New bike categories creeping into conversation

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mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
Many years a go I had a bottom end spesh allez and this hot blonde asked me "is that a superbike?"

In my mind I thought it can be anything you want it to be (babe) but all my mouth could muster was a "errr yeah, errr I dunno".

These days I see more websites portraying "cheap bike Vs super bike" and more lately, the new term "hyperbole".

What are these things? When does a cheap road bike turn into a super bike and then into a hyper bike?

More weird sheet .
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
What are these things? When does a cheap road bike turn into a super bike and then into a hyper bike?
When a journalist gets a load of freebies from the manufacturer to tell you that it does.
 

kapelmuur

Veteran
Location
Timperley
A bike reviewed in the Observer on Sunday cost £8,700. That’s 14 times more than my B’Twin.

If it would make me a 14 times better rider it would be more than a super bike, but I don’t know whether there’s a ‘miracle bike’ category.
 
OP
OP
mustang1

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
A bike reviewed in the Observer on Sunday cost £8,700. That’s 14 times more than my B’Twin.

If it would make me a 14 times better rider it would be more than a super bike, but I don’t know whether there’s a ‘miracle bike’ category.

But if you took all the components from the £8k bike and it them onto b-twim frame, would your bike then be "super"? Or if you took the b-twim components and put them onto the expensive frame, would it still be super?

Bike xompacomp are kind of trying to make their expensive bikes stand out like a supercar. But whereas supercars have compromises compared to a family car (two seats, large footprint, no space, no trunk, rubbish fuel economy, etc), a cheap road bike and an expensive road bike share much the same ethos.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
They concluded, unsurprisingly that while the cheaper one was perfectly OK, the more expensive one was nicer to ride and had better brakes. Nose hit, Sherlock.
But it's all still down to the engine, mine is battered, bumped, knackered & crap, no amount of money is going to make it better
 
Having watched the GCN vids in question, to my mind:
A super bike is a pro tour level bike, 6.8kg, everything precisely engineered to the absolute maximum tolerances
A hyperbike is what happens when designers get free rein to spend lots of money on Tron-looking things ridden by rail-thin Hulk Hogan lookalikes

My 2011 full-carbon bike seemed super at the time although age (both its age and mine) have dulled its joy. Riding it hurts.
My Triban has never been super. But it is a lot cheaper to maintain. And it doesn't hurt to ride.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
Not all down to the engine. The brakes, for example aren't.
How do brakes make you go?
 

jowwy

Can't spell, Can't Punctuate....Sue Me
For me it used to be about components, frame, wheels, fit.....

My custom ti was a some of its parts a nearly 5k bike, although the frame was imported to my specifications from china...so for me it was MY ultimate super/hyper bike.

Until my knee decided it no longer like riding it......

Now i have a new super/hyper bike that allows me to ride pain free and with a smile and enjoyment. To me thats all that matters
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
I have tried super bikes, but prefer 531. My very basic Miyata 90 has more weight, yes, but also more durability, and I can fix it myself. I might also add thatI've never had to change batteries on it, (because I just got it yesterday) and my other bikes, with the exception of the Trek FX, are all doing well and good after more than 30 years in most cases. Superbikes are for super athletes, old steely heavy bikes are for old, steely heavy riders. Job gets done.
 
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