Let’s be honest. We’d all love an extra bike. But if you can only have one, what bike do you go for? A Gravel bike? A Mountain bike? Maybe a Commuter? We’re here to tell you why the humble Road Bike is the only bike you need.
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Us bike levels we love all bikes you know the n plus one that comes to mind we can never have enough i think i need a commuter bike actually to get from work and then to get back home and then for the winter and the weekends you’ve
Got to have a mountain bike you know when the weather’s bad and then a vintage bike because well every bicycle lover needs a vintage bike to go on the wall you know polish it in the evenings hmm i think you’d be lying to me if you told
Me that these questions have never gone through your mind at some point so in this video we’re going to find out if the road bike is the only bike you need right man honey you’re ready to kick on our fence let’s address the elephant in the room
Yes the gravel bike the bike a lot of people say is the only bike you need and alex did a video claiming that the gravel bike was top of the list but i think the road bike is incredibly versatile too and here’s why Let’s start off with my favorite one speed now the road bike offers all the speed you’re ever gonna need depending on how big the rider is the only bike that really eclipses it was the time trial bike and then riding that to the shops through town up a mountain
It’s not practical at all whether you’re commuting or you’re going on a train ride or even riding with your friends on the weekend you’re going to want to pick up the road bike speed is accessed easily on it when you compare it to a gravel bike or even a mountain bike and
Who doesn’t want that i mean spike we love it getting from a to b using a bike as a form of travel and let’s just say the road bike definitely takes the biscuit in my opinion it is one of the quickest options after all and why may you ask hank [Applause]
The road bike offers the three different hand positions as well to keep you nice and comfortable so you’ve got the hoods up here you’ve got the tops when you want to be a bit more upright and then the most aerodynamic of them all the drops but it’s not just the body
Position that keeps it fast and comfortable it’s also the geometry and the tires now the road bike is known for having skinny tires keeping road resistance down to an absolute minimum but it’s not just quick on the road it also can go off-road here’s why Now road bikes aren’t just capable on the road they’re also capable of off-road too they’re actually more capable than ever i mean things of the like of pyruvate and strata bianchi what road bikes can do there and the speed they can travel over that rough terrain
Now why you may ask now the reason is because the tyres have got a lot wider they were around 21 millimeters in the olden days or a few years back and now they can go up to 32 millimeter tires and it’s not just the width it’s also running tubeless meaning punctures
Are a thing of the past well we Hope next up gears road bike has a wide variety of gears to access you could run a three by a two bike or even a one bite up front and have all the options when it comes to the mountains and you can gear up as much as you want
Well within reason all the speed will come down to the power in your legs and going uphill is made easier by the big range of gears on your back cassette you could have a 10 speed 11 speed 12 speed even 13 speed but it’s not only the
Gears that’ll help you when the road goes uphill there’s also weight Now when you see a road bike the first thing you’re going to want to do is pick it up i mean road bikes are known for being feather light and ollie did a video on a bike that weighed a ridiculous 4.28 kilograms so it just shows how
Light road bikes can get now not all road bikes are that light it does depend on what material is used now why road bikes known to be so light now it’s because we’re designing road bikes they want to get the lightest possible now weight is one of their key
Priorities so the material that the robots made from is absolutely key now road bikes are made from a whole host of different materials but the most common one is carbon the one this one is made from now carbon is light but it’s also strong meaning you marry stiffness and
Lightness giving you a fast quick efficient and comfortable ride which is exactly what you want perfect now this makes climbing an absolute dream and yes before you say anything it does help if the rider is fit too unfortunately the bike doesn’t do all the work for you
Unless you have an e-bike that is Now on to the big one the cost and it has to be said the lighter and better the road bike the bigger the price tag is gonna be but when looking for the one bike to do it all the road bike is the one in my opinion i
Mean you can ride with your mates on it you can commute on it you can race on it you can even ride on some gravel if you really want i mean on the road bike and i think that says it all but you can also save money if
You use it as a commuter to pack up fuel prices yeah parking parking bus train tickets and the list goes down you can get rid of your car and just use it as a mode of transport everywhere yeah and unlike the mountain bike you don’t have to fat with
All the suspension and servicing and the running costs on a road bike are a lot cheaper now it has to be said that the mountain bike and the gravel bike are the adventure bikes but i still believe that the road bike is very capable and fit
For an adventure a modern road bike with disc brakes and a cleaner more streamlined frame is great to fit all your bike packing bags so then you can go out and head aboard your favorite road bike when heading out on a bike pack an adventure so there we have it
Have we changed your mind or maybe you agree with us let us know in the comment section below is the road bike the only bike you need can’t wait to have a look at those comments but if you did enjoy this video then make sure to give it a
Big thumbs up and if you haven’t already make sure to subscribe to the channel for all the latest content oh now time to enjoy the coffee yes where’s yours it’s coming i hope
43 Comments
Do you really think that the hunched over riding posture is good for my back when I'm commuting every day? And that stiff suspension or lack of any is going to make me ride over the potholes?😅😂
I LOVE my road bike (Cervelo S3). But a 2nd trail bike ROCKS. Mine is an Evil The Following. I have no need for a midline bike like a gravel, cause there’s 2 bikes do it all.
The only road bike you'll ever need is Soma Grand Randoneur
My go to is a cyclocross bike with 35c tires, I guess it's essentially a road bike that handles fat tires better. It's light, fast and gets way less punctures that I got when riding a road bike, back in skinny tires days.
I have the Trek Madone for the road and the SWorks for XC and mountains. Both not the latest generations and let it be..
I love my Orbea Orca, but still, I would have some motor inside to help me with uphills :-))
Manon: You could even get rid of the car and use it as a mode of transport.
Me: The wifey wouldn't agree with me on that.
You cannot go bulky shopping with road bike))). The best is hardtail MTB with rear rack.
No, what’s with the anti pannier rack sentiment these days, race/endurance bikes don’t seem to be capable of carrying panniers. My Cannondale road bike is great for cycling days out true, but my Giant Roam does it all with two panniers, to carry work books and laptop to work, a heavy D lock or two so I can leave it when shopping and fresh cloths etc when out for longer rides. Plus my Roam has a tow hitch for Murphy’s dog trailer so we can have cyclies-walkies adventures which he totally loves.
My vintage Merckx Corsa Extra with 28 mm tires is the only bike I need, it gets me to the shops, does surf checks, laps around town while all the carbon fibre bikers give admiring nods of appreciation and does bunny hops over speed bumps.
I think my 10 year old road bike needs a new set of tyres. I was terrified on my commute on it, going around >90deg corners in the wet felt very risky, and of course it sits on 23mms. It is definitely time to retire the 2 speed Brompton, it doesn't go fast enough on long straight sections, even if it does excel in town.
I have a road bike and a mountain bike and its all I need!! Road is so underrated these days!
Nah.. eMTB – the only one you need.
The only bad thing about the road bike is having to wear the get up. Not a deal breaker, but sometimes I'm just not into it.
A lot of people says „this is the one and only“ or this one…..„you only need this“……For the moment i m hearing this from the „Gravel“ only. There is a marketing-hype and i m tired of. I don t care about YT or Instagram is saying i have to drive. So many headlines like : „endurance is dead“ or „gravel is dead“…bla bla bla…..you re only true when you ride this category or this bike. We need more „sub -categories“ like „aero-gravel“, „adventure-gravel“ and so on…… For every category we need a special bike.
You can't transport stuff on a road bike! Also the sadle is a torture device
A couple of weeks ago, I rode my son's mountain bike on mountain bike tracks and had a lot of fun. They are different from road or gravel riding.
I have 2 bikes and I think it is optimum. One bike just cant get you all the range of diferent roads. My first bike is mountain bike and second one is mountain bike.
So no actually, all your arguments point to a hybrid bike with a 50 mm shock fork , a 46/30-11/36 drivetrain and the streering of your preference flat ro drop with a 30-35 mm set of tyres. Geometry wise each to his liking, a more relaxed uphill roadie or a more agressive flatland racer.
Hi, guys, You do great shows. However, this "test" was not a real test. You did not take the roadies (actually, you should not either) to the terrain, where a real MTB is at home: muddy roads, where your road tyre would just spin but have no grip, or real gravel, I mean somewhat deeper gravel or stoney surface. That is another world, where the roadies do not survive. Tried it, believe me.
She couldn’t wait to see the comments because she just trolled us for ten minutes!
Only bike? Gotta be the commuter, because commuting and getting groceries is what we really HAVE to do.
Also, the tires are big enough for gravel and light off-road, but smooth enough that they’re not too draggy on the road.
My choice: Aventon Level.2. Carry cargo, has fenders, is fast.
I don't take my road bike on unpaved roads but it handles any uk road with ease with good wheels. Any bike will need an uplift in your weight for potholes.
Yep.after a lot of debate with a friend over gravel or a road bike I have decided a comfortable orbea with a group set designed for climbing mountains as living in the Basque Country there is no way of avoiding them and robust enough to every now and then go bike packing is gonna be my treat for this year .
Congratulations and many thanks for this fabulous ,enjoyable and educational YouTube Chanel one of my faborite
Thanks
Umm, as a transportation vehicle, like motorcycle and car, bike also had categories.
As for car analogy, MPV is all you need. You'll not take your baby and the stroller in a race car. And, the race car is the equivalent to road bike. So, road bike is not all you need.
If i spent 15,000$ on a bike it would be the only bike i have too.
Since i bought a road bike i just don't feel like riding my MTBs again. They seem just so slow and cranky. And i have been going loads more places. The thing is though, if you have an MTB and you are having fun riding it don't let anyone stop you.
If you only have one bike : gravel bike
But a dedicated Roadbike and a mountain bike is better . Gravel bikes just do both things have assed.
If you're not bothered about being fast I personally think a hard tail mtb is the only bike you need. I put road tyres on mine and cycled to London from Huddersfield, once back home I put the off road tyres back on and completed a muddy cycle o'cross race.
here in our country in Philippines the only bike we need is, MTB with a rigid fork, slick tires and aero bars <3, because in our place in our county, the roads is so verry challenging, hahahahha
Haahahahahhahahahahahhahaha, NO.
A mtb can go on the road, a road bike can NOT go off road, at all.
Why do road cyclists always have to wear those ridiculous racing outfits? How about jeans and a shirt? You are not on Tour du France.
How much , ? Price ? Total cost ?
exactly my thoughts!
As someone that lives in a very mountainous area, a gravel bike with two sets of wheels (gravel + road) checks all the boxes 🙂
I believe you could pull it off with a road bike but I still think all rounder gravel bike is the better choice I have a full carbon gravel bike 40 mm tires and I could go to 32 miles an hour max speed I believe if I go even skinnier tire with a different thread pattern, I could go faster but always have option wider tire or even 650 B
still torn about this or a fast gravel bike. 32mm gravel tires can do the job fine, then there is backpacking, and carbon is okay but depending on where you ride it might be counterproductive. I currently have a 29er mountain bike 3×9 gears and my next bike is going to be an agile gravel bike
I live in a small town road bike is grand mountain is essential
Hmm ..Do E-bikes do ALL the work for you? 🤔
Very often, people just need to roll … On asphalt. Go from A to B on the road. And not so much on the dirt. People often have mountain bikes by default but very often they would rather need a road bike, because they never go off road. Road bike is fast and climbs well. It is useful, practical, realistic, and more fun when all you do is road.
Wouldn't do in my region (Kuyavia, Poland) – under a thin layer of soil there's a thick layer of sand which is especially visible when you go to the forest. During bike rides organised by city authorities there were some places where experienced cyclists with road bikes were unable to cycle, though ordinary people who had bikes with broader tyres sometimes had to walk pushing their bikes, too. On one hand road bike would help me travel longer distances, on the other it would limit my possibilities.
My wife solved the n+1 equation. She is convinced that n= 2 (and I'm OK with that). That gets me a road bike, a mountain bike and a vintage bike. If I want more, I have to sell one before I upgrade.
I disagree. I think that a hardtail mountain bike with some smooth tires are better, because you can take it on jumps and bumps, the only difference being that the mountain bike is smoother but slower.
Which bike would you recommend for a beginner? Budget is £500