Will buying a 'better' bike help me go faster?

[Izzy eviel]

Hi Guys,

At the moment I have this which I bought a few months ago. As a starter road bike it's done the job & now I well & truly have the bike bug I've been looking around as to what to buy next. http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=120951

It rides smooth & handles well, I can get upto 25 -30 kph ok, but after that it's a struggle to go faster.

This is the bike I was thinking of buying next. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-24-2010-road-bike-ec019546

I know nothing abut bikes, so what I want to know is, will that bike let me ride faster & what are the key things to know when buying a new bike.

I'm looking to join a club in the new year & start racing, will the Allez be suitable for that?

 

[elapid]

Buying a better bike will not necessarily make you a faster rider. Speed and endurance is in your legs and your fitness, not your bike. Riding with a group and spending more constructive time on the bike (miles and intervals) will help you become a better rider. The main difference you'll see between these two bikes is weight with the Specialized bike being 2kg lighter. This will help on the hills. However, both bikes are aluminium and both bikes have similar components (bottom end Shimano 2200/2300). The Specialized has one more sprocket giving you two more gears (16 versus 14), but I believe that there is no difference between the bottom and top end of the 2200 and 2300 group sets.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

It's not about the bike!!

as a great man once said - "it's not about the bike"

Both of the bikes you have linked are very suitable for racing!

What is important about buying a bike??? - getting a bike that fits you well!!
Many people ride bikes that are the wrong size or geometry for them which limits their potential and can create pain and discomfort.

How old are you? Do you know anyone who rides alot or races ? - if so, they are usually an OK source of Information. There is plenty of information on the web and this site in particular.

I would concentrate my time and energy into riding the bike I have, get some good advice on correct training protocols and maybe spend that money on a good bike fit, maybe shoes and pedals could be an upgrade that could be transferred to a new bike in the future?? Wheels and tires are also worth looking at.

Don't be in a hurry to buy a new, more $$ bike thinking it will make you faster! perhaps look at upgrades for your current bike that could save a little weight and be transferred to a new bike.

I know plenty of guy riding racing on ****ty old steel bikes with 10 year old group sets that crush the young bucks on their carbon fibre rigs with deep dish wheels.

Keep the bike you have, ride / race it into the ground, then look at an upgrade.

Have fun!!

 

[straydog]

Izzy,

The short answer is that the Allez won't have that much effect on your speed. Yes, a more expensive bike will have an effect, but only really when you spend enough to make significant weight differences and include better components and wheels etc.

The difference between the Raleigh frame and the Specialized one isn't really that great. And the Allez might actually feel a bit clunkier with the triple ring.

I would suggest two options, depending on your budget:

1. If you only have a few extra hundred pounds to spend at present, I would consider upgrading your present bike to save weight and aid your speed. Definitely start with a new set of wheels, which you will notice having an effect, perhaps some Mavic Aksiums or Khsyriums. Bontrager also do some good light aero wheels for a lower budget too. After that, once your budget allows consider changing your rear sprocket to maybe an ultegra 12-27 or 25, and then your crank set also to an ultegra compact. I wouldn't worry about a triple ring unless you really really hate climbing.

2. The second option is if you have a bit more money available immediately, you should look at a higher spec bike altogether. About 800-1000 pounds will get you something that will definitely make a difference, probably carbon too, ( try boardman bikes for an example) and will be a saving in the long term as even with the Allez I think you will find yourself wanting to upgrade fairly quickly.

Sorry if my answer seems pessimistic, but this is my honest response, and I think in the long term you will save moeny

 

[Izzy eviel]

Thanks for the replies, I value your input

 

[Izzy eviel]

If I'm upgrading my bike, what things should I NOT do? I want to be careful I don't waste money buying things that won't improve performance or wreck the bike.

 

[brianf7]

Hi Guys,

At the moment I have this which I bought a few months ago. As a starter road bike it's done the job & now I well & truly have the bike bug I've been looking around as to what to buy next. http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=120951

It rides smooth & handles well, I can get upto 25 -30 kph ok, but after that it's a struggle to go faster.

