Originally Posted by
plantrob
Apologies for asking what is a rather basic question - I couldn't readily find an answer through forum search.
I've been riding my Raleigh Competition for a little over a year now, and am starting to look around for my n+1=2 (not counting my older commuter bike). In my first year of riding, I discovered that I enjoy the competitive aspect of cycling, so after getting my feet wet in a few training races this year, I plan to do more racing next year (purchased my license yesterday
). So I'll be looking for something with reasonably race-oriented geometry (probably a mix of road races and crits) - but whatever I get will be my main bike, so it shouldn't be too uncomfortable on long rides, either.
Problem is - I have no idea how to translate the frame geometry specs that most manufacturers' sites give into a sense of where frames sit on the aggressiveness/comfort scale. Having really only ridden one bike, I don't even know where my current bike falls, although I know that my position on the hoods is more upright than that of most of my cycling buddies, so I figure it's closer to the "comfort" side of the scale.
Are there any easy to apply heuristics that I can apply to the geometry specs to get a quick sense of where a frame sits on the continuum?
geometry is very related to frame size.
most 'performance' oriented bikes are well within race oriented specs - what you like has as much, maybe more, to do with it...
there may still be more 'crit' oriented bike out there, but a good general 'road' spec will do as nicely. Crit bikes tend more towards 'track' type geometry (steep head tubes, high BBs, short TTs, short HTs...)
even more 'comfort' oriented road specs, like a Spec roubaix, can be raced, and you can get low enough without cost - bend the elbows a little more...
a thumb's width or less between the rear wheel and the seattube is gonna be ballpark race spec. Two fingers or more space is more comfort/touring oriented - but that's not hard and fast either.
I'd consider:
1. race what you have until you get a season or so under the belt.
2. work to getting a good 'position' which works both for power as well as comfort for race length duration. learn and develop the subtleties of cornering, group riding and reading the race.
3. get a solid set of race wheels and race rubber - use what you have now for daily training
4. pay frequent visits to T-Town (trexlertown) and get to know some of the regulars - there's a lot of experience out there, all trackies ride the road also. There used to be a lot of road rides which went out of there, BITD.
5. Joining a local club is prolly the fastest way to improve and cover all the above points.
your position/flexibility will change as you put more time into race centric riding, so buyin now may mean buying again sooner.
There certainly will be bikes you'll eventually like better than your Raleigh Comp, but that may change, just from April to July...