Technology has evolved so much over the last two decades that it's easy to get lost in a forest of equipment, frames, carbon or aluminium wheels and various accessories, all of which are suitable for road cycling. Cycling in the broadest sense of the term, because we cannot talk about a single practice, but rather a multitude of practices.

Whether you are a keen cyclist, a cycle tourist or a competitor looking for the slightest technical improvement to take your performance even further, you will not approach the choice of equipment in the same way and, as a result, you won't allocate the same budget to your road equipment.|>

1.Define your goals

Choosing a road bike means clearly defining your goals.
Firstly, of course, you need to decide what you want to do with it: a triathlon/time trial bike, such as the Trek Speed Concept SLR, is completely different from a versatile machine such as the Trek Emonda SL.It would take a very long time to go through all the possible uses for road bikes.
To start with, you can narrow down your search based on your main qualities, your desires, or even simply your tastes in cycling. This initial selection will allow you to define a first category of bikes.

Generally speaking, if you want a versatile bike designed for riding fast and measuring your power in sprints during criteriums or other road races, an aerodynamic road bike will be perfect.
With a substantial budget, you can fully express your talents on the Trek Madone SLR 9.

If you're still looking around and don't have a favourite discipline, a sturdy and comfortable machine will be a good choice.
With a medium budget, the BMC Road Machine Four is a good compromise between budget, efficiency and versatility.

On the other hand, if you are new to cycling and only want to ride occasionally, or if you want a second road bike for your daily commute, you could easily opt for a Trek Domane Al or a Trek FX hybrid bike for a minimal budget.|>

2 .Choose your bike based on your skill level

The choice of frame should be influenced by your riding style and physical condition.

If you are a beginner or at a similar level, a comfortable bike will be preferable.
However, if you are an experienced rider looking for the best performance, you can easily choose a rigid and more demanding bike.

You can also take into account your budget.
Indeed, it may be more cost-effective to opt for a good aluminium frame rather than an entry-level carbon frame. If we were to simplify things, we could say that the stiffer the frame, the more efficiently it will transfer the power you generate. However, a rigid bike is less comfortable and can become more tiring over time. In other words, to be able to exploit the performance capabilities of a rigid frame, you need to be in good physical condition. If you don't generate a lot of power or if that's not important to you, go for a slightly more flexible and comfortable frame. Unlike an 'endurance' frame, a rigid frame will transmit all the imperfections of the road surface to the cyclist and therefore place greater demands on the body.|>

3. Choose your wheels

Once you have selected your frame, you can "play" with the rigidity or flexibility of your bike by combining different wheels.

Whether you're riding on flat terrain, hilly or mountainous terrain, or even in a time trial, the wheels are important.
For flat rides, go for a fairly high profile between 45 and 55 mm. such as the Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 or the Zipp 404 Firecrest Tubeless.

If you're a fan of hilly routes, we recommend carbon wheels with a profile of 35 to 40 mm, combining lightness and aerodynamics. Finally, if you are a mountain lover, it would be a good idea to opt for low-profile wheels, between 20 and 30 mm, for maximum lightness. Next, depending on your budget, you can choose between an aluminium or carbon version.|>

4 .Choose your group

A frame and wheels are great, but you still need brakes, pedals, a chain, a cassette and derailleurs to make it all work. When it comes to the group, it's best to go with a set from the same brand, whether it's a Sram or Shimano drivetrain, for maximum reliability.

At Shimano, the Dura Ace Di2 R9200 2x12-speed groupset is the top-of-the-range choice, while a Shimano 105 Di2 2x12v drivetrain offers excellent value for money.
At Sram, you'll get high-end components with the Red AXS 2x12-speed groupset and a reliable, affordable drivetrain with the Rival AXS 2x12v groupset.

5 .Select the right frame size

Once you have chosen all the components for your bike, you will now need to order your bike.
To do this, you will need to determine the ideal frame size for your body type.
To be sure you make the right choice, we recommend visiting a shop where specialists can advise you.
Materiel-velo.com shops are equipped with the Shimano Bikefitting posture analysis service. This tool will accurately determine the ideal size for your new road bike in just a few minutes. It's a simple and effective way to make sure you get the right size for your new bike. So don't wait any longer, visit your store today!

The Shimano Bikefitting complete posture analysis is the most advanced solution we offer to find the ideal position for cyclists.
It includes static measurement, a position simulator and 3D power and pedal stroke analysis. All of your bike's components will be analysed and any modifications made by our technician will be carried out in consultation with you. A genuine dialogue will take place between you and our operator: they will note your observations and aspirations, look at your sporting history and correct every last detail.