Speed difference

Brad said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR
3.
I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.
I don't want to be a hero just someone who can ride with the pack.
Would just like an approximate difference just to see where I'm at.

Thanks
Brad

I reckon my road bike is only a couple of kmh faster than the MTB (and
my MTB is a piece of [censored]), but the biggest difference is that beign the
better part of 10kg lighter the roadie is better up hills and on longer
rides. I thought a roadie would make me faster, and then thought a
decent roadie would make me faster but both times I think I would have
been better off just training more if the sole aim was to go faster. The
biggest difference they made was I enjoyed riding more.

Anyone who thinks you need a road bike to keep up with a group ride
needs to check out TimC on the purple and orange monstrosity, sat
comfortably in the group on the flat and left me for dead on the climbs.
The secret appears to be ride more, not ride more expensively.

DaveB

Brad said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR
3.
I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.

no idea about a Cypress but I average about 22k on my commute on my "hybrid", 88 steel road frame & bars, cantis, MTB triple & cluster, velocity dyads with 32mm tires and rack+bag.
On the OCR0, my bunch averages about 30 for a marginally hilly 1hour loop.
I started with SPDs, now KeOs. Single sided pedals take some time to get used to.
Simply riding with a bunch raises your speed too.

"Brad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant

TCR

Quoted message said:

3.
I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.
I don't want to be a hero just someone who can ride with the pack.
Would just like an approximate difference just to see where I'm at.

Ride more, ride up more hills. This will make a more significant difference
to your speed and stamina. And save you some dollars. Of course get a cool
bike if you really want it.

It brings to mind my friend Roger who only began cycling in his early 40s. A
few years later, when he broke his forearm real bad in a penny farthing
stack, he found the only bike he could ride easily was his daughter's single
speed lady's frame. He rode this on one of the early Around the Bay in a Day
rides - 210 km. Most of the time the roadies in the peletons were totally
stumped as he came up to do his turn down the Prince's Hwy. He did the whole
ride in a good time.

Keep cycling

Cheers
Peter

quote='DaveB'Brad said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR
3.
I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.
I don't want to be a hero just someone who can ride with the pack.
Would just like an approximate difference just to see where I'm at.

Thanks
Brad

I reckon my road bike is only a couple of kmh faster than the MTB (and
my MTB is a piece of [censored]), but the biggest difference is that beign the
better part of 10kg lighter the roadie is better up hills and on longer
rides. I thought a roadie would make me faster, and then thought a
decent roadie would make me faster but both times I think I would have
been better off just training more if the sole aim was to go faster. The
biggest difference they made was I enjoyed riding more.

Anyone who thinks you need a road bike to keep up with a group ride
needs to check out TimC on the purple and orange monstrosity, sat
comfortably in the group on the flat and left me for dead on the climbs.
The secret appears to be ride more, not ride more expensively.

DaveB[/QUOTE]
Oh dear, a fit nerd. They're rather scary, but I think perhaps I now know why I haven't been out to BR yet. You let people riding those unmentionables beat you up climbs. He's obviously just taking the [censored]. Sort out a strategy to a): Get him to ride a less shameful bike b): blow him into the weeds. There's a hundred years of Italian tradition at stake, man!

M "Mt Macedon for me, it's not quite greenwedge commuterland (yet)" H

Peter Signorini said:

"Brad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant

TCR

Quoted message said:

3.
I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.
I don't want to be a hero just someone who can ride with the pack.
Would just like an approximate difference just to see where I'm at.

Ride more, ride up more hills. This will make a more significant difference
to your speed and stamina. And save you some dollars. Of course get a cool
bike if you really want it.

It brings to mind my friend Roger who only began cycling in his early 40s. A
few years later, when he broke his forearm real bad in a penny farthing
stack, he found the only bike he could ride easily was his daughter's single
speed lady's frame. He rode this on one of the early Around the Bay in a Day
rides - 210 km. Most of the time the roadies in the peletons were totally
stumped as he came up to do his turn down the Prince's Hwy. He did the whole
ride in a good time.

Keep cycling

Cheers
Peter

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy . . . oh, the shame . . .

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Brad said:

can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR
3.

It depends on whether you're talking about flats or hills, and how you have
your current bike set up.

On the flat the lower rolling resistance of narrow road tyres and your more
aerodynamic position on a road bike will help, but you may already be using
fairly narrow, smooth tyres and a fairly low position. Mostly likely
position will make the big difference here. On hills the lower weight of a
road bike (inversely proportional to price!) is the important factor.

