Road bike versus other bikes

[mustang1]

If I Google
"road bike versus endurance bike"
or
"road bike versus cx bike",
I come across forums where people say
endurance bikes are as fast as road bikes but more comfortable with a relaxed geometry and frame tuned to dampen vibrations.

Or
A CX bike is more comfortable than a road bike and is just as fast with the right tires.

So what I don't get is if an endurance bike is s fast as a roadie but more relaxed, or a CX bike is as fast as a road bike but can fit wider tires, then what's the point of a road bike? No one talks about the performance advantage of a road bike (if any, which I think there is).

PS: yes I know an endurance bike is a road bike with relaxed geo, but since marketing make the distinction, for this post I will too.

 

[MichaelW2]

The differences show up better, the harder you ride. They all cruise along the road well.
A lot has to do with the tyres and you can fit the same 25mm to all types. The frames with more clearance can accept wider tyres for better performance on rough surfaces. Bikes contribute about 10% of aerodynamic drag , riders fill in the rest, so you have to be steaming along to notice any difference.
More clearance generally means a slight tradeoff in frame stiffness. Race CX frames often eliminate mud traps. In the past, some eliminated the chainstay bridge which contributes much to stiffness. With carbon frames there is no need for such extreme measures.

 

[Dave7]

Going through the same quandary myself for the last month or so..........this is what I have found (I think).........it can be very confusing.
Note to other CCrs..........don't shoot me down for simple errors.
An out-and-out modern road bike "racer" type bike is designed for response. It will have 23/25mm tyres. For a younger, fit, flexible rider it will tick most of the boxes. (I am not young and have a bad back) so........no good for me)
A CX bike is the same/similar geometry but with bigger/wider tyres and space for guards etc. it can be slightly more comfortable as it has bigger (less inflated) tyres but over, say 5 hours in the same position ???? because of the bigger tyres IT WILL affect the ease/speed of the ride**
An endurance bike e.g. Specialized Roubaix will have shorter top tube & long stem to give a more upright position. It will often have 25mm tyres so will perform as good as a standard road bike.
**The gravel bike I tested had 43mm tyres. It was a very comfortable ride and handled a rough 3 mile stretch extremely well. On the road it was extremely comfortable but definitely less responsive/slower then my road bike for the power/energy I expended.
My search for comfort goes on
NB.......I am checking the geometry of various comfort bikes and will be posting with some questions in the next day or so.

 

[clid61]

I have a road bike and aCX bike.the last 2 years I have ridden i n morroco on my road bike,the atlas mountain descents are brutal ,due to road surface . this week I brought my CX bike with slick 28mm tyres on , gets up mountains nearly as good , but can it shift far more comfortably on the descents and on the flat! Very forgiving !

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Going through the same quandary myself for the last month or so..........this is what I have found (I think).........it can be very confusing.
Note to other CCrs..........don't shoot me down for simple errors.
An out-and-out modern road bike "racer" type bike is designed for response. It will have 23/25mm tyres. For a younger, fit, flexible rider it will tick most of the boxes. (I am not young and have a bad back) so........no good for me)
A CX bike is the same/similar geometry but with bigger/wider tyres and space for guards etc. it can be slightly more comfortable as it has bigger (less inflated) tyres but over, say 5 hours in the same position ???? because of the bigger tyres IT WILL affect the ease/speed of the ride**
An endurance bike e.g. Specialized Roubaix will have shorter top tube & long stem to give a more upright position. It will often have 25mm tyres so will perform as good as a standard road bike.
**The gravel bike I tested had 43mm tyres. It was a very comfortable ride and handled a rough 3 mile stretch extremely well. On the road it was extremely comfortable but definitely less responsive/slower then my road bike for the power/energy I expended.
My search for comfort goes on
NB.......I am checking the geometry of various comfort bikes and will be posting with some questions in the next day or so.

@Dave7

Maybe an adventure road bike with eg 32/35mm tyres would be ideal for you. 43mm is ok off road but overkill on imo.

The Ridley you tried is v,nice and looks like a great bike for comfort.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Its bollox, essentially. There are so so many variables that simply categorising it is pointless. We all have different proportions, different muscles, different minor ailments and bikes that suit one won't suit another. In off the shelf terms I've two road bikes, one is more "race" and the other more "sportive" but the longer head tube on the sportive is offset by it being steeper and it has a shorter wheel base... And my floppily long arms find the race bike more comfortable because I feel less bunched up.

There might be some biomechanics in there around my core being strong and my upper body light therefore a stretched and slightly flatter ride position works for me better than sitting more upright having jolts up my lower spine, but I don't know.

Essentially what I believe is that you can ride most rides on most types of bike. BB