Coyote2

Seem like every week someone starts a thread by asking "Is my bike good enough to race?" Here's my answer:

I raced my way through the Cat 5 on my old entry level Reynolds 853 steel bike with midlevel 9-speed components. Probably 19+ lbs even with my eBay race wheels. Nonetheless, in my last several road races I was on the podium each time after beating guys who are twenty years my junior. I manged to do this because my lifestyle allows me to train.

After finishing my tenth mass start event, I sent in my upgrade request (sticker arrived today) and bought a new rig: all cf, Ultegra SL group, etc. Easily a couple pounds lighter and a whole lot stiffer than the steel bike. And guess what? After three weeks and about 700 miles, I don't feel any faster. Even when doing sprints and hill repeats, I don't feel more than a slight advantage, and even that is probably the placebo effect. When our group ride breaks out into a sprint fest, I beat the same guys I have always beat, and I get beat by the same guys who have always beat me.

I'm not upset about dropping $3k on a bike that's not really faster - in fact, I kind of expected this, after reading all of waterrockets' posts and looking at analyticcycling. I really wanted a second bike for a variety of reasons, such as having a backup/beater/rain bike and a primary bike. But if you think your bike isn't good enough to race, take it from me: those dudes on the super-expensive bikes have bought very small advantages - advantages which can easily be trumped with a little more training, which is FREE.

umd

I've always said, it is wrong to think of a nice bike in terms of "performance". Trying to justify an expensive bike in terms of performance impovement/cost is just stupid. There are plenty of other reasons to have a nice bike but it is of course easy to go overboard and spend way more than is practical. That said, weight does matter over long climbs, so there is some practical benefit there. A few pounds could make a difference in the power output required to stay with the lead group vs. getting dropped. Chances are everyone is going all out so even a few watts can make a difference.

Doctor Who

An 853-tubed bike with 9-speed components is good enough to get you onto the podium in a Cat. 1 race. You're kidding yourself if you think you're going to be much faster on some newer, slightly lighter bike.

Coyote2

That's my point. And I knew that before buying the bike. That was not my reason for buying the new bike. Okay?

waterrockets 

Well, at least I get partial credit for ruining any hopes of feeling faster on a new bike . I don't feel any faster on my new (used) bike either. 3 lbs lighter, and I can't tell unless I'm carrying it up stairs at work.

The ride quality though... that I did not expect. This bike corners on rough roads amazingly smoothly. Sweet.

I am loving this bike though.

Doctor Who

I know. "You" in my original post wasn't referring to you, Coyote2, but instead all those "others" who allow the machine to make excuses for them.

I like seeing threads like this. They remind me that my friend and teammate who commutes hard to his job and to the sailing yards is just as fast as I am, even though I've been training smart with a PT, and he just rides lots.

Coyote2

Fair enough, Dr. Who, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Yup, umd, I reckon the new bike will help at the margin, especially in the few big climbing events I do each year in the Rockies and in flatter races when I am struggling. But that just means that I will be 64th place instead of 68th place at Mt Evans.

Now that I have drunk the cf Kool-Aid, I will miss the smug satisfaction that comes from beating the cf-riders with my cheap old bike. Sigh...

grolby

I raced through Collegiate D and C (Like Cat 5 and Cat 4/5) on an 80's lugged steel bike upgraded to 7-speed, with downshifters mounted up on the handlebars with Kelly Take-Offs. Even with a reasonably light, new wheelset handbuilt by moi, this ride was just barely sub-24 lbs. I did just fine, with multiple top-10s and a second place in D, and several top 20s and a top 10 in C. I'm about halfway to having my "nice bike" built, a Specialized E5 that will have '09 SRAM Rival in the fall, but for now is running mostly on my old 7-speed drivetrain. It's easily 4-5 lbs lighter than the old bike already, but it hasn't really felt any lighter when it really counts, jamming uphill on a fast ride. My current lack of fitness is slowing me down far more than the new bike could possibly speed me up.

I do really like the new bike, though. It has hugely impressed me with the razor-sharp but steady handling. No sacrifice in ride quality. My new brakes are astoundingly powerful. The increased stiffness feels different and odd (NOT faster), but it's growing on me. When I get the new stuff installed, I'm looking forward to more precise and crisper shifting, not to mention the convenience and accessibility of integrated shifting. There are lots of reasons to get a nice, new bike. Gaining free speed probably isn't a good one.

Doggus

My bike is too fancy to race.

I want a CAAD9.

punksurfer024

I race a BD all aluminum bike with sora/tiagra components i win on the crappy-o-meter.

G. Ike

I'm doing my first race tomorrow on a Trek 1000 with Sora/Tiagra components. I never thought of the bike as not fancy enough because it's much fancier than my older bike which was ~25 pounds of lugged steel with Shimano 600 12 speed components. I'll be sure to write a race report when I get home tomorrow. Wish me luck!

ridethecliche

I wish the bike I raced on was 19ish lbs! It's closer to 22.

Never a problem while racing crits though

carbonjockey

yeah i went from a heavy c'dale to an 09 orbea onix with 09 carbon sram rival group... its good stuff.

ottsville

Time on the bike > time spent working to pay for bike

Ripping the legs off of guys who's wheels cost more than your whole bike....priceless.

MadeInItaly

Too fancy to race.





Well you could crash this and not be too pissed.



It's all the legs and mine are not super fast. You can race anything if your fast. Like a great guitarist can make a $300 guitar sound better then I can make $10,000 one sound.

HillMut

won many races on a 22lb titanium (flexy) bike w/ shimano 600. haven't won one since I got a new bike .

rizz

My ride the past year has been an all-aluminum 22 lb bike with Sora 2200. Remember, there's always someone with a worse bike out there.

That being said, I can't wait to do my next crit in September on my shiny new '09 CAAD9 with '09 Rival. Party time!

Fat Boy

In my mid-week crit there's a guy that rides a Pinnie Prince and another guy that rides a thrashed Nishiki.

3 guesses on who's faster........the Nishiki.

DrPete 

I think you meant the rider who rides the Nishiki.

Racer Ex 

You can overcome someone being taller than you by standing on your tip toes too, until the other person stands on their tip toes.

Then you are, for lack of better words, screwed again.

There will come that time...

MadeInItaly

Your standup act needs work.

DrPete 

Almost as desperately as your comebacks.

resq305

I was so happy to read that. I have a Trek 1000, it's my first road bike. I haven't been riding long and always feel kinda out of place because everyone I know has high-end bikes (like brand new Tarmac SL2s). I want to do a time trial in Feb. just to prove to myself that I can.

YMCA

No! Not everyone has high-end bikes!
I've never ridden a sub 20 lb bike.
Never had deep dish wheels.
Never had the luxury of special anything.
But I made it to cat1 and did my Euro stint in the late 90's.

A Trek 1000 is plenty of bike to win a race on. Once you get to the ProTour level, then you can start worrying.

divineAndbright

I only notice the difference when climbing and its not really a huge one. I race a 18 lb bike and I dont think you need anything lighter than that. When the road is flat or downhill its a disadvantage being on a superlight bike.. If I was doing a RR that was flat I'd take my '76 sekine out which I got down to about 23lbs with some "upgrades".