CGS Friends of Cycling
Road Bike Purchasing and Maintenance Recommendations
Introduction: If you are new to road cycling or cycling in general, choosing the right bike for your son can be a daunting task. Like any sport or passion, there are many opinions out there and lots of people are very passionate about cycling, bikes, and accessories. The points below are opinions only and they could always be challenged by other cyclists but to the newcomers, hopefully they will be seen as useful thought starters. Is it about the bike or the rider? A better bike will give the competitor an edge but rider skill, race tactics, endurance, and training, amongst other factors, form the essence of competitive cycling. Much like personal desk computers of the day, a race bike is a system put together by a bike builder (system integrator) combining several standardized components from a handful of global part suppliers. Selecting the bike may then revolve around finding a bike package which offers the best components at the appropriate price point. Furthermore, being more flexible on the brand of the bike may open the opportunity to purchase a higher spec group set or wheels or better pedals and shoes for the same money. The points below may help to cut through the marketing hype and get down to basics. The key components of a bike are.
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A bike frame is potentially the most unique component on the bike. Frames vary in materials, geometry and the way these materials are utilized to make up the performance differences between different frames. Bike frames are generally made from mild or chromoly steel, aluminium, carbon fibre composites or titanium with price varying accordingly. Aluminium and carbon fibre frames are most common on competitive road bikes, offering good balance between, cost, mass, stiffness and comfort. It should be noted that a large proportion of the world’s bike frames are made in Taiwan and many of them are manufactured by the same major manufactures such as Giant. Consequently, the exotic brand name on the side of the frame may not tell the full story about the origin of your expensive bike. Groupset is the name used for the critical components such as brakes, brake and gear levers, derailleurs, cassettes, chainrings and the chain. For competitive road bikes, groupsets are generally made by one of the three big bike component manufacturers: Shimano, SRAM or Campagnolo, with Shimano being by far the most common. Furthermore, for a competitive racing road bike, the choice of groupsets from each of these manufacturers is quite limited. If you purchase the bike with Shimano 105 for example, the groupset will be essentially the same, no matter what bike they are fitted to.
It is generally acknowledged that the minimum standard for a competition road bike Shimano groupset is the 105. The more premium Shimano Ultegra and Shimano Dura-Ace components are interchangeable with Shimano 105. For this reason, it may be good to stay away from the cheaper and less interchangeable recreational groupsets such as Shimano Tiagra, SORA, Claris or Tourney, although they can also me mixed and matched in some situations (See link to Groupsets | Shimano Road ).
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Wheels can be made by various third party and OEM manufacturers in different materials and designs, offering further differentiation between the bike models on the market. Larger bike manufacturers typically offer their in-house manufactured wheels. One could consider the choice of wheels independently of the brand of the bike. Pedals, cleats and shoes are generally sold separately from the bike and they are subject to personal choice. Pedals are generally interchangeable between bike brands and are matched to the specific groupsets, regardless of the brand of the bike. Some of these items can be branded and sold by the bike manufacturers to match their bikes. Bike fit such as the frame size, the adjustments in seat and handlebar position can be critical to balancing performance and comfort. For growing boys, this adjustment may need to be made more than once. This is where your local bike shop may be able to help. Bike helmets are compulsory and a critical safety item. It is worth getting professional advice regarding a bike helmet, e.g., from your local bike shop.
Some buyers may plan to upgrade their bike over time, but it is usually more cost effective to make the right purchase first time than to upgrade later and to dispose of the unwanted components further down the track. Inevitably however, many boys will find that they may want to upgrade bike components anyway as it can be part of the cycling experience to try to maintain or to get better performance out of their cycling gear, as they become more competitive. The list of resources below is by no means comprehensive. It has been put together by the Friends of Cycling for general reference. We welcome any comments, updates and suggestions.
Resources: ONLINE RESOURCES www.bikeexchange.com.au
Do your research on this site. Compare prices between bike shops to find the most competitive offers before you buy.
