Lots of Questions
 

I sometimes get embarassed asking the guy at the shop what I percieve as dumb questions, but Im hoping to get away with it here:

i have a Specialized Allez & i love it and look to slowly upgrade it, so:
Is there a difference in handle bars as far as comfortability is concerned?

Is there a difference in tires besides them being puncture proof ( Im from NYC and pot holes hurt like hell)?

What exactly is "float" on pedals?

How often do we need to adjust the chain?

Any imput would be very helpful...............ROCK ON!!

Yes, there are many different styles of handlebars with different designs.

Tire characteristics also include adhesion to the road and comfort of ride.

Float is the amount of sideways (horizontal) movement allowed usually expressed in degrees.

You do not adjust the chain, you adjust derailleurs. Assuming the chain is sized properly you monitor it for wear. When a chain is worn, commonly referred to as stretch which is not stretch at all but the chain links reducing in size from wear, you replace it.

Roadbikereview.com has a beginner's forum where you are guaranteed not to be flamed for asking such basic questions. You will probably get much more knowledgeable answers here but will also get flamed. Such is life.

For drop bars, width matching your shoulders if best for comfort, but slightly narrower may be more streamlined. There is also variation in vertical distance from the tops to the drops. Tires with kevlar beads are lighter, which makes the bike more agile.

You can get different width tires depending on what you're doing as well- check on widest tires you can use if you're having pothole problems.

It is rotation, in degrees, that your foot will move freely on the cleat center before reaching the release point. Not horizontal movement.




Do not be embarrassed about asking questions. A big part of the job is answering questions.

There are two ways to learn: Make mistakes, and learn from other people's mistakes by asking them questions. Most of us are all to eager to brag about how bad we've screwed up. :p

+1. Wider tires and lower pressures help with bumps and potholes. Partly for that reason, I'm liking the new, Salsa Fargo frame. Think of a road-style bike with two-inch, balloon tires on it. For where I ride, that's a perfect solution.

Handlebars vary in their width, drop diameter and the profile/shape. Comfort depends on your size and shape of the rider as well as riding style.
Have a look at 3TTT who make a wide selection and supply dimensions.
Most drop bars are designed for racing but a few (The 3TTT Morphe and Nitto brand bars) are made for touring and feature smaller diameter drops and more complex curve profiles for better comfort when riding higher up.

"Float
A property of a clipless pedal system that allows the rider to rotate the foot within limits, as opposed to a fixed cleat which holds the shoe at a fixed angle in the yaw axis.
Pedals with float allow you to rotate your heel inward or outward to some extent before disengaging the cleat."

Sorry if I confused you. Go to Sheldon Brown's glossary for definitions of bicycle terms. The rest of the website has tons of basic information for all knowledge levels and may answer a lot of your questions.

http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

If you mention "Sheldon Brown" at any bike shop, they will know what you're referring to. That Sheldon Brown web site is extremely helpful.

Thank you guys.

There are a plethera of tires.

There are folding tires. These have a kevlar bead which means you can fold them up. Other tires have a steel wire bead which means folding them up takes some doing. Kevlar bead tires are a bit lighter. Often the same tire comes in both forms with the wire bead being cheaper.

On road wheels, tires range in size from 20 mm, 23 mm, 25 mm, 28 mm and 32 mm. Oddly enough, tire manufacturers can not agree on just what a mm is so tires of the same "size" often are not. The thing is that the smaller the tire, the smaller the air pocket. That means in order to sustain your weight, the tire has to be pumped up to a higher inflation if it is a smaller tire. A larger tire will generally give a less jarring ride. It will also be more resistant to pinch flats when you hit a stone or pot hole. A pinch flat is when the tire is pinched against the rim causing a "snake bite" on the tube. It is opposed to the other kind of flat which is a puncture. It also seems to me that larger tires wear a bit longer. But they are heavier.

The final thing with tires is attempting to go with puncture resistance. Tires have various kinds of belts under the rubber to resist puncture. Some people swear by them. I have had poor luck with them but that may just have been bad luck. Tires only last so long. When they start to wear thin, any tire will be prone to punctures.

On road tires, you will often see all sorts of different tire treads and even no tread. It does not seem to matter in my experience. The tread is probably too small to really have much effect.