Would a modern lighter bike make me cycle faster

[si_c]

Like you @johnnyb47 my first road bike was a steel framed Peugeot. I think you've made the right choice looking at second hand bikes in your budget range for the simple reason that I don't think a budget road bike would ride as well as the one you already have - easier shifting aside - as steel bikes just seem to float along the road.

That being said on my newer bike I am a bit quicker than I was on my old bike - but then I'm fitter and lighter now than I was then so it's not a good comparison. Also worth thinking about as @Drago said is that quoted weights are pretty much meaningless until you've got a set of scales at hand. My bike's listed weight is 10kg, but with saddle bag, bottle cages, pedals and computer + mounts it's actually closer to 12.5kg - so not much difference when compared to your current bike. For comparison my steel road bike weighed 11.5kg with the same setup.

You have a lot of scope for reducing the weight of your current bike over a period of time through judicious choice of replacement components and a bit of thought. I'd suggest reading this - although it's a bit pornographic and not for those with dicky tickers - 9.7kg steel road bike with mudguards, front rack and dynamo lighting setup.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

i think the biggest difference between an older steel bike and a more modern one is the amount of gear changes i make as when on my older steel bikes i find that i just try a bit harder to get away without changing gear but when i go out on an sti equipped bike i find myself changing gears more often .

That's sooo true, modern indexed gears are pretty much idiot-proof in that it's difficult to make a bad gearchange so long as the thing is set up right - so there is no need, and no excuse, for ever being in the wrong gear. I haven't owned a bike with friction shifters since I was a youngster, and bar-mounted indexed shifters really spoil you, compared with faffing around tweaking a friction lever just a little bit more back or forward to get silent running, whilst trying not to take your eyes off the road. Indexed gearing combined with a good classic-looking steel frame is the pinnacle in bike design, IMHO.
As for all the other so-called "improvements" in modern bike design - like ugly-looking aero frames, sealed bearings, wheels with hardly any spokes, threadless headsets, fugly oversized combined brake hoods/shifters etc, the industry can keep them all. I'm not buying into any of it!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm shocked and disappointed that you should be dissing the noble downtube friction shifter. The One True Way to change gear.

Don't get me wrong, they look way more handsome than trigger shifters, and I love their simplicity - but being honest I don't think they are very user-friendly when riding a bike on roads with busy traffic where you need to keep your wits about you. It is a mark of rider skill to be able to make smooth flawless changes with friction shifters whilst still looking where they are going. The ultimate changer to me would be a downtube or top tube shifter that looks like a friction one but is actually indexed - the best of both worlds.

 

[si_c]

They do exist, and someone will be along soon to tell us about them. But I've never used them.

They can be pretty too.

 

[freiston]

Campagnolo were making indexed downtube shifters 30 years ago (Syncro etc.). My bar-end shifters are friction on the front changer (no need for indexing and easy to trim) and indexed rear shifter and imho, have an aesthetic appeal on a par with downtube shifters

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning

They do exist, and someone will be along soon to tell us about them. But I've never used them.

That would be me.

About five or six years ago I upgraded from 7spd to 8spd mostly because I was having trouble getting a 7spd cassette with the desired sprocket sizes at a decent price, the only shop I found wanted £40!

Given that the equivalent 8spd was about £20 upgrading was a sort of no brainer, my shifter's at that time were the last non indexed Shimano 600 ones and they were looking sad and needed a bit of attention as they were slipping.

Ribble were offering 8sp indexed downtube Tiagra shifters although I didn't really want to go that far down the Shimano range they were the only option as the 10spd Durace ones didn't have a friction mode and I don't regret getting them at all,

indexing is worthwhile even on the downtube where you still have to move your hands of the handlebars, you can make a quick gear change and not have to go back again for a tweak.

I had no problem with quick changes on 5spd but on 8spd the margins for error seems to be smaller, although I did see a video where someone tried riding with friction leavers and 11spd, he struggled!

I think that having indexed down tube shifters along with the cost were the two main reasons for never trying STI until very recently.

Bye

Ian

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

For various reasons I was looking for comments on Shimano Claris and found this video review

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/gears-drivetrain/shimano-claris-groupset

about 1:20 in we see a chainring change!

I suspect that downtube shifters are better than this implementation of STI.

Bye

Ian

 

[mgs315]

Good morning,

For various reasons I was looking for comments on Shimano Claris and found this video review

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/gears-drivetrain/shimano-claris-groupset

about 1:20 in we see a chainring change!

I suspect that downtube shifters are better than this implementation of STI.

Bye

Ian

I think the chain slap there’s is exaggerated a bit on the change to the small ring as the rider is already in the smallest gear on the cassette. Changing up doesn’t look too bad to me.

As for whether a fancier bike makes you faster.. I’d argue there’s a psychological component to it. When I’m on my Triban 500 (which I use/abuse as my commuter/don’t mind if stolen bike) I don’t really care much for how hard I ride unless I’m in a dedicated training session and it’s all I can use at the time. That even reflects in my usual clothing (B’twin and cheap DHB usually as I think wearing higher end gear on a lower end bike looks odd).

However when on the TCR I make a concerted effort to push as hard as I can as the bike itself is better than my performance level and I feel I owe it the decency to ride it hard. Clothing usually ends up being Castelli or similar. I guess it’s because I’m a massive tart.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I rather like the indexed version of the Shimano 600 (tricolor) downtube shifter, and they go on about their business like it's still 1985.

 

[BrumJim]

Hi again.
Well once again I thankyou all for the input and valuable advice that's been given. On balance from what's been said, my limited budget would not really get me that New bike that would make that much difference compared to my rather old school bike so I think it's going to have to be a good second hand bike for me. I've been scouring all the classifieds today and low and behold I've spotted a good potential bike just down the road from me. It's a Specialized Allez elite (2011 model) . The seller states it's basically brand new and has covered less than 50 miles. From the pictures I've received it certainly looks a thing of beauty. As you good members here are far more knowledgeable about such things I would be very interested to know what you think of it. It's a 56 frame so I'm hoping it would be the right size for me ( I'm just under 6ft)
The guy is asking £300 for it and with a little luck and a bit of bartering he may sell a little less. It does come with extras such a a cycle helmet , computer and what look like a factory supplied specialized saddle bag to keep spare tubes etc. Sadly I've already got these items on my existing bike but I could always sell them on to recoup the outlay of the initial purchase ( I wouldn't get much in know but every little helps).
Anyway all the very best and thank you.

You won't be the first person to upgrade from a classic Peugeot to a 2011 Specialized Allez, but I did it in 2011. And it was a Carbolite Peugeot, so "Classic" rather than Classic.
The biggest problem upgrading to the Specialized will be finding an excuse when someone passes you up a hill when riding a Classic Peugeot!

Frame has a lifetime guarantee, so you can have confidence in upgrading to a better groupset as and when necessary, and you won't feel guilty about upgrading your wheels either. In a couple of year's time you will become proud Dad to a little boy, and change jobs 5 years later. Unless either of those things was not related to the bike purchase, in which case something completely different will happen.