Road biking for beginners: Key considerations for the best entry-level road bike

Explore the world of road biking for beginners in this comprehensive guide. We’ll explore the different things you ought to consider when shopping for a beginner road bike, as well as share some tips to get you up and rolling. 

There are few sports that are so immediately addictive and enjoyable as road biking. For beginners, it’s often like a door opening up to reveal a whole new world.  

It’s not just about physical fitness either, although regular cycling has well-documented benefits. Getting on a road bike and setting off to ride gives you a whole new perspective on the places around you. It cheers you up and can make you more creative, or enhance your productivity. 

As your fitness and confidence grow, you’ll set more ambitious goals or seek out new places to explore. Maybe you’ll start dabbling in segment-chasing on Strava, or join a riding group to combine socialising with your new favourite sport.  

And beyond that? What about taking on some of Europe’s most storied mountain ascents, from the Pyrenees to the Italian Dolomites? Or you could set off on a transcontinental journey from one coast of the USA to another?  

There are no limits to where your beginner road bike can take you.  

Road bikes are distinguished by their lightweight frames, drop handlebars, narrow high-pressure tyres, and an aggressive, aerodynamic riding position. They typically lack suspension, have multiple gears for efficient speed adjustments, and feature a geometry designed for speed and endurance on paved surfaces. 

Key characteristics of a road bike include a stiff frame for power transfer, narrow tyres for minimal rolling resistance, and drop bars that offer multiple hand positions for comfort and aerodynamics.  

The road bike geometry prioritises efficiency, often with a longer top tube and steeper angles for responsive handling. 

Most considerations when you’re buying a road bike will be shaped by your budget. However, once you’ve established what you want to spend, we’ve put down some of the big factors and features you ought to think about. From gearing to geometry, carbon to clip-ins, we’ve got you covered. 

If you have two different Canyon budget road bikes you are considering, we’ve created a handy tool for comparing different bike models. 

Beginners don’t need electronic shifting; a mechanical groupset from Shimano or SRAM is sufficient. A compact crankset (50/34T) paired with an 11/30 cassette offers versatility for flat and hilly terrain. If you ride steep climbs often, opt for an 11/32 or 11/34 cassette.  

Shimano's Tiagra is budget-friendly and features on our Endurace 6 road bike model, while Shimano’s 105 is lighter and more precise.  

SRAM’s Apex and Rival allow single or double chainring setups, with cassettes offering wide gear ranges. If you want to go really detailed, check out our dedicated guide to road bike groupsets. 

Frame size and geometry are key for comfort. The stack-to-reach ratio determines riding position: lower ratios create an aerodynamic stance, while above 1.55 provides an upright, relaxed ride.  

Professional bike fitting can help, but beginners can test different bikes for comfort. 

  An upright position is often better for new cyclists. You can always get more aero with your position in the future if you want to. 

 On our more lightweight all rounder bike, the Ultimate, you’ll find a more aggressive geometry than on the Endurace, which is focused on going far and in comfort.  

 Both bikes can be tweaked significantly to alter the fit and feel, with adjustments to stack height, reach and saddle position. 

A look at the professional peloton and our own bike equipment shows that hydraulic disc brakes are the new standard. Compared to rim brakes, they offer better braking performance and can be more precisely controlled.  

All of our novice road bikes come with disc brakes, including the Ultimate CF SL 7, which also has the crisp shifting of Shimano 105 groupset. 

Beginners in road biking can really benefit from having reliable disc brake technology on their bikes. Disc brakes are particularly advantageous in wet conditions. 

If you're a beginner road cyclist who enjoys long rides, clipless pedals clipless pedals can be beneficial. However, they're less essential for casual cycling and you certainly shouldn’t let a lack of pro pedals put you off participating.  

The reason clipless pedals are better for long distance is they improve efficiency and pedalling smoothness by securing your feet to the pedals. This allows a full pedal stroke and better foot positioning.  

