Does the bike brand matter?

[raleighnut]

After doing some more research last night hydraulic breaks seem to be seen as better and I would like to have a better groupset as it seems to be important. I really do wonder what is the difference in riding a bike with a more expensive groupset is like and whether there is actually any difference. I also never tried an aerobike so that's another thing I am curious about.

I've always had cable Brakes and they work fine.

 

[Anonymous1502]

I've always had cable Brakes and they work fine.

thank you for the reassurance that I am not missing out on anything

 

[vickster]

Disc brakes are potentially better in wet conditions in traffic on steep hills. Otherwise, keep your rims clean and brake pads in good order.

Some rim brakes are relatively poor though so an upgrade to 105 with better pads might be worthwhile if you have entry level Tektro or Promax at the moment and are finding the braking power lacking.
What bike do you have?

 

[Velochris]

Manufacturer alone means little. Sometimes Company A will outsource production of their high end frames to Factory A. Their other frames to Factory B... Company B also use Factory A for their frames, so on and so forth.

The manufacturer should specify the tolerances etc. This is where buying a frame can be a gamble.

No matter what company, if a production line operative has a bad day, you get a bottom bracket out of line undersized, oversized... and poor quality control lets it out of the favtory. You then have creaks etc.

What really matters is the quality control, and that can vary from factory to factory, regardless of brand.

Slight exception are French brand Time. They make their carbon a different way to most.

For me, find a bike that fits, you like the look of, and is backed up by a good (and actually supported) warranty.

As stated above, have a look at Hambini and others on YouTube.

Finally, take media reviews with a pinch of salt. They will make out minor changes in bikes make night/day differnce.

Spoken as somebody who got back riding 18 years ago, believed the hype etc for a while. Yes, modern bikes are great, but your fitness and mood have more of an influence on how you ride.

 

[Anonymous1502]

Disc brakes are potentially better in wet conditions in traffic on steep hills. Otherwise, keep your rims clean and brake pads in good order.

Some rim brakes are relatively poor though so an upgrade to 105 with better pads might be worthwhile if you have entry level Tektro or Promax at the moment and are finding the braking power lacking.
What bike do you have?

I have specialized allez e5.

 

[Gunk]

Disc brakes are potentially better in wet conditions in traffic on steep hills. Otherwise, keep your rims clean and brake pads in good order.

Some rim brakes are relatively poor though so an upgrade to 105 with better pads might be worthwhile if you have entry level Tektro or Promax at the moment and are finding the braking power lacking.
What bike do you have?

What you want is a set of 60 year old Weinmann centre pulls, rubber brake blocks, a chrome rim and a light splattering of rain, it was interesting this morning, a long time since I pulled a lever and the bike didn’t stop!

 

[Ajax Bay]

After doing some more research last night hydraulic breaks seem to be seen as better and I would like to have a better groupset as it seems to be important. I really do wonder what is the difference in riding a bike with a more expensive groupset is like and whether there is actually any difference. I also never tried an aerobike so that's another thing I am curious about.

"seem" "seen" "better" "seems" "important" "is there actually a difference?"
Disc brakes offer advantages over rim brakes but there are disadvantages too. Research it yourself including simply searching on here (Cyclechat).
Why would you like a "better" groupset? What improvements are you seeking? Does it matter TO YOU - what other people think?
Differences: very slightly better performance, maybe; lighter; more expensive (and btw therefore better easy resale value and thus more likely to be stolen without the owner's due care - especially in cities like London and Edinburgh); consumables (chains, cassettes) much more expensive (so running costs higher).
Aerobike. Minimal actual difference unless you plan to be averaging at least 30kph and riding one will feel no different. Look for many other aero bangs for your buck (this link just the first I found: there will be others better) not in order: deep section wheels with correct width tyres, aero handlebars, tight (ie non-flapping) clothing and shoe covers, choice of helmet.

 

[Gunk]

Fit a decent pair of 105, Ultegra or Dura ace calipers and really IMO that’s all the braking you’ll ever need on a road bike, I’ve never felt that my road bike with 105 5800 rim brakes needed more.

However on a down hill mountain bike I want big powerful hydraulic disc brakes

 

[Anonymous1502]

"seem" "seen" "better" "seems" "important" "is there actually a difference?"
Disc brakes offer advantages over rim brakes but there are disadvantages too. Research it yourself including simply searching on here (Cyclechat).
Why would you like a "better" groupset? What improvements are you seeking? Does it matter TO YOU - what other people think?
Differences: very slightly better performance, maybe; lighter; more expensive (and btw therefore better easy resale value and thus more likely to be stolen without the owner's due care - especially in cities like London and Edinburgh); consumables (chains, cassettes) much more expensive (so running costs higher).
Aerobike. Minimal actual difference unless you plan to be averaging at least 30kph and riding one will feel no different. Look for many other aero bangs for your buck (this link just the first I found: there will be others better) not in order: deep section wheels with correct width tyres, aero handlebars, tight (ie non-flapping) clothing and shoe covers, choice of helmet.

I have still a long way to learn I think it will take time for me to understand what matters to me in a bike. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Blue Hills]

I've always had cable Brakes and they work fine.

agree.
After for years using magura hydraulic rim brakes on a bike.
Worked very well but after years of zero hassle I encountered pressure loss and got bored of trying to sort it.
So I retired the system.
Cables from now on.
With V brakes I can stop anything.
Have a supply of brake cables, takes no time to change and can't actually remember the last time I changed one on my 8 to 10 bikes.

 

[Blue Hills]

I have still a long way to learn I think it will take time for me to understand what matters to me in a bike. Thanks for your reply.

I think the first thing you need to decide is what you might want to use this second bike for.
Then folks can offer real advice.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Basically unless you're paying thousands for a custom-build by a local bloke in a shed you're unlikely to ever know much about the origins of your frame, the people who made it, the ethics involved, the manufacturing standards adhered to, the value for money you've received or whose pockets your lining...

Top rant

https://www.bicycles-by-design.co.uk/

 

[Vantage]

it is still the heritage though that attracts people innit. A Ferrari might be a Fiat but It’s still a Ferrari.

View: https://youtu.be/GVlyGejQSi0

 

[Cycleops]

View: https://youtu.be/GVlyGejQSi0

Yeahbut Lauda demands a race car that is sorted to the n th degree, regular users just want something to look cool and pose in .

 

[freiston]

Disc brakes are potentially better in wet conditions in traffic on steep hills. Otherwise, keep your rims clean and brake pads in good order.

Some rim brakes are relatively poor though so an upgrade to 105 with better pads might be worthwhile if you have entry level Tektro or Promax at the moment and are finding the braking power lacking.
What bike do you have?

+1!
I have cantilever brakes and still manage to lock my wheels in the wet (did it on Thursday when a car surprised me coming round the bend of a single track lane). imho, a lot of the popularity of disc brakes is down to a significant number of people not having their rim brakes set up properly or using poor/worn pads and also memories/tales of poor performance when steel rims were commonplace. There might be an element of technique involved too.