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Ideal Terrain. Drop bars are found on all styles of road bikes, and depending on the style of the road bike you choose, the ideal terrain will differ. If you are looking for performance on the smooth tarmac, Performance Road is the best category. Riders who want to explore off the beaten track should look at Gravel or All-Road bikes as they provide a more robust and comfortable ride.

Ideal for. Drop bar bikes are perfect for riders who want to get into low aerodynamic positions, attack descents with confidence or just want multiple hand positions for comfort. Drop or “curved” handlebars have multiple hand positions for riders spending hours in the saddle.

Frame material. All variations of road bikes are available in either alloy or carbon fibre frames. Alloy is a more available material and the manufacturing techniques are less complex, so bikes using this material are often more budget-friendly. Alloy frames can be heavier and result in a less comfortable ride due to the materials less tunable properties.

Carbon fibre offers tunable compliance throughout the frame, greater strength to weight ratio, and is more malleable for unique frame shapes. Carbon fibre frames are often constructed to be latterly stiff under power while remaining vertically compliant for comfort. Frames are also lighter yet retain the same strength as alloy, so they climb and respond to rider inputs better without breaking. Of course, all these benefits do not come cheaply, so carbon fibre frames are more expensive.

Tires. The days of 19mm tires pumped up to 150psi are gone. Modern road bikes are often fitted with wider tires due to the added comfort and extra grip. 25-30mm wide tires are commonplace on performance road bikes as they provide the perfect balance of rolling efficiency and comfort.

All-Road and Flat Bar road bikes are often equipped with 28-35mm tires for supreme comfort on rough roads. The bigger tires can be run at a lower pressure and add extra cushioning between the rider and the road. Another added benefit is increased stability and grip thanks to the wider tires extra footprint.

Brakes. In recent years, disc brakes have become more common on road bikes due to their extra power, supreme modulation, and increased reliability. Rim brakes are still equipped on some bikes as they are more cost-effective and often weigh less. Unfortunately, rim brakes lack modulation, power and can be ineffective on carbon rims. Disc brakes also allow bikes to run bigger tires as there is no chance of the tires contacting the brake calipers.

Drivetrain. Performance road bikes are often equipped with two gears at the front and a close-range cassette at the back. This is because riders have an optimum cadence. The closer gear range allows riders to maintain cadence in all circumstances. Some All-road bikes and Flat Bar bikes use a 1 x drivetrain for simplicity and reliability. While it may lead to some small difficulties in finding the right gear, the added reliability is second to none.