| How to choose your road bike? Well the first question | | | | Campagnolo Chorus or Shimano Ultegra, unless you |
| is how much do you want to spend and how much | | | | can afford the top components of both |
| cycling will you do? The answer to the first question is | | | | manufacturers. Wheels again would be possibly Mavic, |
| a difficult one, many people when they are younger | | | | Shimano or Campagnolo, deep carbon rims look Great |
| they want to ride there bike all day and what to be the | | | | and have a wonderful ride, but will probably be too |
| next winner of the Tour de France, but they can not | | | | expensive, best if you stick to alloy rims for high |
| afford to spend much on there bike. If they get fit and | | | | pressure tires as tubulars, even though they ride |
| win some races and get in a good team they will be | | | | wonderfully, will be expensive and a lot of trouble. |
| given a top class bike, but what usually happens is | | | | Handle bars, stem and seat pin could be alloy or |
| they have to give up and work, have a family etc. | | | | carbon, if you have the money. The frame is the heart |
| When they are older and have more money they can | | | | of your bike and you will want a good one, at this price |
| afford the bike of there dreams. As to how much | | | | range alloy is going to be the first choice with carbon |
| cycling you do, that depends on whether you can | | | | forks and possibly a carbon rear triangle. If you look |
| justify having the best bike around and only doing a | | | | around you might manage to find an all carbon frame |
| short ride on Sunday morning. Remember you get | | | | at this price, Giant make a very well priced carbon |
| what you pay for. | | | | frame in a compact, sloping design, there are others |
| Basic Level Bikes. | | | | but you will have to spend a lot more money. |
| If you go to the larger sports stores or bike shops they | | | | The Top of The Shopping List. |
| will have complete bikes for sale, probably a alloy | | | | When're looking at a lot of money here if you want to |
| frame with Shimano Tiagra or Campagnolo Mirage or | | | | buy a professional road bike. The frame will be all |
| a mixture of cheaper components, this bike will be built | | | | carbon or titanium with carbon forks and maybe a |
| to a price, will ride fairly well, wont be very light and is a | | | | carbon rear triangle or alloy main tubes with carbon |
| good place to start. To get some thing better, start | | | | front or rear end. The nicest ones on the market at |
| with a nice alloy frame and if you can afford it, carbon | | | | the moment, in my opinion, are Colnago, De Rosa, |
| forks, then with what money you have left chose your | | | | Pinarello, Battaglin, Time, Scott, Cervelo and many |
| group-set of either Shimano or Campagnolo and then | | | | more, all are available in different colours, geometries |
| you can pick your saddle, handlebars, wheel rims and | | | | and sizes, check out there web sites for information |
| tires, this is all fun, but if you are working to a budget, it | | | | and try to make your choice, it's a difficult job. This is a |
| can be tricky. | | | | professional road bike so it will have to have the best |
| Mid Level, Touring and Possibly Racing. | | | | components, Shimano Dura.Ace or Campagnolo |
| In this range of bikes you can buy them as a complete | | | | Record are your only choice at this level. Same with |
| cycle, in the cycle shop, sports store or even in the | | | | the wheels, Dura-Ace or Campagnolo Bora, these can |
| specialist magazines or on the web. It is more fun to | | | | be for high pressure clincher tires or tubulars, tubulars |
| choose the components for your frame and how | | | | are more trouble but do ride well, but clincher tires are |
| much you want to spend. At this level you would | | | | very nearly as nice and much more practical. Handle |
| probably be looking at Shimano 105 or Campagnolo | | | | bars, stem and seat pin will be carbon and your saddle |
| Centaur road bike parts and you could possibly buy | | | | will have a carbon base with a leather cover and |
| some built up wheels from Shimano, Campagnolo or | | | | sometimes with gel for a little extra comfort. |
| Mavic, but first start with the frame, there are many | | | | The Best Bike You Can Afford. |
| frames out there to choose from, get on the net and | | | | You do only get what you pay for, so get the best |
| look for what you want, it will probably be alloy again, | | | | bike you can afford, look around the magazines and |
| with carbon forks. Alloy seat pin, handle bars and stem | | | | the web sites and don't forget your local bike shop until |
| and a comfortable saddle. | | | | you get that little jewel, but be careful not to make |
| Top Level Bike For Racing and Pleasure. | | | | your partner jealous! |
| Now it gets more difficult, your components would be | | | | |