<p>My husband loves his bike trips in Europe. (We sell bicycles as our business; most of our suppliers are European.) That said, there is a huge difference between a city bike and a “racing bike”. If it’s a racing bike in Italy, there are actually different laws that apply–if you’re on a racing bike, you must wear a helmet; a city bike, no helmet is required. </p>
<p>If your son plans to ride his bike on long rides in the countryside, he will be happy to have his own racing bike along; if he plans short rides in the city for commuting, he might be happier with a bit of a clunker. Feel free to PM me for advice on cycling in France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands.</p>