What is a road bike?
05-02-13, 02:30 PM
#51
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A Road bike is an on pavement RACE TOY, end of story. They are Purposely designed for speed to be as light as allowed, have zero load capacity and exclude fenders and any mounts except bottle holders. In the olden days they were not so excusive, but NOT anymore. Anything else "not quite" is basically a Ten speed ( Paramounts etc ).
The next "down grade" would be the Clubman class, of which CX belongs. Weekend riders/ campers, transportation bikes.
Tour bikes more belong in the Roadster class, as much as I would rather reserve that for IGH heavyweights.
Calling these road bikes is a laughable attempt at ego boosting nonsense.
MTB are double suspension bikes with severe TT slope. They are basically dirt trail Toys.
Hybrids are variously inbetween MTBs and Clubman. Often with medium slope TT, front suspension, load capacity, accessories of all kinds.
The next "down grade" would be the Clubman class, of which CX belongs. Weekend riders/ campers, transportation bikes.
Tour bikes more belong in the Roadster class, as much as I would rather reserve that for IGH heavyweights.
Calling these road bikes is a laughable attempt at ego boosting nonsense.
MTB are double suspension bikes with severe TT slope. They are basically dirt trail Toys.
Hybrids are variously inbetween MTBs and Clubman. Often with medium slope TT, front suspension, load capacity, accessories of all kinds.
05-02-13, 02:51 PM
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Wondering what my Salsa Casseroll is? Drop bars, brifters, cantilever brakes, 700 x 32 tires. Too heavy for road racing, not quite a touring bike, but more than a hybrid.
05-02-13, 02:57 PM
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From a thread on brakes from a week ago:
My bike has an aluminum 'touring' frame, Mafac cantilever brakes (for now), drop handlebars, and bar-end shifters, and 700C X 25mm tires. Does that sound like a road bike to you? The implication from the above quote by someone else is that bikes with cantilever brakes are not 'proper' road bikes. Does this mean that the only bikes that are proper road bikes are road 'racing' bikes that have caliper brakes and a maximum tire width of 23mm?
BITD I thought that way - that a 'road bike' was a road racing bike. Touring bikes were a totally separate entity, and road-sport and older 10 speed bikes were just poor imitators. CX bikes were not at all common where I lived back then.
Are there certain characteristics that a bike must have to be called a 'road bike'? Drop handlebars? Then what about flat-bar road bikes? Skinny tires? Than what about road-sport bikes that can fit 32mm tires or older bikes with more clearance?
Just what does one mean when one refers to a 'road bike' in 2013?
My bike has an aluminum 'touring' frame, Mafac cantilever brakes (for now), drop handlebars, and bar-end shifters, and 700C X 25mm tires. Does that sound like a road bike to you? The implication from the above quote by someone else is that bikes with cantilever brakes are not 'proper' road bikes. Does this mean that the only bikes that are proper road bikes are road 'racing' bikes that have caliper brakes and a maximum tire width of 23mm?
BITD I thought that way - that a 'road bike' was a road racing bike. Touring bikes were a totally separate entity, and road-sport and older 10 speed bikes were just poor imitators. CX bikes were not at all common where I lived back then.
Are there certain characteristics that a bike must have to be called a 'road bike'? Drop handlebars? Then what about flat-bar road bikes? Skinny tires? Than what about road-sport bikes that can fit 32mm tires or older bikes with more clearance?
Just what does one mean when one refers to a 'road bike' in 2013?
05-02-13, 03:01 PM
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IMO, the flat bar road bike, like the hybrid itself, is just a label. You could just as easily call them performance hybrids (to distinguish them from comfort hybrids, city bikes, or commuters). I suspect the reason the bike makers came out with the concept was, they thought consumers would pay more money for a "flat bar road bike" than they would for a "performance hybrid."
05-02-13, 03:06 PM
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I always thought it was for people who wanted a really really fast bike, like a road bike, but were afraid of drop bars. I mean they make carbon ones too.
05-02-13, 03:40 PM
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I think that's exactly what they are for.
But any old rigid hybrid will fit the bill if the right tires are installed and the position is right.
Trek started making carbon hybrids in the ~early 90s (main triangle carbon tubes bonded to aluminum lugs and stays), and I am sure those would have zipped along as nicely as any 'flat bar road bike' today, but nobody thought to call them 'flat bar road bikes'.
05-02-13, 04:08 PM
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05-02-13, 04:11 PM
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05-02-13, 04:13 PM
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05-02-13, 04:14 PM
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05-02-13, 04:15 PM
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05-02-13, 04:19 PM
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A Road bike is an on pavement RACE TOY, end of story. They are Purposely designed for speed to be as light as allowed, have zero load capacity and exclude fenders and any mounts except bottle holders. In the olden days they were not so excusive, but NOT anymore. Anything else "not quite" is basically a Ten speed ( Paramounts etc ).
The next "down grade" would be the Clubman class, of which CX belongs. Weekend riders/ campers, transportation bikes.
Tour bikes more belong in the Roadster class, as much as I would rather reserve that for IGH heavyweights.
Calling these road bikes is a laughable attempt at ego boosting nonsense.
MTB are double suspension bikes with severe TT slope. They are basically dirt trail Toys.
Hybrids are variously inbetween MTBs and Clubman. Often with medium slope TT, front suspension, load capacity, accessories of all kinds.
