When I used to ride competitively back in my teens, there was no distinction between ‘race’ and ‘endurance’ bikes. There were just ‘road bikes’, also called ‘racing bikes’.

Now, there is the whole distinction between race and endurance, and I am wondering if there is any such thing as a geometry that suits the weekend racer who also likes to go for very long rides…

Is there really a downside to having a race bike as a general road bike that you use for all your riding on road – sort of like we did in the olden days? Or would that be a recipe for orthopaedic disaster?

If you could only have one bike, and were interested in some competition as well as long day rides, what sort would you be looking for? Is there a good compromise geometry?

They’re just marketing terms for different geometries that will suit different people. Surely if the bike fits you well then you can do pretty much anything you want on it?

big one, stupid long head tubes on endurance bikes that means you can’t get the front end low enough.

you can always flip the stem on a “race bike” if the front end is too low, harder the way.

I think racing geometry is more born out of tradition, I find that my longer wheel base, slacker ‘endurance bike’ handles better and if it was lighter with a lower front end I would be happy to race it. Interestingly Colnago dont publish their head angle data, I bet that is because they are pretty slack compared to most traditional Itallian brands.

And just look at Andy WIlkinsons TT bike!

get a race bike, you will think an endurance bike is like a Dutch ladies shopping bike if you are used to old school geometry

I never had any problem with a race bike for both crits and very long rides. If it fits, it fits. Even racing you shouldn’t be compromising comfort for aero. Sometimes a good fit is worth more in watts than any perceived aero gains from, say, a slammed stem.

Maybe endurance bikes can take slightly larger tyres like 28mm or 25mm + proper guards?

I have one road type bike that would fall into “gravel” categoty with slackish ht of the right length that stem up is all day and down is cx and race. Slack angle means I can push myself to fatigue in Greater comfort and stability. As yet it’s not been anything other than rapid round twisty cx courses, single-track and long road jaunts.

Compared to the road bikes i used to have (including ex-team euskaltal, and cinelli) it’s a revelation in comfort which in turn, for me, brings more speed.

Still working on the engine mind…

I actually use a race bike for everything except racing (unless you count training apr’s).

I tried a couple of endurance/sportive bikes but felt a bit squished on them. Test ride a few and see what you feel comfortable on. As long as you don’t cut the steerer right down you can always run a couple of spacers on a race bike to make your position a bit more upright.

I’ve got a glass back so the slightly taller head tube of a ‘sportive’ geometry farm meant getting comfortable without 3.5m of headset spacers or a positive rise stem.
Comfy for 100milers and happily manage 18mph plus averages on 40-70 mile South Downs loops.

In a word comfort – a stretched-out position, skinny tyres and a harsh frame can beat you up after 6hrs+. Aero frames and deep-rim wheels might look great, but they’re also very efficient at transmitting every imperfection and vibration up through your body which accelerates fatigue. A slightly more relaxed position and forgiving ride can mean the difference between purgatory and pleasure.

I don’t race or do long rides, so I’m uniquely placed to answer this:

comfy position & option for biggish tyres (28/32 ?) is key for long rides I suspect

mildly uncomfy, lower position and 23/25s is what I’d anticipate for road racing

I doubt that wheels or frame make much difference unless you’re having a roubaix or something

Haha, lot of crap on here.

Get a bike that fits, full stop. I am long in the leg, short body. I ride an endurance bike, with a stupid long head tube, with a good saddle/bar drop, and I can ride it all day long.
Lots of people fit the traditional race geo, and can ride it all day long.

Do you already have back problems?

What kind of budget are you looking at?

What kind of riding will you want to do? Hilly, flat, both?

Grand tour riders use race bikes. Guess the important thing is fit.

Grand tour riders use race bikes.

They also get daily physio and massage sessions

My road bike is quite racy, I think. Although it doesn’t have racy wheels. Can (or could) ride 6 hours on it.

I had a Synapse, loved it. I own a CAAD10 “race” geometry, love it. I’ve got a KTM Revelator, “race” geometry, love it.

