow you to ride in a more relaxed position.

All types of bikes are available online in our e-shop, where you can also find size charts.

The Most Popular Road Bike Manufacturers

Road bikes are probably the primary line of bicycles for every manufacturer. This field also sees the most innovations since road bikes are used in the most popular competitions by professional cyclists. VELONOVA offers creations from leading and unique bike manufacturers worldwide, which often appear on prestigious race podiums. Below, we will briefly overview the main manufacturers we recommend and their models.

3T Road Bikes

Italian manufacturers 3T create uniquely designed road and gravel bikes — we are the only ones bringing them to Lithuania. The 3T Strada road bike with a carbon fiber frame is designed based on the main aerodynamic principles — the bike's center of gravity is very low, and the frame geometry reduces resistance when pedaling at the front of the group. This soft and maneuverable bike has fully integrated cables, perfect for those looking for aesthetics.

Specialized Road Bikes

American brand Specialized is currently one of the most famous names in the cycling world. Their road bike range is extensive: from the entry-level Specialized Allez to the world's fastest S-Works Tarmac SL8 models ridden by professional cyclists.

Colnago Road Bikes

"Built to win," Colnago bikes are often seen on the highest steps of the podium, as they are ridden by the UAE team and young cycling legend Tadej Pogačar. The Colnago road bike range includes V and C series bikes. V4Rs is the most aerodynamic racing model developed with the UAE team. The V4 and V3 are models with similar geometry for amateur cyclists who value quality and speed. The C68 is a classic, constantly improved road bike adorned with the iconic Colnago design. We are proud to be the first partners selling Colnago in Lithuania.

BMC Road Bikes

The minimalist and highly durable BMC bikes are born in an innovation lab in Switzerland, already beloved by Lithuanians. There are two BMC road bike lines: Teammachine and Roadmachine. Teammachine bikes have aggressive and racing geometry, designed for cyclists aiming for the best results. Roadmachine is an endurance bike that BMC increasingly adapts to various surfaces by increasing the width of the assembled tires.

How to Maintain a Road Bike?

Road bike maintenance is no different from other types of bicycles. To maintain the efficient performance of the bike and its components, regular maintenance and frequent washing are essential. We remind everyone who buys a road bike to regularly check the chain, brake system, and bearings. This ensures not only smooth and quiet bike operation but also safety on the road. Maintaining proper tire pressure is also crucial — it helps protect against punctures or flat tires.