Bike Advice

[dasdoing]

So you consider campagnolo as the best also in a time trail. I'ts well known that from a quality point of view these days their are no big diffrences between the 2 brands except for the high priced campagnolo's.

I wasn't defending any brand, my statement was general. I never even owned Campagnolo stuff

 

[MRC01]

... Aluminum is inherently soft so the frames use oversize tubing to attain the necessary strength, which makes them quite rigid. This sacrifices comfort and road feel. ...

It's worth mentioning an exception to this: the Vitus 979 frame. I raced one back in the 1980s, equipped with custom drilled campy super record except for the rear derailleur which was a Huret Jubilee. The original Mavic E2 wheels weren't holding up to racing well, so I built a new set of wheels with G40 rims and bladed spokes, much stronger no more problems.

The Vitus 979 frame was unique among Al frames as it was extremely light and compliant. A very smooth ride, great for 100+ milers. It flexed a bit too much on the climbs, while standing on the pedals pumping up a hill you could look down and see the bottom bracket shifting back and forth. But it was so light that helped make up for it. And very strong. I crashed that bike once at over 40 mph which bent the fork but the frame was just fine.

Damn I loved that bike, put thousands of miles on it. This discussion of aluminum frames and Campy parts brought the memories flooding back. Wish I still had it today, but I had to sell it to make it through my last year of college.

 

[Dialectic]

Now that the OP is long gone and his request for recommendations on recumbent bikes long forgotten, we can use this thread to discuss all manner of exercise equipment-related topics.

Any thoughts on Uesaka vs. Eleiko? Texas Strength Systems vs. Rogue?

We seem to have a disproportionate number of competitive cyclists on the forum. Perhaps Lance Armstrong is on ASR.

 

[AHo]

Now that the OP is long gone and his request for recommendations on recumbent bikes long forgotten, we can use this thread to discuss all manner of exercise equipment-related topics.

It's not at all forgotten! The OP asked for something that could be used indoor. Otherwise I'd have surely advocated the M5 Carbon High Racer as the ultimate racing bike you can get.

 

[Snarfie]

I wasn't defending any brand, my statement was general. I never even owned Campagnolo stuff

Both brands can't make their designs much better mabey lighter or electric gears DI it is named by Shimano besides marketing i do not understand the big advantages suppose your have an dead battery underway you can't shift

 

[Sonny1]

Entertaining thread! I’ve been a cyclist for years (only road, I own a MTB but don’t know much about mountain biking except that I enjoy it). I’m old school in some ways, I have not jumped on the Peloton train like most of it friends. I have a decent indoor trainer but it’s not a smart one (like its owner) and I absolutely hate riding on stationary trainers. I live in Chicago so it’s a necessary evil but I do not enjoy indoor suffering and try to ride outside unless it’s below 30F, raining or snowing.

Over the years I’ve owned decent aluminum road bikes from Cannondale and Specialize, and reasonably good carbon fiber and a well made steel bike (Reynolds 853). They all feel a bit different and geometry of each is a bit different (although size is approximately the same). Unless you are planning to race or join a fast group, I’ll be happy to give my ten cents and recommend getting a bike that fits you well. This includes the frame size, saddle, cockpit, etc. Get a professional fit if you can afford it. IMO, this will have a bigger impact on your enjoyment than anything else. My main bike has full SRAM Red from about ten years ago, and my steel bike has Shimano, a mix of DuraAce and Ultegra. They shift a bit differently and I prefer the SRAM but I could live with either. Same is true of Campy, once you get used to it, it works fine. I don’t have electronic shifting but have tested it several times and completely understand the allure. It’s pretty cool.

Fit and comfort are the most important areas you should focus on when you get started. Today’s aluminum bikes are better than I ever thought aluminum was capable of being. In my experience, tires are highly underrated and overlooked by too many cyclists. I love the fact that we are no longer putting 22mm tires on our road bikes and pumping them up to 110psi. So many cyclists are running fatter tires (25 or 28mm) and running lower pressure. In my experience this makes a bigger impact on comfort than frame material in general, especially if you are riding for fun and not racing or obsessed with every tenth of a second. All this talk is making me sad because I have a date with my stationary bike trainer tonight. Although I scoff at Peloton, I admit that I have a power meter on my stationary along with cadence HR monitor and a Garmin. Okay, I’m waiting for one of these Covid home cyclists to sell me a peloton cheap when when he/she gets tired of it next year.

 

[Foxenfurter]

Good advice on comfort - my newest bike a Cannondale CAADX had such an uncomfortable saddle I couldn't manage 10 miles without flinching. So I replaced it and the seatpost with a carbon fibre one really is comfy now. I was going to get a fitting, then Covid happened.
In London the roads are so bad with potholes and half-arsed repairs that I ride 35 mm tyres. All the trails are slimed up with mud and leaves so slicks are out of the question.
I just ride for pleasure and fitness, so whilst it is nice to be able to go a bit quicker the bike makes a lot less difference than the rider. I had an old kronk with only 5 gears and a cheap steel frame in my 20's but still averaged more than 5 mph faster than I do now.