Quoted message said:

I currently only travel at about 23km/h on my rides and looking at the
speeds on some of the rides around Brisbane I need to: a) buy a bike that
will help me get to those 32km/h ave speeds ,b) need to pull my finger out
more or c) go back to running for fittness even though I really enjoy my
rides.
I don't want to be a hero just someone who can ride with the pack.
Would just like an approximate difference just to see where I'm at.

If your aim is to ride on the flat with groups at 32km/h, you shouldn't
need anything very fancy in a road bike - plenty of hybrid and MTB riders
can manage that sort of speed in a group. If you want to keep up in the
hills, spend some more to get a lighter one if there's not much scope
for weight loss in the engine :-)

The main thing is not to get discouraged by going out with groups that are
far too quick - there should be slower group rides in your area that can
help you develop group skills while you get fitter for the faster groups.

--
bpo gallery at http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/mvw1/bpo

"mfhor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner at
www.mbtc.org.au.

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

Yes, I've tried to convince him to go clipless, to no avail. Roger is a
committed Luddite, except when he sees a real use for something new ie. the
Birdy. He's now back on the tourer as the Birdy has cracked up a couple of
times under the load

Quoted message said:

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities - every
Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.
Always a guest speaker, slides or informative presentation, and the bar's
just down the corridor. And we also do MTB rides (aahh, maybe I shouldn't
mention that in the light of recent MTBO events), Audax, winery visits, you
name it.

Cheers
Peter

Quoted message said:

--
mfhor

Brad said:

can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I
upgraded my bike from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle
of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR 3.

I'm afraid to get that sort of speed increase, you'll have to go Italian. You see, the speed increase is proportional to the inverse square of the money you blow on the bike, as shown in the following chart:

Bike cost: Speed:
$500 23km/h
$1000 25km/h
$2000 27km/h
$4000 29km/h
$8000 31km/h

So you're looking to spend _at least_ $10K to get up to a 32km/h average speed, and the only way to do that is to go all Italian. Only the Italians know how to really gouge when it comes to bikes.

Now some people on here might try to tell you that it's not about the bike. They're only doing so to prevent you from going faster than them. Sure, they might ride an old clunker on their Sunday morning ride and blow everyone else away, but the real truth is that they've got half a dozen ultra-expensive bikes hidden in the shed at home.

Oh, and make sure there are no more than a dozen spokes in each wheel. Getting wheels with more spokes than this only means they don't break as often, so you shell out less dough in the long run, and hence don't go as fast.

Regards,

Suzy (tongue firmly in cheek)

Peter Signorini said:

"mfhor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner at
www.mbtc.org.au.

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

Yes, I've tried to convince him to go clipless, to no avail. Roger is a
committed Luddite, except when he sees a real use for something new ie. the
Birdy. He's now back on the tourer as the Birdy has cracked up a couple of
times under the load

Quoted message said:

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities - every
Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.
Always a guest speaker, slides or informative presentation, and the bar's
just down the corridor. And we also do MTB rides (aahh, maybe I shouldn't
mention that in the light of recent MTBO events), Audax, winery visits, you
name it.

Cheers
Peter

Quoted message said:

--
mfhor

I recently "in the last few months" made a significant upgrade, after spending a few years on my Monza, I went to a Carbon Fibre road bike, because I plan to do some serious kilometres this year for Half Ironman training (sorry triathlon speak) I went with if for the smoother/easier ride, every ride now I feel 100% fresher than I did on my beginning to detoriate badly Monza, but that was the main reason, yes it is "heaps" lighter for the hills and I have noticed the difference incredibly!

it almost feels like the bike is rolling "up" the hilll unlike the old bike which wanted to roll down the hill

I have also noticed I can reach higher speeds on a sprint on the new bike and can maintan a higher speed on the new bike for equivalent effort on the old bike, but I made a quite significant upgrade and its all been worth it 🙂

BONUS SIDE EFFECTS of new bike;
- 3-4 km/h cruising speed increase
- able to obtain higher sprint speeds
- I have increased fitness (more riding at higher levels)

that was what "I" got out of it...

quote='suzyj'Brad said:

can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I
upgraded my bike from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle
of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR 3.

