New to Road cycling…

HamishB wrote:Morning

HamishB wrote:

Morning All,

Thanks again for all your help.

I am actually very unsure about clipless pedals, never liked the thought of them, but everyone, including you guys/girls have said how good they are so I think i’d be best to give them a try.

Is there different ‘options’ types or is it only 1 type of clipless pedals? If more than one type, what would be the easiest/most popular/safest to get used to please?

Take on board the aluminium bike thoughts in case of crashes, I hadnt factored that in, someone had said, go carbon. I’ll look at a decent aluminium one too though now with carbon forks.

Out of curiosity, I noticed a few of you refer to crashing… is it pretty common to be ending up off the bike?

I’ve always thought road bikes looked quite tricky to ride/handle, do they take quite a lot of getting used to?

My main reason for road cycling would be endurance, increase fitness stamina so thanks for mentioning there are bikes more suited to this.

I do like the look of Specialized and Giant.

On the groupsets etc, what are the different levels and what do you think is a good starting level for that? I’ve only really heard of Shimano, but take it there are others? Ideally looking for a set thats reliable, sturdy, replacements easily available and will do me as I improve?

Sorry to come back with a load of questions, but thanks… I’d like to go into my LBS armed with a little knowledge while I get sized up. Not against an ex demo or even a bike that is new but previous year or two model if it helps get a better specc’d bike for the price.

Cheers all,

Hamish :)

There are different types of clipless pedals-for example Shimano make SPD and SPD-SLs. While SPD are normally thought of as mountain bike pedals many roadies use them as well since they are much easier to walk around in as opposed to the SPD-SLs which have a larger cleat and make walking a bit more of a challenge. The pros and cons of SPD vs SPD-SL are a well worn topic and really depends on what type of riding you do- I use SPD-SLs on my road bike and SPDs on my mountain bike since the type I have are flat on one side and have a clip on the other meaning I don’t have to change shoes if I am just heading out to the shops on my MTB.
Outside of Shimano there are also pedals and clipless systems from the likes of Speedplay and Look as well as others- all have their own disciples and the cleats fromn one type will not work with another- generally though if I was going to advise you I would say go for the SPD but check this out just to be sure.

As for crashing-it depends on where you are riding, how you do it and what the roads are like. I’ve had one spill in the past couple of years but it was shall we say a “unique” situation! To be honest people who are afraid of coming off are more likely to since they tend to ride more tensed up and are less able to react quickly. You do get used to riding a road bike very quickly-it is always a pleasant suprise when you realise just how much quicker and lighter they are from an MTB-it is very noticable!

As for groupsets- again opinions differ but the major ones are Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. Each will have their own preference and the group set will make up a fair chunk of the price of the bike you end up with. Each brand has different ranges- for Shimano bottom/entry level used to be 2300 (which is what I am still running) but there are now Tourney and another one which havbe been recently introduced at a lower level. Above that you will have 105, Sora, Tiagra, Ultegra, Dura-Ace (maybe not in that order but you get the idea) and Di2 (the electronic version)- that is why you may see a price difference between bikes that appear to be the same. SRAM and Campagnolo also have similar levels. Again your budget and what you want to get out of your riding will help you decide what groupset to go for. I still run 2300 but hope to upgrade in the next few months depending on whether I still have a job or not- it has been grand for my riding and while maybe not as smooth as the higher end stuff, I’m not climbing Mount Ventoux or challenging Cav or Kittel in a sprint.

Don’t forget as well that wheels can make a big difference to a bike-often the standard set you get with it when you first buy the bike are grand, but many people do move on to get lighter and better ones but again that is not a priority when starting out.

I’ll leave others to debate
I’ll leave others to debate brands/materials/groupsets but the one thing I will say is don’t be afraid of clipless. After a couple of rides you’ll be fine and be wondering how people ride without them.

I use their bib shorts and
I use their bib shorts and the rain jacket – very happy with them. I also have the shower proof trousers which are pretty good in grim conditions.
I have always had rapid service from the website too.

I think for a first bike, you
I think for a first bike, you should consider a second hand aluminium bike. Speaking from experience you get a lot of bang for your buck. The downside is that you won’t have the support of the staff at an lbs, but depending on your lbs that might not be a bad thing. Failing that and if you would feel more comfortable buying at an lbs, try and go for a deal from last year. Ior the year before, great deals to bed had. I would recommend aluminium for the durability, I’ve crashed mine, given quite mildly, and it’s fine, as mentioned earlier carbon is done after a single fall.

Set yourself a budget, cycle to work is great, get stuck in!

Hi Hamish
I would strongly
Hi Hamish

I would strongly recommend visiting a few bike shops if they are available to you.
A good LBS can give you valuable assistance and some even throw in bike fits when you spend a certain amount of dough on a new bike.
If you can get the hang of clipless pedals you will never go back…when you can pull up on the pedal when going uphill it makes life so much easier and makes you get up the hill faster.
As far as clothing goes try some on while you are there..for instance I take a large in Endura and Morvelo bib shorts but an XL in Castelli (those skinny Italians).
If you are going to buy the shorts you may as well look at the jerseys too as they have handy pockets at the back for sticking stuff in.
Personally It doesn’t really matter if you go for a carbon frame or an aluminum one…yes the carbon does reduce some of the shocks from the road, but a good alu frame with carbon forks and a carbon seat post (which you can add later) do just as good a job.
The main thing is to get the right frame and size for the type of riding you want to do.
Get that sorted and you will be lapping up the miles and doing club rides and sportives before you know it.
Which brings me to cycling clubs…Find out which ones are near you and go along and chat to them as their advice will be invaluable.
Welcome to the world of road riding may you ride long and prosper ..