This is the bike I was thinking of buying next. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-24-2010-road-bike-ec019546

I know nothing abut bikes, so what I want to know is, will that bike let me ride faster & what are the key things to know when buying a new bike.

I'm looking to join a club in the new year & start racing, will the Allez be suitable for that?

New bike wont make you go faster a better fit etc will.
Join a club now with the old bike You join now for next year.
By time the racing starts next year you will get heaps of advice.
some good some bad you will need to learn which suits you.
But clubs are best way to learn

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

??

At the risk of sounding like a complete jerk...I doubt the bike or the material it is made from is slowing you down.
If you can ride at 30 kmhr now, that is great! - Join a club, enter some races, get out on some regular bunch rides and learn the subtle intricacies of bike racing (and some not so subtle!)

We're not telling you what to do, just pointing you in the right direction.
You say it rides smooth and handles well - which is great! You and your legs are what you need to work on now!

Can weight savings be made by losing some KG's yahself?
As i said before - I know guys who rip on old steel bikes that weigh a tonne. They are tough, lean blokes who ride a bunch and are strong! I've also seen plenty of riders with the latest and greatest weight weenie machines expecting great results that just wont come without plenty of hard work & training.

Be patient, ride the bike you have, ask questions, speak to loads of riders - focus on training / racing and good nutrition and the results will hopefully come.

If you're hell bent on spending some $$ look at a wheel / tire upgrade perhaps.

just my 0.02c

 

[straydog]

If I'm upgrading my bike, what things should I NOT do? I want to be careful I don't waste money buying things that won't improve performance or wreck the bike.

One thing you do have to be careful of is making sure that any new rear gearing is compatible with what you have at present. i.e don't go and buy new wheels with a ten speed rear cassette if you are only running an 8 speed at present, or you will end up having to re cable the bike and replace your gear levers aswell.

As I said before i would start with wheels....take the bike into a shop, the mechanic will be able to help you out as you go through your options.

In terms of anything else going wrong....there isn't too much I can envisage...just don't spend too much money tinkering with stuff that won't make too much of a difference. If you really have the bug and have some cash....buy a better bike....but as as has been mentioned....it won't be just the bike that makes you faster....you still need to train....but it will definitely help

 

[Polyarmour]

Hang onto your bike for a bit longer if you've only had it for a few months. The biggest thing limiting your speed is your legs. I have an 18kg hybrid and I have no trouble keeping up with road bikes at 45km/h. When I first bought it I was the slowest rider on the road. I now have a good quality road bike which I race too.

If you buy this new bike and start racing I can guarantee you that it won't be long before you regret your purchase. You will change your mind a hundred times about what you want in the next couple of years. Hang off as long as you can, train hard, improve your fitness and then buy some real quality to reward yourself further down the track.

 

[mulletCobra]

I started riding bike two years ago as a means of transportation. I bought my first road bike then and started riding on the sidewalk. I progressed after a month or so and realized I needed a better bike, so I "upgraded" at my local bike shop. The one thing I wish I had paid attention to then was size. I knew nothing of it then. If I could offer advice to anyone who enjoys riding it would be bicycle fitting. It took me quite awhile to to realize and figure out what was most comfortable over what would "make me faster."

The first year of riding was mostly me learning bicycle fit and very little on improving my fitness. It wasn't until I started paying more attention to professional bike racing that I even worried about how fast I was riding. I kind of wish I hadn't ever started on this trend either.. It has forced me to completely ignore my instincts and try my best to cycle like a pro. Even though my speed increased (from 30kph to 40-48kph) I found myself riding less. Instead of riding for pleasure I started riding for pure speed. I started spending way more money than I was comfortable on cycling related things.
If I had just gone with what felt natural, I would have saved a bit of money and time. Since then, I've digressed from pure speed and focused on endurance. It's made me loads happier and I don't get upset if a headwind is getting the best of me.

