The previous post was an introduction to choosing a good road bike for you. However, I to keep the intro as brief and detailed as possible, I left out a few things of slight importance. This post will discuss some other aspects that should be considered upon purchasing your bike.

1. New or Used? A common question that comes up in this forum is deciding whether it is better to save money and purchase a used bike or to always go new. This is somewhat a matter of preference, but a few points should be considered.

First, if you’re buying used, it is likely that you are also buying whatever maintenance will be needed on that bike in order to perform optimally. This becomes a matter of the original worth of the bike compared to the cost of restoring it. Also, buying used will not give you the options to fit the bike to your size (for free), which is vital for having safe rides. You will also not receive any of the other perks that you might get from buying at a bike shop.

Another thing to note is the purchase of used carbon-fiber bikes. If this is a route you’re considering, ensure that you inspect the frame first before buying it. As noted previously, carbon fiber is highly susceptible to crack failure, if there are any cracks present. Thus, it is important that you know you are buying a bike without these issues. It should be noted that carbon fiber frames can be repaired by special companies that specialize in carbon fiber technology, such as Calfee.

Bike shops usually sell used bikes at decent prices, which can be an option if you want to save money, but also try and get some nice benefits from a bike shop.

2. Component and groupsets, continued. While the frame is an important part in selecting your bike, the component group that comes with the bike is equally as important. Choosing a good component group can make significant differences in the drivetrain of the bike and its performance on the road.

As a beginning cyclist (or someone looking for their first road bike), there is a very low chance that you will feel the nuances between low-, mid- and high-level groups. I cannot emphasize this enough; stay away from the lowest-end groupsets!These are usually the groups that are included in department store road bikes, where the manufacturers attempt to cut as many corners as possible to lower the price.

To keep this post brief, here are the key components to watch out for:

Front and Rear Dérailleur: These control the shifting of the chain between different cogs on the crank and cassette. Higher end components have more precise shifting, support more rear cogs (“speeds”) and are usually lighter in weight. For those buying used bikes, ensure that the bike has a 9-speed or higher (at least nine cogs in the rear cassette). Updating this can be a costly expense, and might not be justifiable.

Shimano vs. Campagnolo vs. SRAM (EDIT: 8/21/08): Another very hot topic on these forums is deciding which of these three companies offers the best drivetrain for your bicycle, for many (valid) reasons. The best advice that I can give on this is that as a first-time buyer, you will not immediately know the difference between how these systems work (they are quite different from each other, and for the most part are not intercompatible). I personally have never used a Campagnolo or SRAM drivetrain, since most bikes in the United States come fitted with Shimano. However, the concept of shifting gears remains the same across the board, so don't get too caught up deciding one system over the other. That will come with time and experience with using more bikes.

Shifters: These actually let you do the shifting. Higher-end shifting systems have more complex and precise shifters as well as support for higher “speeds.”

Headset and Fork: The headset and fork control the front steering of the bike. A good choice with your fork and headset can have significant improvements in ride quality and overall performance. First, ensure that the headset is threadless, as threaded headsets easily loosen, especially when in contact with water, and will result in discomfort while braking. Secondly, even on entry-level bikes, most forks nowadays are made with carbon fiber, given their benefits and vibration dampening. If this is a concern for you, talk to your local bike shop in replacing it with another material, though it should be noted that aluminum or chro-moly forks are somewhat uncomfortable.

Wheels: Wheels can make a significant difference in your riding ability and performance. Most wheels that come with entry-level bikes are good enough for everyday riding and should last a while. However, in my experience I have found that upgrading to a better set of wheels improved my performance significantly, though I was already riding for several months by this point and had no issues with my wheelset previously.

Hopefully these two posts have been helpful, but if I missed something, please message me! Welcome to BikeForums, and happy riding!

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