Mine was health too….broken right knee joint playing football back nearly 16yrs ago, was causing me issues on the 11mile climb to home. E bike made it so much easier, while still enjoying the commute.
Before you go off upgrading your road bike...
- Thread starter T4tomo
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Mine was health too….broken right knee joint playing football back nearly 16yrs ago, was causing me issues on the 11mile climb to home. E bike made it so much easier, while still enjoying the commute.
It's on even the cheaper poncy carbon bikes. I have a Trek Domane SL5 which has an integrated cockpit! Looks good but a bugger if a cable goes.I've seen it referred to on GCN. I believe it's a poncy marketing term for the area where the stem and bars meet, which on 'spensive bikes is usually carbon, integrated (cables through it) and super duper aero
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
STI and carbon were available 20 years ago.
Di2, we have to agree to differ on its revolutionary-ness!
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Not mentioned so far is the need for a stiffer fork on disc braked bikes resulting in a harsher ride; this can be offset with larger capacity tyres, with a weight penalty.
My 1974 Raleigh subjectively has a better ride quality than my 2021 Spa
My 1974 Raleigh subjectively has a better ride quality than my 2021 Spa
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
It is the term used by cycling "journalists" to refer to the area containing the controls - I.e. Handlebars shifters/brake levers, and they usually include the stem I believe.
An "integrated cockpit" means you can't see (or get at) the cables/hoses at all. They aren't just under the bar tape, they are inside the handlebars & stem.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
True, but STI was introduced 33 years ago (1990). The first commercially available carbon framed bike was produced 37 years ago (1986). Di2 was only just over 20 years ago, in 2001, but it still was available 20 years ago. Not quite sure what you mean by "factory wheels".
Go back 35 years, the changes have been revolutionary. Go back 20 years, they have been more incremental and evolutionary.
Hover Fly
Lazy so and so
- Location
- Besides the lake, beneath the trees
How much of that is due to better bikes and how much to better training, nutrition and so on?
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
Thanks, so as said marketing/journo BS, do they not appreciate how stupid it sounds, but heyho each to their own
iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
A rim is just a big disc! 
iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
I tried tubeless and gave up (2 side wall gashes that needed a boot and a tube to get home in 5 rides) so went back to tubes.
Never tried discs.
Rode 3 cyclo-cross races this year (for the first time in over 45 years). The race I did best in was the wettest and muddiest event of the 3 with more technical descents and demand on braking. I rode a Surly Cross-Check with linear pull rim brakes and pink Kool-Stop pads. I didn't seem to be at a disadvantage to all the disc brake riders and stayed on the bike without crashing as a result of inferior brakes. I only saw one other rim -braked bike in the race, a lovely classic Ritchey. However, if I needed a new bike I'd probably get something with discs because that's what manufacturers are flooding the market with.
The other upgrades are possibly more relevant to the racing community.
When I was racing (late 70s/early 80s) I looked for technical improvements that may have given competitive advantage but, now as a leisure cyclist, I'm not someone who upgrades for the sake of it and ride components until they're worn out or need changing.
A new bike seems unlikely in the next few years.
Never tried discs.
Rode 3 cyclo-cross races this year (for the first time in over 45 years). The race I did best in was the wettest and muddiest event of the 3 with more technical descents and demand on braking. I rode a Surly Cross-Check with linear pull rim brakes and pink Kool-Stop pads. I didn't seem to be at a disadvantage to all the disc brake riders and stayed on the bike without crashing as a result of inferior brakes. I only saw one other rim -braked bike in the race, a lovely classic Ritchey. However, if I needed a new bike I'd probably get something with discs because that's what manufacturers are flooding the market with.
The other upgrades are possibly more relevant to the racing community.
When I was racing (late 70s/early 80s) I looked for technical improvements that may have given competitive advantage but, now as a leisure cyclist, I'm not someone who upgrades for the sake of it and ride components until they're worn out or need changing.
A new bike seems unlikely in the next few years.
Last edited:
Rooster1
I was right about that saddle
Should I uninstall any offending items ?
OP
OP
T4tomo
Legendary Member
why are you asking me, I didn't write the article.
But if you have wasted your money on an oversized ceramic bearing equipped jockey wheel, I would suggest it would be churlish to bin it.
The rest are merely talking points
