eureka moment
limoneboy
Posts: 480
So i little bit of advice for beginner searching for a new bike for next season , i have been road cycling again for 4 years and in this time become 40% faster , now i put this down to fitness and also lighter more expensive bikes ,in fact my current summer ride comes in at 5k ! but this winter i have been riding my winter ploder a focus xcross mares with std wheels std kit and weighs 9.5kg. yesterday on my std course with full winter gear on (its very cold up here) and this donkey i only clocked 2kmh average less than on my 6kg summer beauty.
So is my summer bike worth the 4.2k more, i have come to the expensive conclusion that the answer is a big no.
save your money get fitter on a heaver bike and spend the excess on cycling holidays
got to go ,need to browse the net for more more lightweight stuff i don't need
So is my summer bike worth the 4.2k more, i have come to the expensive conclusion that the answer is a big no.
save your money get fitter on a heaver bike and spend the excess on cycling holidays
got to go ,need to browse the net for more more lightweight stuff i don't need
last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc1
0
Comments
-
I quite agree. It's diminishing returns once you get past a grand or so.
Most of my good memories of cycling are from fantastic rides in the Alps. You can have a fair few weekends over there for the price of a top spec bike.0 -
Yes! Bike upgrades are expensive. Far cheaper to lose 1 kg of bodyweight than lose 500g bike weight going from 105 to Duraace groupset!0
-
My bike cost £330 brand new.
I bet it's every bit as fast as yours.0 -
I'm rocking a 90's steel £130 eBay special with full mudguards at the moment. The engine is still the limiting factor in my riding.0
-
Bustacapp wrote:My bike cost £330 brand new.
I bet it's every bit as fast as yours.
its not the bike , its mostly the rider ,that's the whole point of this thread, but i would rather ride my 5k bh down monti baldo 6000ft at 55mph than a £330 bike A)it stopped when i asked it on trp 970sl brakes
it went were i asked it.
that is not my normal riding route ,much less challenging normally so winter bike is o.k.
race you down that mountain in italy and see who survives last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc10 -
remember what you have is a thoroughbred racing bike deigned to shave time were it counts.2 kph is giving you a chance of being 2000 meters further up the road than the other guy.When its time to climb the tourmalet i wont be looking to borrow bustacapps bike but id love to give it a go on a 6kg machine.0
-
Because he doesnt have to,but i,d put my mortgage on it that on a £330 wiggins would still beat every one on here.Briggo wrote:Bustacapp wrote:My bike cost £330 brand new.
I bet it's every bit as fast as yours.
If that's the case why doesn't Mr Wiggins ride that £330 bike?
The benefits of lite weight etc come to play when your actually good enough to gain from said benefits.Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori0 -
It's all about speed is it then? Nothing to do with smooth gear changes, smooth progressive braking, smooth rides on nice wheels wearing proper tyres and decent bearings that seem to roll forever, and a BB that doesn't flex and creak when you're out of the saddle up a hill, a frame that rewards your efforts by not soaking up a good chunk of your energy as you dance on the pedals trying to wrestle the bars from the headset in pursuit of some unlikely goal? And it's nothing whatsoever to do with getting home after a ride and looking at the bike & thinking - knowing - that that's a really nice bike that you've just been out on? No? For 300 notes you get the same joy and pleasure as you would on a Di2 carbon road burner that your legs can propel only the tiniest bit faster, but gives you a million dollar ride? Really? Just me then.
You're welcome to your cheap bike, and you'll probably beat me on it. Ask me who's enjoying the ride to the finish though. And which one would I rather spend 6 hours on.
0 -
limoneboy wrote:i only clocked 2kmh average less than on my 6kg summer beauty.
So is my summer bike worth the 4.2k more, i have come to the expensive conclusion that the answer is a big no.
What am I missing here?
2kms/hour. That is a massive difference. :shock:
IMO the answer is a big YES PLEASE
And that's without considering all the other benefits quoted by CiB in the above post.
"You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
Bustacapp wrote:
The point is those at that level are on an equal basis which makes a fair comparison to then highlight how much difference a good bike makes.0 -
Clearly they're not all on an equal basis or the races would be a dead heat.
Put cav on a decent bike and he will likely win a sprint. Give him the special limited edition bike and he will still win.
Was it the Rapha or planet x team that were racing well on ultegra as they didn't think DA was any benefit to them for the extra cost ?0 -
Briggo wrote:Bustacapp wrote:
The point is those at that level are on an equal basis which makes a fair comparison to then highlight how much difference a good bike makes.
Precisely. Is the OP at their level? Is the majority of the riders on here who spend over £330 for a bike at their level? No. I get that people like to buy shiny things they are into, but when they try to justify it by saying "I will be faster" it just makes me lol inside.0 -
I started cycling recently and was using an old bike I had had for 20 years, Bought a new carbon bike and made so much difference not just to my speed but it increased my enjoyment of cycling. I only paid 1k and I'm sure spending another 3k wouldn't make me much faster but the point is, is if you have that 3k more to spend on a bike and it makes you happy then go for it.
