Justifying better bikes!
greenamex2
Posts: 272
I have had the opportunity to test the difference between a lighter/"faster" bike and a heavier/"slower" one this week when my work bikes rear wheel decided to start leaking (tubeless tyres, probably my fault).
"Faster" bike - Cyclocross - Around 9Kg with carbon handlebar/stem/seatpost/seat, Di2, full mudguards, 30mm tubeless gravel tyres etc
"Slower" bike - Hardtail Hybrid - Around 13.5Kg with Ali handlebar/stem/seatpost, Deore XT everything, no mudguards, 35mm touring tyres etc
The commute is 12.6 miles each way. The total elevation is broadly similar but with a more gentle longer gradient to work and some short steeper climbs on the way home.
On the faster bike the journey takes around 50 minutes to work and about 48 minutes to get home. By contrast the slow bike takes around 54 minutes to get to work and around 53 minutes to get home.
Not a huge difference, particularly given that the faster bike is about 5 time more expensive than the slower one. HOWEVER what has surprised me is the difference in average heart rate across the two bikes.
On the faster bike I average 148BPM to work and around 145BPM back home.
On the slower bike I average over 160BPM to work and around 148BPM back home.
So if my wife wants me at home more AND to NOT keel over from a heart attack, I clearly need more "faster" bikes!
"Faster" bike - Cyclocross - Around 9Kg with carbon handlebar/stem/seatpost/seat, Di2, full mudguards, 30mm tubeless gravel tyres etc
"Slower" bike - Hardtail Hybrid - Around 13.5Kg with Ali handlebar/stem/seatpost, Deore XT everything, no mudguards, 35mm touring tyres etc
The commute is 12.6 miles each way. The total elevation is broadly similar but with a more gentle longer gradient to work and some short steeper climbs on the way home.
On the faster bike the journey takes around 50 minutes to work and about 48 minutes to get home. By contrast the slow bike takes around 54 minutes to get to work and around 53 minutes to get home.
Not a huge difference, particularly given that the faster bike is about 5 time more expensive than the slower one. HOWEVER what has surprised me is the difference in average heart rate across the two bikes.
On the faster bike I average 148BPM to work and around 145BPM back home.
On the slower bike I average over 160BPM to work and around 148BPM back home.
So if my wife wants me at home more AND to NOT keel over from a heart attack, I clearly need more "faster" bikes!
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Comments
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N+1, you know it makes sense!greenamex2 wrote:So if my wife wants me at home more AND to NOT keel over from a heart attack, I clearly need more "faster" bikes!Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Those are two really different bikes there. Just the less aero position of the hybrid accounts for most of the time loss0
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The 'faster' bike seems overkill for 23 mile round trip, given the 5x price and the minimal time gained. Don't think I could justify that personally... unless I just wanted it anyway, in which case N+1 comes into effect
Current:
NukeProof Mega FR 2012
Cube NuRoad 2018
Previous:
2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 80 -
Drop the di2 and a fair amount will be dropped from the price.
Buy from canyon/rose and it will be cheaper still and probably a lot lighter!0 -
...by which i mean you need n+10
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So do you think about carbon aerodynamic road bike?
Faster, lighter.0 -
You'd be even quicker and lower heart-rate if you just put some road tyres on your CX bike.
If you use it for CX, maybe just a second set of wheels with slicks on that you can swap over easily.
Clearly, N+1 is the way to go though ;-)0 -
CitizenLee wrote:The 'faster' bike seems overkill for 23 mile round trip, given the 5x price and the minimal time gained. Don't think I could justify that personally... unless I just wanted it anyway, in which case N+1 comes into effect
9 minutes a day saved, so 45 minutes a week, say you ride 45 weeks of the year that's nearly 34 hours a year back, keep the bike for 5 years, then you save just over 7 days of your life by having the quicker bike.
Sounds like a bargain to me!0 -
My CX commuting bike weighs 14kg with everything on it, my commute is only 12.5 miles in total but is over 1,000ft of elevation every day. I regard it as decent training for when I get to go out on my best bike that weighs less than half the amount!0
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njee20 wrote:CitizenLee wrote:The 'faster' bike seems overkill for 23 mile round trip, given the 5x price and the minimal time gained. Don't think I could justify that personally... unless I just wanted it anyway, in which case N+1 comes into effect
9 minutes a day saved, so 45 minutes a week, say you ride 45 weeks of the year that's nearly 34 hours a year back, keep the bike for 5 years, then you save just over 7 days of your life by having the quicker bike.
