Does a poor cyclist stand a chance??

[Murfdawg]

I live paycheck to paycheck these days wich makes my bike options a little narrow. I got about $1000 back from taxes this year and spent it all on a Trek 1500. Does this put me at a disadvantage come race day or does better training beat out better equipment???

[TCR]

or does better training beat out better equipment???

BINGO!

[DrPete]

does better training beat out better equipment???

Yup.

If you can, try to hook up with a club/team that offers some good discounts. Clothing will be much cheaper, and often times you'll get some discounts at a shop or direct from a sponsoring company.

Bottom line, though, is that if you train right and you're fit, you can and will win cat 5 races on a Trek 1500. For just about all of us in the lower cats it's all about the engine, and some of us spend a lot on our bikes. But that addiction is totally separate from racing ability.

Go out there and give 'em hell.

[El Diablo Rojo]

BINGO!

If your bike is in sound mechanical condition that is only 'bike' related issue you need to worry about. If you've got the motor then you'll be just fine.

[Snuffleupagus]

9 speed 105, aluminum frame/carbon fork, decent wheels...you won't be at any kind of disadvantage equipment wise. I used 105 9s until just a few months ago when I got a killer deal on a DA 10s group. I don't feel any huge difference between the two, it's just that the 10 speed is harder to set up properly :lol:

The only thing I'd say is that you might try to ebay the bontrager paired spoke wheels you've got right now and get some more durable 28 or 32h 3x wheels (Deep V, Open Pro etc), as it'll probably save you money in the mid to near term on truing and associated crap.

[patentcad]

I live paycheck to paycheck these days wich makes my bike options a little narrow. I got about $1000 back from taxes this year and spent it all on a Trek 1500. Does this put me at a disadvantage come race day or does better training beat out better equipment???

But of course. It's the motor dude. Don't worry about idiots like me and Dr. Pete with our Zipp wheels and fancy bike schwag. A well-trained, talented, fit cyclist on a Schwinn Varsity will dump OCP weenies like us in a heartbeat.

Right Dr. P?

Of course I think the idiots with the bike schwag may have more fun, but that's a whole other thread.

[wrote4luck]

I have $800 tied up in my racing bike and it serves it's purpose just as well as any $2k+ bike would. In this first month of racing: I got 9th in my first CAT 5 RR, 1st in my first ITT, and 12th in my first Crit. You will be fine, just find time to train to get the extra edge. BTW, I run Ultegra 9spd and the only carbon fiber I could afford was the seat post and the fork.


Also, +1 on finding a good club.

[alanfleisig]

I rode and raced a Trek 1500 upgraded with Ultegra cranks and bottom bracket and Mavic wheels. It really was just as fast as my new Madone. Just not as comfortable on the centuries. It's still my winter and travel bike.

[Murfdawg]

Thats makes me feel better... Ill let you know how it turns out!

[Murfdawg]

Ive been hearing a lot about upgrading the wheels... any suggestions?

[oneradtec]

The Trek 1500 is a good racing bike. You'll be fine. Go train.

As others have said...just make sure you have her tuned up and dialed in.

See ya out on the open roads.

[G60]

i can't think of any competitions in which better training doesn't beat better equipment.

there aren't many sports in which you need all the latest and greatest stuff to be competitive.

as was mentioned earlier, make sure your bike is in good working order. you will be put at a disadvantage if things aren't in proper working order. that goes for any bike, not just yours!

[Phatman]

the only place in bike racing where it really sucks to be poor is time trialing. a TT bike with full aero setup, disc, trispoke, etc, can shave SEVERAL minutes off of your TT, depending on the length.

[DrPete]

But of course. It's the motor dude. Don't worry about idiots like me and Dr. Pete with our Zipp wheels and fancy bike schwag. A well-trained, talented, fit cyclist on a Schwinn Varsity will dump OCP weenies like us in a heartbeat.

Right Dr. P?

Of course I think the idiots with the bike schwag may have more fun, but that's a whole other thread.

You speak the truth, PC. See post #2. All hail the cat 4 peloton dogs. Woof. :beer:

[Keith99]

Eddy wasn't exactly wealthy. In fact according to legend he almost did not end up a racer. A major turning point early on was when he won a small race with a small money prize and his mother realized there was money to be made and let him keep racing.

So as I see it if you are not worried about having to work at the family store instead of being able to race at all you may in fact be too well off to make it as a racer.

Of course fat Greggy came from a bit of money so I guess that handicap can be overcome.