Various systems exist – Shimano, Look and Speedplay being the predominant ones – and it’s always good to practice clipping in and out before riding. 

The bicycle saddle is a crucial point of contact between you and your bike, alongside the handlebars and pedals. The saddle is also the most personal element of a road bike – and it’s hard, if not impossible, to make one saddle that everyone would find comfortable. 

Our Endurace CF 7 entry-level road bike uses a Selle Italia Model X saddle. Its waved shape, gel padding and cut-out are all features chosen to boost the comfort on longer rides. 

Canyon's road bikes feature saddles that are popular among many road cyclists, thanks to their cutouts and unisex ergonomics that provide maximum comfort. Choosing the right saddle width can help you avoid problems and enjoy a more comfortable ride. 

Beginner cyclists often encounter the topic of material when purchasing a road bike. Aluminium is cheaper than carbon, but slightly heavier.  

Carbon can be shaped into any form, which makes it particularly suitable for aero road bikes. In addition, carbon is more rigid than aluminium with the same thickness, resulting in better power transfer during cycling. However, for beginners who are not competing at a high level, an aluminium frame is perfectly suitable to start with. 

Finding the right frame size for your road bike is a quick process. You will need your height and inseam measurement. If you purchase your bike from Canyon, you only need to provide these two details. Our Perfect Positioning System will recommend the appropriate frame size and seat adjustment for you. 

If you're just starting out with cycling, it's important to know that a road bike alone won't suffice. Along with the bike, there are a few essential pieces of equipment you'll need such as a helmet, cycling shorts, a jersey, and cycling shoes.  

 You should also consider a pair of cycling glasses to protect your eyes from wind and insects, a saddlebag to store a spare tube, and a multi-tool for quick fixes. A bike computer is an option for tech-savvy beginners. 

When purchasing a road bike helmet, it's important to consider more than just design and aerodynamics. Ventilation and sizing are crucial factors to keep in mind. Additionally, some helmets feature Mips® or other safety technology, which helps absorb dangerous rotational movements during impact. 

Cycling can be uncomfortable without a properly fitting pair of cycling shorts – also called bib shorts. It's essential to have good padding that covers the contact point with the saddle completely. When trying on shorts, make sure they fit snugly while standing. This ensures a perfect fit when sitting on the saddle. 

For cyclists, it's important to have a functional cycling jersey made of moisture-wicking materials. Back pockets come in handy for storing snacks or small items. With a wide variety of colours and designs available, you can easily find a jersey that fits your personal style and inspires you to feel confident and look your best while cycling. 

Once your passion for road cycling is ignited, it's worth considering some additional clothing items to complement your essential gear. To protect yourself against strong gusts of wind, a windproof gilet is a useful option, and a rain jacket can be a lifesaver in wet weather. Meanwhile, arm and leg warmers are a practical choice for transitioning between different temperatures, as they can be easily stowed away if necessary. 

When cycling, it's important to wear glasses that provide adequate protection. Cycling glasses serve several purposes, including protecting your eyes from UV radiation, wind, insects, dust, and debris. If you go on a fast-paced road bike ride without the proper eyewear, you may experience discomfort such as dry or watery eyes. Modern cycling glasses with a wider fit can be especially beneficial in protecting your eyes from the wind. 

Sooner or later, you will get a flat tyre while cycling on a road bike. It's a good idea to equip your bike with a saddlebag to carry small snacks, tools, a spare tube, and a puncture repair kit. 

If you only ride your entry-level road bike during the day, you don’t need to worry if you forget your front and rear lights at home. However, if you cycle in the early morning or at dusk, lights are essential. If you want to increase your visibility during the day, you should consider buying special LED daytime lights. These are often brighter and have a wider beam angle to help cyclists be seen in bright daylight conditions. 

