So You Want to Buy a Bike
Quick housekeeping: if you're shopping for your third Dogma or your next S-Works build, this post isn't for you. This is for the person who is new to road cycling, or close to it, and wants honest guidance before walking into a shop.
Because walking into a bike shop unprepared can be overwhelming. Bikes from $900 to $12,000 all look roughly the same. The sales staff speaks a different language. And nobody wants to feel like they got taken advantage of on a purchase this size.
So let's talk through what actually matters.
The Real Cost
Let's be direct: it is very difficult to find a quality road bike for under $1,000 new. The entry-level aluminum road bike from one of the most popular brands in the world is $1,199.99. That's before you've bought a single other thing.
And you will need other things. Running shoes are genuinely lousy for cycling -- they flex in all the wrong places and waste energy on every pedal stroke. A helmet is non-negotiable. You'll want cycling shorts, gloves, water bottles, and a basic tool kit for flat tires. Figure an additional $300–500 on top of your bike budget to get properly outfitted.
After your bike, the single best investment you can make is a quality pair of cycling shorts. Not a jersey. Not shoes. Shorts. Your chamois (that's the padded liner) is the difference between a comfortable five-hour ride and a miserable one. Don't cheap out on it.
Geometry Matters More Than Brand
Road bikes come in different geometries -- basically, different body positions they put you in. For long-distance riding, this is the most important decision you'll make. The two bikes below look similar at a glance. They are not the same experience over 60 miles.
Longer wheelbase, taller head tube, more comfortable reach. Designed to keep you riding well for hours without punishing your back, neck, and hands.
Shorter wheelbase, compact cockpit, steeper seat tube. Optimized for power and aerodynamics. Brilliant if you're racing. Less forgiving over a six-hour fundraising ride.
When you walk into a shop, ask specifically for endurance geometry bikes in your price range. Any good salesperson will know exactly what you mean.
What to Look For
| Feature | What to Ask & Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Frame Material |
Each material has real strengths. Here's what nobody in the shop will tell you unprompted. Aluminum is heavier than carbon but genuinely tough. A well-made aluminum bike ridden and maintained properly can last decades -- not an exaggeration. It transmits more road vibration, but it shrugs off the kind of impacts that would crack a carbon frame. Carbon is lighter, can be tuned for a smooth, lively ride, and many carbon bikes are excellent. Just know going in that carbon is more vulnerable to impact damage than it looks -- a bad pothole or a tip-over in the wrong spot can crack a seat stay invisibly. Most come with warranties, and plenty of people ride carbon for years without a problem. Eyes open. Titanium is the long game. Lighter than aluminum, more durable than carbon, and genuinely indestructible with normal use. Harder to find and more expensive, but a ti frame bought today could be the last frame you ever need to buy. Aluminum Carbon Titanium |
| Geometry | Ask for "endurance" or "relaxed" geometry. Avoid aggressive race geometry for long-distance charity rides. This single decision affects your comfort more than any other spec on the bike. |
| Disc Brakes | Standard on most new bikes now, and worth it. Better stopping power in all conditions, especially wet roads. Rim brakes work fine but are increasingly yesterday's technology. Disc |
| Gearing |
This has changed dramatically over the years and almost entirely for the better. When road bikes first became popular, the largest cog on the rear cassette might have been 14 teeth -- meaning you either had the legs to grind up a hill or you walked. Modern bikes routinely come with rear cassettes topping out at 32, 34, even 36 teeth, giving you a genuinely easy climbing gear that lets you spin rather than suffer. Ask specifically about the largest rear cog and the smallest front chainring. The easier that combination is, the more climbing-friendly the bike. For Westchester terrain and anything with real elevation, you want options back there. Large rear cassette (30t+) |
| Tire Clearance | Wider tires (28mm–32mm) are more comfortable and have better traction than the skinny 23mm tires of the past. Ask how wide a tire the frame can accommodate. More room = more options. 28mm+ 23mm only |
| Components | The derailleurs, shifters, and brakes are made by a small handful of companies. You don't need to know the names -- just ask the salesperson which component tier the bike is specced with and what you gain by spending more. There's usually a clear answer. |
| Proprietary Parts | Ask: "How many components on this bike are proprietary?" Proprietary parts can only be replaced by that brand -- which means sourcing replacements is a nightmare. Stick to bikes with conventional, widely-available components. Avoid Proprietary |
| Service Package | A good shop includes free tune-ups for at least the first year. Ask upfront. The shop's long-term service relationship is sometimes more valuable than the bike itself. |
| Fit | The bike has to fit your body -- not just your height. Ask about a basic fit with purchase (saddle height, reach adjustment). A bike that doesn't fit will hurt you regardless of how good it is. |
Budget Reality Check
Solid aluminum bikes from reputable brands. Heavier than carbon, but perfectly capable of doing everything we're training for. A great place to start.
Where the real value lives. You start seeing carbon frames, better components, and noticeably lighter, more responsive bikes. Most experienced riders are happy here for a long time.
Gains are real but increasingly subtle. You're paying for lighter weight and premium components. Wonderful bikes -- but the entry-level version of you doesn't need to go here yet.
A word on weight. There are 453 grams in a pound, and a lot of high-end bike pricing is really just paying for weight savings -- 100 grams here, 200 grams there. Most recreational riders genuinely cannot feel the difference between 250-gram pedals and 175-gram pedals. What you will notice is weight coming off you. The best upgrade you can make to your bike's power-to-weight ratio doesn't cost anything at the bike shop.
Buying Used
The used bike market looks attractive on paper. It is also where you can make a very expensive mistake.
A used bike -- especially a carbon one -- on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist comes with zero history. You have no idea if it was in a crash. You have no idea if a frame crack is hiding under the paint. You have no idea if it fits you, and there's no return policy when you find out it doesn't.
I only recommend buying used from someone you know personally, who can give you the honest history of that bike. Buy it from a teammate, someone in the club, or a trusted friend in the riding community. That's it. The savings aren't worth the risk if you don't know where that bike has been.
Buying Online
Buying online is fine if you know exactly what you want and have already done your homework. What is not fine: visiting a shop, using their expertise, getting fitted on their floor, and then going home to buy the same bike cheaper online. That's taking without giving back, and those shops are how our community stays intact.
If you find the same bike for less online, call the shop and ask them to match the price. Most will come close. They'd rather make the sale and keep a customer than lose you to the internet. Give them the chance.
The Shop
There's an old saying in cycling: you're not buying a bike, you're buying a bike shop. The shop you buy from will service your bike, answer your questions for years, and be your resource every time something goes wrong on the road. Choose carefully.
Call ahead. Tell them your budget and ask if they have a good selection in that range. There is nothing more frustrating than walking into a shop that specializes in $8,000 bikes when you have a $1,500 budget -- or vice versa. A good shop will tell you honestly whether they can help you. If they can't, they should point you somewhere that can.
When you're in the shop, notice how you're treated. Are you welcomed? Does the salesperson ask questions and actually listen to the answers? Do you feel like they're trying to get you on the right bike, or the most expensive one? These things matter more than you'd think, because you'll be going back to this shop for years.
And finally -- ride the bike before you buy it. Any shop worth going to will let you take it out. Ride it over rough pavement, up a hill, and at speed. Specs only tell part of the story. The rest is how it feels when you ride it.
Any questions -- bring them to the ride. Happy to talk bikes.
-- Coach Jon