[wrote4luck]

Yeah, the fact remains that cycling should be enjoyed for the sport of it. Worrying about having an expensive power meter or carbon wheels isn't necessary for poor riders like me, because the truth is we really don't need them at all. There are dozens of training plans you can make with just a cheap heart rate monitor and training diary, and a nice $250 set of aluminum aero clinchers will do the trick.

[urbanknight]

Ive been hearing a lot about upgrading the wheels... any suggestions?
imo, the best thing for you to do when you get enough money to buy a new set of wheels is find a nice set of lighweight tubulars, and keep your stock wheels for training and spares at the race (so you'll need a new cassette with the new wheels). That's what I did and it worked great for years.

[patentcad]

'Does a poor cyclist stand a chance?'

Not in the OCP Wars. Wave your White Weenie Flag now you hopeless starter bike flunkie.

No Zipps for you.

Please go easy on me on the BF group ride after this post. It's embarrassing when a guy with a bike 1/4 as expensive as your shells your sorry ass.

[grebletie]

It can actually be better. There is nothing more satisfying than dropping someone one a bike 5x more expensive than your own. It's really 98% fitness, and 2% equipment. In other words, your equipment won't be holding you back for a long, long time.

[DrWJODonnell]

You have a better chance than do us idiots with a bit of cash to spare (or no economic sense). And when it comes down to it, we won't even contest the sprint for fear of damage to our carbon fiber babies. :)

[bassplayinbiker]

I'm a competitive cat three who races on $5 weekly for allowance. My parents sometimes help me with entry fees's but they're poor as hell too.

Here are things you will learn real quick:

1. You can eat like a king at taco hell for $5 (you'll figure this out when traveling broke)
2. Poptarts are the cornerstone of every meal
3. Never throw any food away when traveling to races.
4. Mix 4 oz of hawiian punch with 4oz of water and add a pinch of salt to make a poverty sports drink
5. Learn to patch tubes. It's much cheaper
6. Learn to re use old derailer cable and brake cable. (it'll come up, trust me)
7. you can get off brand whey protein for $11 at target
8. Powdered gatorade tastes like crap
9. never throw out a tube, if it cannot be patched, use it as a bungee cord
10. If a training buddy flats, ask for his tube, and patch it
11. you can use the cam end on your skewers as tire levers
12. trainer blocks are for those who can afford them, use your tennis shoes when warming up
13. When snobs look at you funny for rocking 9 speed, berate them for having the 10th extra "weenie gear" It'll confuse them to no end.
14. I'm the 16 year old cat three, when you're 16, rocking "inferior equipment" and fast, the pack has a tendency to try to flick you out of spite.
My coach gave me some good advice, "don't worry about what everyone else has, let you legs do the talking."

[hiromian]

I'm a competitive cat three who races on $5 weekly for allowance. My parents sometimes help me with entry fees's but they're poor as hell too.

Here are things you will learn real quick:

1. You can eat like a king at taco hell for $5 (you'll figure this out when traveling broke)
2. Poptarts are the cornerstone of every meal
3. Never throw any food away when traveling to races.
4. Mix 4 oz of hawiian punch with 4oz of water and add a pinch of salt to make a poverty sports drink
5. Learn to patch tubes. It's much cheaper
6. Learn to re use old derailer cable and brake cable. (it'll come up, trust me)
7. you can get off brand whey protein for $11 at target
8. Powdered gatorade tastes like crap
9. never throw out a tube, if it cannot be patched, use it as a bungee cord
10. If a training buddy flats, ask for his tube, and patch it
11. you can use the cam end on your skewers as tire levers
12. trainer blocks are for those who can afford them, use your tennis shoes when warming up
13. When snobs look at you funny for rocking 9 speed, berate them for having the 10th extra "weenie gear" It'll confuse them to no end.
14. I'm the 16 year old cat three, when you're 16, rocking "inferior equipment" and fast, the pack has a tendency to try to flick you out of spite.
My coach gave me some good advice, "don't worry about what everyone else has, let you legs do the talking."
Cool

[the beef]

Cool

+1.

[waterrockets]

Ive been hearing a lot about upgrading the wheels... any suggestions?

If you're cash limited, I would stay away from wheel "upgrades." It's still the motor. Once you have a decent road bike (you do), the returns are horribly diminishing. You have to spend a LOT of money to get any real difference in performance, and large differences just aren't available other than some TT gear.