As for upgrading in general.. I did find that going from an old steel frame to a newer aluminum frame made me feel more nimble and even more so when I rode carbon fiber. I finally decided on titanium being the frame material for me. I'm already thin as a rail and really couldn't afford to lose body mass. I strongly suggest making friends with people who have ridden longer than you've been alive(for me that is very possibly,) asking them lots of questions, and trying out what you can afford or borrow. For instance, I borrowed a friends carbon fiber bike (spare) for a few weeks, finishing with a 200k brevet before deciding I didn't quite like it.

 

[mulletCobra]

Hang onto your bike for a bit longer if you've only had it for a few months. The biggest thing limiting your speed is your legs. I have an 18kg hybrid and I have no trouble keeping up with road bikes at 45km/h. When I first bought it I was the slowest rider on the road. I now have a good quality road bike which I race too.

If you buy this new bike and start racing I can guarantee you that it won't be long before you regret your purchase. You will change your mind a hundred times about what you want in the next couple of years. Hang off as long as you can, train hard, improve your fitness and then buy some real quality to reward yourself further down the track.

I wish someone had told me this when I first started out. I think this is a better assessment of what I was trying to say.

 

[ElChingon]

If you can also keep your current bike as a backup if you can. Its nice to have a backup bike just in case.

Back to the purchase. Fit is important, weight, components. Not only is quality important but the psychological aspect. If its a bike you like and want to ride you will ride more and enjoy the ride as well. Not saying if its a bad bike you won't hate it though. Most people ride the bike they think is the best and that is fine, because no one is the same as the other (people).

Basically you need to dig up the info you can on the components/frame and determine for yourself if its you.

Also, if you are near a bike club, you might want to join and get to know some members. Many clubs are sponsored or get deals on bikes which may or may not be over your budget but if other members upgrade they maybe selling their old (one year old) bikes soon after, deals to be had. You could end up with something you never dreamed of at less the price of the bikes you're looking at. Buying from a club member might end up being better as if you're in the club they won't want to shaft you because it will get back to the other members soon enough.

I do have to add that buying more quality wheels over the rest at this point is a wise choice, even if you keep your current bike and just buy some nice wheels.

 

[Hawkwood]

This reminds me of a training ride back in the 1970s. A group of road men used to meet up twice a week in the evenings to ride what we called a chain-gang, basically two hours of eyeballs out riding. I was a junior then and used to hang on the back. `Dave' a rider from my club rode them to keep fit, he'd had a good racing career and managed to come second in the British national road race championships, and third in the BBAR (season long British time trial championship) in the same year. Dave used to turn up on a 1960s Peugeot with mudguards, lights and a dynamo, while everyone else was on their stripped down racing bikes. We used to have a sprint at the end for a road sign. One evening we were lining up for the sprint, when to our surprise Dave came past us saying `see ya lads', flicked his dynamo on and rode off into the distance, no one could catch him!

 

[sublimit]

Hi Guys,

At the moment I have this which I bought a few months ago. As a starter road bike it's done the job & now I well & truly have the bike bug I've been looking around as to what to buy next. http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=120951

It rides smooth & handles well, I can get upto 25 -30 kph ok, but after that it's a struggle to go faster.

This is the bike I was thinking of buying next. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-24-2010-road-bike-ec019546

I know nothing abut bikes, so what I want to know is, will that bike let me ride faster & what are the key things to know when buying a new bike.

I'm looking to join a club in the new year & start racing, will the Allez be suitable for that?

You might be better sticking with what you have for the winter period, maybe put some better tyres on.

As mentioned if you have a quality set of wheels and top of the range tyres it will make a difference. Keeping the chain in good condition and the drivetrain clean and not clogged to **** makes a difference also.

That Specialised is OK and is marked down in price, but the wheels are not great on it but can be upgraded so its up to you in the end, But I reckon joining a club now is a good idea then you can get some fairly comfortable miles in over the winter, getting miles in your legs is always very good.

