Road Bikes Melbourne

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING YOUR FIRST ROAD BIKE IN MELBOURNE

This is one of the best times to get yourself a road bicycle. In the past, they were the preserve of professionals who could afford to shell out tens of thousands of dollars, something that was way out of the league of the vast majority of cycling enthusiasts. Today, you can buy road bikes online and experience some of the technology that powers these professional bicycles at affordable prices.

When checking out a road bike for sale, the first thing you need to focus on is your budget. As the price of the product increases, it often gets lighter and more durable. There isn’t any right price for everyone when it comes to buying a road bicycle, you just have to consider your needs and find something that fits within your budget.

You also need to do your research if you are interested in getting a choice cycle from the quality bicycles for sale on Bike Chaser. Sure, you could just walk into a store, slap some cash on the table, and go home with a bicycle. However, like all expensive investments, this would be quite disastrous. There are a couple of things you should be on the lookout for:

Frame Materials

The frame of your bicycle is the first thing you should consider. Frames make up the bulk of your bicycle and can greatly affect your riding experience. The common frame materials are aluminium, steel, titanium, and carbon fibre.

For most cycles costing below $1,000 the frame is likely going to be aluminium. It is a very good material for making bicycle frames because it is quite light and can be easily worked into stiff, light frames. Good aluminium frames have butted tubes which usually have their ends thicker than the middle to handle the stress at the joins.

Steel road bikes are significantly heavier than aluminium bikes. They are especially good for touring because their weight won’t matter as much there. They are also the best cheap road bikes.

Titanium bikes are highly regarded, and for good reason: They are as strong as steel and as light as aluminium. The fact that they are immune to corrosion makes them even more desirable. However, it is harder to work titanium, meaning that it is more expensive than steel and aluminium.

Carbon fibre road bikes are also great options to look into. They used to be the most expensive option, but are now much more affordable. However, there is a difference between cheap and expensive carbon fibres. Manufacturers can easily rework this material to give a specific stiffness, weight or balance, thus making it ideal for building a custom cycle.

Getting the Right Size

If you are really interested in an enjoyable ride, you need make sure you get the right frame size for you. Don’t make the mistake of getting a bigger or smaller size than you need just because you got a discount. It won’t be a bargain in the long run.

On a general note, road cycles are measured in centimetres. However, different manufacturers have different ways of measuring the frame. Some of them have just three sizes while others have up to ten sizes. To make sure you’re on the right track, make use of the size chart on the manufacturer’s website. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to stand over the bicycle with a couple of centimetres between you and the top tube.

There are a lot of parts that can be adjusted to make sure it fits you well. You could adjust the height and fore-aft position of the saddle. You could have the handlebars raised or lowered, and so on.

If you are making the switch from mountain to road bicycles, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. One key thing that’s important to keep in mind is that with mountain bikes, you move around a lot while with road cycles, you are in one position for a long while. Being in the wrong position for extended periods of time can lead to aches and even injuries.

The Chainrings

The chainsets are the parts of the bike that the pedals attach to. They usually have chainrings of different sizes. With entry level products, you’ll likely find 50 to 34 tooth chainrings to make going uphill easier and to lower the ratios.

Standard double chainsets are quite ideal for racing road bikes. Larger pairs (like 39/53) are well suited to the speed gotten from racing in a bunch. You can also get chainrings with sizes of 36/52. These are quite good for riding fast in hilly terrain.

You can get the broadest possible spread of gears with triple chainrings. They are quite rare because with compact chainsets, you get gears that are low, lighter and simpler to use. Triple chainsets are great if you are going to be riding up really steep hills or if you intend to carry luggage.

The Wheels also Matter

The wheels are one of the most important components. They take up a huge chunk of the price of the bicycle so getting a replacement for them won’t be as straightforward as other parts. In the past, 23mm tyres used to be the general standard. Today, even the pros are using more comfortable 25mm and 26mm tyres. The little increase in weight and aerodynamic drag is well worth it if you consider the improved roadholding and comfort.

The Disc Brakes

Disc brakes are not just for mountain bicycles. When it comes to brakes, you usually have the option of choosing rim brakes or disc brakes. Although rim brakes are lighter and more aerodynamic, disc brake gives you better power and modulation. They also don’t really get affected by bad weather. If you ride your bicycle throughout the year, disc brakes are less likely to be affected by winter road dirt.

With this, you should be well on your way to buying your first road cycle. You can get the best road bikes in Australia by looking out for Giant or Trek road bikes for sale (among other awesome brands) here. If you are not looking for brand new, you can also easily get a second hand road bike.