Do I need a new bike?

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

Quoted message said:

Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm not
entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement.

Quoted message said:

My vitals:
I'm almost 36 years old, 5'10", 170 lbs., 12% body fat. I'm planning to
get down to 150 lbs. but I'm taking my time in getting there, i.e. not
starving myself to do it. I've come from 240 lbs. in January of this
year. I ride about 30 miles (50km) per day, 6 days a week. My fastest
ride has averaged 19mph, and most are in the 16-18mph range, depending on
wind, hills, draft, etc. I live in an area which is almost all flat. I've
been on 3 touring rides this year ranging from 30 miles to 200 miles, and
plan on doing 2 more before the end of the season, as well as several in
years to come.
My bike:
1988 Raleigh Capri road bike. It's a 10 speed, probably more aptly called
a 5 speed these days. The frame is 410 steel. I'm still using the stock
wheels, though I bought new tires this year before my 200 mile ride. The
tires are Bontrager and the wheel size is 700c x 25. Even though I bought
the bike back in 1988, it's still in pretty good shape because I've always
kept it in my apartment or my garage over the years and also I didn't ride
it much until this year.

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis. I
can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they are
and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to the next
level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and average
24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year. So, my
question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes or
should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.

Have you considered upgrading the components?
I have a 1987 Bianchi Vittoria which was fitted with a 12 speed Campy
Victory group.
In 1990 (-under peer pressure!) I upgraded the group to an 18 speed Veloce
group. The improvement was amazing. Apart from the gear count and indexing
shifting, the brakes were light years ahead of the Victory. This seemed to
put be back on a par with my riding compatriots on later model machines who
now no longer made derisive comments!.
This summer in a fit of self indulgence I purchased a new carbon fibre Trek
5000. This is a fine machine and it's 18lb weight gives it an advantage on
hills, and the light weight Bontrager lite racing wheels with its flat lower
spoke count probably give better acceleration. However apart from that, the
Bianchi is equally pleasant and comfortable to ride and even after 1400km on
the Trek, I am still unable to establish a preference between its Ultegra
and the Veloce group, apart from the former's front derailleur which is a
little more user friendly. The braking is very comparable, the Trek gives a
slightly more compliant ride. They are both fine bikes but I am very
surprised at how well the Bianchi has held up over the years.
In conclusion I hve been very happy with the Trek but very glad I didn't get
rid of the Bianchi.

If you go new, make sure you have a valid reason, not to make a fashion
statement!

Good luck,

Roy

Brian Kerr said:

I've been riding quite a bit this summer and plan to continue doing so
in the future. I was in pretty bad shape physically until this year and
as such, I have seen drastic improvements in my speeds all summer long.
Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm
not entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement. I know the
bikes are lighter in weight, but I'm still overweight myself. If I were
to get another bike I would use it for my daily rides and use my current
bike just for riding to and from work (5 miles each way).

My vitals:
I'm almost 36 years old, 5'10", 170 lbs., 12% body fat. I'm planning to
get down to 150 lbs. but I'm taking my time in getting there, i.e. not
starving myself to do it. I've come from 240 lbs. in January of this
year. I ride about 30 miles (50km) per day, 6 days a week. My fastest
ride has averaged 19mph, and most are in the 16-18mph range, depending
on wind, hills, draft, etc. I live in an area which is almost all flat.
I've been on 3 touring rides this year ranging from 30 miles to 200
miles, and plan on doing 2 more before the end of the season, as well as
several in years to come.

For 5'10" 170 is probably a good target, at 150 you would be a little
too light, I'm 5'9 and I would like to end up around 170.

Quoted message said:

My bike:
1988 Raleigh Capri road bike. It's a 10 speed, probably more aptly
called a 5 speed these days. The frame is 410 steel. I'm still using
the stock wheels, though I bought new tires this year before my 200 mile
ride. The tires are Bontrager and the wheel size is 700c x 25. Even
though I bought the bike back in 1988, it's still in pretty good shape
because I've always kept it in my apartment or my garage over the years
and also I didn't ride it much until this year.

You could upgrade some components on the existing bike, rework some
others, and gain a lot of performance without a new bike. For example
have the hubs ever been rebuilt? I would repack the hubs and bottom
bracket, get them to repack the headset bearings too, and see if that
helps, bearings with 17 year old grease can add considerable drag, the
solvents dry out over time. Get the chain cleaned and lubed or replace
it. This could add considerable speed to an old bike.