I have a decidedly low-tech and moderately old (but high-quality) steel bike, and I mix it up just fine with all the Madones, Soloists, P3s, Orcas, etc. around here. The riders who are faster than me aren't faster than me because of their bikes.

[waterrockets]

I'm a competitive cat three who races on $5 weekly for allowance. My parents sometimes help me with entry fees's but they're poor as hell too.

Here are things you will learn real quick:

1. You can eat like a king at taco hell for $5 (you'll figure this out when traveling broke)
2. Poptarts are the cornerstone of every meal
3. Never throw any food away when traveling to races.
4. Mix 4 oz of hawiian punch with 4oz of water and add a pinch of salt to make a poverty sports drink
5. Learn to patch tubes. It's much cheaper
6. Learn to re use old derailer cable and brake cable. (it'll come up, trust me)
7. you can get off brand whey protein for $11 at target
8. Powdered gatorade tastes like crap
9. never throw out a tube, if it cannot be patched, use it as a bungee cord
10. If a training buddy flats, ask for his tube, and patch it
11. you can use the cam end on your skewers as tire levers
12. trainer blocks are for those who can afford them, use your tennis shoes when warming up
13. When snobs look at you funny for rocking 9 speed, berate them for having the 10th extra "weenie gear" It'll confuse them to no end.
14. I'm the 16 year old cat three, when you're 16, rocking "inferior equipment" and fast, the pack has a tendency to try to flick you out of spite.
My coach gave me some good advice, "don't worry about what everyone else has, let you legs do the talking."

+1 well said

Nothing wrong with nice stuff, but it just isn't needed. My income is substantial, but I hate spending money, and I've found frugality in cycling to be rewarding. I buy reasonable stuff, and use it for the long haul.

[DrWJODonnell]

The riders who are faster than me aren't faster than me because of their bikes.

+1

[oneradtec]

Hey, you don't have to wear Oakleys either. I have Performance Vega shades with three sets of lenses. I paid 23 bucks....and I got a case.

I also buy Performance Jerseys and shorts most of the time.

I'm running Dura Ace 8 speed on my Ciocc. I once did a few crits on a bike with 7 speed and index shfters on the downtube. I finished well...and didn't really feel limited at all with the gearing.

[curveship]

I started out a poor cyclist as well. I won my first two races on a used bike that coast me less than $500, and have since then lost plenty on a bike costing $2k. From my experience, here's what you SHOULD spend on:

- A training book ($20) and an HRM (simple, about $60)
- A maintenance book ($20) and a basic set of tools (as low as $40, but I got the Park roll-up kit for $120, highly recommended)
- tires, tubes and chains. I was so concerned with saving money for upgrading that I balked at basic maintenance costs .. and ended up flatting out of two races due to bald worn-out tires. Stupid.
- contact points. Put your money into shoes, shorts, helmet and gloves before you put it into the bike.

[crtreedude]

You can also think of it this way. On another thread, I was trying to convince BDG to get a tandem. Yeah, a tandem with a spouse isn't near as fast as a tricked out bike - but, after the tandem, your bike would feel like a feather.

If you ever get to upgrade because of success - just think how you are going to kill those who could only keep up because they had the best equipment. Get the engine powerful first - then you can work on the remaining percentage points.

[patentcad]

You must all realize how depressing this is for the OCP wannabes like me who can spend thousands on bike gear and never be fast enough right?

But my LBS and bicycle industry LOVE me. That gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

[Murfdawg]

im enthused, any good training book ideas??

[crtreedude]

In keeping with the idea of saving money - check out the public library. There might be a few. Also, there is so much on the internet, I would be surprised if you couldn't find it there.

[TheKillerPenguin]

Joe Friel's cyclists training bible is a very good start. That + cheap HRM would be a very good investment.

[Vinokurtov]

I'm a competitive cat three who races on $5 weekly for allowance. My parents sometimes help me with entry fees's but they're poor as hell too.

Here are things you will learn real quick:

1. You can eat like a king at taco hell for $5 (you'll figure this out when traveling broke)
2. Poptarts are the cornerstone of every meal
3. Never throw any food away when traveling to races.
4. Mix 4 oz of hawiian punch with 4oz of water and add a pinch of salt to make a poverty sports drink

I'm a 16 year old...



However, if you're over thirty, you will look like Meatloaf following this advice for any length of time. You will probably ride like Meatloaf too. Unless you are Chris Horner.