 

[forty four]

dont get a ti frame there outdated/overpriced and the better carbon frames are lighter and perform better i work at a shop and see all kinds of bikes all day. only old guys still recommend ti but thats because 10 years ago it was on par or better than what carbon had to offer but that has changed. ride a few different carbon frames before making a choice. in the end a nice bike helps you go a bit faster but the genetically or mentally superior or simply those who train much more will always beat you regardless of equipment that said. i love nice bikes why not i spend much time on a bike. im a fan of specialized scott and cervelo.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

dont get a ti frame there outdated/overpriced and the better carbon frames are lighter and perform better i work at a shop and see all kinds of bikes all day. only old guys still recommend ti but thats because 10 years ago it was on par or better than what carbon had to offer but that has changed. ride a few different carbon frames before making a choice. in the end a nice bike helps you go a bit faster but the genetically or mentally superior or simply those who train much more will always beat you regardless of equipment that said. i love nice bikes why not i spend much time on a bike. im a fan of specialized scott and cervelo.

Guys who have experience but no longer race, ride steel or ti. They know the qualities that those materials bring. People who still race ride Carbon. It rides like wood, has no "life" in it...but it's stiff and doesn't beat you up.

Btw...I work in shop too, and have for the past 12 years off and on. I see lots of bikes...steel and ti are prized among people that know bikes best.

As for the OP, get a decent bike (105 and carbon/alu will do) and do some intervals, group rides and watch what you eat. You'll get faster. And when you are thinking of upgrading that bike, just buy some fast wheels, they make much more difference.

 

[elapid]

dont get a ti frame there outdated/overpriced and the better carbon frames are lighter and perform better i work at a shop and see all kinds of bikes all day. only old guys still recommend ti but thats because 10 years ago it was on par or better than what carbon had to offer but that has changed. ride a few different carbon frames before making a choice. in the end a nice bike helps you go a bit faster but the genetically or mentally superior or simply those who train much more will always beat you regardless of equipment that said. i love nice bikes why not i spend much time on a bike. im a fan of specialized scott and cervelo.

Not to derail this topic, but I am going to have to disagree with you regarding frames. Titanium is definitely not outdated. Just because the pros don't ride titanium does not mean the material is outdated. I am not a pro and I wanted a bike that I could ride for the rest of my riding days. Carbon frames, at least when I was looking, could only offer 10 year guarantees maximum. This has since changed, but at least titanium could and still do offer lifetime guarantees. Using the same logic as titanium being outdated, steel would also be considered dead and steel is far from dead. Each material offers different ride qualities, and there are different grades of each material which offer more subtle differences in performance and quality. I rode my titanium Lynskey and carbon Cervelo R3 side-by-side for 6 months and ended up selling the R3 because it sucked in comparison. I also have a carbon cross bike, aluminium MTB, and two steel fixies, all of which I love and have their place on the road and the trail. Titanium is better for me and the type of road riding I do (road races and one-day long distance events, not crits) and carbon may be better for you. But rather than decide what material you want to ride, it is better to ride all different types of materials and components, and get the correct fit, before deciding on which bike is best for you personally. And how can you say titanium is overpriced when an off-the-shelf Pinarello Dogma 60 retails for $US17,000?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Izzy,

The short answer is that the Allez won't have that much effect on your speed. Yes, a more expensive bike will have an effect, but only really when you spend enough to make significant weight differences and include better components and wheels etc.


1. If you only have a few extra hundred pounds to spend at present, I would consider upgrading your present bike to save weight and aid your speed. Definitely start with a new set of wheels...

This is solid advice. Buy some nicer wheels and enjoy the difference. My pet peeve with the bike industry is over-promising the benefits of a more expensive bike. After the wheels, save your money and learn how to work on your own bike for basic stuff while learning how to ride well in a group and develop speed/strength.

Buy a used nice bike when you have a good handle on the basic mechanical stuff and you are going faster. There are always plenty of consumers who have been tricked by the bike industry to spend lots of money on the promise of speed/comfort and then leave the sport soon after.