You might consider swapping the cassette for a 7 speed, cold set the
frame a little wider, you may need to replace the rear deraileur and
shifter at the same time.... This could be done at a later time though.....

W

Quoted message said:

For 5'10" 170 is probably a good target, at 150 you would be a little
too light, I'm 5'9 and I would like to end up around 170.

Maybe... maybe not.

I'm 6' and bounce around between 155 and 165.

I love the way I climb @ 155 (though I look positively underfed) and feel
(and climb) like a pig @ 165.

My best compromise body weight seems to be about 158.

Hard to really say without knowing one's body type.

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

In article <[email hidden]>,

The Wogster said:

For 5'10" 170 is probably a good target, at 150 you would be a little
too light, I'm 5'9 and I would like to end up around 170.

I'm 5'11", and hovering @ +/- 150 lbs. I'm a kite, going up the
hills. But I'm also a kite going down 'em.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Chris Neary said:

Quoted message said:

For 5'10" 170 is probably a good target, at 150 you would be a little
too light, I'm 5'9 and I would like to end up around 170.

Maybe... maybe not.

I'm 6' and bounce around between 155 and 165.

I love the way I climb @ 155 (though I look positively underfed) and feel
(and climb) like a pig @ 165.

My best compromise body weight seems to be about 158.

Hard to really say without knowing one's body type.

Currently I am around 220 (down from 250 about 3 years ago), ideally I
would like to be around 170. Currently in the market for a new bike,
because I would like to get the rest of the extra weight off. Maybe if
I could get to the 170, I might re-evaluate the target, but the last
time I was around there, I felt about right. Most of the loss on my
part has been excersize, as a Y2K/dot bomb casualty I moved from sitting
in front of a computer all day, to a more physical job with a courier
company. Just the job change cut 20lbs, the rest is by walking 2 miles
a day, most days. The next challenge is diet, but that needs to work
with other family members.

One of the things I want to do biking, is to combine that with my hobby
of Photography, there isn't enough within walking range, but there are
several nice parks within easy biking range.

W

Brian Kerr said:

I've been riding quite a bit this summer and plan to continue doing so
in the future. I was in pretty bad shape physically until this year and
as such, I have seen drastic improvements in my speeds all summer long.
Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm
not entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement. I know the
bikes are lighter in weight, but I'm still overweight myself. If I were
to get another bike I would use it for my daily rides and use my current
bike just for riding to and from work (5 miles each way).

My vitals:
I'm almost 36 years old, 5'10", 170 lbs., 12% body fat. I'm planning to
get down to 150 lbs. but I'm taking my time in getting there, i.e. not
starving myself to do it. I've come from 240 lbs. in January of this
year. I ride about 30 miles (50km) per day, 6 days a week. My fastest
ride has averaged 19mph, and most are in the 16-18mph range, depending
on wind, hills, draft, etc. I live in an area which is almost all flat.
I've been on 3 touring rides this year ranging from 30 miles to 200
miles, and plan on doing 2 more before the end of the season, as well as
several in years to come.
My bike:
1988 Raleigh Capri road bike. It's a 10 speed, probably more aptly
called a 5 speed these days. The frame is 410 steel. I'm still using
the stock wheels, though I bought new tires this year before my 200 mile
ride. The tires are Bontrager and the wheel size is 700c x 25. Even
though I bought the bike back in 1988, it's still in pretty good shape
because I've always kept it in my apartment or my garage over the years
and also I didn't ride it much until this year.

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis.
I can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they
are and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to
the next level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and
average 24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year.
So, my question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes
or should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.
TIA,
Brian

At 170, you might be a bit overweight (by your own definition), but
you're not exactly a Clydesdale.

You might follow the advice others have posted and try upgrading your
components, but I'm not convinced you'll keep up with AA riders on a
heavy bike. If you aspire to an average speed of 24 mph, you need a
fast bike.

The major bike manufacturers make excellent high end bikes; the
differences are a matter of how well their geometry fits your personal
geometry. I would recommend checking out what's available in your area
and giving any likely-looking bike a vigorous test ride.

