Best way to improve my first road bike

hillrunner

I've been riding my first road bike this year, it is basically this bike:

http://www.fujibikes.com/usa/bikes/road ... oubaix-1-1

I'm not racing yet but thinking about trying a race and am wondering if any experts could suggest the best ways to get more performance out of it. I've been lately riding pretty consistently at faster speeds, usually at least on rolling terrain and sometimes fairly hilly rides.

I haven't made any changes to it or had any major issues relating to the bike...I only got my first flat tire this week after riding probably 2500 miles.

After doing some online research it seems like a wheel upgrade would offer the biggest gains, but I don't have a sense for how good or bad the wheels that came with the bike are (Oval concept 527s). Also not sure if there are gains to be had elsewhere.

Thanks in advance!

MiddleRinger

hillrunner wrote:

I'm not racing yet but thinking about trying a race and am wondering if any experts could suggest the best ways to get more performance out of it.

Pedal harder...

But failing that, a good set of wheels and racier tyres will make the most difference.

That bike is just fine to race on.

imposter2.0

Improve the rider..

Camcycle1974

Tyres are the best upgrade assuming you still have the original ones that came with the bike. New wheels possibly but don't assume that they will automatically make you faster. Upgrade the rider by getting in the best shape you possibly can. I've become faster by riding more at greater intensity. There's no shortcuts, put in the work and see the rewards.

Mapaputsi

In terms of your bike, tyres will make a huge difference. Continental GP4000 S2s are fairly universally used by most racers that I know and I find them excellent too - they are £30 a pop though!

But in terms of training and getting faster I have found that a power meter has been the best investment I have made. If you can pair it up with a turbo training plan over the winter you will see impressive gains.

Good luck!

cougie

Bike is good to go. Maybe new tyres as has been said. Do you ride with other people ? I'd look at your skills before racing.

jgsi

Ok, 'tis a sportive bike for mamils, however there is hope , so
slame the stem
negative stem
pukka (spend the money) carbon wheels with tubs, none of this tubeless shit
Learn how to ride with others at plus 20

Matthewfalle

JGSI wrote:

Ok, 'tis a sportive bike for mamils, however there is hope , so
slame the stem
negative stem
pukka (spend the money) carbon wheels with tubs, none of this tubeless shoot
Learn how to ride with others at plus 20

This

Carbonzone or far sport carbon deep rims with tubs will do the job nicely. Tubs rock. Tape them on for ease.
Lots of intervals
Ride lots
Eat healthy
Have fun

No need for power meters and all that until you get serious/good.

cycleclinic

Ride the bike more. I can't believe people are recommending tubs to the op, as nice as they are I am not sure the op needs them. Besides tubular tyre choice is becoming more restricted and they are not faster than tubeless tyres or clinchers.

imposter2.0

thecycleclinic wrote:

Besides tubular tyre choice is becoming more restricted and they are not faster than tubeless tyres or clinchers.

I don't think tub choice is becoming any more restricted - not that it ever has been 'restricted'. Tubulars have many advantages, but speed has never been one of them...

cycleclinic

New tubular are not being brought to market. Wheel manufacturers are dropping tubular wheels. I hardly sell tubs now or tubular wheels except for cx. It's a tyre type that's on borrowed time.

There are no advantages for tubs that good tubeless does not replicate. In fact I think tubeless is safer because a blowout is really hard to do. I have ridden tubeless flat and tyres have remained seated. I have done the same with tubs. The only advantage tubs have us lighter rims but that only applies to carbon.

Tubeless tyres are more comfortable as well. The only reason to have tubs now is if you have tubular wheels. I have many so I use tubs. The only reason and I mean the only reasons to buy tubular wheels is to get a 1100g or lighter stiff wheelset in carbon or your restoring an old bike.

This is coming from some one with 10 tubular wheelsets including a mtb tubular wheelset.

Moonbiker

Will tdf pro etc switch from tubs to tubless eventually?

singleton

Some new wheels will make a small difference.

The difference between tubs and fast clinchers with light inner tubes is very small so I'd just stick with something like a GP4000s with a light tube.

The biggest improvement will be to join a club and ride with some faster riders in a group. It will push you and make you faster, plus give you some good experience of group riding.

fenix

OP hasnt been back since he posted...

CitizenLee

Fenix wrote:

OP hasnt been back since he posted...

They never come back.

imposter2.0

Moonbiker wrote:

Will tdf pro etc switch from tubs to tubless eventually?

