Road bikes have been around for a long time, and they are excellent fast machines. Their design has evolved a great deal, even just in recent decades. They are lighter than before and are built for speed. If you own one or you would like to purchase a bike for commuting, you may be wondering if it is the right choice.
Road bikes can be excellent commuters. Since they are built to reach fast speeds, they are perfect for long commutes on paved roads if you don’t have much to carry. Despite their fragile appearance, they can take a lot of beating if maintained properly.
Road bikes are the most expensive type of bike. For the price of the cheapest road bike, you can buy a decent, well-equipped hybrid bike. The cost is due to engineering and manufacturing costs, so the bike’s weight can be kept low. A decent road bike usually starts at around 1000 dollars. Thankfully this also means you will get a quality bike that can serve you for many years
Advantages of Road Bikes
One of the main reasons people choose bike commuting is that they are frustrated sitting in traffic. Bike commuters in cities save a lot of time compared to those commuting by car. You may have seen some comparison videos on the internet about how much time a person can save by bike commuting, especially during rush hour.
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Speed
Among bikes, road bikes are the fastest type available. The road bike’s advantage comes from its riding position and its components, which are built for speed.
You can reach 25 mph and even more on a road bike, and you can maintain high speed with relative ease. The rider sits in a forward-leaning position, the most favorable from an aerodynamic point of view since it offers the least drag, which becomes significant when you ride over 15 mph (25 km/h).
The components of a road bike are also designed for speed. They offer a variety of gears and they are especially good when it comes to high gear ratios. You will never feel like you’re spinning out when you’re pedaling.
Road bike tires are slick and offer low rolling resistance, giving you higher returns in terms of speed for the energy put in. A typical road bike tire is between 23 and 28 mm in width.
28 mm wide tires are the best width for commuting on a road bike, as their rolling resistance is still excellent, but they offer some cushioning for a noticeably softer ride.
Weight
Road bikes are light. A typical road bike weighs 18-22 lbs. Even the more budget-friendly road bikes are lighter than other bikes, such as hybrids or MTBs, which typically start around 26 lbs. This has a twofold advantage. There is less weight to carry when it comes to climbing a hill, and there is less weight to lift if you need to carry it on your shoulders.
Maintenance
Road bikes are very sturdy and reliable if maintained well and regularly. The bare minimum is the regular cleaning and lubing of the chain, chainrings, and cassette.
This is especially important in the rainy season when the drivetrain can collect a lot of gunk from the ground.
Tire pressure matters very much when you’re riding narrow tires because they lose pressure over time. Check your pressure and inflate your tires once a week to avoid pinch flats.
Disadvantages of Road Bikes
Comfort
Since road bikes are designed for speed instead of comfort, they can feel too spartan to some. The lack of suspension forks and wider tires means you will feel every slight road imperfection while riding.
Your hands can also go numb easily on a road bike because of the riding position. Your hands support have to support some of your body weight since you’re in a forward-leaning position.
It’s also harder to turn your head back on a road bike to check on traffic coming behind you than it is with an upright bicycle.
Accessories
When you buy a road bike you may be surprised (and even upset) at how little you get for your money in terms of the number of components.
Most road bikes lack essentials, such as pedals, and you need to purchase them separately.
You need to purchase lights, fenders, and bottle cages separately, unlike on a purpose-made commuter. Therefore, the real cost of getting the bike ready for the road is higher than the price tag you see on the bike itself.
Lack of mounting points
Most road bikes don’t have mounting points for racks or fenders, so you need to find alternative solutions.
Purcahse an inexpensive ass-saver from Amazon to protect your butt and back. It does the job decently and it can be easily removed and stored in your backpack when not in use. It’s not as efficient as a full fender, but it’s much better than no protection at all.
No braze-ons also means no rear rack and no panniers. To get around this problem, invest in a seatpost-mounted rack like the Dirza Rear Bike Rack from Amazon. It can be mounted on most road bikes within seconds and you can easily take it off if you want to take your bike for a spin. I was surprised to see that you could pick one up for less than the price of a good-quality regular rack. I wrote an in-depth post about seatpost-mounted racks and how they change how the bike handles, which you can read here.
Handling
The rider’s position and the narrow handlebars make maneuvering at low speed challenging. With bumper-to-bumper traffic, you will find cruising among cars somewhat difficult.
If you purchase a set of clipless pedals for your bike you will need to learn and get used to clipping in and out. This can be a source of frustration, even if you’re already good at it, in traffic jams and regular stops at red lights in the city.
Theft
A shiny new road bike draws attention not only when you’re riding it, but also when it’s parked. This makes it more likely to be stolen. Investing in a good lock and learning the best locking practices is essential. It will reduce the likelihood of theft.
Quick releases make it easy to remove the bike wheels. It is handy when you need to change a flat tire, but it makes stealing your wheel very easy too. When locking your bike you need to think about your frame, front, and rear wheel too. Here is a good video that summarizes how to lock your bike best.
Q&A
What kind of commutes are road bikes good for?
Road bikes are best suited for long commutes on paved roads for those people who don’t need to carry a lot of things.
What alternatives are there to road bikes?
Fitness bikes and gravel bikes are both good alternatives for road bikes. Fitness bikes are very similar to road bikes but their flat handlebar and slightly wider tires make riding them more comfortable. Gravel bikes have a more relaxed geometry and wider tires than road bikes, which also makes them a good alternative.
What road bikes are good for commuting?
All major brands make excellent road bikes. Some of the best brands of road bikes are Giant, Scott, Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Bianchi, and Merida, to name a few. They all have a wide range of bikes to choose from. Although they are among the best manufacturers, quite a few models are more affordable and don’t compromise on quality.
Conclusion
Weighing up the pros and cons, you can decide whether a road bike is for you as your next commuter bike. Some cons may not even apply to your circumstances.
If your commute is on decently paved roads with long straight segments, then a road bike could be a good commuter. It is best to have some prior riding experience before taking the plunge. You will sacrifice some comfort for speed, but it is a very rewarding experience to ride the fastest of bikes to work.
Happy Riding!
