Racing Bicycle - Other Uses

Other Uses

For recreational road cycling, the racing-style bicycles with drop handlebars used to be the norm in the 80s, along with the touring bicycle, (a drop-handlebar bike with a slightly longer wheelbase to provide a smoother ride and less sensitivity to steer and balance disturbances). These designs, called "road bikes" or colloquially, "roadies" or "racing bikes", have become less popular in recent years. The Mountain bike geometry, with its straight handlebars and upright sitting position (resembling the city bike), have moved into the high-performance spaces, and high production volumes have brought down costs significantly.

Owing to the lower air resistance and better body stance for pushing, road bicycles tend to be more efficient for use on smooth roads. Cyclo-cross bicycles, which are used for racing on off-road circuits, are closer to racing bikes than to mountain bikes. They have wider, treaded tires and cantilever brakes instead of caliper brakes but are still less efficient than racing bikes at higher speeds.