Originally Posted by
canklecat
But it's mostly the engine and legs. I never really got my mojo back after being hit by a car in 2018 and subsequent unrelated bout with cancer that same year. Technically I'm "better" now but it sure doesn't look it from my Strava data over the past three years.
On the plus side -- sorta -- my data also shows no consistent advantages to my older used carbon fiber bikes over my Centurion Ironman. Same average overall speeds, same times on the segments of 1/2 mile up to 5 miles. So I feel no temptation to get a newer or "better" bike. I'll get better results from more affordable stuff like good tires, latex tubes, whatever I'm wearing, etc.
Yeah I totally get this. Had a long down time a couple of years back with a wreck and a separated AC Joint. Wasn't getting up to speed until the end of that year. Then the next year was about 7 months off with knee problems. Then this year as I finally really got going at speed again all those western fires brought in a ton of smoke. One weekend of over 150 miles riding in that left my asthmatic lungs so inflamed that the doc had to put me on a round of steroids. First time in my life my asthma has been more than just an annoyance when I work out. Age is certainly catching up.
Total agreement on the "better" bikes aren't faster stuff. That's the reason I sold off a couple of high end C.F. bikes years ago. I wasn't any faster on them and they weren't as comfortable as the steel. That said, I did recently pick up a 20 year old Trek 5200 C.F. bike and am getting it sorted out. It'll get it's chance at a 19mph run soon.