An endurance road bike is designed for long rides: the handlebars sit higher and the geometry is more relaxed than on a race bike, which makes several hours in the saddle easier on your back, neck and hands.
Endurance or race bike?
If you ride for more than two hours at a time or have had back or neck trouble, endurance is usually the right choice. A race bike has a lower stack and a longer reach, meaning a more stretched, aerodynamic position – a good choice if you chase speed and do not ride long distances in one go.
Frame size is not a standard
The same number or letter does not mean the same size across manufacturers. We compared the official geometry figures of four road bikes and found two bikes with exactly the same stack but a 24-millimetre difference in reach. The only reliable comparison figures are reach and stack.
Read more: frame sizes compared and BikeFit and riding position. We carry out BikeFit measurements at our Tampere store.