Incidentally - Do you find some cyclists are worse equipment snobs than audiophiles?

 

[Leporello]

Shimano is used by most Pro teams like Sky wonder why. https://www.becycled.be/magazine/de-racefietsen-van-het-worldtour-peloton-2019/

I wonder that too. Shimano gear may be technically better but is has no soul. And what is cycling without soul?

 

[NepinMn]

Like at least one other poster here, I have a smart trainer (kickr core). My regular toad bike is mounted to it and I use zwift ($15/month). As someone who despised indoor bike trainers, this zwift/smart trainer is unbelievably fun and I'm worried that I might be beginning to enjoy it more than outdoor biking. Outdoor road biking, here in Minnesota, is not convenient.

I highly recommend this combo assuming you already own a bike that you ride outdoors.

 

[AHo]

Incidentally - Do you find some cyclists are worse equipment snobs than audiophiles?

Well, those who ride recumbents are very scientific about what works. There are also those who ride what feels right. The horror!

 

[Snarfie]

I wonder that too. Shimano gear may be technically better but is has no soul. And what is cycling without soul?

Tell me i have no clue Guess something like liking Vinyl sound over Digital sound or the otherway around. No got it herritage i can live with that.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I've built up bikes with top of the line Campy and Shimano. They are both excellent, but different.

 

[AHo]

Tell me i have no clue Guess something like liking Vinyl sound over Digital sound or the otherway around.

I don't know all the brands mentioned, but e.g. comparing Shimano vs. SRAM, Shimano used to require less force when changing speeds, while SRAM had a bit more noticeable "clicks" requiring more force (don't know how it is nowadays). Quality should be mostly similar so the difference is very much just a personal preference. Also weight versus strength is a rider specific choice.

 

[MRC01]

... In my experience, tires are highly underrated and overlooked by too many cyclists. I love the fact that we are no longer putting 22mm tires on our road bikes and pumping them up to 110psi. So many cyclists are running fatter tires (25 or 28mm) and running lower pressure. In my experience this makes a bigger impact on comfort than frame material in general, especially if you are riding for fun and not racing or obsessed with every tenth of a second. ...

So true. Yet there is nothing like the feeling of riding a smooth efficient bike on fast tires. My current road tires resemble what "we're no longer doing": Conti GP5000 700x23 with latex inner tubes. Just wow, so much better than the fragile racing slicks I used to run back in the 1980s, my last flat was over 500 miles ago even on crappy Seattle area pavement. It's not that I care about the seconds (though it does make a difference and it is faster), I just love the efficient responsive feel of these tires, so much better than fatter more comfortable tires.

 

[dasdoing]

Well, those who ride recumbents are very scientific about what works. There are also those who ride what feels right. The horror!

I wonder if there is realy an advantage for an OPEN recumbent over a time trail bike in perfect position. couldn't find any testing.
unfortunatly a recumbent would be too dangerous where I drive, so I built me a time trail bike

 

[Blumlein 88]

I wonder if there is realy an advantage for an OPEN recumbent over a time trail bike in perfect position. couldn't find any testing.
unfortunatly a recumbent would be too dangerous where I drive, so I built me a time trail bike

Way back when mediocre pro recumbent riders were beating everyone which is why they are illegal in pro cycling.

 

[dasdoing]

which is why they are illegal in pro cycling.

no man, you can't race with those things in a traditional manner.
I realy like those things, but they are not like normal bikes

 

[AHo]

I wonder if there is realy an advantage for an OPEN recumbent over a time trail bike in perfect position. couldn't find any testing.
unfortunatly a recumbent would be too dangerous where I drive, so I built me a time trail bike

there is: a recumbent built for speed has half the drag of a time trial bike (also built for speed). On top of that you will be sitting in a comfy position similar to a lounge chair and you will not have any saddle pain or numb wrists. You will also sit in a position allowing you to see the surroundings and not the asphalt. So if speed is your thing they are superior.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I had a recumbent. I could never build whatever muscle it is you need to climb hills as well on one. Too many hills where I live for that. On flat terrain they were faster, more comfortable and good. People kept saying I'd manage to climb hills, but after a couple years I gave up. The other factor is while I try to ride where there are no cars, you can't always do that and the higher position of a diamond frame felt more safe to me around traffic on the road. In flatter terrain that also may have been less of a problem. Finally, at least the one I had being longer was more difficult for me to transport to various places to ride.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I wonder that too. Shimano gear may be technically better but is has no soul. And what is cycling without soul?

Then you are supposed to get a fixie and eliminate all mechanical contraption sucking the soul out of your cycling miles.

Repeat after me: "There is no derailleur like no derailleur."

Ignore the corollary: "There are no brakes like no brakes."