Technical Progress in Road Bikes

[Distorted Vision]

I've been looking at lot of second hand road bikes on eBay etc this weekend. It got me thinking about how much technical progress there has been in road bikes in say the last 5 years. I was wondering if this is even relevant to me. I'm not into racing. I only ride on my own and no intention to do otherwise. I don't need the latest advances to reduce the mass of my bike.

All of this got me thinking whether buying brand new makes sense. I'm wondering if spending say £2500 on a new road bike with mechanical 105 groupset vs a 5 year old one with Ultegra Di2. Condition of a used bike is always a significant factor. But brand new road bikes to me have became overpriced during the pandemic and I don't seem them falling any time soon if at all.

 

[Grant Fondo]

I've been looking at lot of second hand road bikes on eBay etc this weekend. It got me thinking about how much technical progress there has been in road bikes in say the last 5 years. I was wondering if this is even relevant to me. I'm into racing. I only ride on my own and no intention to do otherwise. I don't need the latest advances to reduce the mass of my bike.

All of this got me thinking whether buying brand new makes sense. I'm wondering if spending say £2500 on a new road bike with mechanical 105 groupset vs a 5 year old one with Ultegra Di2. Condition of a used bike is always a significant factor. But brand new road bikes to me have became overpriced during the pandemic and I don't seem them falling any time soon if at all.

Yep, prices have gone up as (often) spec has gone down!
What you looking for as thinking of selling a spare mint ultegra road bike?

 

[Distorted Vision]

Carbon frame 54cm as a starting point. What you thinking of selling?

 

[Grant Fondo]

Carbon frame 54cm as a starting point. What you thinking of selling?

Got a 58cm carbon so too big, never mind. CC a good place to ask around for s/h though, properly cared for bikes

 

[Distorted Vision]

As a side note is anyone shocked at how expensive Shimano 105 Di2 is?

 

[PaulSB]

I would answer your question with no. You ride solo, have no need for speed, don't want something lightweight etc. so I wonder if you're asking yourself the right question. You have carbon as a start point and seem to be considering Di2 and to get this you'd accept something five years old. The technical innovations will be five years old and not really influence current prices. In your situation I would be looking at comfort, longevity, reliability, adaptability which would lead me to buying a new titanium mechanical 105.

My only comment on Di2 would be don't. I have many friends who ride Di2 and love it and I stress I understand the benefits. However I have seen several of my friends off the bike for 7-10 days due to Di2 failures which proved difficult to identify and then tricky to fix. Most recently a friend had her bike in with her mechanic three times until he found the fault - by accidentally nudging a cable and noticing one of the indicator lights flashed which helped him find a loose connection!

In all my years on a bike I've yet to encounter a gearing issue my LBS couldn't fix inside 30 minutes. You pays your money.........................personally I wouldn't go near Di2. When it fails, it fails badly.

I don't agree with the view bikes are overpriced but that's a different discussion.

 

[wafter]

I can appreciate your position and think you're very wise to look at your needs from first principles. While the marketing men will tell us we need this because it's x amount faster / more compliant / better in some other nebulous way, at best this is usually irrelevant and at worst a total fabrication. Most people don't need race-grade tech (along with the down-sides this brings) and will get just as much pleasure / utility from far more humble offerings.

I largely agree with Paul above; there don't appear to have been any really significant / legitmate technical advances in recent years; with the possible exception of disc brakes if these are your thing.. while new prices have certainly gone through the roof.

Groupsets do generally seem to show a reasonable amount of legit incremental improvement but in most cases this is unlikely to be a deal-breaker. I'd avoid Di2 for the same reasons as have already been mentioned.

FWIW I also wouldn't go with CFRP as a frame material; I generally don't trust it anyway and there are very valid reasons for not buying used CFRP as it's a very difficult material to inspect; so you could potentially be buying something crash-damaged on the cusp of failure with no outwards signs that this is the case - unlike other frame materials that will at least show some plastic deformation.

That aside I think there's a real gulf opening up between stratospheric new prices and used stock coming from the glut of impulse-driven covid-puchases.

FWIW, in your position I'd be looking at retro / neo-retro / custom new steel .

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Do you have a shortlist of bikes on eBay? Maybe post links to ones you are considering to get some second opinions

 

[Joffey]

As a side note is anyone shocked at how expensive Shimano 105 Di2 is?

I didn't think it was that bad. With my 12% off at Wiggle you can pick it up for £1500. Not bad for a wireless 12 speed electronic GS with cassette, chainset etc

 

[Arrowfoot]

Agree with one other member here when it comes to carbon as damage can be internal. And no longer carry a warranty.

Carbon however is popular as it is light. If you are keen on a carbon buy brand new. Personally I would drop the Di down in the priority list.

 

[vickster]

You can have a whole new carbon roadbike with hydraulic SRAM Force (Ultegra level) for £1600 as an example if looking for decent vfm
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXPCDFOR22/planet-x-pro-carbon-disc-sram-force-22-road-bike

 

[Sharky]

There are loads of so called recent technical advances. Tubeless & discs are ones that are probably worth having, but you don't need.

But looking round the ribble showroom in our shopping centre, couldn't help noticing the number of one piece carbon bars and stems. Doesn't give any scope for flipping the stem or minor adjustments of angles. You would have to be really confident of your fitted position to venture onto such a set up.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

There are loads of so called recent technical advances. Tubeless & discs are ones that are probably worth having, but you don't need.

Is tubeless new? I'm sure my friend has a bike in his garage from the 70/80's which has tubeless tyres from new, granted they had to be glued on but still nonetheless tubeless

 

[cougie uk]

You can have a whole new carbon roadbike with hydraulic SRAM Force (Ultegra level) for £1600 as an example if looking for decent vfm
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXPCDFOR22/planet-x-pro-carbon-disc-sram-force-22-road-bike

That's a bargain.

 

[cougie uk]

Is tubeless new? I'm sure my friend has a bike in his garage from the 70/80's which has tubeless tyres from new, granted they had to be glued on but still nonetheless tubeless

You're thinking of tubular.