The next "down grade" would be the Clubman class, of which CX belongs. Weekend riders/ campers, transportation bikes.
Tour bikes more belong in the Roadster class, as much as I would rather reserve that for IGH heavyweights.
Calling these road bikes is a laughable attempt at ego boosting nonsense.
MTB are double suspension bikes with severe TT slope. They are basically dirt trail Toys.
Hybrids are variously inbetween MTBs and Clubman. Often with medium slope TT, front suspension, load capacity, accessories of all kinds.
Not every mtb is double suspension.. even these days there are still fully rigid ones being sold.
Seriously, where did you pull your info out of? cause to me it seems like utter BS.
05-02-13, 04:34 PM
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o.O You hurt my brain. Touring bikes, cX bikes, some townies, road bikes in general, some TT bikes, and some race bikes are all road bikes.. 10 speeds are road bikes too! I'm shocked you know what a Clubman is the way your clubbing all these types of bikes to fit your idea. Another note, a lot of road bikes can support riders+full loads..
Not every mtb is double suspension.. even these days there are still fully rigid ones being sold.
Seriously, where did you pull your info out of? cause to me it seems like utter BS.
Not every mtb is double suspension.. even these days there are still fully rigid ones being sold.
Seriously, where did you pull your info out of? cause to me it seems like utter BS.
A load on a Road bike ********** You mean like making a triple crown winner carry a bale of hay ???? hahahahaha
05-02-13, 04:37 PM
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"road bike
[TABLE="class: vk_txt ts"]
[TR]
[TD]Noun
[TABLE="class: ts"]
[TR]
[TD]
- A motorcycle that meets the legal requirements for use on ordinary roads.
- A bicycle that is suitable for use on ordinary roads."
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
05-02-13, 04:52 PM
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LOL, crew cut rider and all 
I wonder what my folder is classified as?
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I wonder what my folder is classified as?
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
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Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
05-02-13, 05:33 PM
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So my stumpjumper with a rigid fork is a hybrid? Think I can get a refund on a 25 year old bike?
05-02-13, 05:35 PM
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05-02-13, 05:50 PM
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Road bike?
Not a road bike?
Not a road bike?
05-02-13, 06:07 PM
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05-02-13, 06:21 PM
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Any bike on the road then includes a Pashley Princess. Good luck with that.
+1 Stumpjumpers are HYBRIDS. Who the hell ever rode them on real mountains ??? Sure.... on the road, even with panniers.
The first Mountain Bike designation was mostly a marketing gimic putdown of Sturmey Archer 3 spds.
Stumpjumpers were made to be different from 10 spds. less pretty, more rugged.
+1 You need a REFUND for all the time you spent in the C+V Mountain Bike thread.
Moderator change the name to "Show your HYBRID Bikes ".
+1 Stumpjumpers are HYBRIDS. Who the hell ever rode them on real mountains ??? Sure.... on the road, even with panniers.
The first Mountain Bike designation was mostly a marketing gimic putdown of Sturmey Archer 3 spds.
Stumpjumpers were made to be different from 10 spds. less pretty, more rugged.
+1 You need a REFUND for all the time you spent in the C+V Mountain Bike thread.
Moderator change the name to "Show your HYBRID Bikes ".
Last edited by GamblerGORD53; 05-02-13 at 06:43 PM.
05-02-13, 06:42 PM
#74
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Any bike on the road then includes a Pashley Princess. Good luck with that.
+1 Stumpjumpers are HYBRIDS. Who the hell ever road them on real mountains ??? Sure.... on the road, even with panniers.
The first Mountain Bike designation was mostly a marketing gimic putdown of Sturmey Archer 3 spds.
Stumpjumpers were made to be different from 10 spds. less pretty, more rugged.
+1 You need a REFUND for all the time you spent in the C+V Mountain Bike thread.
Moderator change the name to "Show your HYBRID Bikes ".
+1 Stumpjumpers are HYBRIDS. Who the hell ever road them on real mountains ??? Sure.... on the road, even with panniers.
The first Mountain Bike designation was mostly a marketing gimic putdown of Sturmey Archer 3 spds.
Stumpjumpers were made to be different from 10 spds. less pretty, more rugged.
+1 You need a REFUND for all the time you spent in the C+V Mountain Bike thread.
Moderator change the name to "Show your HYBRID Bikes ".
2.0: I dunno man.. off road racing mtb's aren't mtbs according to you I guess.
2.5:
3:
05-02-13, 07:00 PM
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Well so, lots of guys broke their chainstays doing that.
Pashleys never were "townies" WTF They went anywhere in England and very nicely, FYI. Same as any Raleigh, Clubmans,
Sports, whatever. One lady rode a loaded Princess (Female Roadster) from Holland to Poland.
Read the SA adverts .... The 1200 mile Lands End , steel 3 spd record was 2 days, 19 hours, xx min. Beat that .....
Pashleys never were "townies" WTF They went anywhere in England and very nicely, FYI. Same as any Raleigh, Clubmans,
Sports, whatever. One lady rode a loaded Princess (Female Roadster) from Holland to Poland.
Read the SA adverts .... The 1200 mile Lands End , steel 3 spd record was 2 days, 19 hours, xx min. Beat that .....
Last edited by GamblerGORD53; 05-02-13 at 07:07 PM.