The End of the All Around Road Bike

A Different Road Bicycle for Everyday

Five years ago when I bought my Trek Madone 6.5 via the Project One program, I could choose between the Madone road bike and the Speed Concept Triathlon/Time Trial bike models for road bikes. Today, most major bicycle manufacturer has four major types of road bicycles to choose from; Race, Aerodynamic, Endurance and Triathlon/Time Trial. A cyclist buying a new bike is faced with a range of bikes, features and capabilities that they have to sift through to make a decision. The specialized roles that each of these bicycles fill has an effect on the pro tour. Alberto Contador of Tinkoff-Saxo Bank changed bikes during the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, switching to a lighter race bike for climbing. Will it become normal to see many pro cyclist swapping bikes during Grand Tour stages depending on road conditions or the upcoming route elevation? Below is a chart of what bike industry marketing professionals have given us.


Manufacturer
Road Bike Types, 2015
Race
Aero
Endurance
Triathlon/TT
Giant
TCR Advanced
Propel Advanced
Defy Advanced
Trinity Advanced
Specialized
Tarmac, Allez
Venge
Roubaix, Diverge
Shiv
Cannondale
Supersix EVO, CAAD12
Supersix EVO Hi-MOD
Synapse Carbon, Synapse
Slice
Trek
Emonda
Madone
Domane
Speed Concept
Felt
AR Series
F Series
Z Series
IA, DA, B, S Series


With any industry or sport, the success of any competitor is quickly copied by every other competitor. The marketing staffs have unleashed the engineering staffs at many of the bicycle manufacturers to design and produce bicycles with specific roles and price points.
Race bicycles are typically lightweight carbon fiber, or aluminum, bicycles that are at, or just below, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), weight limit of 6.8kg (14.99lb). The UCI is the governing body for cycling sports. Trek introduced the Emonda that can be configured to weigh 4.5 kg (10 lbs). Trek says that the Emonda is the lightest production bike today. Manufacturers develop the lightest frames that are safe to ride to reduce weight, whether carbon fiber, or aluminum, and carbon fiber components throughout the bike, like handlebars, saddles, and wheels.
Aerodynamic bicycles have teardrop shaped tubes to allow them to pass through the air more efficiently. Traditional cylindrical tubes do not move through the air as well as teardrop shaped tubes. Since their introduction a few years ago, these bicycles are slightly heavier than race bikes and can have harsher rides, due to the shapes used. The shaped tubes are not as compliant as cylindrical tubes, so these formed tubes will transmit road buzz more. Manufacturers are trying to design more comfort into these types of bikes.
Endurance bicycles, or comfort bikes, are designed for longer rides with more compliance built into the frame. They provide softer rides to the cyclists. Bike shops will bring this option up if the shopping cyclists is 1) not competing in criteriums, or crits and 2) express discomfort with the harsh rides of the aero bicycles. Some of the bicycles have the latest technology for road bicycles, disc brakes. Disc brakes have better stopping power in the rain and give the cyclist a better feel while braking. Everyone who has used disc brakes in my LBS gush over the second advantage, all of them saying the touch that you have is great.
Triathlon or Time Trial bicycles are the only road bike type that has largely remained the same over the last few year. They are still at the top end of price and because of the cyclist positioning and the fact that steering these bikes through a technical course, their numbers are limited. Except on the Pacific Coast Highway between Los Angeles and Camarillo, which can be as many as 30% of riders on a weekend, from my observation. This is due to the sea breeze that runs west to east, primarily a steady headwind for cyclists heading away from LA.

For the average shopper cyclist, facing a wall of road bicycle choices puts a burden on the customer. You have to know what type of riding and the expected routes that you will be possibly using over the next few months, or years. Buying road bikes over the Internet could be impossible with these many choices. The experienced staff at an LBS would help any prospective buyer to make the right choice. After choosing the bike frame, then you have to pick your components. One day very soon, the experience of shopping for a road bicycle may rival the experience we endure at the local car dealership.

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