There are three kinds of cyclists – the casual cyclist, the dedicated weekend hobbyist, and the fanatic. It’s the fanatic who will probably want to get a customized road bike.
There are customized bikes…and then there are custom-built bikes.
What’s the difference between the two?
Cusstomized Bikes
Well, anyone who goes to a bike store and has the clerks there help him, or her, fit the bike properly, will usually “customize” their bike by choosing the kind of saddle they like (narrow or wide, gel-filled, etc.), different stem lengths for handlebar height, v-pull or disc brakes, etc.
You can continue to customize your bike with accessories such as bells, compasses, and lights – and you can even give it a paint job if you’re good at that sort of thing. (Indeed, I’ve got a Schwinn Sierra that’s about four years old, and I’ve been thinking of giving it a new coat of blue paint with yellow highlights. Unfortunately, I know I don’t have the skill to make it look even halfway decent.)
Road bikes are, obviously, built specifically to ride on roads, and aren’t suited...