Conclusion
Conclusion
Changing trends in sportive and endurance cycling have led the way to new developments across the whole spectrum of road cycling. From pro level all the way down to the weekend leisure rider, comfort and ease of riding are the new trends.
But endurance-oriented bikes should not necessarily be seen as an easy option in road riding. Yes, they may be easier to control and offer higher levels of comfort, but that’s just the point. Sportive bikes are there to be used (and abused) by all levels of riders. Just check out who’s won what on a sportive bike when it comes to the spring classics over recent years and you’ll see how good these bikes really are.
Cervelo, Specialized, Cannondale, Trek and more have found fame on the cobbles with bikes that have already been mentioned in this article. The advent of the Endurance bike has categorically blurred the lines between race and sportive bikes that used to be so clear. No longer is there one bike for racing and one for training/leisure, you really can get something that’s designed for both purposes. If you wanted even more proof as to why you should purchase a quality sportive bike over a pure race bike, then here it is!
Compact chainsets driving cassettes with ever increasing larger spacings are designed to help get us up those challenging hills without enduring the walk of shame. Gearing systems like SRAM’s highly acclaimed WiFli boasts a rear cassette that includes an impressive spread of usable gears from 11 all the way up to 32t. And if compact gearing has been good enough to help Alberto Contador up the toughest of Alpine ascents in the past, then it’s got to be ok for the rest of us, surely?