A new bike or not?

[KateK]

I'm going to try and keep this simple: I've been going out regularly now for nearly a year and I would like to join a cycling club. I had thought about CTC but I'm finding it hard to find the time to get long enough rides in to get my distance over 60ish miles. I had a friend up who has been a sporting cyclist all his life and went out with him. I reckoned I was still way too slow to join a sporting club: I average about 16.5 mph over 2 hrs on reasonably flat terrain (say 200m ascent total) , on the flat I keep about 18-19. I do about 100 - 120 miles a week. He finds my bike quite amusing: a 1980 raleigh mixte, 40lb with pannier and water and reckons if I got a lighter bike I would go fast enough to go out with a club. At the moment I seem to be stuck in the middle: the shorter rides clubs do are at 12-13mph (which would drive me a bit potty) and shorter distances than I do on a short (35 mile) run What do you think?

 

[vickster]

Sounds a pretty good performance on a 40lb bike...how about getting a Triban 3 for £300 from Decathlon - everyone raving about how good it is for the money (I am accuming here that the new bike isn't actually planned to be a 2k carbon number?)

Why do you have to join a sporting club, find more of a touring club? What are your goals from joining a club?

 

[KateK]

I'd like to join a club because I'd like a bit of company some of the time whern I'm cycling, I used to be in a mountaineering club and I really miss that. I'm a bit competitive in a low key way, although I've never done competitive sport, and I end up racing wide boys on their hybrids who think they are way faster than a grey haired lady (they never are). Also its hard finding good new routes on your own all the time. I was initially planning on joining a CTC club once I'd got my mileage up to 80 or so ie about 10 more than they do usually, but it is really hard to find enough time to get out for 4-5 hrs with any regularity. other problem is the main rides are all day sundays and I don't think my husband would be happy with a weekly absence.
2k carbon hmm? maybe not, I quite like steel.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I always thought most clubs did rides of varied av.speeds to cater for all members. So you wouldn't need to ride with the fast group, you could go with one of the other groups if you wanted

 

[KateK]

Yeah, looked at my local gps and they all seem to have a slow gp of 12-13mph and then an intermediate or touring gp at 16-19mph. I'm kind of at the bottom end of that, that's why I wonder if a lighter bike would make a difference..I really lose time on hills although at least I am beginning to be able to keep my cadence going a bit.... I love the way beginners guides say "on hills choose a low gear that you can spin in" I was always in the position of being in first and just trying to keep going in a straight line and the pedals vaguely going in a round and round direction, like climbing though gravel. I always considered still being on the bike at the top a real achievement... and I come from a place so flat that anywhere more than 25 metres high has a name... usually Flyover

 

[Peteaud]

I am not fit by any means and can / have managed 15mph avg on my 2010 Giant Defy 2

So from you your figures i would have thought you would not have a problem on a 1/2 decent bike.

 

[KateK]

Thanks, I think I might, but I worry that I'm just kidding myself. Problem then is .. what bike, and that's a whole big decision mountain. maybe an audax, keeping my options open on touring or sporting, I've always tended to do more stamina things like walking, mountaineering...but then I quite like going fast... even if it is only downhill or with the wind behind me... One advantage of a heavier bike, you can go downhill like a bat out of hell.. a slightly boneshaking, careful look ahead at junctions, not too many gear changes (stem mounted gears!), not over 30mph bat out of hell but still it's fun.

 

[biggs682]

KateK thats a good average and yes you might be faster on a lighter bike so why not try and find a good reynolds 531 framed steel racer in either mixte or mans frame style an see what improvement that makes first

 

[Saluki]

Your average is better than ours. We are thinking of joining a club after doing the Tour of Britain challenge ride on Saturday week. Why not ring your local clubs and chat to someone about the speed of their rides etc, that's what we plan to do.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

The answer to the OP question is Yes.

It is always yes, even if you have literally just pushed enter in the chip and pin for a new bike purchase.

 

[HovR]

If you still want to stick with steel, as you mentioned you preferred earlier in the thread, I'd recommend like biggs that you pick up a nice Reynolds steel frame. It sounds like your current bike may be made of standard steel which may be ok for the odd pootle about, but it's a bit heavy to go anywhere fast.

There are some good deals to be had if you're patient and look around. I just picked up a Reynolds 501 frame for £30 in very good condition, and also own a 531 frame - Both of which are lighter than (or as light as) any Alu frame I've seen in the £200 to £300 price range.

Your other option is of course Alu such as the Triban mentioned earlier, which is a good bike sporting STI gears which will encourage you to shift gear more often when it's needed than your stem shifters probably do.

If you know anyone with a lighter Alu road bike maybe you could ask if you could borrow it for the day and see how you get on?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

KateK: I would go for a new bike if I was up to your standard, alas I'm a slow coach that likes to stop a lot to take pictures!
Jokes aside, we have here in Glasgow, you might well have the same were you live, a bike loan scheme run by the council, I think. It is for people that would like to commute by bike but don't know which one would suit them.
You could maybe look into that to try out a few bikes - or borrow a lighter bike from a friend for a few rides, see if it really makes you faster in view of joining the club, before parting with your hard earned cash.
Good luck!

 

[RWright]

full carbon time

 

[KateK]

Your average is better than ours. We are thinking of joining a club after doing the Tour of Britain challenge ride on Saturday week. Why not ring your local clubs and chat to someone about the speed of their rides etc, that's what we plan to do.

Lucky you, I'd seen the Tour was starting in the East and there was a challenge ride before, but can't get to either. Have fun!

 

[potsy]

Is it Christmas already?