Road Bikes

Great prices on a huge selection of racing bicycles at Bikester.co.uk

With the spokes flashing in the sun and the chain gliding over the sprockets, you can feel the wind in your hair as you push the bike up to 40kmh, zooming past the city limits and into green fields. You reach the hills, each turn rewarding you with a view more beautiful than the last as you climb the mountain pass.

Lightweight frames, speed, and efficiency are the three main traits that define road bikes. These bikes feature drop handlebars and smooth, skinny tires, making them perfect for a fast riding experience on smooth pavements. However, choosing the ideal pedal cycle for your needs isn't as simple as it once was.

With the advancements in design and manufacturing processes, road bikes have now branched out into various categories and specialities. This profusion of viable options makes it quite challenging for an eager buyer to know the best type of road cycle for their requirements.

For many bike fans, racing bikes represent cycling at its most unadulterated: machines that allow you to push yourself to your absolute limits in pursuit of pure performance. Racing bikes are designed to convert every pedal stroke into forward propulsion as efficiently as possible. The pure embodiment of speed, made even more satisfying because it’s generated by your own strength.

First, what size road bike do I need?

1. Type of riding you'll be doing

When searching for road bikes in the UK, the first question you need to ask yourself is, do you want a sportive or race bike? Race bikes are fast-handling and feature a long reach and a low front end - ideal when a racer is jostling for top positions in a race.

On the other hand, sportive bikes, also known as endurance road bikes, come with slacker angles and lower bottom brackets. Such specs make for a more stable bike for everyday riding.

2. Frame and fork material

Another important area to consider when buying road bikes in the UK is whether you want an alloy or carbon frame and fork. Most pedal cycles are aluminium framed and feature carbon fibre forks to provide a good balance between the sturdiness and reliability of the alloy frame.

If you want a bike with a greater lateral stiffness but a lower weight, then go for a full carbon fork and frame. Apart from being lighter, carbon-framed pedal cycles in the UK can be faster since they're more compliant.

3. Groupset

The next thing to pay close attention to is your bike's groupset model (usually specified in the bike description). This mainly involves the bike's brakes and transmission. The most commonly used groupset manufacturers include the SRAM and Shimano. When choosing road bikes in the UK, it's always wise to settle for the best groupset model you can afford.

Buy the right racing bike frame

A good racing bike frame should offer a springy, dynamic ride feel while also being stiff and responsive. These frames are designed to provide the lowest possible air resistance to allow you to ride as fast as possible. Bikester.co.uk offers a full range of racing bikes at all price levels - from budget bikes for well under £1000 to professional racers with carbon frames. We also have plenty of great offers on womens' racing bikes, kids' racing bikes and triathlon or time trial specific bikes.

How Do You Choose the Right Bike Size?

Never underestimate the importance of buying the right size of pedal cycles. Besides affecting your comfort during a ride, an ill-fitting bike reduces your efficiency, and worse, increases your chances of picking up an injury. For efficient bike handling, get yourself a road bike that fits well.

Have you been asking yourself, "what size road bike do I need?" We'll help you understand the crucial measurements you need to get the right-sized bike frame regardless of your cycling discipline.

To answer your question on "what size road bike do I need?" The main measurements you'll use are your reach, inside leg measurement, and your height.

In most cases, bikester enthusiasts rely on their upper body as the deciding factor in choosing the best-sized bike. Remember, your upper body dimensions directly affect your reach. This, in turn, influences how stretched out you'll be along your bike's top tube.

To work out whether you have a short or long reach, you must determine your Ape Index (your arm span minus height). If your height is less than your arm span (positive Ape Index), then you'll be better off with a larger bike size. If your arm span is less than your height (negative Ape Index), you'll be more comfortable on smaller bike size.

Still on the question "what size push bicycle do I need?" your standover height plays a crucial role in finding the right size. This is the clearance between your crotch and your bike's top tube. It's wise to have a clearance of not less than two inches to allow you to hop off quickly when necessary.