There’s a strong chance you already know how to ride a bike, so we won’t dwell too long on the absolute essentials. Instead, here are some beginner-to-intermediate tips to develop your road cycling, to help you go faster and enjoy your riding more.  

Did you know that even some very experienced cyclists don’t get their pedalling technique right? With a few adaptations of the way you move your foot – aided by switching to clipless pedalls – you can boost efficiency and reduce the effort it takes you to keep rolling forward. 

When your foot reaches the bottom of the pedal stroke, you need to lift upward, focusing on making a full circle. It’s amazing how much stronger you can be with that one simple tip. 

We strongly recommend checking out our tips for pedalling on a road bike like a pro to get this right. 

Shifting technique varies depending on the brand of groupset you have. The most common three are Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. In all systems, shifting smoothly while pedalling is crucial to ensure a long-lasting drivetrain and to avoid any jerky movements on the bike.  

We’ve gone into depth on road bike shifting in this guide. 

Posture or road bike riding position is something that changes over time. When you start out, a more upright position feels more comfortable – although even on a relatively upright road bike it will still feel more ‘tipped forward’ than other types of bikes, like mountain bikes or city bikes. This is normal.  

Our Canyon Endurace has a more relaxed ‘upright’ position than the Aeroad, which is much more focused on aerodynamics and speed. As you get more comfortable, you may find you want to experiment with a more aggressive position.  

Braking is a crucial part of cycling, but do you ever consider more than just pulling the levers? Like any bike skill, proper technique matters, and it changes depending on terrain and conditions. Mastering how to slow down effectively will ultimately make you a faster rider. Dive into the finer points with our pro tips article on better braking. 

It’s natural that as you invest time into the sport you want to go faster. Some people measure this with apps like Strava, others pay meticulous attention to their average speed or whittle down the overall weight of their bike (Want to get set up on Strava? Get started with our Strava guide).  

Aerodynamics will play a large part in how fast you go, as will your overall fitness. Check out this guide some great tips on going faster on your road bike. 

The key to a great beginner road bike for women is making sure it fits properly and offers the right level of comfort and performance. Since every rider has different body proportions, Canyon’s Perfect Positioning System (PPS) helps take the guesswork out of sizing, ensuring the best fit for stability and confidence on the road. Adjustable components like saddles, handlebars, and crank lengths make it easy to personalize the bike to your needs. Whether you're getting into endurance riding or looking for a lightweight, fast road bike, the right women’s beginner road bike is the one that supports your goals and riding style. 

Road bike maintenance is simple, easy and best done little and often. The rewards of keeping your entry-level road bike in good shape are huge, so it’s well worth allocating a little bit of time to it. 

Here are three top simple and easy maintenance tasks to get you started. 

• Cleaning and lubrication: Regularly clean your bike, especially the drivetrain, to prevent dirt build-up. Lubricate the chain to reduce wear and ensure smooth shifting. 
• Brake and gear check: Inspect brake pads, cables, and gears for wear. Adjust or replace components as needed for optimal performance. 
• Tyre and pressure maintenance: Check tyre pressure of your road bike before each ride and inspect for cuts or wear. Proper inflation improves efficiency, grip, and reduces punctures. 

 In summary, our checklist includes the questions you need to answer when buying an entry-level road bike: 

• What kind of rider am I and which road bike category fits my needs? 
• What gears do I need? 
• The frame: carbon or aluminium? 
• Clipless pedals or flat pedals? 
• Which geometry suits me? 
• Do I have the essential cycling clothing? 
• What frame size do I need? 

You now have all the info you need to select the best road bike for beginners, one that matches your ambition, your ride style and your budget. 

If you are looking to upgrade from your novice road bike to something more advanced, including our elite time trial (TT) or triathlon bikes, make sure you check out our road bike buyer’s guide.  

Inside you'll find all the details about Canyon's road bike range, from endurance and race road bikes to aero road bikes, time trial (TT), and cyclocross bikes. See you on the road!