Would a new bike make a difference?

DipLloyd

I'm currently using a restored old steel-framed bike with 500ex gearing with the levers on the bottom pipe. The wheels are also as old as the frame.


What are your thoughts on a newer, up to date bike? Would it make much of a difference if any? Or should I just keep going with the bike that's older than I?


Cheers

styxd

Of course it will be different, but what sort of differences are you hoping for?

DipLloyd

Comfortability and the ability to go faster (i know most is down to the engine but surely equipment makes a difference also?).

styxd

Yes, it'll be slightly quicker, but not lots! It'll probably "feel" quite a bit quicker though.

Comfort is probably the main thing, no more downtube shifters was a revelation for me!

daveski12

I'm wondering the same as I currently cycle on an old Raleigh.

I'm looking forward to getting a lighter, newer bike. I don't think its worth replacing the worn out bits on this one when the C2W scheme at work opens again in a couple of weeks.

Wrath Rob

DipLloyd wrote:

Comfortability and the ability to go faster (i know most is down to the engine but surely equipment makes a difference also?).

Not quite sure what that is but as a frame material, steel offers a very forgiving ride, though you do sacrifice speed in the process. If you want something comfortable yet properly fast you'll have to pay big bucks (i.e. you can have 2 of comfort/speed/cheap). No idea what you were thinking of re. budget but if you want mainly comfort then speed go for a modern steel or titanium bike. If you want mainly speed, get a race geometry carbon framed bike. If you want 1/2 and 1/2, there are plenty of bikes out there made of any of those 3 (or even aluminium!) that give you that.

Pretty much all modern bikes will have better brakes and gears than older bikes. I was amazed coming from hand-me-down downtube shifters with 5 or 10 speeds to modern STI shifters with 20 speeds.

Gizmodo

Why not try it for yourself? Either go to you LBS and ask them if they will let you test ride a bike for a few hours, or if you can't do that, take up Wiggle on their 30 test ride - it won't cost you a penny.

Then you can report back here and tell us what you thought.

unixnerd

Not all old steel bikes are the same. I went from a 1985 ten speed Raleigh tourer to a new steel tourer (which I now regard as heavy) and it was a sports car in comparison. Thing I liked most though was the greater spread of gears and the fact I didn't have to reach down to the shifters to change. Modern integrated brake / gear levers are wonderful.

rolf_f

unixnerd wrote:

Not all old steel bikes are the same. I went from a 1985 ten speed Raleigh tourer to a new steel tourer (which I now regard as heavy) and it was a sports car in comparison. Thing I liked most though was the greater spread of gears and the fact I didn't have to reach down to the shifters to change. Modern integrated brake / gear levers are wonderful.

Ahhh, but downtube shifters are wonderful as well. Integrated shifters aren't better - just different.

simon_masterson

Wrath Rob wrote:

though you do sacrifice speed in the process.

Care to substantiate that?

Facetious I am being, but to my mind to justify a new bike purchase on that basis alone, the difference in speed would have to be at least 30% higher. Until you are at the very pinnacle of your game; disciplined and trained to produce peak performance over long periods including challenging terrain, a 'fast' bike will be more of an 'indulgence' than a 'necessity'. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But my old Raleigh is made from the much-maligned 18:23 plain gauge tubeset from the '80s, it has steel rims, chunky tyres, flat bars and a rack (or it did until I broke it a few months ago), and I've averaged over 25 mph over 18 miles on it. I don't think even if I were at peak fitness I could manage massively faster on the same run on my road bike, or even a much sportier one than mine.

The engine always wins out. To be brutally honest, for most of us it's a matter of what makes us feel fastest or gives us the most enjoyment, so if you can afford it, buy it. Unless you are just as good as Eddy Merckx or Stephen Roche (forgive me for assuming...), logic dictates that you can't possibly be genuinely held back by a bike that they in their respective heydays might have ridden.

simon_masterson

Rolf F wrote:

unixnerd wrote:

Not all old steel bikes are the same. I went from a 1985 ten speed Raleigh tourer to a new steel tourer (which I now regard as heavy) and it was a sports car in comparison. Thing I liked most though was the greater spread of gears and the fact I didn't have to reach down to the shifters to change. Modern integrated brake / gear levers are wonderful.

Ahhh, but downtube shifters are wonderful as well. Integrated shifters aren't better - just different.

Indeed; I really like my downtube shifters. I'm a good way away from the 21st century and haven't actually tried integrated shifters yet, but I don't exactly feel deprived. I'm not sure I'd bother with indexed ones as some do. You can't death-grip the drops and shift at the same time, but so far as I can tell integrated shifters (unless you've got satellite levers like Mr. Cavendish) aren't perfect for that either. Anyway, good enough for Stephen Roche is good enough for me!

DipLloyd

So I take it the general consensus is to just stick with what I have then? The bike does weigh ~/<10kg but has only toe clips. Would it be wiser to just buy some cheap clipless pedals and shoes? My feet hurt after about 20miles (obviously because of my awesome power output :roll: ) to the point of not being able to ride the day after.

unixnerd

SPD pedals and shoes would make a difference. My nephew recently converted and noticed a big difference, he wished he'd done it months before! If I were you I'd test ride a few bikes and see how you feel.

simon_masterson

DipLloyd wrote:

So I take it the general consensus is to just stick with what I have then? The bike does weigh ~/<10kg but has only toe clips. Would it be wiser to just buy some cheap clipless pedals and shoes? My feet hurt after about 20miles (obviously because of my awesome power output :roll: ) to the point of not being able to ride the day after.

There's really nothing wrong with clips, but there are benefits to clipless. It's easier to get a better level of linkage - to get the best out of clips you need to at least tighten the straps, if not get some cycling shoes with old-style cleats as well - although they are a safer choice for beginners (straps not tightened; no cleats).

It never happened to me in thousands of miles, but some people experience foot discomfort from cycling in trainers; perhaps this is your problem.

DipLloyd

Well I am 15 stone so maybe my weight is a factor?

unixnerd

The weight will come off surprisingly fast if you keep up the cycling and eat sensibly. My nephew was about your weight he lost 3 stone in under a year.

cougie

Why do your feet hurt ? Somethings wrong there. Even in trainers I'd not expect problems - I know I had trainers for 80 mile rides before I got cycling shoes ?

And yes a new bike would make a massive difference. Have a test ride and see.

DipLloyd

I'm not fat (by standard convention, probably I am in the eyes of elite cyclists), I do a lot of lifting but to be honest could do with dropping a stone for when the rugby season gets underway.


No new bike it is then, just what I needed to hear as funds are not permitting it , like that's ever stopped many of you though lol.

DipLloyd

cougie wrote:

Why do your feet hurt ? Somethings wrong there. Even in trainers I'd not expect problems - I know I had trainers for 80 mile rides before I got cycling shoes ?

And yes a new bike would make a massive difference. Have a test ride and see.

I bought some narrow donnay trainers for £9, as my running trainers would not fit in the toe clips, the soles are really quite thin. I suppose the best thing to do is probably just get some pedals and shoes, I'd rather get proper shoes than waste more money on another pair of 'bargain/make-do' ones. Just got to keep my eye out for a good deal. CRC had some RO77's for under £35 the other week but I put off buying them and now they've gone up to around £60.

springtide9

Don't worry about whether it will make you faster or not, think more about whether it would increase your enjoyment or not :-)