--

the black rose
Research Associate in the Field of Child Development and Human
Relations
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
2005 BOMs: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/blackrosequilts/my_photos

-------- __o
----- -\<. -------- __o
--- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<.
-------------------- ( )/ ( )
-----------------------------------------

Brian Kerr said:

So, my question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes
or should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?

The obvious answer is to find someone who will let you go for a test
ride and see the difference.

You didn't mention if you are using clipless pedals or not, if not
they would make the most difference to performance.

dewatf.

Brian Kerr said:

I've been riding quite a bit this summer and plan to continue doing so
in the future. I was in pretty bad shape physically until this year and
as such, I have seen drastic improvements in my speeds all summer long.
Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm
not entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement. I know the
bikes are lighter in weight, but I'm still overweight myself. If I were
to get another bike I would use it for my daily rides and use my current
bike just for riding to and from work (5 miles each way).

My vitals:
I'm almost 36 years old, 5'10", 170 lbs., 12% body fat. I'm planning to
get down to 150 lbs. but I'm taking my time in getting there, i.e. not
starving myself to do it. I've come from 240 lbs. in January of this
year. I ride about 30 miles (50km) per day, 6 days a week. My fastest
ride has averaged 19mph, and most are in the 16-18mph range, depending
on wind, hills, draft, etc. I live in an area which is almost all flat.
I've been on 3 touring rides this year ranging from 30 miles to 200
miles, and plan on doing 2 more before the end of the season, as well as
several in years to come.
My bike:
1988 Raleigh Capri road bike. It's a 10 speed, probably more aptly
called a 5 speed these days. The frame is 410 steel. I'm still using
the stock wheels, though I bought new tires this year before my 200 mile
ride. The tires are Bontrager and the wheel size is 700c x 25. Even
though I bought the bike back in 1988, it's still in pretty good shape
because I've always kept it in my apartment or my garage over the years
and also I didn't ride it much until this year.

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis.
I can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they
are and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to
the next level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and
average 24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year.
So, my question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes
or should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.

I am not going to tell you not to get a new bike, but a new bike isn't
going to get you from 19mph to 24mph. If you want a new bike, if you
would appreciate a new bike, and you can afford it, go ahead, but a new
bike isn't going to gain you much speed. The easiest thing you can do
to gain speed is add a set of aero bars onto a bike - either a new bike
or your existing ones. Other things you can do, in no particular order
are:

1) Make sure your bike is well taken care - ie, no draggy bearings, no
draggy chain, no muck in the drive train, no draggy brakes, etc. This
only really helps you if there was a problem with your bike.

2) Work on your position on the bike - get more aerodynamic, either by
lowering your handlebars, getting you elbows in, riding on the drops
more, etc, etc.

3) Put a nice pair of tires on your bike. A really good pair of
700x23 tires may have less rolling resistance than your current set.
Also make sure you keep your tires properly inflated.

4) If you aren't using clipless pedals, get some and use them. Get
some nice stiff shoes while you are at it.

5) Make sure you aren't wearing any clothing that resembles a
parachute while riding. You don't need to be totally decked out in
lycra, but avoid anything baggy or flappy.

6) If you aren't wearing a helmet, start. A head with a decent helmet
is more aerodyanmic than a bare head.

Remember, almost no one who has a working bike needs a new bike, but a
new bike can be awfully nice. There have been a lot of changes in
bikes since yours was made, and you may really appreciate them. The
first time I rode a bike with STI shifters was a serious revelation.
Do yourself a favor and go test ride some new bikes at your friendly
LBS. Be aware that a lighter bike will "feel" a lot faster than your
current ride, even though it isn't really. You can test this by doing
a fixed distance time trial several times - half with an extra water
bottle, half without it.

Later,
Mark Muller

Brian Kerr said:

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis.
I can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they
are and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to
the next level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and
average 24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year.
So, my question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes
or should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.

If you buy a high end carbon fiber bike with Campy Record, Shimano Dura Ace,
or even more expensive boutique parts, you might raise your average speed to
19.5 mph. Performance differences between any decent quality road bikes are
minimal.

--
Sock Puppet

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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

For 5'10" 170 is probably a good target, at 150 you would be a little
too light, I'm 5'9 and I would like to end up around 170.

I'm 5'11", and hovering @ +/- 150 lbs. I'm a kite, going up the
hills. But I'm also a kite going down 'em.

