Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Titanium, £1,967 will get you a Van Nichs
Suggest a cycle for a mid-life crisis
- Thread starter Randomnerd
- Start date
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Summer of lurve, innit.It can't be..............people born in 1967, as recently as that, will be 50 this year
G3CWI
Veteran
- Location
- Macclesfield
You could get a really good cyclocross bike. I have had endless fun with mine, it opens up so many possibilities. Since I got it in late summer, the road bike has not been out.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Really depends what your aspirations are.
Do you have a mid-life challenge in the back (or front) of your mind? LEJOG? Ride up a famous col? Do a TT of a certain distance in a certain time? An Audax endurance challenge? A particular sportive like l'Etape? (All these picked randomly from the top of my head)
If so then maybe pick a bike to suit. A bike for LEJOG may look very different from a bike for riding up Mt Ventoux. Not necessarily - a good all-rounder could cover all bases. But that's being boring and practical, but as a special treat you may be visualising yourself (say) summiting Ventoux on a blingy carbon bike or (say) emerging from the mist at JOG on a sturdy steelie.
Up to you entirely. Don't be put off by practical advice, and po-faced suggestions that you don't need certain things.
Do you have a mid-life challenge in the back (or front) of your mind? LEJOG? Ride up a famous col? Do a TT of a certain distance in a certain time? An Audax endurance challenge? A particular sportive like l'Etape? (All these picked randomly from the top of my head)
If so then maybe pick a bike to suit. A bike for LEJOG may look very different from a bike for riding up Mt Ventoux. Not necessarily - a good all-rounder could cover all bases. But that's being boring and practical, but as a special treat you may be visualising yourself (say) summiting Ventoux on a blingy carbon bike or (say) emerging from the mist at JOG on a sturdy steelie.
Up to you entirely. Don't be put off by practical advice, and po-faced suggestions that you don't need certain things.
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It is my big five 0 this year too - I am also looking for a new bike to mark the occasion. I fancy a Ti road bike like an Enigma (not sure which exact model though) but am slightly concerned on the overall weight of a Ti bike so then I get swayed back to a carbon bike ! I have till September to decide although it would be nice to have the bike for the summer to get some sunny mies on it.
Anyone gone from carbon to a Ti bike and not felt disadvantaged climbing hills ? I know we are probably only talking about 1-2kg max but don't want to slurge my money on a Ti bike and then find it even harder getting up the big hills !
Anyone gone from carbon to a Ti bike and not felt disadvantaged climbing hills ? I know we are probably only talking about 1-2kg max but don't want to slurge my money on a Ti bike and then find it even harder getting up the big hills !
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Have both a carbon bike (my Viner) and a Ti (Litespeed). The latter has a rack, mudguards, 35mm wired tyres rather than 23 & 25mm folding…difference in speed over the same roads, flat or lumpy, negligible to non-existent.
dim
Guest
- Location
- Cambridge UK
I read somewhere that for every 1 pound of extra weight (your body or your bike), you loose 1 minute per 10 km on hills using the same power/effort (so if you are 5 pounds overweight or you ride a bike that is 5 pounds heavier than another bike, you will loose 5 minutes on a 10km climb) .... on a long ride such as an audax ride, with lots of hills, that can make a big difference (if you are competitive)
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
dim
Guest
- Location
- Cambridge UK
bikeman66
Senior Member
- Location
- Isle of Wight
Been looking at one of these for myself. £2,300 down to £899. Massive saving on your budget means a right Royal 50th birthday piss-up can be had..........and you'll still be quids in! You know it's right!
http://www.startfitness.co.uk/sale/...ompe-1-0-athena-carbon-road-bike-for45-1.html
Milzy
Guru
Wow !! I might sell off a few and get this.
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
Yes, I've seen that principle first-hand. There's a climb near where I live that ascends 300m with an average 4.3% grade, and I climbed it many times on a 15kg touring bike. Then I finally got a road bike, which weighs 8kg, and was able to equal my previous best time up the climb without trying very hard. That extra 7kg made a big difference. I occasionally use the road bike for commuting, when I'm partway through replacing parts or doing repairs on the touring bike I normally use to commute, and always notice how much easier the hills are.
OP
OP
Randomnerd
Bimbleur
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Thanks for all your suggestions so far. I've a good few bikes for different jobs, but fancy a great frame that will see me out. Loose plan is to join a mate to do coast of GB ( year by year we'll take off a chunk or two in summer until we turn up out toes). All done as fast as possible day rides or credit card tours with very little gear. Currently favour getting a decent steel frame made and maybe a good s/h donor bike for the components.
I class a bicycle as one of the tools, so don't hold much sway by fancy paint or materials. Would rather have a great fitting and really useful frame that just did the job.
There's a separate budget for the party.
I class a bicycle as one of the tools, so don't hold much sway by fancy paint or materials. Would rather have a great fitting and really useful frame that just did the job.
There's a separate budget for the party.
dim
Guest
- Location
- Cambridge UK