Marginal gains at our level of cycling are more to do with marginal gains to our overall enjoyment of cycling and not so much about marginal gains to our speed.0 -
cougie wrote:Clearly they're not all on an equal basis or the races would be a dead heat.
Put cav on a decent bike and he will likely win a sprint. Give him the special limited edition bike and he will still win.
Was it the Rapha or planet x team that were racing well on ultegra as they didn't think DA was any benefit to them for the extra cost ?
These people train day in and day out, within the peleton they may be a bit slower than another rider, but at the end of the day they are in top form and do this as a living, otherwise they wouldn't be there. There will ALWAYS be differences between riders.0 -
I think you'll find that the principle of diminishing returns applies to just about everything in life. Even life itself.
Purveyor of "up"0 -
No not at Cav's level ,wish i was half as fast in a sprint
i do enjoy riding my 5k bike it is smoother , lighter , and pretty as f**k,but having work through 7 bikes over 3 years i have to say that once you get to 2k-3k unless you are a skilled rider or semi pro level it all about looks .now i agree that zipps work well at high speed but not many weekend riders are ever going to get the benifit of that extra cost.
My best purchases are the ones i stick with , bars and stem for example , easton ec90 combo super stiff super comfy , great shape ,why change ? as apposed to mavic cosmic slr wheels .fast but nearly killed me in the welsh hills on a windy day more than once ,time to change and i did .
the best cycling relate change made this year was
A) eat less crap so 2kg lighter (not fat anyway but cost nothing ) try taking 2kg off your bike that's going to cost 2k riding more and harder ,setting personnal goals mostly on climbs.
still change frame twice and now have a keeper (for today) last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc10 -
Bustacapp wrote:Precisely. Is the OP at their level? Is the majority of the riders on here who spend over £330 for a bike at their level? No. I get that people like to buy shiny things they are into, but when they try to justify it by saying "I will be faster" it just makes me lol inside.
Nice oxymoron "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
2kms/hour. That is a massive difference.
True. But then the OP is probably riding the CX bike in sh*tty winter conditions; more wind, wet roads, heavier/more restictive gear, belted tires and maybe (probably) with a more relaxed posture. Take out those factors & most of that 2kph is down the pan...0 -
DesB3rd wrote:2kms/hour. That is a massive difference.
True. But then the OP is probably riding the CX bike in sh*tty winter conditions; more wind, wet roads, heavier/more restictive gear, belted tires and maybe (probably) with a more relaxed posture. Take out those factors & most of that 2kph is down the pan...
Yes but factor in progressive fitness, wind assisting difficult segments and good legs on the day and that 2kph is back
Okay I am being pedantic. Whilst I agree that a 5k bike making you 5kph faster is laughable I also think that by saying it makes no difference at all is equally laughable. A lighter bike gives a better power to weight ratio, lighter wheel rims, better quality hubs, aerodynamics etc it all adds up.
Its fine to say that losing 4 kgs by dieting will make the same difference for a lot less money but you can , if you have the funds, do both."You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
Charlie Potatoes wrote:DesB3rd wrote:2kms/hour. That is a massive difference.
Its fine to say that losing 4 kgs by dieting will make the same difference for a lot less money but you can , if you have the funds, do both.
I did both ,well 2kg off me anyway my bike loses weight quicker than me but at a cost.
problem with me is that i am a Designer by trade and good design/engineering makes my wallet open quicker than katy Price's legs ,but like a night with katy it will only last a couple of minutes(till the next items catchs my eye) last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc10 -
limoneboy wrote:Charlie Potatoes wrote:DesB3rd wrote:2kms/hour. That is a massive difference.
Its fine to say that losing 4 kgs by dieting will make the same difference for a lot less money but you can , if you have the funds, do both.
I did both ,well 2kg off me anyway my bike loses weight quicker than me but at a cost.
problem with me is that i am a Designer by trade and good design/engineering makes my wallet open quicker than katy Price's legs ,but like a night with katy it will only last a couple of minutes(till the next items catchs my eye)
I've shed 21kgs so I deserve that 6.45kg Canyon that I have on order. 8)
I just wished that people on here would stop spoiling the magic
"You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
If I had a penny for every time someone wheels out the 'lose 2kg instead' argument...bike weight is dead weight you get nothing from it being heavier...the heavier you are the more power you produce...its still better to be lighter than heavier but least you get something from body weight....power.0
-
DavidJB wrote:If I had a penny for every time someone wheels out the 'lose 2kg instead' argument...bike weight is dead weight you get nothing from it being heavier...the heavier you are the more power you produce...its still better to be lighter than heavier but least you get something from body weight....power.
not if its fat,thats dead weight as well , i lost alot of weight 6kg then put 2kg back on in muscle mostly on my legs.
its all relative though - track riders are completely different build to tour riders ,you don't wins tours been built like a brick sh*t house,but you get gold medals on the track.last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc10 -
DavidJB wrote:If I had a penny for every time someone wheels out the 'lose 2kg instead' argument...bike weight is dead weight you get nothing from it being heavier...the heavier you are the more power you produce...its still better to be lighter than heavier but least you get something from body weight....power.
So a 60 stone man equals strongest man in the world?
Brilliant, time to get on the Maccy D diet.0