Sounds like a bargain to me!
lol
5x the price though. Still minimal gains for the initial outlay. OP could save the time by riding quicker
Current:
NukeProof Mega FR 2012
Cube NuRoad 2018
Previous:
2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 80 -
CookeeeMonster wrote:Drop the di2 and a fair amount will be dropped from the price.
Buy from canyon/rose and it will be cheaper still and probably a lot lighter!
The Di2 is required for health related reasons. I physically struggled to operate the old manual FD shift. And when I lost all sensation in my fingers (happens a lot) even shifting the RD was a bit hit and miss.
And I won't deny, it makes the bike more fun to ride.0 -
Nowt wrong with commuting on Di2! I'm certainly not going to try and justify the expense though, unlike you I just like it and have no actual reason whatsoever to use it!0
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CitizenLee wrote:njee20 wrote:CitizenLee wrote:The 'faster' bike seems overkill for 23 mile round trip, given the 5x price and the minimal time gained. Don't think I could justify that personally... unless I just wanted it anyway, in which case N+1 comes into effect
9 minutes a day saved, so 45 minutes a week, say you ride 45 weeks of the year that's nearly 34 hours a year back, keep the bike for 5 years, then you save just over 7 days of your life by having the quicker bike.
Sounds like a bargain to me!
lol
5x the price though. Still minimal gains for the initial outlay. OP could save the time by riding quicker
There are medical reasons for the Di2, carbon stem and carbon handlebars. The upgrade wheels were because the standard wheels couldn't cope with the mud, and they further assisted my medical issues. My heart issues and lung prevent me trying any harder.
Plus if I just had the cheap bike I would find it hard to motivate myself to ride in. Then my liver/kidneys would start turning to lump of solidified fat again and I would be back on the endangered list with the GP again despite being my ideal BMI.0 -
cougie wrote:Those are two really different bikes there. Just the less aero position of the hybrid accounts for most of the time loss
Seems to be about 50% aero position, 40% tyre rolling resistance and 10% motiviation from previous tests swapping bits about.0 -
njee20 wrote:Nowt wrong with commuting on Di2! I'm certainly not going to try and justify the expense though, unlike you I just like it and have no actual reason whatsoever to use it!
Does feel special...bit like a car with a proper sequential shift...it doesn't make that much difference in the real world but is good fun.0 -
sally56 wrote:So do you think about carbon aerodynamic road bike?
Faster, lighter.
Either me or the bike would be dead within a month...my route kills shimano free/wheel hubs and FSE bottom brackets in about 700 miles.0 -
greenamex2 wrote:CitizenLee wrote:njee20 wrote:CitizenLee wrote:The 'faster' bike seems overkill for 23 mile round trip, given the 5x price and the minimal time gained. Don't think I could justify that personally... unless I just wanted it anyway, in which case N+1 comes into effect
9 minutes a day saved, so 45 minutes a week, say you ride 45 weeks of the year that's nearly 34 hours a year back, keep the bike for 5 years, then you save just over 7 days of your life by having the quicker bike.
Sounds like a bargain to me!
lol
5x the price though. Still minimal gains for the initial outlay. OP could save the time by riding quicker
There are medical reasons for the Di2, carbon stem and carbon handlebars. The upgrade wheels were because the standard wheels couldn't cope with the mud, and they further assisted my medical issues. My heart issues and lung prevent me trying any harder.
Plus if I just had the cheap bike I would find it hard to motivate myself to ride in. Then my liver/kidneys would start turning to lump of solidified fat again and I would be back on the endangered list with the GP again despite being my ideal BMI.
In that case it sounds like you have more than enough reasons to go for the high end bike.
All the best
Current:
NukeProof Mega FR 2012
Cube NuRoad 2018
Previous:
2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 80 -
NorvernRob wrote:My CX commuting bike weighs 14kg with everything on it, my commute is only 12.5 miles in total but is over 1,000ft of elevation every day. I regard it as decent training for when I get to go out on my best bike that weighs less than half the amount!
Going to me interesting riding the 8Kg Carbon road bike on the London to Southend this Sunday after a week of riding the Hybrid!0 -
Justification is simple
" I worked hard for the money (or at least worked) and f**k it I want one."
Done.0
