ROAD BIKES. If you go into a bike shop and ask about road bikes, they are likely to assume that you are interested in drop handlebar, road racing or touring style bikes, rather than the straight handlebar variety. We have split our road bikes into three groups here:
·Racing/training road bikes have come on a long way since they were so popular in the 70s and 80s. The frames on modern road bikes are extremely light and responsive. The gear change is super slick and the shifters are usually built in to the brake levers (“STI” or “Ergo” shifters). The brakes employ a very powerful “dual pivot” design for much better stopping power, and the wheels are light and stiff with a lot fewer spokes than they used to have. In most cases it’s not worth bothering with the cheaper (sub £500) “road bike look-alikes” – it’s better to buy a light, sporty hybrid instead. There are some very exotic race machines on the market and the sky is the limit for price on these. We concentrate on the value for money end of the range. The majority of our bikes are priced between £600 and £2000 with a few cheaper models, special offers and clearance models to help with restricted budgets.
·Drop handlebar touring bikes are built for comfort and luggage carrying over longer distances on road. They don’t look as sporty as their lightweight racing bikes cousins but they employ different brakes to allow for a wider tyre and practical, full-length mudguards and they are more comfortable for long days in the saddle. Lots of our customers use them for medium and longer-distance commuting because they are good all-weather bikes and can easily be fitted with pannier bags for work stuff.
·Single speed / “fixed wheel” road bikes. These were originally the club cyclists’ favourite training and everyday bikes, but now it seems that a wave of nostalgia has swept through the cycling world and everybody has a hankering for one. Lots of old abandoned 70s and 80s sports bikes are being resurrected and converted to single speeds and most manufacturers have got into the act with their own new versions. Prices on a decent quality new ones start from about £500. A note of caution, though: fixed wheel bikes take some getting used to and many riders crash spectacularly whilst they’re learning! Bikes with a single speed freewheel have that same stripped-down look and are safer for inexperienced riders. |  |
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