The strongest point of the bike is its frame.  It is also its essence. When buying a bike, the road bike frame should be the most important part.

The factors to consider when buying a bike frame are the material its made from, the symmetry and sizes of the bike frame.

Early wood and steel road bike frames

Over the years bike frames designs and shapes have not changed much.  What has changed is the materials from which frames are made.

Wood and than steel were the first materials used in the manufacturing of road bike frames. Bikes that are made out of steel are much heavier than bikes made of more modern and expensive materials.

Over the years bike frame designs have also evolved. Both in function of technological advances as well as changing road conditions over the years. When roads were rougher than they are today, bike frames designs had laid back angles and a longer wheel base.

Bike frames made from alloy

The introduction of alloy tubes marked a turning point in the manufacture of bike frames. Alloy is a much lighter material than the previously used steel.

Nowadays, if you don´t want to spend $2000 on a bike, an alloy frame combined with a carbon fork, chain and seat are very popular combinations among bike buyers. They represent a good value for the money.

Bike frames made from titanium

The next option in terms of bike frame material is the titanium frame. Bikes made with a titanium frame are almost weightless and offer a great, tight ride.

Titanium and carbon road bike frames are a much more expensive option.

A top of the line bikes mixes a titanium frame with carbon seat and fork. This combination makes for maximum comfort and handling while preserving safety.

Road bike frame sizes

Once you settle on the material and manufacturer of your bike frame. The next thing to ponder is the size of the frame. The right size will insure a comfortable and safe ride. While most frames sizes will fit most people without the need for adjustments, there are a few things to consider to determine the right size for you.

The size of the frame is the length of the seat tube.  The number is usually presented in centimeters. A popular way to determine your bike frame size is to measure 0.65 of your inseam length. You can determine this by measuring your inseam, converting it to centimeters and multipling by 0.65. For example, an inseam length of 34 would yield a bike frame size of 56. If you are buying a mountain bikes you should get a frame size that is 10 to 12 centimeters smaller.

While it is not always possible to find the exact size according to the above measurements, the height of the seat can also be adjusted. The distance from the part of the frame that holds the pedals and cranks to the seat should be about 0.88 your inseam size.

A minor adjustment of the seat hight and the right bike frame size will result in the perfect fit.

Good luck buying your road bike and enjoy some fun and safe rides!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 4:26 am and is filed under Bicycle Parts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.