Being light doesn't have to make you slower going down hills. I'm much
faster descending now, at 168lbs, than I was at 185. Technique is
everything. One day I was watching the TDF coverage, listening to Phil get
miles & kilometers mixed up (yeah, right, like they're doing 70 miles per
hour? I don't think so!) but figuring out that they do, in fact, descend
pretty darn quickly. So I start watching the tapes really closely, studying
how the fastest guys descend, and I discover "the secret." Without
exception, they all looked FAT on the descents. I mean like they had spare
tires hanging around their gut. And that's what clued me in.

They're most definitely *not* fat, but they do sag their stomach/chest out
and bring their knees up into it. The result is an elimination of the air
pocket there, which seems to make a very dramatic difference in
aerodynamics.

Next time there's some guy pedaling away from you on a fast descent, stop
pedaling, put your pedals parallel to the ground, knees up into your chest,
and hands across the center of the handlebar. And then simply coast right up
to him. It's pretty cool once you get it down, and your friends are going to
have a tough time figuring out how you did it.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Quoted message said:

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis. I
can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they are
and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to the next
level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and average
24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year. So, my
question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes or
should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.
TIA,
Brian

Brian: The only person who can make that determination is you, and the only
way you can do that is by riding a few bikes. You need to get exposed to the
differences (and there are a great many of them since your bike came to
be!), and figure out what's worth paying for, and what's not. In the end,
only one thing really matters. Would a new bike have something about it that
would make riding more enjoyable? Please note that's not the same as a bike
that simply makes you faster. It could be, but it could also be that there's
something about it that's more fun, or more comfortable, or maybe it just
looks so cool. Who knows?

You might check out this article on our website before you go test-ride
though- www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm. It's one of the few on
our website that are brand & material neutral, and tells you not just what
to look for, but how the bikes should be set up as well.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote: (clip) It could be, but it could also be that
there's something about it that's more fun, or more comfortable, or maybe
it just looks so cool. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
One thing I think is really cool is to ride an older bike that's been kept
up, and outride some of the people with the really high end equipment. (I'm
not in this picture.)

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

Quoted message said:

I've been riding quite a bit this summer and plan to continue doing so in
the future. I was in pretty bad shape physically until this year and as
such, I have seen drastic improvements in my speeds all summer long. Some
of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my speeds by
purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm not entirely
convinced it would make much of an improvement. I know the bikes are
lighter in weight, but I'm still overweight myself. If I were to get
another bike I would use it for my daily rides and use my current bike
just for riding to and from work (5 miles each way).

Nobody needs an excuse for buying a new bike, but don't fall for myths. A
lighter bike won't make you reach greater speeds. It will only be easier to
get up hills, but, great hill climbers are great hill climbers because
*they* are light themselves, not because the bike they are riding is a few
ounces ligher. All things being equal, assuming equal fitness, it will
always be easier for me to get my 120lbs up a hill than it will for you and
your 170lbs. The 20-25 lbs worth of bicycle under us is probably not going
to make that much difference because it's only a small percentage of the
total weight. Now, the lighter bike might *feel* faster though, simply
because it will accelerate faster (especially if it has lighter
wheels/tires) and it will feel more responsive. It's just like in the old
British sports car days, an MG or a Spitfire felt faster than the family
sedan, but they really couldn't actually go faster. They felt fast because
they were more responsive to driver input, faster around curves, etc. It's
the same with bikes.
Pierre

Brian Kerr said:

I've been riding quite a bit this summer and plan to continue doing so
in the future. I was in pretty bad shape physically until this year and
as such, I have seen drastic improvements in my speeds all summer long.
Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm
not entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement. I know the
bikes are lighter in weight, but I'm still overweight myself. If I were
to get another bike I would use it for my daily rides and use my current
bike just for riding to and from work (5 miles each way).

Since your bike isn't broken, I'd ride it the rest of the summer and
fall. For me, this is the time of year for buying snowboards, ice
skates, snowpants, etc. The end of January is time for bicycles, ball
bats, rollerblades, etc. I know I'm cheap, but I've saved so
much....maybe I don't have the latest gadget/gimmick though.

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Some of the people I ride with insist that I could really improve my
speeds by purchasing a new bike. I'm curious of your opinions as I'm not
entirely convinced it would make much of an improvement.