[El Diablo Rojo]

However, if you're over thirty, you will look like Meatloaf following this advice for any length of time. You will probably ride like Meatloaf too. Unless you are Chris Horner.

Ha! Ain't that the truth!!! My favorite moment in Pro is when he's sitting on the curb eating a cheeseburger and Coke just before the start of the race. All his teammates are warming up on their trainers looking tense and there's Chris just kick'n it eating junk food. Classic!

[patentcad]

However, if you're over thirty, you will look like Meatloaf following this advice for any length of time. You will probably ride like Meatloaf too. Unless you are Chris Horner.

Are you implying Chris Horner pigs out on Tacos???

[cat4ever]

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.


/says the guys with too many bikes....

[El Diablo Rojo]

Are you implying Chris Horner pigs out on Tacos???

The man is a junk food connaisseur.

[Voodoo76]

Learn how to race. If you got game what you ride is less important. Dont let it limit your thinking.

[GuitarWizard]

If you were going to spend any additional money, I would spend it on things that will allow for better fit and comfort on the bike.....and then get a heartrate monitor and a book.

Your bike is perfectly fine how it is for racing. Dumb question though...are you running clipless pedals?

[Duke of Kent]

My best races last year and diet:

3rd place in hilly RR: 3 double cheeseburgers and small soft drink right before registration
3rd place in crit, in which we lapped the field: Pizza for breakfast and lunch
5th place in crit, bridged to lead group solo: McD's again

Seriously, the dollar menu at McDonald's is a great way to go. You might not want to live on it for weeks at a time, but in terms of calories per dollar, you can't do much to beat it. Carbs, protein, and fat. Delicious. I believe in eating well and I try to do so when I'm losing weight. But for race fuel, well, anything will burn if the fire is hot enough.

[Duke of Kent]

Learn how to race. If you got game what you ride is less important. Dont let it limit your thinking.

Agreed. One of the best racers I've had the priviledge of watching in the local Pro/1/2 and 1/2/3 Master's races rides a steel Waterford, with downtube shifters and a 7 or 8 speed corncob.

And he HOSES people.

[Murfdawg]

I have a pair of look pedals, taking some getting used to

[GuitarWizard]

My best races last year and diet:

3rd place in hilly RR: 3 double cheeseburgers and small soft drink right before registration
3rd place in crit, in which we lapped the field: Pizza for breakfast and lunch
5th place in crit, bridged to lead group solo: McD's again

Seriously, the dollar menu at McDonald's is a great way to go. You might not want to live on it for weeks at a time, but in terms of calories per dollar, you can't do much to beat it. Carbs, protein, and fat. Delicious. I believe in eating well and I try to do so when I'm losing weight. But for race fuel, well, anything will burn if the fire is hot enough.

I've found that high-fat meals before riding kills me....if I eat say, eggs, bacon and homefries before a ride in the morning, I feel like crap. If I eat cereal and say a banana.....I feel great.

[substructure]

I'm relatively poor. Whole family living off a draftsman's paycheck.

I have an R400 frame. But, I've been hanging out at the LBS for a long, long while. Me and the owner became real good friends.

Things he gave me for little or no money that he had hanging around his shop:
FSA carbon crankset
9 speed Ultegra components
Ritchey Pro stem and bars
Carbon seat post
Thule car rack

Most importantly great friendship and a lot of advice. He's raced before and knows a lot (know if I only knew how to take advice and use it)

[Keith99]

Make your own list of the top 10 riders of all time.

Now look at how many were well off when they started riding.

There might be 2. There are several that were dirt poor.

If you have the engine eventually you will get the bike and the sponsor. If you have the bike you have the bike.

[waterrockets]

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.


/says the guys with too many bikes....

If you're not living paycheck to paycheck, you need to set up some more automatic deductions for investments ;)

[Phatman]

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.


/says the guys with too many bikes....

I'm wondering if the OP is a kid. I lived paycheck to paycheck in high school...mostly cause it was no biggie to have 0 dollars...it wasnt like I was gonna starve or lose my house.

[curveship]

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.

-1

[bvfrompc]

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.

When I was much younger, I was living paycheck to paycheck, got a $500 Visa card and spent most of it on a rigid trail bike, helmet, pump, tubes, etc. My first bike since I was a kid. One of those gotta have it purchases. This took over a year to pay off, I could barely make the minimums some months. I actually learned a lot from that. I haven't carried a balance since paying it off.

Best stupid financial decision I ever made.