for those who cycle

[CatmanV2]

Ah, but do you ride a bike to race, or keep fit.

If the latter, you have to put in more effort in to ride a basic heavy bike so stands to reason that it would be more efficient for keeping fit.

Not if the more expensive bike is more comfortable (for example) or better suited to you so you can use it for longer without suffering injury.

C

 

[midlifecrisis]

I think people buy expensive bikes coz they want to brag...

Fixed that bit for you...

 

[Keano]

not been in swimming yet this year but if it warms up may go for it at the weekend

 

[drellis]

My bikes are like most of my cars, old and what i liked growing up and couldnt afford , as lived near cheadle bike shop and they sponsored one of the worlds best downhill riders ever steve peat.
So mountain bike are all a brand called orange from halifax. Photo above is a single speed orange mssile bike on a 2003 frame

 

[drellis]

Sorry below

 

[drellis]

Ive not got a carbon bike but yes they are quicker, but there is great enjoyment in beating a " all the gear no idea" full licra full carbon , especially when you over take them up a tarmac hill on a old moutain bike.

 

[dickygrace]

What he actually said was "it never gets easier unless you take massive amounts of steroids"

Reminded me of one of my favourite ever films, Bryan Fogel has cojones the size of watermelons:

 

[midlifecrisis]

Ive not got a carbon bike but yes they are quicker, but there is great enjoyment in beating a " all the gear no idea" full licra full carbon , especially when you over take them up a tarmac hill on a old moutain bike.

Had that pleasure going up the hill of Queens Road in Bournemouth on my '£1.50 Raffle Win Bike' when I used to cycle to work. Now that was an hill especially after you've already done 7 miles. It was a good indicator of how fit you had got after the summer of cycling, by August you'd probably tackle it in third gear...(around said lycra louts)

 

[schell70]

Ive not got a carbon bike but yes they are quicker, but there is great enjoyment in beating a " all the gear no idea" full licra full carbon , especially when you over take them up a tarmac hill on a old moutain bike.

I have the same pleasure when clay shooting, lots of people with £5000+ shotguns and it doesn't make them more likely to hit anything! Last week I came 3rd in a small competitive shoot and a guy ask me what gun I was using, when I showed him my 25yr old rough gun that I paid £250 for he walked off in a huff

 

[Motorsport3]

Ah, but do you ride a bike to race, or keep fit.

If the latter, you have to put in more effort in to ride a basic heavy bike so stands to reason that it would be more efficient for keeping fit.

I think people buy expensive bikes coz they can….. and there is nothing wrong with that.

People also buy quality items bc they are looking to use it a lot. I probably do more miles in my bikes than in my QP annually including commuting. A quality bike will have better brakes and will last longer. A **** bike used a lot will need constant maintenance and work out to be a pain much like a **** car.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Ah, but do you ride a bike to race, or keep fit.

If the latter, you have to put in more effort in to ride a basic heavy bike so stands to reason that it would be more efficient for keeping fit.

I think people buy expensive bikes coz they can….. and there is nothing wrong with that.

I ride because I enjoy it. I use it to de-stress and clear my head, so a better bike allows me to do what I enjoy on a decent bit of kit, as going up hills when I weigh almost 19 stone is hard enough as it is!

 

[Keano]

I ride because I enjoy it. I use it to de-stress and clear my head, so a better bike allows me to do what I enjoy on a decent bit of kit, as going up hills when I weigh almost 19 stone is hard enough as it is!

Same here...i do quite well on the downhills with my "aero" build, not many can catch me

 

[Gooner]

Ah, but do you ride a bike to race, or keep fit.

If the latter, you have to put in more effort in to ride a basic heavy bike so stands to reason that it would be more efficient for keeping fit.

I think people buy expensive bikes coz they can….. and there is nothing wrong with that.

Like Catman and others said, a better bike is easier to ride without injuries, it’s safer and you get the extra benefits like feeling the road etc., same as our cars.

That said, I rode for years on a £10 jumble sale special. I’ve got a carbon framed bike now but it cost me £500 on eBay. Man maths means that I’ve upgraded bits of it but really not that much.

I’ll try to get a picture.

 

[drellis]

I bought a cheap bianci road bike. Ive had hydraulic disk brakes on all my mountain bikes for proably 15 years. First few times on the bianci with rubber brakes on the rim i almost ran into the back of cars and had to go down between car and pavement.
So, just get good brakes

 

[Oneball]

I bought a cheap bianci road bike. Ive had hydraulic disk brakes on all my mountain bikes for proably 15 years. First few times on the bianci with rubber brakes on the rim i almost ran into the back of cars and had to go down between car and pavement.
So, just get good brakes

The last couple of gens of Shimano Ultegra rim brakes are unbelievably good, it’s all about removing the flex. Disc brakes have significant issues on bicycles as they cook themselves on long descents.

 

[drellis]

The last couple of gens of Shimano Ultegra rim brakes are unbelievably good, it’s all about removing the flex. Disc brakes have significant issues on bicycles as they cook themselves on long descents.

They do indeed cook. Did lots of downhilling in the alps. We all had fancy looking uk Hope brand brakes which cooked and were lethal.

They got swapped out for hayes disk brakes and all good, never overheated

 

[D Walker]

Anyone have a “Chopper” - always fancied one for the wall in my man shed but always silly money

My BIL has 2 in his shed. Gathering dust. **** just seems to know what to buy when and make money b

 

[bigbob]

The last couple of gens of Shimano Ultegra rim brakes are unbelievably good, it’s all about removing the flex. Disc brakes have significant issues on bicycles as they cook themselves on long descents.

Agree about Ultegra rim brakes, have them on my summer road bike. Hydraulic discs are great on MTBs or winter road bikes but the weight penalty is too much IMHO for the summer. Mind the market increasingly doesn’t agree as people want kit without thinking about weight and price penalties with many carbon road bikes now having discs, a bit like MTBs having rear suspension that they don’t need either.

 

[GeoffCapes]

The last couple of gens of Shimano Ultegra rim brakes are unbelievably good, it’s all about removing the flex. Disc brakes have significant issues on bicycles as they cook themselves on long descents.

I had this on my bike, so upgraded the discs to a big as I could get them and have no issues whatsoever now.

I think most bike manufacturers realise that you need to put as big a disc as possible on bike now to eliminate brake fade.
Obviously, like a road car, if you ride the brakes they won't last long.

 

[bigbob]

I had this on my bike, so upgraded the discs to a big as I could get them and have no issues whatsoever now.

I think most bike manufacturers realise that you need to put as big a disc as possible on bike now to eliminate brake fade.
Obviously, like a road car, if you ride the brakes they won't last long.

Do you really need discs in the UK? I’ve done the longest climb and descent in the UK (the Bealach) a few times and really benefited from a really light bike on the way up (and a 32 cassette) but never got brake fade on rim Ultegra brakes on the way down. I understand the need in the Alps but I’m not so sure in the UK.