One of the more common questions I see asked about RAGBRAI, especially by newer riders, is what is the best bike for RAGBRAI. That’s a bit like asking what is the best dog to have as a pet. You will get a lot of different responses based on personal preference and it really comes down to that – what you prefer. So what should you look for in a bike for a ride like RAGBRAI?
By far the number one thing to look for in a bike is comfort and fit. Forget all the newfangled gadgets like electronic shifting. If a bike isn’t comfortable to ride, it won’t be enjoyable and will make you miserable on RAGBRAI. You will be spending many hours on RAGBRAI this year. 500 miles divided by 15 mph equals sitting on the bike for 33 hours in one week. Some of you will spend more time than this. That’s a long time to be sitting on that bike so it had better be comfortable.
There are three touch points with the bike – the handlebars, saddle and pedals. A major component of comfort is bike fit.