Getting more speed out of my bike.

flopstocks

Hello I have just started to get in the road biking, but am strugling to keep up with my mates.

Unitally I had a Hybrid Carrera Gryphon (specs below), but purchased a secong hand Carrera Virtuoso which has now made me closer. However I prefer the gearing on the Gryphon as it has 9 at the back would it be possbile to transfer this over? If I decided to bite the bullet and purchase this

http://www.merlincycles.com/felt-f95-ro ... 0b8fa7d425

Do you think I would see any improvement?

Gryphon Specs :
Lightweight, 60cm, 7005 aluminium semi-compact frame, with double butted main tubes, with mudguard and rack eyes
Rigid fork, cro-moly blades, mudguard mounts and low rider eyes
18 speed SRAM X5 rear mech and X5 triggers
Prowheel Gloria 50-36 chainset with cartridge bottom bracket
Tektro IO mechanical disc brakes, 160mm rotors for powerful braking
DDR-1 double wall disc specific rims on Formula hubs
Low profile Innova 700-28c tyres
Flip flop stem, anatomic bars and toe clip pedals
Clearance for mudguards
Colour: Metallic Blue/Grey

Virusoso Specs:
■Frame Material: Aluminium
■Frame Size: 21-22
■Gears: 16
■Gender: Mens
■Suspension: Rigid
■Frame Size (cm): 51 - 54
■Brake Type: Dual Pivot Caliper Brake
■Chainset: Pro Wheel Gloria Compact
■Forks: Blade Fork with 1-1/8 Steerer
■Frame Colour: Black and Blue
■Frame-: Lightweight 7005 compact Aluminium
■Front Brake: Shimano Lever with Tektro 510A Dual Pivot Brake Caliper
■Front Mech: Shimano
■Gear Shifters: Shimano ST-2200 16 Speed
■Handle Bars: Kalloy Alloy 26mms
■Headset: Ahead Set
■Hubs: Alloy
■Number of Gears: 16
■Pedals: Black resin with Toe Clips
■Rear Brake: Shimano Lever with Tektro 510A Dual Pivot Brake Caliper
■Rear Mech: Shimano
■Rims: Double Wall Alloy
■Saddle: Carrera
■Seatpost: Kalloy Alloy 27.2mm
■Stem: Kalloy Alloy
■Tyre size: 700 x 25C
■Tyres: Innova 700 x 25C
■Wheel size: 700C
■Approximate Weight (KG): 10.5

imposter2.0

Just a thought - but is it possible that your mates may be fitter than you...?

flopstocks

Well yes they probably are, but I would like to get nearer them as I keep holding them up.

imposter2.0

Surely the obvious answer then is to work on improving your fitness, no? There is nothing inherently wrong with the Virtuoso which will be slowing you down...

Bozman

Work on the engine and forget about the equipment

slowbike

flopstocks wrote:

Well yes they probably are, but I would like to get nearer them as I keep holding them up.

The Virtuoso would've probably given you instant gains by virtue of the more aerodynamic position in which you'd ride.
From there it is a case of diminishing returns and you're better off increasing your fitness first.

My friend who is a good TTer has quite easily overtaken someone on a TT bike (during a TT) whilst on his touring bike - nothing to do with quality of the kit and all to do with the power of the engine riding it.

If I were you I'd ride the Virtuoso till you can keep up with your mates and then think about upgrading....

iPete

Ride more than your mates, do it in secret, set all rides to private on strava.

Then crush them.

muhahahaha.

If you still want to spend a little money, get yourself some lightweight summer tyres and tubes.

cattytown

If your mates are on road bikes, the felt will help a little.

Actually, it will help a little anyway, but as others have said get fitter. Lose weight carefully and you will get faster.

Targetted work on a turbo Trainer will also help.

Paul.

rickeverett

Fitness is first.

thegreatdivide

50mm carbon rims with an alu brake track.

philclubman

Buy the Felt - looks like a bargain. Good improvement on the Carrera.

Then go out, do some hill repeats, sprint and chase everything. Recover, then repeat.

cattytown

PhilClubman wrote:

Then go out, do some hill repeats, sprint and chase everything. Recover, then repeat.

This.

flopstocks

I am seriously tempted to purchase the Felt. Going to ask my employers tomorrow to see if I could get it on a cycle to work scheme.

Just been out on my Virtuoso, managed to buckle the back wheel. One broken spoke and the other is completely loose, Rubbing on the brake pad slightly now

meanredspider

I used to commute to work with my brother - him on a Trek OCLV MTB (£2000+) and me on a £100 BSO.

One day I bought a Kona Cinder Cone aluminium £700 MTB (we're talking about 15 years ago)

On the way home that night I blitzed past the bike shop owner.

The following night the bike shop owner rode past my brother.

He called back to him "Your brother is much fitter than you!"

Put the work in now - it'll pay you off later

kajjal

Two main things are fitness and bike fit / setup. Fitness is just putting in the time on the road, learning how to ride the bike well and finding some hills. A poorly setup bike will slow you down and at worse cause you injuries. Have a look on the web for bike setup guides but remember setup's vary from upright touring positions down to head down racing positions, choose the right balance for you.

bluemoon17

Tbh that Felt looks like a decent deal.

But more importantly, ride lots. And then ride a bit more.

Jules Winnfield

Putting the miles in (preferably more than your fitter friends) and hard graft on the bike is the only way you will keep up with them. You are playing catch up after all. I find it quite naive, maybe even a little bit ignorant on your part that you think the answer to keeping up with your mates is to buy another bike.

juanerasmoe

I think that the bike might make you go a bit faster because of better wheels and tires, but it wont solve your "problem".
If you want to be faster buy one of these http://goo.gl/ISGtA5 and use it throughout the winter.

ai_1

juanerasmoe wrote:

I think that the bike might make you go a bit faster because of better wheels and tires, but it wont solve your "problem".
If you want to be faster buy one of these http://goo.gl/ISGtA5 and use it throughout the winter.

Or buy some good lights. Turbo trainers aren't exactly fun! You may prefer to just get out in the cold and wet! I've done both and I would say it's easier to get yourself onto the turbo than to get yourself out the door on a dark, cold and wet winter night but once you're up and running I'd rather be outside. The turbo is tedious by comparison.

Buy a new bike if your current bike is a bad fit or there's something else significant wrong with it or because you want a new bike. Don't buy one in the belief that it's the way to get faster. You'll just be disappointed.

cougie

Turbo trainers are brilliant. With an hour a few nights a week in the winter you can come along in leaps and bounds - especially if you go all hi tech and have a plan.

I'd save the money but buy a track pump- proper tyre pressures are a big help - and you need to ride much more than your mates. Otherwise they will improve at the same rate as you.

If you're heavy - then diet.

mpatts

That felt is a bargain.

In my experience it won't make you faster. However, it is an excellent way of justifying new bits. My new sidi shoes are about 5% more aero.

bobmcstuff

If I'm honest my biggest single increase in performance has been losing ten kilos. Especially on the climbs. Second is just being stronger and fitter. Third is learning to pace properly and not burning out on hills.

Buying new kit is a distant fourth. But it's fun.