How to make my bike faster!

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I
have a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the
hope it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out
thousands of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got.
Do you think new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Paint it red.

(OK, OK...)

You can spend a LOT of money shaving /maybe/ two pounds from the bike, or
you can increase your strength and fitness and also lose some weight. Of
the two strategies, the latter will increase your speed much more than the
former.

Bill "easier to just paint it" S.

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but when I
seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts wobbling and
I didnt think it should be doing this...

Big Al a écrit :

Quoted message said:

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but when I
seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts wobbling and
I didnt think it should be doing this...

It's against the rules to combine two trolls in a single posting, Big
Al. But I offer a combined answer - downhill, straight line, don't
worry about the road, the thrills will come faster.
--
Bonne route !

Sandy

Big Al said:

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but when I
seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts wobbling and
I didnt think it should be doing this...

You are correct... but the problem is that the bike is already too
light! Drop a couple pounds of lead weights down the seat tube... that
should make it a lot more stable.

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I have
a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the hope
it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out thousands
of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got. Do you think
new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

It's likely that the single most effective factor that would make the
bike go faster is your spending one extra hour per week (or more) in
the saddle. That said, fitting a set of aero bars to bring your arms
to the centerline of your frontal profile would probably make a
perceptible difference in your on-flat and downhill rates.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I
have a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the
hope it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out
thousands of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got.
Do you think new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

It's "ride up grades", not "upgrades." ;^)

HTH.

Mike

--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I have
a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the hope
it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out thousands
of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got. Do you think
new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Think about it...putting LOTS of money into this bike will save maybe 2
or so pounds? Lots when weighing a bike, not very much when weighing
the bike and rider...

Only 4 things to make you ride faster

-Fit-does the bike fit you?
-Fitness-are you as fit as possible
-Fat-lackthereof on you
-Finesse-riding and racing(if you do) smart...training well

WAY to much emphasis on bike equipment. Best equipment is the stuff
that get you there, reliability.

Sorry-no piece of equipment will automatically translate to being
'faster' anywhere.

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster?

"Ride lots'" - Eddy Merckx

(Warning: "Ride lots" is not sold in stores.)

But I always see those signs in the country, "Lots for Sale" ...
:>

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I have
a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the hope
it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out thousands
of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got. Do you think
new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

I agree with what most have already said but one thing I didn't see
mentioned was positioning on the bike and aerodynamics. I find that when
I ride my upright bike that by "tucking in" tighter I can ride faster
with the same effort, or the same speed with less effort, than I can
when in a more relaxed upright position.

Ken
--
New cycling jersey: $49
new cycling shorts: $39
Not being a slave to the petrol pump: priceless.

Quoted message said:

But I always see those signs in the country, "Lots for Sale" ...
:>

......but you're on your own when it comes to the "ride" part. ;-)

Big Al said:

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but when I
seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts wobbling and
I didnt think it should be doing this...

Wobbling as in a distinct fast-repeating side-to-side shake? That's a
known issue; Google this group for the word "shimmy" to find the many
discussions about the cause and methods of dealing with this.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Sandy said:

Big Al a écrit :

Quoted message said:

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but when I
seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts wobbling and
I didnt think it should be doing this...

It's against the rules to combine two trolls in a single posting, Big
Al. But I offer a combined answer - downhill, straight line, don't
worry about the road, the thrills will come faster.

Hey, at least he didn't ask which helmet and chain lube would allow
him to go faster!

(And I hope that question isn't about to be asked, I really do.)
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Sorni said:

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I
have a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the
hope it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out
thousands of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got.
Do you think new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Paint it red.

(OK, OK...)

You can spend a LOT of money shaving /maybe/ two pounds from the
bike, or you can increase your strength and fitness and also lose
some weight.

Something I don't get: is everybody here overweight? Can you assume that?
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Sandy said:

Big Al a écrit :

Quoted message said:

Well I would class myself as in xcellent physical shape, ive been
cycling for 2 years now but really getting into it this year but
when I seem to go flat out down the hill at 45 mph my bike starts
wobbling and I didnt think it should be doing this...

It's against the rules to combine two trolls in a single posting,

Then how about this?

Al, lock your arms, try to control the wobbling as much as possible. Take
control of the bike and it will know its master. Pull the brakes hard so
that you reduce your speed and get your weight onto the front wheel, which
will stabilize it. That will cure your speed wobbles.*

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
*(note this is a tripletroll)

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

Quoted message said:

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I
have a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the
hope it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out
thousands of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got.
Do you think new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Paint it red.

(OK, OK...)

You can spend a LOT of money shaving /maybe/ two pounds from the bike, or
you can increase your strength and fitness and also lose some weight. Of
the two strategies, the latter will increase your speed much more than the
former.

Bill "easier to just paint it" S.

Red is clearly the fastest colour, followed by black, maybe.

Skippy
E&OE

Phil said:

Sorni said:

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I
have a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive
considered getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it
lighter in the hope it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want
to fork out thousands of pounds for a new bike because I love the
bike ive got. Do you think new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Paint it red.

(OK, OK...)

You can spend a LOT of money shaving /maybe/ two pounds from the
bike, or you can increase your strength and fitness and also lose
some weight.

Something I don't get: is everybody here overweight? Can you assume
that?

We're all fat old men. (Damn skinny kid...)

Bitter Bill

Big Al said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I have
a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the hope
it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out thousands
of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got. Do you think
new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Nothing will give you more speed than a faring. You could easily go
from 20 mph on a club ride to 25 mph. Wind resistance is the dominant
form of resistance above 10 mph, and wind resistance grows according
to your velocity CUBED.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

People, what is the single factor in making my road bike faster? I have
a 2001 Specialized allez with an aluminium frame, Ive considered
getting carbon forks, stem, seatpost etc to ake it lighter in the hope
it goes faster and up hills easier. I dont want to fork out thousands
of pounds for a new bike because I love the bike ive got. Do you think
new wheels and tyres would do the trick?

Just like any other vehicle, the way you make it faster is by putting a
more powerful motor in/on it. All the other stuff gets you only tiny
improvements. If you want to lose weight, with few exceptions, the rider
is the most cost efficient place to lise weight.
----------------
Alex