Why The Road Bike Is The Only Bike You'll Ever Need

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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If you could only buy one bike, what bike would you choose?

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[Truthsetufreeandsome]

Any bike u can afford to own n maintain is all u need. Anything else is juz for hobby, health, racing or luxury.

[ViveSemelBeneVivere]

I agree as long as it can accommodate 32mm and even 35mm tyres.
The issue with having just one _good_ bike is *security* when it's parked in public spaces.
Which is why I have 1 daily + 1 roady.

[ej.xxxx_]

1 beater bike, the one you're not going to cry when stolen for daily commute, and 1 road bike for weekends.This is the best setup IMO

[ilovelimpfries]

I disagree, gravel bike is the only bike you'll ever need. It can handle the rough stuffs, mud and dirt in regular commute. Road bike is not practical for commuting due lack of mounts for luggages.

[pnoimarker]

Moriah Wilson, an incredible gravel rider who tragically passed away recently, won her last race with a Specialized Aethos with 32c tires. I had the privilege of taking to her about the setup as she trained in the same area as me. She won the heavily competitive race with a field of predominantly gravel setups. Ever since that conversation I've been convinced that 32c tires, and improvement in your overall bike handling can get you through MOST situations that road and gravel cyclists encounter.

Rest in paradise Mo Wilson

[philipcooper]

After years and years of MTB riding I switched to road bikes and I never looked back. The rigidity of the frame, the efficiency of each pedal stroke... I enjoy cycling again.

[LUCYDIAMONDBOXER]

I was a total roadie until the last 2yrs where I've swayed to gravel as my, now first choice of a weekend ride out. Took myself a little too seriously on the road chasing FTPs and AVG speeds and dodging Ford Rangers that wipe you out on a roundabout. Gravel is much more fun and improves bike handling, sense of adventure and brings new challenges

[khazza]

Next video: why an MTB is the only bike you’ll need

[nacnud]

Hard tail steel mtb with various tires. Can cope with most of bike park wales, commuting potholes, bike packing and is surprising fast with slicks on.

[philthewriter]

Try locking that Orbea outside a supermarket in London and see how many items you can add to your basket before it gets nicked.

[riched]

One thing road bike doesn't offer is grip when that gravel path becomes mud and wet grass road tyres won't grip where as 40mm semi slick gravel tyres will do the job and still roll well on road .

[cccycling]

My road bike for the road and XC mountain bike for trails/gravel. 2 bikes to do 99% of all riding. Eventually may add a lightweight gravel bike for long epic rally rides, but those two bikes pretty much satisfy most of my needs (and walllet)

[grahamb]

I think the person on the Dutch style bike who appears right of shot at 6’15” would disagree. I have a similar upright bike for doing the shopping, either double panniers on the rear rack or to pull a trailer. Been car free for 10 years and would never have been able to manage all my daily transport needs with a ‘road’ bike.

[jianjian]

I bought a gravel bike, replaced my tires with 38c gravel king slick tires, and it became the best commuter bike I've ever had.

[sessionfiddler]

GCN does have a bias towards road bikes.

I'd say gravel with a road setup for rides and adventure and I love my Brompton for being able to commute from work and take on public transit. Also, shopping cart mode is a wonderful bonus.

[Wulfarwacht]

I like road bikes, really, but cars and drivers just push me more and more towards MTBs. I’d rather get chased by the odd dog or have to deal (in a friendly way) with hikers than with cars and the assholes driving them :/

[Avianthro]

This depends entirely on the quality of the roads where you do your riding. For me, living in a country, so-called "developing", there just aren't very many good paved roads up to the standard of what folks in the "developed" world take for granted as a normal road. If there is a good road, it's a sure thing that it'll also be heavily trafficked by all kinds of vehicles, including trucks and busses whose drivers follow the rule that the bigger vehicle always has the right of way...good roads to play cycling "Russian roulette". The normal roads are full of potholes and may often be so broken up that it's questionable to call them "paved", and then of course there are the unpaved roads. So, a road bike is not an option and the gravel bike is perhaps OK, but the MTB or a bike like I have, a hybrid city + MTB bike with front shock-only, 11-speed cassette and single chainring, and 700 X 45 rolling stock is the optimal bike to have.

[YoSpiff]

As much as I love my road bikes ('88 Schwinn Prologue updated with Campy 9 speed. '00 Bianchi Veloce, and '89 Yakota Enterprise), if I had to take my fleet down to one bike, it would probably be my Surly Straggler gravel bike. One thing you cannot do on a road bike is mounting a rack and panniers for touring, heavier commuting, or grocery-getting. But I've never been a racer either so those other aspects are more important to me.

[whatwelearned]

As ever, a road bike with big clearance (so, basically a 'gravel' bike) is going to work in most situations.

[TraumaER]

Road bikes only best if you live in the middle of nowhere where you can ride, shoot videos, talk about road bikes, all without having to worry about getting hit by another car driver texting while driving.

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