Quoted message said:

The people I ride with are riding Trek 2100s, Cannondales, and Bianchis.
I can keep up with these people because I'm in better shape than they are
and I'm built for endurance, but I'd also like to take my game to the
next level and I know some other riders that ride up to 30 mph and
average 24mph that I'd love to be able to ride with, maybe next year.>
Have you considered upgrading the components?

I have a 1987 Bianchi Vittoria which was fitted with a 12 speed Campy
Victory group.
In 1990 (-under peer pressure!) I upgraded the group to an 18 speed Veloce
group.

Correction; I meant 1999. Apologies.

Roy

Brian Kerr said:

I live in an area which is almost all flat.

Quoted message said:

My bike:
1988 Raleigh Capri road bike. It's a 10 speed, probably more aptly called
a 5 speed these days. The frame is 410 steel. I'm still using the stock
wheels, though I bought new tires this year before my 200 mile ride. The
tires are Bontrager and the wheel size is 700c x 25.

I'm not familiar with that bike. But by 1988, most bikes were 12 or 14
speeds, so I suspect this was a low-end model.. If the bike has a heavy
"gaspipe" frame, it probably doesn't make sense to upgrade components.

But since you ride in a flat area, I don't think weight (on you or the bike)
is going to make a whole lot of difference. And you probably wouldn't gain
much from having more gears. Others have mentioned drag in wheel bearings,
etc., but that is not going to make much difference either. Upgrading tires
as you have to 700 x 25 was a probably the best upgrade you could make.

The way to get faster (if that's what you want) is to keep riding regularly.
A new bike may be more fun to ride (smoother shifting, better braking,
nicer looking) but don't expect it to be much faster, especially on flat
rides.

Art Harris

I asked myself this same question on my ride this morning. I ride a
hyridized hardtail mtb, and this morning I found / noticed that I was
is my top gear and at my normal cadence, and my speed was only around
20 mph. But then I realized that most of my rides are more in the 15 to
16 mph range, but improving all the time. So after thinking about it
for the rest of the ride I realized that until most of my riding is
done in top gear it probably doesn't make much sense to buy a better
bike. I think this is probably true with you too. But that is just my
opinion.

Ken M

Quoted post said:

6) If you aren't wearing a helmet, start. A head with a decent helmet
is more aerodyanmic than a bare head.

A skullcap is more aerodynamic still...

--
Robert Uhl <http://public.xdi.org/=ruhl>
I have a love for coding. I have a love for staying up for days at a
time living off of Tea and Cigarettes, doing nothing but wearing the
letters off of the keys in front of my computer. My bills have a love
for being paid on time. --Jace of Fuse!

araby said:

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

<snip>
So, my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

question to you, should I go ahead and start looking at new bikes or
should I just be happy with the fine working machine I've got now?
Reccomendations for specific bikes are also welcome but not necessary.

Have you considered upgrading the components?

Yes I have considered upgrading, but I think the cost is prohibitive
considering the bike. IMHO it would be a lot like restoring a Yugo. I
could put $1000 into a $100 bike and when it was all said and done I'd
have a $100 bike.

Quoted message said:

I have a 1987 Bianchi Vittoria which was fitted with a 12 speed Campy
Victory group.
In 1990 (-under peer pressure!) I upgraded the group to an 18 speed Veloce
group. The improvement was amazing. Apart from the gear count and indexing
shifting, the brakes were light years ahead of the Victory. This seemed to
put be back on a par with my riding compatriots on later model machines who
now no longer made derisive comments!.
This summer in a fit of self indulgence I purchased a new carbon fibre Trek
5000. This is a fine machine and it's 18lb weight gives it an advantage on
hills, and the light weight Bontrager lite racing wheels with its flat lower
spoke count probably give better acceleration. However apart from that, the
Bianchi is equally pleasant and comfortable to ride and even after 1400km on
the Trek, I am still unable to establish a preference between its Ultegra
and the Veloce group, apart from the former's front derailleur which is a
little more user friendly. The braking is very comparable, the Trek gives a
slightly more compliant ride. They are both fine bikes but I am very
surprised at how well the Bianchi has held up over the years.
In conclusion I hve been very happy with the Trek but very glad I didn't get
rid of the Bianchi.

If you go new, make sure you have a valid reason, not to make a fashion
statement!

Good luck,

Roy