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What is a flat bar road bike?
Think of a flat bar road as the closest thing to a road bike - with flat handlebars.
We still categorise flat bars as a hybrid; a cross-between a road and mountain bike.
But they are the lightest and fastest of the hybrids.
The positioning on these bikes is sportier. You're leaning over more but not as aggressively as you would be on a road bike.
And the handling is sharp and responsive with a touch of stability.
Flat bar road bikes are different to our City bikes, because flat bars tend to have a slightly more sporty riding position and sharper handling.
They can still be used for the same purpose that City bikes though. But we felt the need to make the distinction and so they are in separate categories.
Who Should buy a flat bar road bike?
You should consider a flat bar road bike if:
- You're a commuter that prioritises speed and efficiency.
- You prefer a sporty riding position versus one that is upright.
- Your route consists mainly of pavement with 10-20% light dirt and gravel.
And lastly, if you're already riding a suspension hybrid or mountain bike and feel like you don't need suspension anymore and do need a faster bike.
Our Range.
Most of our flat bar road bike range consists of the Giant Fastroad AR (mens/unisex) and Liv Thrive (women's specific).
The Fastroad range begins with the Fastroad AR 2. The AR 2 uses a 9-speed gearing system with hydraulic disc brakes.
The Fastroad AR 1 uses Giant's lighter ALUXX-SL grade aluminium frame. The frame looks the same as the AR 2 but it's made from a different aluminium alloy.
Riders also get an 11-speed gearing system (instead of a 9 speed).
So gear shifting is smoother and the components are a little more robust.
Whenever you see the word Advanced, it means that model uses a carbon frame.
The Fastroad AR Advanced 2 uses a carbon frame paired to a 10-speed gearing system. And lastly, the range topping Fastroad AR Advanced 1 uses a 12-speed gearing system.
The women's Thrive range starts at the Thrive 2. This model uses a premium lightweight aluminium frame (called ALUXX-SL). The carbon fork helps mute impacts and vibrations, as does the especially designed seat post.
The Thrive 1 gets a gearing upgrade, from 9-speed to 11-speed, resulting in smoother gear changes.
The Thrive Advanced 1 is the women's range topping model and is equivalent in build to the men's Fastroad AR Advanced 1.