Check out The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Road Bike (bikeexchange.com.au)
www.wiggle.com.au
International bike and sports emarketplace. Wide range of products at competitive prices.
Wiggle is part of the WiggleCRC group, which also includes Chain Reaction Cycles.
Take advantage of global economies of scale.
www.chainreactioncycles.com
International bike and sports emarketplace. Wide range of products at competitive prices. Both, Wiggle and Chain reaction offer delivery service in Australia.
www.canyon.com/en-au
A highly reputable bike brand sold directly online cutting out the “middleman”
www.ebay.com.au
New and 2nd hand bikes buy online or just check prices before you buy in shops
www.gumtree.com.au
2nd hand bikes. You will be amazed what you can find.
www.facebook.com/marketplace
2nd hand bikes and lots more
https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/
Global Cycling Network is a popular web resource with tips on cycling trends, gear review, bike maintenance tips, training tips and lots more. Their YouTube channel is watched by cycling enthusiasts of all ages.
Originally, Chain Reaction Cycles was an online retailer of cycling products based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A 2017 merger with Wiggle Ltd resulted in the formation of the Wiggle-CRC Group, whose head office is in Portsmouth, England.
LOCAL BIKE SHOPS (LBS) BikePro 12 Burwood Highway Burwood Home (bikepro.com.au)
Ph 0433613286
Specialty shop which manufactures own custom frames and assembles custom bikes. The shop is owned and operated by Andy Choy, who in 1980s become the Hong Kong National Champion, represented Hong Kong at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, BikePro have a passion for all types of mountain and road cycling endeavours. All 3 members of staff come from strong cycling backgrounds, although very different.
Lawrencia Cycles 756 Glenferrie Rd Hawthorn Ph 9818 2850
New bikes, parts & servicing clothing etc.
99 Bikes 114 Whitehorse Rd Blackburn Ph 9955 0072 Mechanic - Andy Club 99 - $5 membership option for perks/discounts
New bikes, parts & servicing
Loyalty program
We have dealt with the mechanic Andy on a number of occasions, highly recommend him.
Stores across VIC
Bike Bug 116 Commercial Rd Prahran Ph 9510 4238
New bikes, parts & servicing.
Bike hire Bike fitting
Arron - owner new bikes, parts & servicing specialist bike knowledge.
Bike fitting
Homepage - Lawrencia Cycles
? Bike fitting
Good range of mid-price bikes & accessories.
99 Bikes - The World's Most Approachable Bike Shop
The Ultimate Online Bike Shop | Bikebug
Alex Murray works here.
The Ride Cycles 1351 Burke Rd East Kew About – The Ride Cycles
Ph 9817 1289
Ashburton (Ashy) Cycles 277 High Street, Ashburton Ph 9885 1716 www.ashburtoncycles.com.au
Ashy Cycles can pick up and drop off your bike when you book a Full Service in a contactless manner.
Ivanhoe Cycles Megastore 72 Bell St Heidelberg Heights Ph 9450 5200
Large store and range.
Rip it Stitch it email: fixit@ripitstitchit.com.au
Repairs & alterations of cycling clothing.
Ivanhoe Cycles | Melbourne Bicycle Shop | Cycling Accessories and Servicing
Ph 0404 234 482 Carmen The Pedal Pusher - Simon Proctor Ph 0428 356 911 simon@pedalpusherbikes.com www.pedalpusherbikes.com
2nd hand bikes and parts located in Heathmont very good quality bikes
still in business?
Giant South Yarra Ph 9826 3555 www.giantsthyarra.com.au/au
In the past Giant South Yarra offered competitive prices on Giant bikes.
Giant branded bikes only.
Service all bike brands.
Cycles Galleria Bike Shop Camberwell 475 Riversdale Road Camberwell, VIC 3123 Ph 9882 3253
www.trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/retail/Camberwell/
FOC – 04/2022
Cycles Galleria is now part of Trek Bicycle. For Trek bikes and Bontrager accessories.
Comprehensive dynamic bike fitting available.