If the advantages were that obvious, they would have switched already...

cycleclinic

its called interia. pro team mechanics stick to what they know. it is hard persuading a team to swtich when what they have is not that broken given the number of team support cars carrying wheels. the advantages are clear, hell i use both i should know but that does not mean it is clear to those who have bad setups or who have not used a good tubeless setup for a while. It not even clear to ugo on here. he obviously like changing inner tubes more.

DeVlaeminck

What are the advantages of tubeless over clinchers though? I seem to remember a discussion on these boards recently where the conclusion was tubeless don't really offer benefits for road cycling.

imposter2.0

thecycleclinic wrote:

its called interia. pro team mechanics stick to what they know. it is hard persuading a team to swtich when what they have is not that broken given the number of team support cars carrying wheels.

Sorry, I don't agree. A number of teams have now switched to discs over calipers, particulary this season. That would have been the ideal time to move from tubs to tubeless, if they thought it was worthwhile.

Matthewfalle

agree with imposter.

tubs still rock - easier to use, cleaner to use, loads of options, lighter all round, roll better, safer.

Camcycle1974

DeVlaeminck wrote:

What are the advantages of tubeless over clinchers though? I seem to remember a discussion on these boards recently where the conclusion was tubeless don't really offer benefits for road cycling.

They do if you prefer riding to changing inner tubes. From my limited experience thus far you can run them at lower pressure therefore more comfort, they roll as well if not better than tubed tyres plus you get less flats. What's not to like?

Matthewfalle

Camcycle1974 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

What are the advantages of tubeless over clinchers though? I seem to remember a discussion on these boards recently where the conclusion was tubeless don't really offer benefits for road cycling.

They do if you prefer riding to changing inner tubes. From my limited experience thus far you can run them at lower pressure therefore more comfort, they roll as well if not better than tubed tyres plus you get less flats. What's not to like?

how many punctures do you get?

Camcycle1974

Matthewfalle wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

What are the advantages of tubeless over clinchers though? I seem to remember a discussion on these boards recently where the conclusion was tubeless don't really offer benefits for road cycling.

They do if you prefer riding to changing inner tubes. From my limited experience thus far you can run them at lower pressure therefore more comfort, they roll as well if not better than tubed tyres plus you get less flats. What's not to like?

how many punctures do you get?

Like many things it depends. Had two during a 100 mile sportive in March and it was freezing but the one incident that converted me to tubeless was at Easter when out on a training ride in rural Norfolk I had 3 flats and my wife had to pick me up as I had run out of tubes. Fingers crossed no incidents since which is good enough for me. I know tubeless isn't faultless but puncture protection is enhanced and if I do have an unsaleable flat I can plug the hole with a butyl strip without removing the tyre from the rim which is another bonus imo.

cycleclinic

oh please. if you think inner tubes are that great ask your car tyre place to fit them to your car. tubeless is not just about reistance to punctures or self healing punctures. It is about comfort. Tubed tyres including tubs are less comfortable (even the high tpi ones that I use) than all the tubeless tyres on wide rims that I have tried. If you like a harsher ride stick to tubes. Personally I like comfort and punctures that self heal mostly and if they dont can be pluged quickly with a worm is a nice bonus. the space saved by not having to carry inner tubes makes my jerseys more comfortable to wear.
In fact it can be argued the more comfortable tyre is the faster tyre in reality as vertical movement (the cause of discomfort) slow the cyclist down and the forward effort is moving the bike up and well as forward. This is why rolling resistance tests are not always that illuminating as to which are the best tyres. It was thought higher pressures were faster then mountain bikers realised that lower pressures are faster. It turn out on anything but the smoothest of tarmac lower pressure are faster too.

Tubeless setups even if the puncture badly can generally be fixed and hold some air to get you home without having to remove the tyre. You know they are fixed the same way motorcyclists fix there punctures. Big fat worms for the big holes plus other tricks if needed. I once had to ride 150 miles on 30 psi because I forgot everything to sort out a puncture with w tubeless tyre. I was 50 miles into a 200 miles ride that day when it happned. Then I got a second one after 100 miles. It turn out i was still able to ride at pace at 30 psi on a tyre that measured 24mm inflated fully.

Motorised veichles use tubeless tyres and why is that. The same logic applies to bicycles.

This is not opinion mind. These are facts. Now you may think that the benefits of tubeless is something you can live without. Thats fine, thats opinion.

Camcycle1974

I'm a convert Malcolm. You fitted mine and I haven't once regretted changing over from tubes.