Asking the hive mind for "proper" bike pointers...

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  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Il Principe wrote:
    Roastie wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.
    I'd (obviously) disagree.

    Marketing aside, if I was choosing a bike for regular competition, I'm want something more robust that can take the odd knock and crash - so I'd choose aluminium. Sportives are less rough and tumble, so I'd be happy with carbon.

    Sure, there is no reason why you can't use the same bike for either discipline, but the type of riding is very different (1 hour at full gas vs. a few hours moderately quickly, and often with big hills), so (at very least) you would have different equipment choices (compact chainsets, different cassette choices, ...). Personally I would, and do, choose different bikes to ride these different events.

    Hang on though - Chainsets/cassettes are easily swapped. The Sportive etc stuff is based on Geometry not components. I happily go for hour long blasts on my Dogma, and am equally happy riding it over several cols in a day or riding a century on UK roads - yet it is sold as an out and out race frame. I wouldn't race on it - not because I don't think it's robust enough - it is, but because should something happen to it, it would cost a fortune to replace. If I ever race I will buy a cheapo Alu frame as quite frankly at Cat 4 level etc any advantage the bike offers is minimal compared to rider fitness/ability...

    Training properly (and being fitted properly) according to your preferred event trumps minimal geometry differences every time. Of course as you get fitter/stronger who may want to adjust your position anyway...

    Edit again - isn't 'Sportive' just a new word for 'Compact' framesets?
    IP: I was saying that "at very least" you would do the (easy) equipment changes like changing gearing. But, sure, we are talking frames - the point I was making is that given you would make these small changes, surely it would be possible to make other changes to improve the experience.

    As far as your Dogma goes: it is a bloody good racing bike, so certainly won't be bad for either discipline but, it clearly is designed for endurance racing rather than crits, which makes it perfectly suited for sportives. That said, personally I would prefer something a bit slacker for longer rides (in the UK particularly) - and something a bit more alert for short races.

    But to the point - certainly you could happily use one bike for both, and you would not suffer for your choice. But each of the disciplines are fundamentally different so a frame designed for both will have compromises. Or put another way, a compromised bike designed for general applications will have room for improvement for any particular type of racing.

    ps. Totally agree. Preparing the engine and how it fits on the bike is far more important than the bike itself!
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    BigMat wrote:
    Both mybikes have compact chainsets - its basically nonsense to suggest that you can't race on a compact.
    Depends on the race. For a fast, flat course I'd be reaching for a 53/39 or changing the rings out on the compact to a 52/36 or 52/38 combo. The big ring on a 50/34 is too small.
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Roastie wrote:
    BigMat wrote:
    Both mybikes have compact chainsets - its basically nonsense to suggest that you can't race on a compact.
    Depends on the race. For a fast, flat course I'd be reaching for a 53/39 or changing the rings out on the compact to a 52/36 or 52/38 combo. The big ring on a 50/34 is too small.
    I don't race but I've been on fast club rides on flatter courses when I've had trouble keeping up on my compact gearing with others on standard doubles... I've literally been spinning out...
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Roastie wrote:
    BigMat wrote:
    Both mybikes have compact chainsets - its basically nonsense to suggest that you can't race on a compact.
    Depends on the race. For a fast, flat course I'd be reaching for a 53/39 or changing the rings out on the compact to a 52/36 or 52/38 combo. The big ring on a 50/34 is too small.
    I don't race but I've been on fast club rides on flatter courses when I've had trouble keeping up on my compact gearing with others on standard doubles... I've literally been spinning out...
    I don't know if it is a Strava thing, but some segments of the club ride have become blistering!
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Roastie wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Roastie wrote:
    BigMat wrote:
    Both mybikes have compact chainsets - its basically nonsense to suggest that you can't race on a compact.
    Depends on the race. For a fast, flat course I'd be reaching for a 53/39 or changing the rings out on the compact to a 52/36 or 52/38 combo. The big ring on a 50/34 is too small.
    I don't race but I've been on fast club rides on flatter courses when I've had trouble keeping up on my compact gearing with others on standard doubles... I've literally been spinning out...
    I don't know if it is a Strava thing, but some segments of the club ride have become blistering!
    I don't think it's a recent thing, fast club rides which average 19 mph + have always had sections in them which are too fast for compact gears....I wouldn't have bought a bike with compact gears if I'd actually known what
    it was when I bought the bike....
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.

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