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Fitting a Road Bike Frame to Your Needs

For most of us, well-intentioned but casualthe frame and see if you can comfortably
bike riders who secretly believe we might bestraddle it with your feet on the floor.
Lance Armstrong's heir if we only had a fewThis is not really particularly helpful,
more hours a day to spend on our bicycles,especially if you happen to have anything
buying a new road bike is tantamount tounique about your physique, like long legs
buying a road bike frame. The frame is whatcombined with a short torso. If you have
we're thinking of, something new and shinylong legs, you can straddle almost any bike,
and colorful, something we suspect even carbut will your body be able to relax
drivers envy when they see us flash throughcomfortable in the stretch between your
the snarl of traffic. Truly, a road bikesaddle and the handlebars? The whole
frame is a beautiful thing and part of thegeometry of the road bike frame matters a lot
reason  we  love  bicycling.to fit. And fit matters excessively to
comfort.
When you have the good fortune to be looking
at new bicycles, though, you definitely wantIf you're a racer, comfort will not be your
to look at a few elements besides the coloronly consideration. Indeed, it may be down
of a road bike frame. Face it. When you'reamong the last elements you consider. Speed
on your way back home from a long Sunday rideis not usually built from comfort, and the
and you're riding your thirty-fifth mileroad bike frame that promotes speed is built
smack into a stiff headwind, the fact thatof different materials than one used
your frame is cobalt blue or even Bianchiprimarily for recreational riding. Frames
green is not going to help you. The lengthcan be made of titanium, chrome-moly,
of your seat tube is going to help you andaluminum or steel, and each metal has
the length of your top tube and even thedifferent advantages of weight and strength.
angle of the three main tubes all putFrame geometry varies, too, with touring
together is going to help (or hinder) you,bikes featuring a longer vertical base and
but  color  is  not.top  tube  than  the  skittish racing models.
If you shop at a discount store or even aSo when you're looking at road bike frames,
general purpose sports store, if you get anythink beyond the paint. Get a frame that
help at all in choosing a bike that fits you,fits both you and your purpose. Whether you
it will probably consist of a clerkdo your research online or in a good bike
instructing you to stand over the top bar ofstore, you'll be glad you took the time.



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