| For most of us, well-intentioned but casual | | | | the frame and see if you can comfortably |
| bike riders who secretly believe we might be | | | | straddle it with your feet on the floor. |
| Lance Armstrong's heir if we only had a few | | | | This 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 to | | | | unique about your physique, like long legs |
| buying a road bike frame. The frame is what | | | | combined with a short torso. If you have |
| we're thinking of, something new and shiny | | | | long legs, you can straddle almost any bike, |
| and colorful, something we suspect even car | | | | but will your body be able to relax |
| drivers envy when they see us flash through | | | | comfortable in the stretch between your |
| the snarl of traffic. Truly, a road bike | | | | saddle and the handlebars? The whole |
| frame is a beautiful thing and part of the | | | | geometry 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 want | | | | If you're a racer, comfort will not be your |
| to look at a few elements besides the color | | | | only consideration. Indeed, it may be down |
| of a road bike frame. Face it. When you're | | | | among the last elements you consider. Speed |
| on your way back home from a long Sunday ride | | | | is not usually built from comfort, and the |
| and you're riding your thirty-fifth mile | | | | road bike frame that promotes speed is built |
| smack into a stiff headwind, the fact that | | | | of different materials than one used |
| your frame is cobalt blue or even Bianchi | | | | primarily for recreational riding. Frames |
| green is not going to help you. The length | | | | can be made of titanium, chrome-moly, |
| of your seat tube is going to help you and | | | | aluminum or steel, and each metal has |
| the length of your top tube and even the | | | | different advantages of weight and strength. |
| angle of the three main tubes all put | | | | Frame 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 a | | | | So when you're looking at road bike frames, |
| general purpose sports store, if you get any | | | | think 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 clerk | | | | do your research online or in a good bike |
| instructing you to stand over the top bar of | | | | store, you'll be glad you took the time. |