radiofree

Okay, I am an avid runner ( cross country, track, marathons) who has gotten into cycling in the last few months, first purely as a commuter and lately, for sport. If you care to read it I have a small list of things that I don't quite grasp about cycling that hopefully some of you guys could answer.

#1 Why do guys obsess over shaving off a few grams from their bikes when they have some "junk in the trunk" that they could be loosing instead? Wouldn't that offer the same performance benefit at a much lower price? Sorry to be so blunt but its a good question...

#2 Why do people train on expensive road bikes? Wouldn't it make more sense to train on a heavy steel bike with similar geometry?

#3 Are lycra or spandex shorts necessary for a male rider (to protect certain items) or purely fashionable? I use lycra running shorts, are they just as good?

#4 Are there any road racers who use single or fixed gear set ups? Why do you need so many gears on a road bike?

#5 From what I have read, it seems like I will need to spend at the very least $2000 (alot for a college student) to really get into competitive cycling. Is that just the cold hard reality? It just blows my mind because of how low costs to be a competitive runner are (maybe $200, tops).

Psydotek

1. Bragging rights.

2. Bragging rights.

3. Show off the goods, aerodynamics, cooling, chamois built in, show off the goods.

4. To stay in the ideal cadence range (espically when climbing and/or decending). And bragging rights.

5. You can do very well with $750 or less. I did.

hurley.girl

Ooo I could have fun with this:

#1: Because here in America, we are the culture of excess. We judge others by how much they can spend - hence the huge houses, cars, and expensive bicycles.

#2: See #1

#3: Try riding 20 miles in anything but cycling shorts and you'll have the answer.

#4: See #1

#5: Of course cycling has a larger start-up cost than running.

ericcox

I pretty much agree with the rest, but don't underestimate the importance of a good chamois on longer rides. Some triathletes ride without cycling shorts, but my poor tender parts like the comfort of a decent pair of shorts. I even use them on stationary bikes (non-recumbant) when I am doing a longer workout.

boyze

Buy a used racing bike and the necessary gear for well under a grand, train and race for a season and you will come to understand. And as an added bonus it will likely improve your running if you decide to stick with it.

CyLowe97

radiofree, you need to modify your questions and then repost over in SS/FG.

You'll get the correct answers there.

Once accomplished, makes sure to modify and repost in BMX and then Mountain Biking.

Whatever you do, don't ask any questions in Advocacy & Safety. You'll never ride your bike again if you do.

Phantoj

#1 - Losing body weight is not easy - if it were, we'd all have movie star bodies. Plus, bikes are cool and it's fun to try to upgrade.

#2 - It's best to train on what is closest to what you race on. You can train effectively on a heavier bike, but it will be a little "different".

#3 - Sorry, I don't know anything about lycra running shorts, but the chamois in bike shorts makes them more comfortable. If lycra running shorts have a seam down the center, they would probably not work well.

#4 - We have hills around here, so all the gears are useful.

#5 - If you shop carefully, you will probably be able to race on a $500 used bike. But you will also need shoes, helmet, bike clothes. Bike racing is more expensive than running. It's still cheaper than racing motorcycles, or cars or boats...

rworsnop

1. We're not all fat.
2. Because we train with other people and don't like getting dropped.
3. Padded.
4. Because there is such a thing as the right gear. You won't find it very often if you have only five from which to choose.
5. Nope. See https://pedalforce.com/online/your_co..._100853_101499

Homebrew01

#2. You could, but then you need 2 bikes to maintain. Some of us have old clunkers for winter riding, but prefer the ride & performance of our primary bike the rest of the time.

#3. Yes, they have padding, and no seams, in just the right place

#4 Fixed gear bikes are not practical much of the time unles you have a lot of flat roads.

#5 I bought a very nice, slightly used, Cannondale CAAD8 with Campy Chorus & Record, Ksyerium wheels etc.. for $1000.

FixdGearHead

Erroneous.

timmhaan

#1 because a lite bike is still a desirable feature, no matter how much you personally weigh.


#2 if you race, you typically want to train on that bike. it's very useful to know exactly how it will handle in all situations. also, because we tend to spend a lot of time training, you want your fit on the bike to be dialed in. it's just easier with one bike.

#3 the shorts are necessary for most guys if you spend more than an hour riding.


#4 some guys use SS or FG for training. most road bikes come standard with 20 or 30 gear combos, not much of a choice.


#5 don't believe the hype. you can easily spend less than a grand to get a good race ready bike. you can spend much much less if you just want to ride for fitness.

radiofree

Thanks for all the replys everyone, and fixdgearhead could you please elaborate?

Rutnick

#1 is total crap. I ride with guys that have lost an entire person in body weight. How did they do it? Bought a cheap bike and started riding. 100-150lbs later, still ride a cheaper bike and will put a hurt on you on a ride. Well, if you don't mind riding 600K brevets.