It could be I had 3 years on the Synapse to get used to road bikes but I’m totally happy riding long distances on a race bike rather than an endurance bike. I’ve not ridden > 200km so maybe after that distance it makes a difference.

Grand tour riders use race bikes.

They also ride different bikes for different races – the Specialized Roubaix has repeatedly won the Paris-Roubaix race.

Endurance bikes tend to have a longer wheelbase and a slacker headtube so they’re more stable/less twitchy. Clearance for wider tyres (more comfort). Often some ride smoothing features to the frame – from Specialized Zertz (or the new Roubaix’s sus) or various seatposts designed to absorb shocks – the D shaped seatpost on the Giant Defy, the small diameter post used on the Cannondales or the Canyon VLS split post.

Usually have a longer headtube for a higher riding position – not so aero but much more comfortable for most people who aren’t as fit and flexible as a pro rider. Yes, you can stick a load of spacers under the stem on a super low race bike but a “slammed” stem on a longer head tube looks better (to my eyes) and is almost certainly stiffer.

Not all ‘endurance’ bikes are the same geometry – last time I looked the Canyon Endurace tweaks are very minor compared to a lot of other brands.

They also ride different bikes for different races – the Specialized Roubaix has repeatedly won the Paris-Roubaix race.

Mostly marketing guff to sell soft road bikes. Boonen rode Roubaix frames but they were custom built for him with the geometry of his race bike (long top tube, much shorter head tube).

Last years P-R was won on a Scott Foil, one of supposedly the most bone shaking frames out there!

They also ride different bikes for different races – the Specialized Roubaix has repeatedly won the Paris-Roubaix race.

This year’s winner, Mat Hayman, won on an aero road bike. I think Spec winning loads of races after the Roubaix was introduced was down to their stable of riders, mostly Boonen. I think the fastest bike at Paris-Roubaix, statistically, is one with a Belgian on it.

edit – should have read the above. Sorry.

I just have a road bike. It’s an old (2002) S-Works, even before the split to Tarmac, Roubaix, Allez etc. It was just the S-Works back then.

It’s a full on race bike, semi-compact frame and I can get a completely flat back on it and still be comfortable. It works for me.

Done LEJOG three times on it, ride leading for a big event and it’s amusing having these people (who’ve all gone out and bought “endurance” bikes) telling me that it’s not suitable or that the gears are too high (traditional 39/53 with 12-25). Rarely race these days but the bike got me through the Rapha Manchester – London ride last year (225 miles) with no discomfort or injury. To me it is a genuine do everything road bike, quite happy doing a 45-minute crit race or an all-day, 200 mile ride.

That said I think the move to less racy bikes is a good thing since actual road racing is a tiny part of what most people will ever use a road bike for and it recognises the more usual uses involving real world conditions of crap road surfaces, traffic etc.

CX bikes went through a similar renaissance – traditionally they were very niche with no bottle mounts – basically a road bike with slightly wider clearances. Now they are phenomenally capable all-rounders with a geometry that covers everything from racing to gravel roading to touring and as a sport, it’s never been more popular!

Not all ‘endurance’ bikes are the same geometry – last time I looked the Canyon Endurace tweaks are very minor compared to a lot of other brands.

Yeah, a lot of the Italian frame makers don’t make much change from ‘race’ to ‘endurance’, 10mm on head tube etc..

Mostly marketing guff to sell soft road bikes.

This is my feeling too.

I’d also ignore the kind of review and internet comments that we often see about “you don’t need a race bike if you’re not racing”.

Sharp handling and snappy acceleration are just nice things to have in a road bike IMO, they make it more involving and fun.

Also, wheels can make a big difference IME. Had a set of Ksyriums on my Scott CR1 SL frame and it was super-fast but a bit skittish. Now riding RS81s and it’s like the roads have all just been smoothly resurfaced.

Maybe look at a “race” bike with a reputation for being comfy? Perhaps the Canyon Ultimate SLX or Cannondale Supersix hi-mod.