Every now and then someone asks me for advice for buying a new road bike.  Today was one of those days. Unfortunately I don’t have massive quantities of data to prepare the ultimate buyer’s guide, but since I’ve struggled with the same question myself, I decided to share my limited notes here.

1. Rent several different bikes before buying
Renting even a very high-end carbon road bike is possible almost in every large (U.S.) city and it costs much less than most people would think. A 5 minute test ride is nothing  compared to a 2 hour or even several 5+ hour rides on a new bike. I believe renting is the cheapest and fastest way to figure out what types of bikes, frames (e.g., carbon or alu), etc. might be for you and whether cycling itself is for you..
I’ve rented a dozen or more different bikes in the last 12 months and even raced on rental bikes. They can be quickly adjusted at the store to offer a “quick-fit” for a ride or two.

2. Find a bike store AND an expert (preferably through a personal recommendation) who can…
- perform a good bike fitting before selecting any bikes
- provide repairs and other service post-purchase
- offer a large selection of bikes, so that you’re not forced to buy the only type of bike available
I’m a huge fan of DIY in everything, but I wouldn’t recommend shopping bikes online unless you have a 2^nd Dan black belt in road bikes. The same applies to buying a used bike.(**)
Good service is worth it; but make sure to find someone who really has a track record of quality bike fitting.

3. Define your budget
For the most part, you get what you pay for in bikes. The business is very competitive and almost with any bike, every $500 (or $1000) you add to your budget, you get a slightly lighter bike with more durable and accurate parts, e.g., shifters and breaks.
After $2,000 you start to find reasonable bikes and after $5,000 you’re likely wasting money unless you’re trying to improve your race performance by an additional 1%.

The first 3 steps should get you a bike that meets your needs. Then..

4. Bike needs some accessories – get them asap
In addition, make sure to invest into the following asap, so you can actually get on the road:
- Road bike pedals (not mountain bike pedals)
- Road bike shoes (they don’t have to be $400+ leather shoes; that’s probably waste at least for a beginner and for me)
- Quality bike shorts
- Replacement tubes, mini-pump (or preferably standing pump), CO2 cartridges, seat bag
- Helmet

5. Tuning it up
I’ve noticed that it’s easy to forget a few essential adjustments and head out of the bike store too quickly. In fact, I’ve made these mistakes several times.

a) Bike fitting should include adjusting the cleats in the bike shoes, which affects your knee rotation and angles as well as your ability to push power through the pedals.
I bought my first road bike on eBay in 2004 and used my old indoor spinning shoes with cleats that I had attached in a through DIY fashion, with zero knowledge about the proper positioning.  After three years of riding (and racing) with that setup, I was told that my cleats were way too front, under my toes, which had caused all kinds of Achilles problems and certainly affected my ability to apply force through the pedals.  Fail. (picture on right)

b) Ask about the gears and whether you need smaller/bigger rings for the local rides. E.g., San Francisco bay area has some real mountains and steep hills. If the bike was prepared for super fast flat riding, the gears are likely too “heavy” for climbing steep hills. Ask for a bigger rear cassette.

Happy riding.