Why does it feel so slow?

alamb200

Hi,

This may be a stupid question but I would like to know the answer if possible?

For years I was riding a vintage Falcon racer but after many years and so so many repairs I had to scrap it.

As a replacement I eventually bought a second hand Specialized Allez racer, I loved the bike it felt light, responsive and fast. Unfortunately after only having it for 10 days some low life decided to cut the lock and steal it, I have never seen it again.

I sulked and pouted for a while and in the end decided that any racer is better than no racer so I bought a second hand Muddy Fox Saratosa which was in very good condition, I know they are a bargain brand but I thought because it has Shimano gears it cannot be too bad.

Now to my question.

Why does it feel so slow???? I jump on the pedals and go for it but I still just seem to be crawling along. It feels so heavy and tiring.

How do I make this bike faster to ride?

I know it will not compare to a Specialized but there must be some sensible answer.

Thanks,

alamb200

jermas

Possibly the tyres aren't as good- more rolling resistance.

jgsi

Just to make you feel better.. not.. it is probably twice as heavy a bike they were road racing in the 1930s!
;-)

cougie

Muddy Fox costs about £200. Allez over £500. That £300 buys a lot of improvements.

Wheels and tyres are probably the main suspects though - and maybe fit ?

pinno

Have you tried oiling the chain and greasing the bearings?

On a serious note, can't you get a half decent thing and find a secure place to put it as D locks and the whattheyhave for locks these days aren't up to much. Even if locked securely with the latest lock, an alen key will relinquish you of most of the bits.
Cheap bikes ride 'orribly and might ruin your love of the bike, don't do it.

Silly question, was the Spesh insured?

congtiaije

Muddy Fox costs about £200. Allez over £500. That £300 buys a lot of improvements.

dowtcha

Wheels and tyres at a guess, just check that u don't have brake rub on one of the wheels.

kajjal

congtiaije wrote:

Muddy Fox costs about £200. Allez over £500. That £300 buys a lot of improvements.

Unfortunately this is very true, lighter, stiffer, smoother gears etc. All adds up to the difference you can feel.

BeaconRuth

alamb200 wrote:

....I know they are a bargain brand but I thought because it has Shimano gears it cannot be too bad.....

Shimano make components with a wide range of qualities. Just because it's Shimano does not mean it is top quality and 'high-performance'.

Simply, the detailed spec of a bike determines the feel and performance and it sounds like you latest bike is of significantly lower quality than your Specialised Allez. There is a reason why people spend a lot of money on high-spec bikes!

Ruth

mr_evil

Is it actually slower, or does it just feel slower? Aside from the already mentioned tyres, the only thing about a bike that has a significant effect on your speed is the fit - if you are more upright on the new bike then it will slow you down.

Bobbinogs

Decent tyres can make a big difference to the feeling of speed...and they also add real speed. Unfortunately, like all things, you don't get ought for nought. A decent quick training tyre will cost about £25 to £40 (Schwalbe Ultremo DD are fantastic but Gatorskins aren't bad if you are on a budget). 25mm works well and are comfortable so don't go old school looking for 19mm versions

A decent spec second-hand Allez can be had for as little as £250 though if you look around (try and get some help if you are not sure about what to look for).

iron-clover

I've just googled the Saratosa and unfortunately it looks a bit like a BSO (bike shaped object) which is generally of poor quality compared to the Allez, which is why it will feel so much slower.

I've spent the last few weekends racing with nice wheels on my bike and have changed them back to the everyday wheels I have to save the shiny race day ones, which are much heavier (and sturdier) and for the first 5 miles or so I had to readjust to them. At first I thought they felt very sluggish, but then by the time I got home 60 miles later it was as if they'd never been off.

Unfortunately Shimano (and SRAM to a point) make very cheap components that aren't any better than non branded ones at the price point, and any bike claiming that it's "Shimano equipped" rather than "Comes with Shimano Sora, Tigra etc" is probably best avoided as it's not really anything to shout about.

The easiest upgrade would be the wheels and tyres, as your set are probably well north of 2kg in weight (possibly tipping 3...) and you can get much better fairly cheaply, such as Shimano WH-501 which are still very reliable and sturdy wheels.

However, to make it feel anywhere close to the Specialized, you would probably need to just ditch the whole thing and buy another bike so I would use it to get miles in over winter, increase your fitness and run the components into the ground then treat yourself to a new (or second hand) bike when it finally dies. Then obviously look after the next one much better.

simon_masterson

Mr Evil wrote:

Is it actually slower, or does it just feel slower? Aside from the already mentioned tyres, the only thing about a bike that has a significant effect on your speed is the fit - if you are more upright on the new bike then it will slow you down.

This. Feeling flightier and being more gratifying to ride are not the same thing as faster. I highly doubt that the TT bikes used throughout the '80s, with 2 Kevlar discs, are all that fun to ride by the criteria we are discussing here.

Cheap bikes will often be poorly set up, with bearings that aren't the smoothest, and rubbish tyres. Position may be very upright, and geometry not designed for sharper handling. Combine with heavier wheels and overall weight, and the bike's going to feel less responsive. Some of that is fixable, but you get what you pay for. In terms of actual speed, that's up to you.

ben@31

- Frame geometry. Maybe the Allez feels a more flickable, responsive, racer while the Saratosa is built for comfort?
- Tyre pressure.
- Weight and quality of wheels.
- Frame weight.
- Servicing of groupset. Maybe the Saratosa is starting to seize up and need a lube?