I'm afraid to get that sort of speed increase, you'll have to go Italian. You see, the speed increase is proportional to the inverse square of the money you blow on the bike, as shown in the following chart:

Bike cost: Speed:
$500 23km/h
$1000 25km/h
$2000 27km/h
$4000 29km/h
$8000 31km/h

So you're looking to spend _at least_ $10K to get up to a 32km/h average speed, and the only way to do that is to go all Italian. Only the Italians know how to really gouge when it comes to bikes.

Now some people on here might try to tell you that it's not about the bike. They're only doing so to prevent you from going faster than them. Sure, they might ride an old clunker on their Sunday morning ride and blow everyone else away, but the real truth is that they've got half a dozen ultra-expensive bikes hidden in the shed at home.

Oh, and make sure there are no more than a dozen spokes in each wheel. Getting wheels with more spokes than this only means they don't break as often, so you shell out less dough in the long run, and hence don't go as fast.

Regards,

Suzy (tongue firmly in cheek)[/QUOTE]
Oh, shut UP suzy! How am I going to afford my Zero brakes if you KEEP GIVING THE GAME AWAY! I TOLD you flux fumes would mess with your head! Have you ever been stared down by Francesco Moser's thousand yard stare? Your limbs start moving of their own accord, fondling the lightest bike-shape object within reach and making cheque book scribbly twitchings . . .

M "under that gaze, I am an insignificant nothing, and will do all its owner requires" H

Peter Signorini said:

"mfhor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner at
www.mbtc.org.au.

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

Yes, I've tried to convince him to go clipless, to no avail. Roger is a
committed Luddite, except when he sees a real use for something new ie. the
Birdy. He's now back on the tourer as the Birdy has cracked up a couple of
times under the load

Quoted message said:

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities - every
Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.
Always a guest speaker, slides or informative presentation, and the bar's
just down the corridor. And we also do MTB rides (aahh, maybe I shouldn't
mention that in the light of recent MTBO events), Audax, winery visits, you
name it.

Cheers
Peter

Quoted message said:

--
mfhor

No, too many bearded pottery teachers for me 😉 I like my walk socks WITHOUT chainring tattoos, thanks . . .

Have become a bit of a roadie, and you know what snobs roadies are . . .

M "been there, done that, and still do (but only in the privacy of my own orbit)" H

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 at 22:14 GMT, Peter Signorini (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

"mfhor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

MRBTC? No google hits. Or was it a tyop?

Quoted message said:

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner at
www.mbtc.org.au.

If he's the Roger I am thinking of, he flies up hills past me with his
trailer and dog in the back, and his dynamo powering his light rather
brightly (still, the latter only feels like a few metres per every 20
kilometers).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

It might have been him who commented on my Dunlop KT26's.

Quoted message said:

Yes, I've tried to convince him to go clipless, to no avail. Roger is a
committed Luddite, except when he sees a real use for something new ie. the
Birdy. He's now back on the tourer as the Birdy has cracked up a couple of
times under the load

Quoted message said:

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities - every
Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.

Hey! And you can snear at my GVBR bike! 🙂

Quoted message said:

Always a guest speaker, slides or informative presentation, and the bar's
just down the corridor. And we also do MTB rides (aahh, maybe I shouldn't
mention that in the light of recent MTBO events), Audax, winery visits, you
name it.

I've probably met you already Peter, but I'll try to notice you on
Thursday. There's not that many people from MBTC who post here (I've
seen Alan do it once or twice).

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
Conclusion to my thesis -- "It is trivial to show that it is
clearly obvious that this is not woofly."

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 at 13:43 GMT, mfhor (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

DaveB said:

Anyone who thinks you need a road bike to keep up with a group ride
needs to check out TimC on the purple and orange monstrosity, sat
comfortably in the group on the flat and left me for dead on the
climbs.
The secret appears to be ride more, not ride more expensively.

DaveB

Oh dear, a fit nerd.

C|N>K

OK, maybe water, and not coffee.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
"We must use Tim as a tool, not as a couch." -- J F Kennedy

Who was it that said "It's not about the bike?". save some money and take the hills and intervals advice.
Light bikes do feel nice going up hills. If you had 7% body fat or less, and you were trying to get your average speed from 35 to 38kms/hr then you will notice the difference. Being a flyweight means that the bike is proportionally heavier to your body mass.
I weigh 95kg and the tandem weighs 20kg. If I only weighed 75kg I would notice the weight of the bike a lot more.

After dropping off the tandems rear engine at her place of work, I ride it home solo.
Last week after I overtook a guy on a Trek OCLV with Dura-ace and some flash wheels. He caught up to me at the next set of lights. I resisted the temptation to ask him wether having a light weight bike helped:o)

Cheers

"TimC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MRBTC? No google hits. Or was it a tyop?

