How much faster ..road bike vs tourer

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Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I have a daws galaxy (as some may by now now) and I am very happy with it, especially when fully loaded.

However, something in me is saying I need a roady bike/racer jobby. I want to go faster & further and keep up with you roady types. Why? Well several reasons, but mostly I want to ride on a group ride occasionally. I did it once but to be honest I was outclassed.

My fitness has improoved a lot this year and I am starting to think I should be able to deal with a faster bike for the daily loops etc and also to allow me to keep up with the roadies on group rides.

...anyway...my question really is this....will a new bike help, or should I be able to keep up on my galaxy...i.e is this a fitness issue or a bike issue? I can do the distance, but not the speeds.

i dont want to buy a new roadie bike and not see an improovement in my speed.
 

andharwheel

Senior Member
Location
Frozen North
You will notice a big diffrence between your Galaxy and a road bike. Over the summer months I stripped down my Super Galaxy and fitted my spare race wheels. Much faster; however not nearly as fast as my cannondale. When I put the power into that it really goes. For keeping up with roadies and club rides a road bike will be better
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
You would definitely feel a difference.

A decent road bike (£600+) will be substantially lighter and allows you to leave all the touring kit (racks and mudguards etc, permanently on the Galaxy without worrying about it's effect on your day rides.

The reduction in wheel and tyre rotating mass will make accelerating easier which makes riding in a group easier.

Spring will always be brighter when it's time to get your shiny road bike out for the first time each year.

It will allow you to be a roadie. This will remove the pressure to grow a beard.

But will it make you substantially faster? Well, there will be less wind resistance, and a little less (total rider and bike) mass up the hills and better acceleration which should all translate into being faster, but it is true unfortunately, that "it's not about the bike".

So, in summary, yes you do need a new road bike.
 

ChrisKH

Guru
Location
Essex
Mind you the speed you were going the other week I probably would have been happy to achieve on my (cheap) road bike. But if you're looking for a reason to buy a road bike, I suggest you get the wife onside first...............
I did (i.e. she said yes, but meant something else I know not what) but she is still using it as a bargaining tool. Women, sheesh.
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
ChrisKH said:
Mind you the speed you were going the other week I probably would have been happy to achieve on my (cheap) road bike. But if you're looking for a reason to buy a road bike, I suggest you get the wife onside first...............
I did (i.e. she said yes, but meant something else I know not what) but she is still using it as a bargaining tool. Women, sheesh.


something like this perhaps....
 
ChrisKH said:
Mind you the speed you were going the other week I probably would have been happy to achieve on my (cheap) road bike. But if you're looking for a reason to buy a road bike, I suggest you get the wife onside first...............
I did (i.e. she said yes, but meant something else I know not what) but she is still using it as a bargaining tool. Women, sheesh.

Let me guess what the response will be?

"You're going quite fast enough on your existing bike, so what do you want another one for?"
 

domtyler

Über Member
Come on big fella, give the rest of us a chance, you already average 27mph over 50 miles on a tourer, what are you gonna be doing on a quick road bike?
 

frog

Guest
I did (i.e. she said yes, but meant something else I know not what) but she is still using it as a bargaining tool. Women, sheesh.

When I said I wanted a new bike the reply I got back was: 'Why? You can only ride one at once.' My response of: 'You can only wear one pair of shoes at a time - so what's your excuse for the other 22 pairs then?' went unanswered.

Depending on the cost of the bike I'd allow about a month of weedleing for each £400 of bike. About 4 months worth is about average. ;)
 

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Having my bikes nicked was in one way a positive thing, I could get one good bike that does everything.

It's threads like this that led me to have three bikes, one for all occasions and I can see the same thing happening again.;)

Why can't we have a "My tourer does everything thread"?;)
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
It will allow you to be a roadie. This will remove the pressure to grow a beard.

..ok you convinced me:biggrin:.

...I will use this as a bargaining ploy with the Mrs (who hates beards).

4 months eh...ok...so that'd be about Christmas then...hmm...;);)

...seriously what i need to do now then is decide which bike to aim for....needs to have a BIG frame size option as I am 6' 4" up.
 
Location
Herts
As you seem "delighted" with your Dawes maybe you could investigate their Audax model? Not a full bodied racer but fleet of foot, light(ish), space for guards and even a small rear rack.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I had thought along similar lines...but then I thought I may as well just de rack and de mudguard my galaxy...it would be pretty close....if I changed tyres....

I also looked at the daws giro...but it didnt do it for me in the looks department...

That £7k bike up top was just a joke...realistically I need to knock a zero of that price tag
 
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