Does the top of the range make any difference?

[I am Spartacus]

You want to get 'better results' but you need to ask yourself what are they then?
The more comfortable a road cyclist you become, the more you do need to ask yourself the question...' how to become better?'

Your mileage is on the low side you may want to up that as a focus to perhaps a club run distance of 60 miles +
maybe you want to think about joining a club and enjoying the extra impetus that gives you in terms of speed and endurance.
To the desire of a bling bike .. oh I wish.. would have NO hesitation.. I would have the best..
ultra lightweight frame
ultra lightweight wheels but with a power meter more importantly.

 

[upsidedown]

I reckon you've saved about £2700 since you stopped if you were on 20 a day.

That's got to put you in the top spec Madone/Roubaix/Look territory, go on, you deserve it........

 

[alecstilleyedye]

unless you have the legs to accompany a £5k bike, you'll look like an arse… (who wants to be scalped by the mtb riders while riding something worthy of the t de f?)

a £1k bike should be more than adequate for anything other than proper road racing.

 

[I am Spartacus]

unless you have the legs to accompany a £5k bike, you'll look like an arse.

Thats a bit harsh tho'... aint it?
It wouldnt put me off what others thought of me, if I could actually afford to spend a dollop of wonger on a top end bike.
I was thinking you need 6k plus now as well........

 

[Jonathan M]

Hi Malcolm, welcome to the cycling community.

From where you are at now, any bike will make a massive difference to your riding, but I'm not sure that "top of the range" is where you need to be looking. Anything over £500 will see you on a decent, reliable bike, £1000 will see you on a really great bike but still a million miles away from the very best, and you'd have maybe at least £2000 minimum left in your pockets.

 

[I am Spartacus]

You'll be telling him next to wear ALDI longs instead of Assos bibs.....

 

[Jonathan M]

You'll be telling him next to wear ALDI longs instead of Assos bibs.....

Indeed, I might! Although i will say I don't own any Aldi kit, it is never in stock by the time I can get there! So it isn't for want of trying that I don't own any Aldi cycling kit

I still look for clothing bargains, last years kit, lesser known brands or shop own brand stuff. Imagine a full gore windstopper jacket for £40 and a pair of gore windstopper fronted bib tights, again for £40?

Gets the performance without the costs!

 

[I am Spartacus]

I gave Aldi a go... indeed their summer jerseys still used.. but their lower half offerings are truly lamentable... I gave my pair of longs over to the local hospice charity shop.. I always keep a look out for anyone who looks as though they have shat themselves.

 

[BentMikey]

I like having a high end bike, it's about the pleasure, handling, feedback, etc. Performance? Not much more than a much cheaper bike. You'll need to do more mileage for that.

 

[JtB]

Don't forget to factor in the more you spend on a bike, the fewer places you can leave it

An excellent point. One of the reasons why I like riding my old bike to work is that nobody is going to steal it and I don't care if it gets scratched in the bike sheds. If it was new (and expensive), I don't think I'd commute or go anywhere where I had to leave it padlocked.

 

[Malcolm44]

Thanks for the replies guys

As I thought a lot of personal preferences come out when questions like this are asked.
My view and thoughts are as follows:
1. I am mainly doing this to get fitter (along with my main passion swimming), and my daughter has graduated in Sports & Exersize Science so the main drivers to achieve this goal is by using my physical attributes to generate the most (things like heart rate and constant cadence over different routes like hills,flat, combination etc)

2. look at the distances I do with a view to increase where able (I do have a wife who needs to go shopping and subsequently supervised to ensure that not too much is spent).

3. change out my current wheels for better/lighter ones as a performance boost as this is generally considered as one my most on here.

4. get something like the Garmin Edge 305 (the one with the personal trainer function) to give targets on the road and monitor actual performance/improvement

and after all of the above

5. borrow a higher spec bike to monitor my performance differences - and if that works buy one (saved from actions in item 2).

Just for information, I just found out that a guy I work with goes over to France every year to cycle with the Pro's prior to the TDF. I discussed the above with him and he agreed that it was maybe the thing to do if return on investment was important. His example was golf, you can buy the most expensive golf clubs in the world, but it does not mean that you will be winning the Open or even you local weekly medal.!!!!!!

thanks again

 

[yello]

unless you have the legs to accompany a £5k bike, you'll look like an arse…

That's kind of the philosophy I go by when looking at bikes. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a go on the latest carbon fibre Colnago dream offering, really I would. And I would not be critical of anyone for owning one, regardless of their fitness level etc. To each their own.

I could afford one (though my wife would seriously question my priorities and probably be opposed!) but, in honesty, it'd be completely wasted on me. I know that. I'd be just as happy on my £700 Bianchi.

If I was seriously loaded though, I'd probably get a top end bike just because I could!

 

[amnesia]

If I was seriously loaded though, I'd probably get a top end bike just because it would look cool hanging on the garage wall

Same as my snowboard

 

[jimboalee]

Same as my snowboard

Same as my SWorks in the spare bedroom.


Riding a 16lb bike is justification for any other cyclist to try for a scalp.

Before taking 16lb bike out, warm up properly, correctly inflate your quadriceps and deflate your abdominal paunch.

 

[yello]

deflate your abdominal paunch.

I like that... not that it applies to me of course ...2kg heavier after LEL!