When to upgrade your bike?
I've never seen this issue addressed before, so I figured I'd ask. We all (well most of us) started with a mountain bike we had in the garage. After a few Tri's we got tired of pedaling the 40 lbs of steel up Big Mr Tard in our running shoes, so we got a road bike.
A lot of us didn't know much about road bikes when we bought and were still getting used to spending more on a bicycle then we spent on our cars (well, for me anyway, but then, you've seen my truck), so a lot of us bought the "entrance level component" bike or something close to it.
As a person who generally rides it 'til the wheels fall off (see aforementioned truck comment), I was wondering if there is a certain level that you achieve that begs a new set of higher grade components or bike?
I mean on my Giant OCR1 I have averaged about 18-20 mph during races. Would a carbon fiber bike give me any more speed. Or does that difference only kick in when you're racing at 23-25mph?
I know that the pros get to a certain level where shaving 10g off the weight of your pedals (and shaving your legs) makes a difference and I realize I am not (anywhere near) there yet. But I was wondering when it makes logical sense to upgrade if nothings broke yet?
Thanks,
Red
new bike, new helmet
Yea, maybe it's not too over the top to shave. =P
Do you have an aero helmet? I've wondered if they make a significant difference, or maybe more so when combined with a super fast bike.
Back to your question... in my NEO, it sounds like you're probably ready for an all carbon tri bike with crazy carbon disc wheels. You might want to keep your "old" bike for quality workouts, like Cindy said. Imagine then riding the carbon bike after training on the heavier one, you'll be darn near flying! Let us know what you find at the bike shop! It couldn't hurt to just test ride a few anyway, huh. :)
Aero is good
Research (www.blackwellresearch.com) shows that aero is more important than weight. And carbon is more for comfort.
I got my hand-me-down aero wheels from my hubby and I felt a little faster. I then got an aero helmet and I feel like I can fly). Of course, if you use the aero helmet incorrectly, it'll be more like a sail than a knife (i.e., you have to tuck your head in and not look side to side too much). Doesn't make that much of a difference in a sprint but for longer endurance races, it helps because you either don't need as much power for the same speed or you can up your speed with the same power. I think research shows that it ups your speed about the same as aero wheels--somewhere around 1.5 mph for the aero wheels and 1.5 mph for the aero helmet. Together, 3 mph can make a significant difference. But for the bang for the buck, an aero helmet gives you a lot for not so much money (compared with aero wheels). Check out ebay and craiglist for some good deals as well.
IMO, here's the order of importance--
1.aero bars--riding position is most important. Use this until you can stay aero for the majority of the time. You can then use an aero water bottle which is nice because you can stay aero to drink and it's right there to stay hydrated. But you CAN get aero in a roadbike using the lower bars. This makes a huge difference for no money at all (unless youhave a hybrid but still getting down low on the hybrid helps significantly!!!).
2. tri-bike--saves your muscles because of the different angles but does not have as many gears as a roadbike.Takes getting used to. Not so many granny gears. However, in the Olympics, it looked like they were on road bikes with aero bars. Not sure why. You can get an aluminum one with Carbon in the seatpost and handlebars. This does make a big difference in comfort.
3. aero helmet.
4. aero wheels.
5. If you have all the money in the world and it's burning your pockets, then get the full carbon kind of tri-bike.
This tri stuff sure can be expensive--be careful what you wish for!!
Amber
Buying speed
The two quickest and cheapest ways to increase speed is adding aero bars and lighter more aero dynamic rims. When you buy rims you will want to make sure that the weight is more in the hub than on the outside. This means that you will not have to push the weight around a bigger circumfrence. Componets will make a little difference but not a lot.With componets, you will notice a bigger difference in shifting smoothness, less adjustments and over all performance. When or if you buy another bike, you will most likely loose one chain ring (I think the OCR1 has a triple). So if you have issues with hills, keep that in mind. Most tri bikes only have 2 chainrings. Believe it or not, most carbon bikes are about the same weight as a aluminum/carbon mix. Take for example the new Fuji D6 tri bike. It is full carbon with SRAM Rival weighing in at 17.7 lbs and my current Fuji bike (aluminum/carbon mix) weighs 18.3 lbs. Granted, taking 1/2 lb off the bike will help but just buying a new bike will not always make you faster unless you are going from a mountain bike to a road bike.
I have resisted the temptation to purchase a new bike for a while now. I set a goal that I have to be able to average a specific speed in a race before I can buy a new bike. Now that Fuji has come out with the new D6, this might change, but for now I am sticking to my guns.
I asked a friend that used to race what would make me faster because I was wanting to buy more speed. He told me that if I wanted to get faster, then I need to ride more.
Thanks for the info
I was wondering what reward I could treat myself with, that might also bring some improvement for next year. I've been thinking about the aerobars - more for comfort and the ability to have my drink right up front to elliminate the time to reach, drink and replace my current water bottle. If they will add a little speed by getting me into a better position all the better.
And, I'll still be riding the hills of Lago Vista every chance I get.
--Julie
Thanks for the Advice
I don't know that I am ready for a new bike. I really like the bike I have and I like my third chain-ring, so maybe I will look at new rims.
And just to clarify I do shave my legs, but on that errant occasion when maybe I was out of sharp razors and there was a little stubble action going on, I did not notice any decrease in my speed on the bike due to the extra wind resistance (nor have I noticed any difference since I cut my hair).
: )
Red
"Yeah, I swim/bike/run like a girl."
Agree with Kenneth
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A few comments...
Red,
Well, I can't believe you are not at least shaving your legs... :-)
For me, I made a deal with myself. There are so many facets to the sport of triathlon that I decided that when my biking was my worst sport, I would upgrade. So, I worked a lot on my swimming. And dadgummit, biking became my weakest sport quicker than I imagined. So I got a new bike... But, for budget reasons, I won't be upgrading again any time soon. I did add used aerobars that I got for $1. (yay!!). Those seemed to have helped a lot to up my pace. Bike shops could probably speak better to how much faster other components will make you.
For most people, I would think it is a budget thing. And there is always going to be a better bike. Even if you get the very best bike in the world and get all the bells and whistles, they will come up with something new before too long and you have the chance to upgrade again!!!
For most of us average athletes (sorry if I offend you!!), getting a better bike actually gives us less of a workout! I got a much better workout on my old aluminum bike in less time than with my new one. So, if the quality of the workout is important, then the spiffiest bike out there might not be our goal... How's that for justifying NOT getting a new bike!!
But, if winning top spot is your goal and budget is not a limiting factor, then buy, baby, buy!!
Happy Shopping, Red!
Cindy