I've lost 60lbs in 2 years of riding and had a cheap bike until 3 months ago.

SDRider

Agreed.

Also, with regard to #4, it's very hilly where I ride and a fixed gear bike isn't something I'm willing to experiment with my 40 year old knees on. I'll stick with my 53/39 & 12-25 thank you very much.

kensuf

Reformed runner here (several marathons, 15ks, etc) with my own answers:

1. Because bling and gadgets are cool to some people.

2. Good point. I can't answer that, but I will say I train on a Ti bike because all I own is a Ti bike.

3. Necessary. Unlike running where your body will get beat up pretty badly thus limiting the number of hours you can train in a week, you can pretty easily train 10-14 hours a week on a bike with no problems. However, riding that much would put the 'taint in a world of hurt without a decent pair of cycling shorts (actually several decent pairs so you're always wearing clean skivvies).

4. Yes there are, but more gears open up more options for terrain, etc. Fixed gear's really good for working on pedal stroke and bike handling though.

5. You can spend as much, or as little, as you want. I think you can get a reasonable road bike used from eBay for around $500-600, pick up a decent helmet for $100, and two pairs of bibs for around $200. You'll still have consumables (tires about every 2-3 months, chain/cassette every six months). However, the last time I checked a decent pair of running shoes were between $100-130, and I used to go through a pair of those every five-six weeks (50-60 miles a week), so while the initial cost of entry in cycling is higher, running wasn't particularly cheap and cycling actually seems cheaper.

Good luck!

Rutnick

why do runners keep running even after their stride looks like total crap and they can barely walk anymore? Exactly what is fun about every stride looking like it hurts like hell and you can actually see one leg buckle with every impact?

Me? Former runner and knew that at age 25 it was time to quit.

caloso

Great questions. If I may....


#1: You're absolutely right. But after you graduate from college and your earnings increase while your metabolism decreases, that it's easier to shell out for the newest carbon fiber doo-dad rather than pass up a second piece of pie.

#2: Some people only have one road bike so if you're going to race on it, you're going to train on it. Then you might save up enough for a nicer bike, so your still nice race bike becomes your rain/commute/beater. And so on, and so on.

#3: Are cycling shorts necessary? No. Are they highly, highly, highly recommended and preferred by the vast majority of high-mileage riders? Yes.

#4: I have a fixed gear, as many roadies do. It's a great bike: fun, reliable, elegant in its simplicity. On the other hand, I occasionally like to ride in the hills where variable gears and a freewheel are your friends.

#5: I doubt you'd have to spend more than a grand to get a decent bike and stuff. Then you just need to ride the hell out of it for awhile and pretty soon you'd be blowing the wheels off old farts like myself.

roadfix

Mr. radiofree: You'll be asking the same thing about any other sport that you might get into...
Running gear is just as important to the sport as cycling gear is.

damocles1

You know what I don't get? Why do people run? Everytime I see someone running, they have an expression on their face like someone is driving a corkscrew into their taint. Never a smile or wave from a runner either.
And the thing that really pisses me off is the fact that I get honked at when riding through the neighborhood, but runners tend to do their thing in the middle of the freaking street...

radiofree

Ummm, I don't understand your questions. I don't know any runners who have crappy strides and can no longer walk if that answers anything. I would appreciate it if you could have just answered my questions instead of attacking running.

radiofree

Why do people run?

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with fitness.

FixdGearHead

Glad to

(Caveat: I'm a roadie first, fixie second...and lately I've completely neglected my fixed bikes )

To state that Fixed gear/SS bikes are only good on 'flat roads' isn't entirely accurate. Though it depends on what you consider 'flat roads'.

While the roads outside of NY are not Mountainous (in comparison to say, the Rockies), with mid-range gearing (and a decent fitness level), you can handle slopes up to around 7 to 8% without needing gearing that would make you spin too high of a cadence on flat roads. Maybe up to 10%...I'll have to map out the rides I take with my 48x16 gearing...I can get up a 12% grade over in Jersey, but it's a short hill and I go slooooow up it and it hurts.

StanSeven

Here's some questions about running and runners:

Why do many runners stay in the road when there's an asphalt path next to the road?

Closely related, why run along the edge of a road against the curb when there's a sidewalk? Is this to be a "road runner?"

Whay are runners obsessive about "touching" a pole before turning around at a spot?

I have no idea on the answers to these questions, but I also am a runner and not picking on you.

radiofree

I don't know the answers to your first two questions, I always run on the path or the sidewalk myself.

I don't know, but I do that too. Its weird, I always physically touch something when I stop to turn around on a long run, usually because I lean on it to do a few stretches before heading back.

VT Biker

I will agree that for general transportation and perhaps general riding, gears are not necessary. However, you try ascending the mountain roads here in Colorado in the 53 ring or decending down the mountain roads in a 39/36 ring.