Specialized bike online store from CapitolCyclery: What are the best gear options for a road bike? When choosing a new road bike it’s important that you think about the gears it comes equipped with. Fortunately if you’ve already matched your potential bike to the kind of riding you plan on doing, there’s a good chance that the gear choice will also be well-suited. An out-and-out race bike may come with a more traditional gearing set-up, for example 53/39 tooth chainset paired with an 11-30 tooth cassette. However road bikes that fall into the endurance or sportive categories are likely to have a compact chainset, most likely a 50/34, and a cassette that will have 30, 32, 34 or even 36 teeth as the largest option. The lower gears will help you to both tackle steep hills with more ease and generally pedal with a higher cadence. However, this can mean larger gaps between gear ratios. There are other options out there too. SRAM, for example, now offers its eTap AXS groupsets with 48/35, 46/33 and 43/30t chainsets. Paired with its cassettes starting at 10 teeth, these give similar highest gear ratios to traditional gearing starting at 11 teeth, but greater low-end gear range for easier climbing and less need to shift between chainrings on undulating roads. Discover more info on bicycle shop.

Perfect for the rider who doesn’t want to get regularly scheduled tune-ups and doesn’t have the time to clean up the bike post-every single ride, this bike is the answer to your commuting prayers. “No pesky chain or derailleur with an internally geared belt drive system, externally routed cables, fender and rack mounts — what more could a commuter ask for?” says Pastore. Our answer: Not much. This bike is quick, lightweight, low-maintenance, and versatile enough for all types of terrain. The key feature of this bike is the belt drive system. Chains need constant cleaning and lubrication, but a belt drive is a game-changer. Not only does a belt drive last much longer than chains, but it also keeps things running smoothly without the hassle (and without the greasy hands or stained clothes to boot). The trade-off is cost, but on the upside, a belt-driven bike is designed to last longer than a bike with a chain.

This fourth generation of the Cannondale SuperSix has received some subtle updates from its predecessor, which nevertheless make it more aero and lighter – and replace the Pressfit bottom bracket with a threaded design – with a claimed 770g frame weight the lightest in our Race Bike of the Year awards. Acceleration is lightening fast and it holds speed well thanks to the 50mm deep aero wheelset. It’s a great climber’s bike as well, with low weight and great geometry for out-of-saddle efforts. Descending is equally magical, although its not as fast or as comfortable as the Cervelo S5. There’s a good range of models and prices on offer. Read our review of the Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi Mod 2 in our Race Bike of the Year 2023 coverage.

For 2023, Cervelo revived its game-changing Soloist franchise with an impressive list of updates and improvements that make for a compelling race bike at a fair price. The new Soloist is equipped with a completely redesigned frame, featuring a new carbon layup that has increased stiffness and reduced weight. The bike’s aerodynamics are also far better, with the incorporation of Cervelo’s latest Squoval Max tube shapes. The cockpit includes Cervelo’s “externally integrated” two-piece handlebar and stem system, which provides a clean and aerodynamic cockpit but still allows tinkering—the cables run underneath the stem and through the headset bearings. It’s not perfect, but the system allowed for easy fit adjustments, and the ergonomic design of the bars provided a comfortable grip.

The Vitus Venon Evo has a trick up its sleeve. With its wide tire clearance of 45mm it’s not glued to the road and you can buy the same frame specced out for gravel duties, with a series of models with a GR suffix; we’ve also reviewed the Vitus Venon Evo-GR gravel spec bike. The carbon frame weighs under 1kg and has plenty of compliance built in. The road-going specs are fitted with Michelin Power Cup 28mm tubeless tires on Prime Attaquer alloy wheels. We tested the 105 Di2 model of the Vitus Venon Evo, but there’s a whole range of electronic and mechanical groupset options from Shimano and SRAM. The ride on the road is well balanced and firm but comfortable and there’s plenty of room to fit mudguards on the hidden mounts, making the Venon Evo a good option for year-round use. It’s lightweight as well. Find additional details at https://www.capitolcyclery.com/.

Argonaut’s U.S.-made RM3 road bike proudly sticks up a middle finger to some of the high-end market trends. It isn’t trying to be the lightest, stiffest, or most aero. Instead, Argonaut founder Ben Farver built the RM3 with ride quality in mind. On the road, the RM3 doesn’t so much buzz with feedback as gently whisper in your ear about what’s going on down at the tires. On even reasonably well-paved asphalt, the bike floats like you’re gliding across the ground on a hovercraft. It’s utterly sublime to the point of being ridiculous. And given the price tag, we’d expect nothing less. It’s a splurge, but you can get an extraordinarily high level of customization that you won’t find from the major brands. There’s the potential for fully custom geometry and carbon lay-ups to suit your handling, stiffness, and weight preferences. All of that is wrapped up in a classic-looking package that will undoubtedly appeal to traditionalists.