No. Macedon Ranges Bicycle Touring Club. Based around Gisborne and Woodend
and operated from about '83 - '92

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner

at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

www.mbtc.org.au.

If he's the Roger I am thinking of, he flies up hills past me with his
trailer and dog in the back, and his dynamo powering his light rather
brightly (still, the latter only feels like a few metres per every 20
kilometers).

Thsat's Roger. Unfortunately his dog Mactavish died a few years back. His
patner's dog Megs is a good deal hevier to carry in the trailer.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

It might have been him who commented on my Dunlop KT26's.

Yes, I think Roger still rides in KT26's himself.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities -

every

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.

Hey! And you can snear at my GVBR bike! 🙂

No, they're good bikes, love the concept. Great rides in the right place -
just not my place.

Quoted message said:

I've probably met you already Peter, but I'll try to notice you on
Thursday. There's not that many people from MBTC who post here (I've
seen Alan do it once or twice).

Maybe, but Ive only been to about two clubnights this year. Hope to get
along this Thursday, and will be more noticeable now what with the two extra
pegs to walk on :-). Quite a few MBTC members are lurkers, and HUMBUG is an
ex-MBTC commitee member Mark S, I believe.

Cheers
Peter

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 at 10:40 GMT, Peter Signorini (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

"TimC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey! And you can snear at my GVBR bike! 🙂

No, they're good bikes, love the concept. Great rides in the right place -
just not my place.

Comment aimed at mfhor, mainly in jest.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
"These people [spam fighters] will go to the lowest depths,"
-- Tom Cowles, spammer and convicted thief.

geoffs said:

Last week after I overtook a guy on a Trek OCLV with Dura-ace and some
flash wheels. He caught up to me at the next set of lights. I resisted
the temptation to ask him wether having a light weight bike helped:o)

the other factor is how new the bike is.

my old roady was less fun to ride, definitely slower.
my new roady is smoother, geared better and the rims are straight 😉
besidesw being lighter and faster!

but i wonder how much of that difference can be attributed to wear,
bent things and lack of lubrication?

cheers,

kim

TimC said:

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 at 22:14 GMT, Peter Signorini (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

"mfhor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That would be Roger Petersen, late of MRBTC?

MRBTC? No google hits. Or was it a tyop?

Quoted message said:

One and the same. He now rides with MBTC. See him on the website banner at
www.mbtc.org.au.

If he's the Roger I am thinking of, he flies up hills past me with his
trailer and dog in the back, and his dynamo powering his light rather
brightly (still, the latter only feels like a few metres per every 20
kilometers).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Small world . . . I had to sneer at him LOTS to make him give up the
Dunlop Volleys, but all in a good cause . . . 🙂 Now he rides a Birdy .
. oh, the shame . . .

It might have been him who commented on my Dunlop KT26's.

Quoted message said:

Yes, I've tried to convince him to go clipless, to no avail. Roger is a
committed Luddite, except when he sees a real use for something new ie. the
Birdy. He's now back on the tourer as the Birdy has cracked up a couple of
times under the load

Quoted message said:

M"ex-'tourist'"H

Come along to the MBTC meeting one day to check out the activities - every
Thursday 8.00pm, at Trades Hall 1st floor, follow the MBTC logo signs.

Hey! And you can snear at my GVBR bike! 🙂

Quoted message said:

Always a guest speaker, slides or informative presentation, and the bar's
just down the corridor. And we also do MTB rides (aahh, maybe I shouldn't
mention that in the light of recent MTBO events), Audax, winery visits, you
name it.

I've probably met you already Peter, but I'll try to notice you on
Thursday. There's not that many people from MBTC who post here (I've
seen Alan do it once or twice).

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
Conclusion to my thesis -- "It is trivial to show that it is
clearly obvious that this is not woofly."

Macedon Ranges Bicycle Touring Club, boyo. Waaaay before Google, and now virtually extinct.

M"typical bunch of pedantic introverted tourists"H

Brad said:

Hi
can someody tell me how much quicker I could cycle if I upgraded my bike
from a hybride Giant Cypress to a middle of the road, road bike eg Giant TCR
3.

TCR3?, Giant hasn't made one in the past 5 years (if ever) and biketech has advanced in 5 years.
OCR3, a great entry level road bike.
TCRs are twitchier bikes requiring more concentration to ride.