 

[mastercat]

I run a a 10 year old steel frame with ultegra. Every thing is original for the most part. Lost my job in April was planning on getting a new bike but $ is a problem. I race this bike when I can afford entries and have beat cat 1s and 2s on $8000 bikes. The drive is way past its life, sometimes jumps gears, the frame is rusting and I use Mt bike shoes w/ old Time pedals I almost feel like Alexi Grewal racing on his old mt bike http://www.bikeradar.com/road/galle...ubaix-a-true-challenge&mlc=news/article/image (I not quite that strong but...) Bottom line unemployment gave me time to ride and thats what really makes you fast!

 

[LugHugger]

dont get a ti frame there outdated/overpriced and the better carbon frames are lighter and perform better i work at a shop and see all kinds of bikes all day. only old guys still recommend ti but thats because 10 years ago it was on par or better than what carbon had to offer but that has changed. ride a few different carbon frames before making a choice. in the end a nice bike helps you go a bit faster but the genetically or mentally superior or simply those who train much more will always beat you regardless of equipment that said. i love nice bikes why not i spend much time on a bike. im a fan of specialized scott and cervelo.

This sentence is utter drivel. There are competitive race frames to be found made from steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon. They will all perform equally well when correctly fitted and outfitted. Choice then becomes a question of your preferred feel and budget.

 

[Izzy eviel]

This is all really good advice. Thanks for the feedback

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Good Comments.

+1 with LugHugger's comments.

That post is rubbish!.
Carbon fibre is relatively cheap, easy to source, can be made into these funky shapes that you see these days, is light and can be punched out of a mold in some factory in Taiwan or China - hence it's popularity and saturation of the bike market.

Steel and Ti bikes are predominantly made by master-crafts men and women who have spent years fine tuning their skill and product. Ti is hard to come by and the skill necessary to build with it is high. Steel, not so much, but still a highly desirable material.

All bike frame materials have their advantages and disadvantages. Ride them all if you get the chance and make up your own mind.

 

[bubblegum]

many of the suggetions in this thread have been to get better wheels rather than frame, i already have a frame and am up to upgrading wheels (bike came with $100 shimano wheels) for the usual non mountian traning and crit racing season what type/level of wheels would you guys suggest, is it worth it to add 404's to a full carbon/ultegra bike? am i better off going for a similar wheel like american classics, or go for cheeper wheels such as ksyrium?

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

New Wheels!

@Bubblegum.

An upgrade in wheels and or tires can be a good move for sure.

Will Ultegra or Dura Ace make you ride faster than say 105?, I'd say NO, you save on a bit of weight and the precision components that "feel" nice - but will they improve your racing performance - again, i would say no.

A lighter, stronger, more responsive / aerodynamic wheel has a greater chance of improving you results - compared to a group set upgrade for example.

I will however maintain that the biggest gains for beginners (if you are one) can be made in consistent training and good solid nutrition practices! Once have you those dialed in, you start to look at equipment upgrades and the options of "Buying" a little speed.

You are talking about a Quantum leap from your $100 shimano wheels that came with your bike, to a set of Zipp 404's mate - I'd hazard a guess that this wheel set may be worth more than your bike?? - You're going right to the top shelf there.
If you have the $$ and can justify the spend, up to you - how long have you been racing, and do you intend to make this a serious, serious part of your life for the next 5-10 years?? If not, maybe look at some thing a little less spendy.
Shimano, Mavic, Camapanolo, Fulcrum, Easton, Reynolds, Sram, American Classic etc etc (Plenty of options out there) all make a wide and cost effective range of wheels that would be jump up from what you have. Shop around and see what you can get for yah $$. I recommend Clincher, double butted spokes and brass nipples - hubs are mixed bag these days...I run Campag and like them - just my 0.02c

I'll keep referring back to some of the original info from my previous posts....try not to fall into the trap of thinking that new flash expensive gear will make you go faster - plenty of folks out there ripping up races and crits on 10 year gear and even older bikes.

However, if you do want to look at an upgrade - wheels and tires are a good first step.
Hope this helps? - I'm not gonna say "yeah mate, go out and buy these wheels / tires coz they're gonna make you win races"
Anyone who does is talking out their @ss.