"Guide to Buying a Road Bike"
Hi Guys,
As a long-time cyclist who recently took the plunge and bought a new road bike, I came to realize exactly how much effort and time buying a new bike took. It took me nearly 3 months of research, curating, and combing various sources before making a decision.
I have decided to write a comprehensive "Guide on how to buy a road bike" for free release through Amazon. There is a lot of info on the internet, but much of it is unreliable, inconsiderate, and/or not well-sourced. My goal is to get advice and opinions from experts (aka, you guys), and craft a helpful guide from it. Again, this is something that will be released completely for free, and I'm doing it out of personal interest and a desire to give people a definitive, comprehensive guide to buying a bike, after slogging through the process myself.
The goal is to make it as informative as possible, and hopefully give newcomers (and new buyers) some sense of direction as they enter the market for their new bike.
Here's what I have so far:
Introduction to the Sport
A very brief background on the bicycle, its history, and it's various uses over time.
What Type of Rider Are You?
-Competitive: triathlons, sprints, endurance rides, etc.
-Recreational/Commuter
-Touring
-A note on dedication/investment
Section 1: Important things to consider
-price range
-small store vs. big bike retailer
-online purchasing (craigslist, ebay)
Fit and Feel
-bike fit (incl. seat tube length, top tube length, and head tube length, stand over height, reach)
-"feel" during test ride
-saddle comfort
-Test rides: why they are not indicative of whether or not a bike is right for you, and why you should take your time
Section 2: Components
-a note about weight vs. durability vs. cost
-frame material (CF, steel, aluminum, titanium, etc)
-fork material
-components (double vs triple crankset, etc)
-group sets (shimano, campy, etc)
-wheels
Best Value Bikes for Each Type of Rider
-examples of bikes for each type of rider/each price range, with pictures and links.
Additional Considerations
Other costs
-Bibs, shorts
-pedals
-helmet
-aero bars
-tires
Is there anything that would be helpful that I'm missing? Things you wish you'd had an answer to when in the market for a new bike? I'd like the book to be between 5k-8k words, and as comprehensive and dense as possible.
Of course, I'll credit all contributors in the book's preface.
Thanks for any help!
--Zack