Comfort, marathon, long-distance, endurance, touring: the names used by bike manufacturers for the species of road bikes with a built-in feel-good factor are as varied as their possible uses. However, the genre has become increasingly recognisable in recent years, and the constantly growing range in all price categories indicates that the concept is well received by buyers.
The definition of what a comfortable road bike is and what characteristics it must have is becoming ever more precise. What all models have in common is that they are increasingly differentiating themselves from the classic racing bike and, almost without exception, have two characteristics of the concept of comfort: On the one hand, there are frame geometries that allow a comparatively upright riding position without the need for angled stems or stems raised with spacers. Such a design is easy on the back, especially for riders who like to sit in the saddle for many hours at a time or whose upper body muscles are less well trained than those of professional cyclists.
Spring without suspension
The second dimension concerns mechanical suspension comfort. This should not be taken to mean suspension technology as used on mountain bikes; the efforts of the manufacturers always remain within the limits of what the UCI allows for racing and range from particularly flexible seat posts to special frame and fork designs that are intended to absorb shocks and dampen vibrations with sophisticated shapes, specifically controlled material properties or even joints integrated into the frame.
Relaxed cycling is also supported by special components such as more voluminous tyres, ergonomically shaped handlebars and comfortable saddles. The fact that many comfort racers also offer a particularly wide range of gear ratios, including very light mountain gears, is in line with the demands of the target group. A more upright riding position and easy gears suit long-distance enthusiasts and mountain bikers just as much as less trained beginners and occasional cyclists.
Our test field comprises nine bikes from specialist retailers that can be assigned to this category - in some cases with minor restrictions. These include models tested for the first time, such as the Synapse from Cannondale, the Z3 from Felt, the Ride CF 97 from Merida and the Scott Solace. However, well-known representatives of the genre such as the current vintages of the Specialized Roubaix, Simplon Kiaro and Trek Domane are also included as references. Because the line between comfort racers and classic models is blurred, we didn't just rely on the manufacturers' declarations for the invitations. That's why two candidates that are not explicitly sold as comfort bikes, but undoubtedly fulfil the criteria of this category, are also taking part: the Gigadrive from Centurion and the Race Lector from Ghost. According to the TOUR definition, the geometry of the frame is decisive for categorisation as a comfort road bike...
You can find the test results of these marathon bikes in the PDF download:
- Cannondale Synapse Carbon Hi-MOD 3 Ultegra
- Centurion Gigadrive 4200 Di2
- Felt Z3
- Ghost Race Lector Team
- Merida Ride CF 97
- Scott Solace 20
- Simplon Kiaro Force
- Specialised Roubaix SL4 Expert
- Trek Domane 5.2
Downloads:
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