The Herald Sun
May 26, 2005
DURHAM — May is National Bike Month, and last week was National Bike to Work Week. They probably schedule these celebrations for May because of the weather. I mean, how can you resist going for a ride when the highs are in the 70s and the mosquitoes aren’t out yet?
It makes sense, then, that May is also the time a lot of folks start dreaming of that new bike.
John Murray of Durham writes in to ask for a little advice on choosing his next bike. He says, “I am a 60 yr.old male in good health. I have a small amount of experience with a road bike (narrow tires, drop [sic] bars, 20 years ago) and when at the coast, I ride a fourteen year old Diamond Back Sorento.
I am looking to… lose weight, and improve my cardiovascular condition. I will be able to ride to work, 6.9 miles. I would like to get to the point of riding 20 to 30 miles on a Saturday morning without being completely wasted (this may be wishful thinking).
Should I go with a road bike, a mountain bike, or something in between?”
Finding a bike that fits your riding style is tough. I can tick off some of the considerations you’ll want to keep in mind, but the absolute best advice I can give you is to go to a local bike shop, have them size you for a bike, and then test ride several. The only way to decide on a new bike is to get a feel for it.
It sounds like you want a bike on which you can put in some serious weekend mileage as well as commute to work. The difference between a mountain bike with road tires and a road bike (with even skinnier tires) is all about preference.
Traditionally, you ride in a more aggressive, aerodynamic posture on a road bike, whereas you sit more upright on a mountain bike. The bent-over, road riding position is harder on your back, neck, and wrists. The more upright mountain bike riding position is usually more comfortable.
Chris Hull of the Durham Cycle Center showed me a few bikes that help blur these traditional distinctions, bringing more comfort features to road bikes.
The Specialized Sequoia ($800) is what Hull calls a “comfort road bike.” It combines traditional road bike frame geometry with a suspension seat post, taller stem, and carbon fiber fork. The fork and seat post “help reduce road resonance,” says Hull, while the taller stem puts the rider in a more upright riding position. All this translates into a smooth, fast road bike that puts less strain on your back, neck, and wrists.
The Sirrus ($470), also from Specialized, uses a traditional mountain bike frame with flat handlebars, and trigger-style gear shifters, but uses narrow, light 700c road tires. This makes for a fun commuter bike that can zip around urban streets. The frame is strong enough to carry panniers and light enough to invite you to ride it just about anywhere.
Skinny road bike tires mean less rolling resistance. You can go faster and ride for longer stretches of time using less energy than you would on 2-inch wide tires. The skinny road bike tires, however, require the rider to use more skill and keep more focus on road conditions. A fatter mountain bike tire is a little more forgiving if you hit a pot hole or gravel. So, if you plan to ride dirt roads, you may want to look at something like the Trek 7200.
The 7200 ($390), compared with the Specialized bikes, is oriented more towards comfort. The rider sits in a very upright riding position atop a wide seat with a suspension seat post. Riser handlebars attach to an adjustable stem and a suspension fork. This bike is made to eat the bumps so that your arms and legs don’t have to.
The last bike Hull showed me is the Specialized Roubaix ($1,200 for ’04 model). The Roubaix, he says, “is more performance oriented. It’s a race bike with some comfort features.” Someone with prior experience on a road bike would be comfortable on the Roubaix, Hull thinks. With a traditional road bike frame geometry, the Roubaix uses “resonance absorbing technology in the fork, seat post, and even seat stays” to make a comfortable ride that you “could bring to our Tuesday night rides,” referring to group road rides Cycle Center hosts every Tuesday night.
Infusing performance bikes with comfort technology is a new trend in bike manufacturing. It’s an exciting trend, says Hull. But new technology can’t (and doesn’t) replace a good old fashioned bike fitting. Hull says that when you’re looking for a new bike, whether at Cycle Center or anywhere else, bike shop employees should take the time to adjust the seat height and the handlebars to “make sure the bike fits you properly before your test ride.”