Change come hard in the cycling community

[roubaixtuesday]

In the last 30 or more years, there has been three really big improvement in cycling. They are click shift, clipless pedals, and disc brakes. I have been around long enough to see the introduction of all three. And in the case of all three, the cycling and especially the racing communities, pushed back really hard. Since all three had common sense and logic behind them, can anyone tell me why the cycling community resists change with such vigor?

Far and away the biggest innovation in that time is led lights and Lithium batteries IMO.

The others make much less difference, and whilst I do use all of them on some bikes, I don't on all.

 

[cyberknight]

Far and away the biggest innovation in that time is led lights and Lithium batteries IMO.

The others make much less difference, and whilst I do use all of them on some bikes, I don't on all.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've also seen the argument that in a racing scenario having mixed brakes (disc and rim) with different braking characteristics could be dangerous. I've no idea if that's true.

Probably not. When dual pivot calipers first came out there was a mix of those and the much less efficient older calipers in the peloton for a year or two and it didn't cause any problems.

The advantage of disc brakes is not that you can stop in a shorter distance (As has been said you can lock the wheel with a caliper brake) but being able to apply full power with two fingers gives much greater control and feel above having to wrap your fist round the lever and squeeze hard.

 

[wafter]

People don't tend to like change
There's a safeness to what you know
If you have something that works there may be no need to change
We are a sentimental lot...
Elements of inverted snobbery?
Birds of a feather flock to CC...
On our group ride today of seven of us late 40s to early 60's, 5 bikes had discs, all had clipless, all had integrated brake / gear levers
Maybe the 'community' is a generalism / stereotype?

I also think there's a healty skepticism towards new things too, given how much the industry is dominated by marketing.

While there have been many genuine improvements there's also been a lot of opportunistic shite that's best (and often has been) forgotten; the natural antidote to which being to avoid being a first adoptor and let other people pay to discover what's genuinely worth having.

I'd also suggest that your group ride is likely to see people more keen on advances to better performance compared to many more marginalised areas of cycling - randonneurs, tourers, commuters, utility riders..

 

[Profpointy]

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View attachment 746517 m ofy

Bike lights in that era saw barely worked at all. These days you'd immediately take back to the shop anything that poor. This is quite apart from technology improvements. Incandescent bulbs and the batteries of the day were perfectly workable within limits but what we were sold back then was utter shyte and barely worked. To be fair torches of the day were OK

 

[bobzmyunkle]

The advantage of disc brakes is not that you can stop in a shorter distance (As has been said you can lock the wheel with a caliper brake) but being able to apply full power with two fingers gives much greater control and feel above having to wrap your fist round the lever and squeeze hard.

Yep. Ride down some fast hairpins and see who's off the hoods first. And if it's raining check the colour of their chamois after the first brake application.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Bike lights in that er barely worked at all.

Nevertheless were used and we were perfectly happy riding with them. Lot less light pollution when we used them.

 

[Drago]

Bike lights in that er barely worked at all. These days you'd immediately take back to the shop anything that poor. This is quite apart from technology improvements. Incandescent bulbs and the batteries of the day were perfectly workable within limits but what we were sold back then was utter shyte and barely worked at all
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Nevertheless, considering how incredibly inexpensive and effective modern lighting has become it's astonishing how many people still cant be arsed with it.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

All these advances require a bit more technical know-how to maintain than the basic features they replace. Professional maintenance is now more common than it used to be, both for straightforward technical reasons and because a lot of cyclists now iive in flats or houses with nowhere to set up a decent workshop. A lot of the push-back against innovation can come from do-it-yourselfers who see repair and maintenance getting beyond their capacities. Simplicity brings great advantages when everything is d-i-y; even if complexity adds a bit of speed and ease when riding.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

there's also been a lot of opportunistic shite

Easily avoided by fitting mudguards

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I can pretty much lock the front wheel, and any old rubbish brakes will lock the back, so not sure there's that much improvement to be had.

The improvement of hydraulics is that you don’t lock your wheels unless for some odd reason you really want to.

 

[Profpointy]

The improvement of hydraulics is that you don’t lock your wheels unless for some odd reason you really want to.

People say that, and I confess I've only used hydraulic brakes on my motorbike, but surely press harder and you can lock the wheels, but press less hard and they don't lock. Same with any system. I'd assumed hydraulics just let you brake harder with less force, plus the benefit of being self adjustic

 

[Ming the Merciless]

integrated STI type shifters

I never really found these reliable. Indexed on mtn bike worked just great. But the road ones broke far too often. I’ve gone back to friction and love it. I’ve got an 11 speed friction shifter for rear. The 11 speed bit just means it can deal with the longer pull ratios of modern derailluers. In reality it’ll work with any speed rear derailluers. I’m using it with 9 speed and occasionally 10 speed.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

but surely press harder

It’s not about pressing harder. It’s about feel, and the way the braking force is applied being a gradual consistent ramping up. A motorbike being much much heavier I can see you might have this idea of pulling harder.

 

[Hover Fly]

Bike lights in that era saw barely worked at all. These days you'd immediately take back to the shop anything that poor. This is quite apart from technology improvements. Incandescent bulbs and the batteries of the day were perfectly workable within limits but what we were sold back then was utter shyte and barely worked. To be fair torches of the day were OK

When I was touring in the Alps in the 80s I was intrigued by the local riders lights, a quick visit to a bike shop saw me possessing a pair of early Cateyes, the boxy type. The neverreadys hit the bin.