![]() ![]() In this sense, the components don’t matter all that much in the scheme of things. More so than practically any other bike category, an endurance road bike lives and dies on the merits of its frame – their sole purpose for existing in the first place is to be comfortable, without unduly sacrificing speed and efficiency. Endurance road bikes are no longer tamed versions of their race-ready siblings, but a category where daring, exciting and forward-thinking ideas are executed, improving comfort and performance for a potentially vast number of road riders. Also commonly found are slightly wider tyres than a conventional road bike – generally 700x25C – which allow for lower pressures, improving grip and making for a slightly more forgiving ride.Īs a category, the endurance road bike has seen continued growth and innovation, and rather than just being more approachable road bikes, there is now a bevy of innovative technology being applied to bikes of the style, and occasionally trickling up to the high-end, performance machines. Other common features of the endurance road bike include sensible gearing – all seven bikes here feature a compact crankset (50/34t) and a broad range of gears at the rear (11-28t on all except for the Scott and Lynskey, which have 11-32t). They’re perfect for those with less back flexibility, and the slightly more upright front end lends itself to improved sight-lines in commuting use as well. Don’t fear, these bikes are suitable for a broad range of applications and however they may be labelled, they’re not just for those riding 200km at a time. That term puts a racey spin on what could just as easily, and perhaps more accurately, be described as a ‘comfort road bike’ – but I suppose that wouldn’t sell nearly as well. ![]() These bikes are categorised by the bicycle industry as “endurance road bikes”. Partially as a response to this, as well as pro riders seeking a slightly more forgiving ride for long days in the saddle, a formidable new category of road bikes emerged.Īt first, these bikes involved a fairly straightforward tweak of race-bike geometry a higher front end, shorter reach and longer wheelbase, with the idea being that a more upright riding position and increased stability would ease lower-back discomfort and create a more pleasant ride for those unaccustomed to the aggressive geometry of racing bikes. It used to be that road bikes were designed with speed as a single goal – which was fine for the racing cyclist but at times cripplingly uncomfortable for the everyday rider. The frame beneath you is speckled with sweat each pedal stroke takes you further into the unknown and closer to your physical and mental limit. ![]() Your legs are starting to feel heavy, filling with the burn of lactic acid on each nasty hill that rises up out of the dead, scarred road ahead. The temperature is a scorching 42 degrees, and you’re already 80km away from home on a ride out to the middle of nowhere. Iain Treloar puts seven endurance road bikes through their paces, discovering that there’s a whole lot more to this exciting category than meets the eye. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |