Endurance road bikes make far more sense for the average road rider than a pro race bike. There, we said it.
Warren Rossiter, bike tester supremo for BikeRadar and Cycling Plus, sits down to tell you why you’ll likely be served better by an endurance bike.
From more appropriate geometry to extra versatility, there are plenty of reasons why Warren holds this view. But do you agree? Let us know in the comments.
#bike #cycling #endurance #race
Image credit:
Tim de Waele / Staff
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:30 Endurance Bike Geometry Is Better For You
03:12 You Can Fit Wider Tyres
04:40 You Don’t Need Bigger Gears
06:06 Endurance Bikes Are More Versatile
07:09 The Modern Endurance Bike
Giant Defy Vs. Specialized Roubaix SL8 | Which Is The Best Endurance Road Bike?
→ https://youtu.be/i9xgEeAYQRM
2023’s Weirdest Bike Tech
→ https://youtu.be/Nrk4L3pssbo
New SRAM Red Groupset? | 2024 Road Tech Trend Predictions
→ https://youtu.be/9ToDvNYg8ds
Best Road Bike Lights 2023 | Rated & Reviewed
→ https://youtu.be/RHImcNwxTNQ
Top 5 | 2024 Road Bikes
→ https://youtu.be/8NZPRnYdHlI
Evolution Of The Endurance Road Bike
→ https://youtu.be/g2NHn24P564
Why ALL Bikes Should Have Dropper Posts
→ https://youtu.be/TSWLb0xzCFY
Listen to the BikeRadar Podcast
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The endurance road bike has been forgotten for some years now and I just think that’s a massive mistake forget Arrow race and gravel bikes most average Road Riders should own an endurance bike instead in fact a world tour team replica bike with its race optimized design and geometry or super light Hill
Climb specialist bike might just make your rides worse not better let me set out exactly Why endurance road bike geometry is what most of us need take a look at an average pro bike and more often than not you’ll see bikes with a super long reach and super low stack height this means the handle bars sit very low and very far away from the saddle stretching the
Rider out to reach the bars a social media Trend dubed slam that stem only made things worse it was considered cool for serious Roadies to rid their bikes of headset spaces cut down the steer tube on the fork and even resort to negative rice stem to get a pro riding
Position Comfort be damed I can only imagine the number of good bikes ruined by that da Trend these kinds of stretched out aerodynamic riding positions might make sense for professional athletes they have the strength and the flexibility to maintain these extreme postures for days on end
For the rest of us though one of the easiest ways to make yourself faster for longer is to be more comfortable so I’d always recommend a proper bike fit a full-on AO road bike may look fast leaning up outside the coffee shop but if it makes you winse every time you
Turn the pedals then you won’t be fast whilst riding and that’s money wasted endurance road bikes on the other hand typically use taller stacks and shorter reach putting the bar and controls within easier reach this can not only help reduce fatigue and lessen the likelihood of discomfort or injury but
Can also allow you to make much better use of the drops on your bars for improved descending control and better aerodynamics aside from your position on the bike endurance bikes have handling geometries designed to to meet the needs of nonpr riders too the most obvious change is often an elongated wheelbase
Because endurance bikes tend to have larg higher clearances a longer wheelbase makes a bike feel more stable and less Twitchy which is especially useful for confident riding at high speed such as when descending whilst previous endurance road bikes tended to slacken the Head angle to slow down the
Steering the latest generation of modern endurance bikes keeps to the race bike standard of 72.5 to 73.5 de with some even having similarly racy Trail figures too now Trail shows the tire’s contact Point trailing behind the steering axis a small Trail makes for a fast handling
Bike in fact one of the very best new endurance bikes the giant defi has a trail of 58.4 mm in a size large and that’s as near as race bike trail as you’ll find in fact my own 2021 canondale Super 6 Evo one of the prototypical road racing bikes of recent
Years has a trail of 58 mm even the most Goldie Locks of bike rider would be hard pushed to sense the difference between it and the defy when it comes to steering responsiveness a combination of quick steering and stability especially when the roads are less than perfect is
Exactly what I want from a Bike wide tires used to be the confines of the Clubman winter trainer tourers or Hardy commu bikes now though 28c tires are the norm on pro bikes with anything smaller being an exception larger tires are freak ly found too especially in the spring Classics my partner’s family in
Northern Italy rejoice when the zurro comes through the village as they know that’s when the local region will be cleaned and the roads will be retack does anyone ever clean or resurface roads to Grant wh worthy condition in your local area they don’t in mine meaning anything I can do for more
Comfort is a must whilst many modern race bikes are getting clearance for wider tires such as 32 mm on the latest giant TCR or specialized tarmac the latest endurance road bikes can typically still take much bigger rubber the latest giant Defi and TR deanii both have clearance for 38 mm wide tires
Whilst our 2023 bike of the Year winning vtus venon Evo can clear 40 mil wide tires with a two bike rank set or 45 mil wide tires with a one B drivetrain there’s no need to max out on the clearance on these bikes if you don’t
Want or need to of course but for those of us who have to ride on poorly maintained roads most of the time the speed grip and comfort benefits of using wider tires at lower pressures are clear cut sure most gravel bikes can fit even wider tires but whilst they are Road
Capable their handling and heavy knobbly tires inevitably give up a lot of speed on the road compared to endurance bikes in my experience amid public anger compact gearing first appeared around 2003 when Shimano first made its 5034 tooth crank set available the industry then doubled down on easier gearing in the early
2010s bringing it an 1132 and an 1134 cassette there was rumbling from the old school road is that somehow this was cheating as it made Road cycling too easy some colleagues at the time would only ride a 5339 standard crank set and tight 1125 tooth cassettes or smaller
Whilst many road bikes are still speced with race gearing such as a 5236 sub compact and tight by today’s standards 1130 cassette endurance Bo bikes typically come with much more useful spread of Gears the 2024 giant defi Advanced SL for example is specified with str’s top range red eup axis
Drivetrain with a 4633 chain ring pairing and a wide range 1036 cassette at the top end that gives you a marginally bigger gear than a 5011 whilst you also get an easiest gear low enough to scale almost any client ultimately by using a group set with smaller ratios I have a gear spread
That’s more compatible with me yes a pro or Elite racer may be able to spin a 5311 a 45 kph but I can’t and I’d wager most of our wonderful audience either is it worthwhile carrying around such big gears when you’re just rarely going to use them I think Not well pure road racing or gravel bikes tend to be great at than one thing endurance road bikes are becoming increasingly versatile in comparison the vus fenon Evo and the Ridley Griffin can both be built up in Road or gravel trim whilst marid scultura endurance can also
Be had in a gravel specification variant with these bikes you can add a set of gravel tires or even a second set of wheels and you’ve potentially got a one bike for all solution or an N equals one bike rather than the usual n plus1 yet
On the days when you want to stick it to the road then endurance road bikes aren’t such a compromise in a race fast bort te or a competitive Club run cell’s calonia for example is essentially an R series CLL road bike with a slightly relaxed ride position and more generous
Tire clearances or The Fabulous New Giant Defy Advanced SL with its total weight of just 7.52 kg in a size large is as light as most Pro level race bikes and that weight includes bottle cages GPS mount and 32 seat tires biggest benefit of the urance road
Bike has also perhaps led to it falling out favor a bike that’s road race and light gravel capable along with being more comfortable to ride has the potential to be a quiver killer a one bite for all solution which looks great on paper and it’s the choice that you
Make with your head rather than your heart but let’s be honest who’s buying a bike solely with their head despite pending this love song to the insurance road bike I only have a couple of insurance road bikes in my garage and I’m something of a bike hoarder as some
Of you may know but I have far more race bikes so I understand my own hypocrisy and I’m trying to deal with it the latest generation of endurance bikes however offer the opportunity to buy with your head and your heart there are some stunning looking new models around
With the promise of more to come next year as you probably guessed I’m currently lusting after the new giant Defi and I’m champing at the bit to get stuck into the insurance bike category in our next bike of the year the endurance road bike category is the most
Diverse and I’d argue the most exciting right now and long may that continue do you agree with me let me know your thoughts in the comments subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already and if you want more endurance bike goodness then check out this video
25 Comments
Do you own an endurance bike or is aero more your thing?
Seven years ago, I bout a Cube Attain GTC Pro based on Warren's review. 50/34, 11-32 and clearance for 32c. Its as good now as it was then. I've upgraded the wheels to Hunt Mason X Four Seasons and plopped some ultegra level brifters on there. The temptation to upgrade to something with eTap or Di2 is there, bit the return on investment just doesn't justify it.
If you really want comfort while you ride, you could just get a hardtail mountain bike instead. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but 9 times out of 10 I'd rather have front suspension even on tarmac. The extra weight just means it's a more effective workout.
The bicycle world is full of fads and people who have little understanding of applied physics or mechanics. Remember when road bikes had to have the most extreme angles and short wheel bases to be cool? In other words, a track bike with derailleurs. Friend bought an expensive one years ago, so uncomfortable, with crappy shifting due to extreme chain angles and twitchy to ride that it has be hanging in his garage for decades in like new shape. Sheer fad.
Even people who race, could do so on an endurance bike. It won't hold them back. Legs and race intelligence trumps bike tech all day every day.
Which also explains why Gravel Bikes are so popular
I have a Cube 2021 Nuroad C:62 SL. It's marketed as a gravel bike – but the frame looks a lot like other "tags". I absolutely love it. Some scoff at the single chainring being used on the road – I've never had a problem with it on my club rides. The 10-50T cassette has dropped a lot in price since I bought it and that "dinner plate" let's me tackle pretty much any climb I am faced with. On the high end it's usually me that chickens out before the capability of the gearset. The eTap AXS kit is just brilliant. I have the Schwalbe G-One R tyres – 40mm wide on this. I love them. We have some pretty terrible lanes around here in the Cotswolds and that tyre is defo needed a lot of times – plus it has surprisingly good rolling resistance. Only downside is price. Two recent club rides showed that big-time when we came across some very un-roadie friendly terrain. I love this bike – feel I can do anything I need to on the road – but can use it on tracks and gravel without any qualms.
Anyone else notice that the cycling media now seem to be changing their tunes somewhat, and are now admitting and even highlighting that most riders should be considering bikes that are more appropriate to their needs, flexibility, and what’s going to provide them with potentially a better riding experience, rather than simply waxing lyrical about aggressive race bikes?
It’s a similar story re the benefits of aero frames, wheels and bikes, with various channels now showing that they make little, if any difference for many riders who aren’t racing or riding at high speeds.
When you have XL legs and are not 17 but 71 you can only ride well on
an endurance bike.
I agree but you definitely need a fast race bike, a lightweight race bike(rim brakes), an endurance bike and a gravel bike, this would save you from getting bored of the same bike and appreciate each bike you own more
Gravel bike > endurance bike. it's almost the same geometry with the added benefit of tire clearance. With two wheel sets you can ride 90% vs only 50% for a road bike. It's a no brainier.
I have worked in the bike trade 30 years and agree most not all need a sportive bike but so many journalists and youtubers are ex pro cyclists or wanabees think everybody needs aero pro bikes, on the plus side the latest bikes have both and the sportive bikes are getting faster and the race bikes getting more comfortable. But most people in the last 10 years have put style before function.
A Camry makes far more sense than a Corvette too. But f-it, I don't want a Camry and I do want a Tarmac SL-8!
Really enjoyed that please post a video going over the endurance bike options out there
My bike is fine. Thanks.
Well said Sir. I'm a one bike does all rider, a Giant Defy, with mudguards for the non raining but still wet roads riding (and of course dry roads)
What bike blurs the lines between gravel and endurance?
Experience has taught me when you are no longer a slave cycling marketing hype or aspire to perform like a pro despite age or suboptimal genetics, is the point you can truly enjoy road cycling.
The right bike is whichever bike will make you want to ride it more and makes you happy. Doesn't matter if it's an aero, lightweight, endurance, gravel etc.
Oh great another reason to go get another bike😂
Indurance. Aero. Gravel. The frames are give or not same. Just buy a frame to fit that’s right for age and power and comfort. Build. Too easy. Instead. We like to be upsold to a dream. Well until we’re into our 40s anyway .
Yep, Endurance bikes are where it's at. Comfort = speed = enjoyment.
Caught that Fairlight Strael @7:53! Well done. Steel is real, my friends
The average roadrider should be fine with a standard gravel bike. You can fit mudguards to it, a rack and you can use super comfortable fatter tyres with less rolling resistance and super damping qualities which is essential on normal roads. Normally you wouldn't go above 35 km/h over a loner period of time, so there is no need for aero considerations. I had to use a city bike with large slicks for many decades (mountain bike magazines established in the last millenium that big tyres offer less rolling resistance whilst having good damping) whilst the road bike industry was promoting fake racing bikes or cheaply euipped town bikes.
Unfortunately they still do not manage to offer reasonably priced gravel bikes equipped with dynamo hubs.
The average wanna be one hour sunny weather road racer should be fine with an endurance bike. For whatever reason he woiuld prefer that over a gravel bike.
Remember we are not talking about 500W racing professionals here.
You're almost there! Now take the next step and figure out why you aren't well served by plastic bikes with faddish components.