Aero or light weight - are they mutually exclusive?

[okgo]

I bet £100 none of the best riders I know have a fking clue what their bikes weigh.

I have no idea what mine weigh, I'd imagine roadbike between 6-7 and TT bike around 9, but its so unimportant.

[okgo]

scubadude said:

Ditch the Di2 requirement and buy a better bike that'll be lighter and more reliable/roadside fixable. Cable gearing is so good I have no idea (for recreational cycling) why an alternative exists.

Because its infinitely better than cable. And I speak as someone who had electric fail on them in a BIG race, its still hands down the best bike part I have bought, And I own just about everything worth owning.

[Steve vRS]

Well following Okgo's professional opinion, I'll keep my Defy 1 and spend the bike fund on a holiday

I suppose I should ride some bikes to see which suits best.

Steve

[okgo]

Steve vRS said:

Well following Okgo's professional opinion, I'll keep my Defy 1 and spend the bike fund on a holiday

I suppose I should ride some bikes to see which suits best.

Steve

All I will say is what Mark said, a few hundred grams is not a lot when two water bottles weigh over 1kg.

Its probably cheaper to save grams on clothing, shoes, and helmets than bike bits.

[frisbee]

okgo said:

I bet £100 none of the best riders I know have a fking clue what their bikes weigh.

I have no idea what mine weigh, I'd imagine roadbike between 6-7 and TT bike around 9, but its so unimportant.

Eddy Merckx's hobby drilling holes in every possible part of the bike he could!

[louiebaby]

I had almost set my mind on a Canyon Aeroad Ultegra DI, when the new Ultimate was launched.

Now I'm leaning towards the Ultimate, and I've got a few more months to win the missus over.

[scubadude]

okgo said:

Because its infinitely better than cable. And I speak as someone who had electric fail on them in a BIG race, its still hands down the best bike part I have bought, And I own just about everything worth owning.

Infinitely better? "Infinitely"! Nonsense- no offence :-)

My bike has a mixture of old Shimano gearing, 105, Ultegra and Sora from 10, 5 and 1year ago, it didn't need any adjustment for the 4 years before I changed the chain rings and hasn't needed to be touched since, despite having done 3000miles, other than usual lubrication I haven't even needed to adjust the cables, how can something be INFINITELY better than almost perfect?

3 blokes in my club have Di2, they had flat batteries multiple including total failures requiring replacement , broken cable (albeit in a crash) but no way to repair is roadside so long ride home in one gear and the auto trim misfiring and self shifting on climbs!

IF I was in a grand tour team with mechanics and spare bikes I would have it at the drop of a hat but as a recreational cyclist you'd be bat-crap crazy to bother, no performance benefits and risk of huge hassle when it craps on you.

I'm sure its brilliant but Mechanical works just as well and is more easily repairs roadside, I wouldn't change even if it was a no-cost option.

[rhinochopig]

louiebaby said:

I had almost set my mind on a Canyon Aeroad Ultegra DI, when the new Ultimate was launched.

Now I'm leaning towards the Ultimate, and I've got a few more months to win the missus over.

But given you have the frontal area of a Iveco HGV isn't an aero frame a drop in the ocean

Edited by rhinochopig on Wednesday 1st July 13:29

[Steve vRS]

The Canyon bikes do press lots of buttons. I am nervous though about ordering a bike blind and the fact that I am a bit of a mechanical numpty and so would like the back up of a good LBS.

Steve

[Roger Irrelevant]

Steve vRS said:

The Canyon bikes do press lots of buttons. I am nervous though about ordering a bike blind and the fact that I am a bit of a mechanical numpty and so would like the back up of a good LBS.

Steve

I really wouldn't worry about that - the chances of something being wrong are pretty slim, and even if it is your good LBS can fix it anyway. My mechanical skills are negligible but I got a bike from Chain Reaction and it's been no bother at all (and I don't have a clue what it weighs either!).

[louiebaby]

rhinochopig said:

louiebaby said:

I had almost set my mind on a Canyon Aeroad Ultegra DI, when the new Ultimate was launched.

Now I'm leaning towards the Ultimate, and I've got a few more months to win the missus over.

But given you have the frontal area of a Iveco HGV isn't an aero frame a drop in the ocean

Shut it you.

Because race-bike.

[upsidedownmark]

scubadude said:

Infinitely better? "Infinitely"! Nonsense- no offence :-)

My bike has a mixture of old Shimano gearing, 105, Ultegra and Sora from 10, 5 and 1year ago, it didn't need any adjustment for the 4 years before I changed the chain rings and hasn't needed to be touched since, despite having done 3000miles, other than usual lubrication I haven't even needed to adjust the cables, how can something be INFINITELY better than almost perfect?

3 blokes in my club have Di2, they had flat batteries multiple including total failures requiring replacement , broken cable (albeit in a crash) but no way to repair is roadside so long ride home in one gear and the auto trim misfiring and self shifting on climbs!

IF I was in a grand tour team with mechanics and spare bikes I would have it at the drop of a hat but as a recreational cyclist you'd be bat-crap crazy to bother, no performance benefits and risk of huge hassle when it craps on you.

I'm sure its brilliant but Mechanical works just as well and is more easily repairs roadside, I wouldn't change even if it was a no-cost option.

No benefits? Nonsense- no offence :-)

Just because your particular hodge podge performs to your expectations doesn't mean it can't be improved on. Frankly what you present above can be improved on 'immeasurably' just by having up to date mechanical - that leads me to think you're probably not the most demanding.

Equally I could point to the fact that almost every rider I know that's gone di2 wouldn't go back (and none have had any problems). I'd suggest you actually ride it and see, but I suspect that would be a waste of time

I'd also like to see you repir a broken cable on mechanical by the roadside.

[okgo]

N

scubadude said:

Infinitely better? "Infinitely"! Nonsense- no offence :-)

My bike has a mixture of old Shimano gearing, 105, Ultegra and Sora from 10, 5 and 1year ago, it didn't need any adjustment for the 4 years before I changed the chain rings and hasn't needed to be touched since, despite having done 3000miles, other than usual lubrication I haven't even needed to adjust the cables, how can something be INFINITELY better than almost perfect?

3 blokes in my club have Di2, they had flat batteries multiple including total failures requiring replacement , broken cable (albeit in a crash) but no way to repair is roadside so long ride home in one gear and the auto trim misfiring and self shifting on climbs!

IF I was in a grand tour team with mechanics and spare bikes I would have it at the drop of a hat but as a recreational cyclist you'd be bat-crap crazy to bother, no performance benefits and risk of huge hassle when it craps on you.

I'm sure its brilliant but Mechanical works just as well and is more easily repairs roadside, I wouldn't change even if it was a no-cost option.

There are plenty of performance benefits. Shifting doesn't degrade with time (unless worn chain), it doesn't degrade in bad weather, you can shift under full load, it takes a lot less time to replace anything.

And thousands of people are clearly crazy as I don't know many people who would buy a new bike today and not spec electric gears.

[Ponk]

Aero bikes will be faster over anything other than an alp if all other variables are the same. The weight difference is negligible too, especially given most of us have at least a few excess pounds that could be shed.

there are more gains to be found with tight fitting kit (no parachute esque rain capes) and an aero road helmet. Fit should also be factored in. I had my heart set on a cervelo s3 but I'm not flexible enough to do it justice. There's no point buying a propel if your riding position is like a vicar riding to the shops.