Felt’s FitWoman ZW75 (MSRP $1,399) is just one of many great entry-level road bikes for women. But remember, before settling on a specific brand or model of bicycle, make sure to get a professional bike fitting.
By Victor Jimenez
If you are new to road cycling or triathlon you probably feel the same way about bikes as I did about my recent camera purchase. In this article I am going to give you some tips that will help you buy your first road bike.
When I decided to buy a new digital camera, I thought I could just go down to the store and pick out a nice camera. Boy, did I have a surprise. It turns out that cameras have changed significantly over the last few years. I started looking and found that the more I looked, the more confused I became. There is all of this technical lingo that I didn’t understand, and functions that do everything including making you breakfast. Modern road bikes can be similar in that the manufacturers tout so many technical specs that it makes your head spin.
Road bikes are designed for being comfortable and fast over long distances. They usually have skinny tires and the handlebars have multiple hand positions. If you are new to road riding or are training for your first triathlon, a road bike is a great place to start.
The most important thing
The first and most important aspect of any bike is how well it fits your body and style of riding. On an occasional Sunday ride, fit is not terribly important. If your idea of a Sunday ride is several hours, the way your bike fits you is a major factor in your overall enjoyment of cycling. If you want to be comfortable so that you will stick with cycling, fit is very important.
Seek out a professional
Ideally you should visit a professional bicycle fitter before you start looking for a bike. The fitter will help guide you to a well-fitting and comfortable bike. A professional fitting is an involved process of several hours that helps determine your optimal riding position. While you are shopping, fit should be your primary determining factor for selecting a bike.
Other factors
Buy the best bike you can afford. If you buy a bike that is better than you currently need, it will help you progress as a rider more quickly. In the long run it may even save you money because you won’t need to upgrade your bike as quickly.
Most entry-level road bikes start at about $600-$800 and go up to thousands of dollars. If you are fairly serious and can afford it, I recommend that you start with a mid-range road bike that is at least $1,200-$1,500. In that range you will be buying a bike that has components and high-quality frames similar to the much higher-end bikes.
Typical price ranges
Entry level $600-$800
Mid-level $1,000-1,500
High-end $1,800-$3,000
Super high-end $3,500 and up
Don’t get hung up on brand
There are many different brands of bicycles on the market. Most are very similar in design and quality. There is no brand at any given price point that beats out the others. That’s why I suggest that you shop based on fit. Brand X’s bikes may fit you better than brand Y’s bikes, similar to the way certain brands of shoes fit your feet better than others. What is important is that you buy your bike from a local bike shop that will repair your bike and help you keep it running smooth.
When shopping for a bike, don’t get caught up in the technical lingo and all the fancy features that the catalogs like to tout. Instead, search and select your bike based on how well it fits your body and your budget. If you avoid analyzing the technical specs you won’t end up confused like I did when I was buying my new digital camera. The sooner you get your new bike the sooner you can be out on the road and having fun.
Not ready to buy a road bike?
Here are some tips to make your existing bike better for your big event:
Pump up your tires
Failing to pump up the tires is probably the No. 1 mistake people make. Look on the side of your tires for pressure ratings. Bike tires lose air quickly and need to be pumped up to pressure before every ride.
Get a tune-up
Bikes need tune-ups too. There is nothing worse than training hard for a big event and then having to drop out before finishing it because of a simple mechanical problem.
Change to road tires
If you have a mountain or hybrid bike you should consider upgrading your tires to a more road-friendly smooth treaded tire. With road tires, your bike will roll faster on the pavement and in the end you will have a much more enjoyable time.
Adjust your seat height
Make sure that your seat is adjusted properly. As a rough guide, when your pedal is at 6 o’clock your heel should just touch the pedal. Ideally you should seek out advice from your local bike shop.
Consider upgrading your saddle
Seats that come stock on bikes are generally not very good. Go to your local bike shop and ask for suggestions on upgrading your seat.
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Victor Jimenez is the owner and professional bicycle fitter at www.bicyclelab.com. Bicycle Lab is a small boutique studio that specializes in bicycle fitting, custom bicycles and education. Victor teaches clinics and classes to individuals, coaches and teams on bicycle fit and the technical aspects of cycling and is co-host of the www.cycling360media.com podcast. He can be reached at www.Bicyclelab.com, www.Facebook.com/bicyclelab or victor@bicyclelab.com.
