To aero or not to aero?

[Gunk]

If after 4 months you’ve found that you’re really into it then buy one, you don’t need to justify it, it’s your money.

 

[Gmtanderson]

You are a very fast cyclist after 4 months? Unless you are going to enter races the bike you have seems good enough.

I’m relatively fit I’ve always been into running and rock climbing!

 

[Gmtanderson]

Yeah I’m just trying to see wether a heavier aero bike is the way to go or more of a racing bike. But I think I’m going to book in and ride a tarmac, it’s light and I think the build quality and costumer service is excellent with specialized. But I will go and ride a propel.

I can’t remember what the reply was earlier with regarding as to wether I need a quicker bike:

I want something a little lighter, a little better equipped and a little bit smoother, and ultimately faster.. surely a bike weighing in 2kg less and built in a wind tunnel will be slightly fast than my allez mainly aimed at commuting. I don’t plan on selling the Allez in fact I’m going to put the normal pedals back on it to use it as a shop cruiser or something or maybe even a turbo trainer bike.

I’ve done 340k this week and I feel fitter than ever at the moment and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon so the way I see it it’s an investment. I’m aware there are to many people with crazy team bike costing upwards of 6 grand just sitting in garages and rode maybe 50k a week. I’m just trying to get a bit of general feed back on more expensive bikes

 

[DSK]

Spending the amount of money that a Tarmac and a Propel cost, a test ride is in order and perhaps ask/arrange to test both on an identical section of the route you ride.

With aero bikes, due to their nature, I won't get hung up on a kg or difference in weight.

It would be nice to hear your reviews on what you test ride and what you end up going for.

 

[HLaB]

Hi guys!

usual punter here! So I’ll give you all a background on me and my riding first quickly without sounding like too much of n*bhead.

I’m 28 and based in Essex, so yeah pretty flat... I’ve been cycling around 4 months and have a specialized Alez elite, I really like it but I fancy something carbon. I cycle between 230-350k a week. On runs of 80k-100k I can keep 32.6kph as my average with around 500-700m of climbing involved. I know making me fast is going to largely be me and my fitness, but I’m wondering if my riding would be more suited to an aero bike or carbon racer. I would like to do some sportives and such in the future but I’m still a novice. The bikes I’m interested in are,

Giant propel advanced 1 disc
Specialized tarmac comp disc
Specialized roubaix comp
And the ribble aero 883 (which I can get with di2 carbon bars and mavic alloy wheels for the same money weighing in around 8.7-9kg)

would an aero bike be better suited to me with the more rolling terrain, or would something like the roubaix be just as fast. If anyone has any of these bikes please give me some feedback, also I would probably upgrade to some carbon wheels at some point!

regards

George

My gut instinct would be Aero. I saw a video once which had Quitana's Giro winning bike v an Aero bike on a outdoors track. On that course the aero bike was 1mph faster for the same watts. On a testing day on a track (Lee Valley) I also found (non scientifically) more aero bikes took less effort to go faster. That being said I favour personally lighter more comfortable bikes but I tend to (or tended to, pre Covid) do more endurance based rides and I like to seek out challenging terrain. Good luck

 

[13 rider]

18 months ago I bought a giant TCR advanced . I did a lot of research and was swung way from Ribble as both giant and specialized often lifetime frame warrentry Ribble don't . I just didn't like the look of a Propel or the Tarmac so went for the TCR . I am quicker than my old Defy on the TCR the biggest diffence is the deep section aero wheels when up to speed it is so much easier to maintain that speed . I am quite a light rider and use to have to pedal on downhills to keep pace with the heavy riders I ride with but not on the TCR just tuck in and it's goes .
Any bike that comes with aero touch's wheels etc will make you quicker buy the one you want to ride

 

[Domdom1980]

I've got a TCR and 2020 Roubaix comp, and have to say I love the Roubaix. I'm no speedster, but have upped my average speed on the roubaix and it's more comfortable than the TCR.

I think I'm right in saying that it's nearly as aero as a tarmac now (someone might tell me different) , and it certainly feels fast (although that could be just that I want it to feel fast!)

Standard wheels are OK, but I put some roval 40s on it and couldn't be happier

 

[Velochris]

Go with a bike you just like the look of and fits you the best.

When you actually read the data, aero bikes may be more aero because they save you 2 minutes over 50 miles at a constant 25mph.

Likewise weight of the bike is a small percentage of weight of you and the bike.

It is all marginal gains, and those only really matter to pros, who are competing at the margin.

Get an aero bike, get a light bike, but get a bike that is fitted for you and you like the look of. You will get more enjoyment that way. My first carbon bike was a red and black Time Vx. It looked so good to me and I never tired of looking at it. Once saw it in a white pain scheme. Would never had looked twice at it in that colour. Point is you have to like what you get.

Spend as much as you like. It is your money and you aren't harming anybody.