Being "Overbiked", ££, Lb, or Inches?
Discussion
I'm sure it's an Forum thing, but recently i keep reading about people being "overbiked", How is this defined? I mean, if you have one bike, and you use it for everything, surely at some point your will "overbiked", or should we have a different bike for every different set of conditions??
And more importantly, am I overbiked???? ;-)
And more importantly, am I overbiked???? ;-)
I haven't heard of this expression before but I've seen it in the real world, is it where people think they need 7 inches of travel to ride an afternoon in the woods, and they think they need to spend £600 on a set of wheels that are 0.25kg lighter, when in reality it makes next to no difference and won't change the skill level of the rider at all?
carter711 said:
I haven't heard of this expression before but I've seen it in the real world, is it where people think they need 7 inches of travel to ride an afternoon in the woods, and they think they need to spend £600 on a set of wheels that are 0.25kg lighter, when in reality it makes next to no difference and won't change the skill level of the rider at all?
Sounds like STW!carter711 said:
I haven't heard of this expression before but I've seen it in the real world, is it where people think they need 7 inches of travel to ride an afternoon in the woods, and they think they need to spend £600 on a set of wheels that are 0.25kg lighter, when in reality it makes next to no difference and won't change the skill level of the rider at all?
Isn't that cycling though?Look the 'show off your latest bike thread", how many riders are anywhere near the limits of the bikes they buy? Not many. 90% of cyclists could go out in a bike half the price of the one they are on and wouldn't be any slower.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, they might not enjoy it as much though because they might feel they aren't on as nice a bike. The cheaper bike might not be limiting them from a pure performance point of view but if they don't like it as much because they perceive it to be inferior, they aren't going to like it as much.
How many people buy stuff just because they think it's better and they simply want to have better stuff on their bike? Without it the cycling industry would collapse.
Who's to say they are wrong buying a bike that is well above them from a performance point of view. How many people can drive their car to it's limits or use any pice of equipment to it's limits? Much of the experience of owning something is the owners perception of how good it is, not just how they perform on/with it?
People appreciate bikes for a multitude of reasons, performance is just one of them.
I am overbiked.
I have an overly expensive mountain bike that has way too much travel for 90% of the terrain I ride over. The forks are kashima coated which is totally unnecessary and adds to the cost. The groupset is shimano xt which is not required. Having said all that it's an excellent bike and is a much better bike than I will be rider.
My road bike is not all that expensive (bought it for £1250 a couple of years ago). Full carbon frame and added carbon wheels. Totally too good for me. 105 groupset works well.
My commuter bike cost £900 which is an outrageous sum to pay to cycle 7.5 miles. Any bike would do.
HOWEVER... And this is the important point for me. In my opinion all my bikes are so good that I always want to go out and ride and will do so whatever the weather. Cheaper bikes won't be as smooth or as light or as 'good' and every time I go out I get so much pleasure that I want to carry on all day. I'm not sure I would feel that way on a less capable bike. So whilst the bikes are better bikes than I will be rider and hence I am 'overbiked' I love riding them so I am definetly getting value for money. I am happier, fitter, and more healthy as a result.
But still overbiked.
I have an overly expensive mountain bike that has way too much travel for 90% of the terrain I ride over. The forks are kashima coated which is totally unnecessary and adds to the cost. The groupset is shimano xt which is not required. Having said all that it's an excellent bike and is a much better bike than I will be rider.
My road bike is not all that expensive (bought it for £1250 a couple of years ago). Full carbon frame and added carbon wheels. Totally too good for me. 105 groupset works well.
My commuter bike cost £900 which is an outrageous sum to pay to cycle 7.5 miles. Any bike would do.
HOWEVER... And this is the important point for me. In my opinion all my bikes are so good that I always want to go out and ride and will do so whatever the weather. Cheaper bikes won't be as smooth or as light or as 'good' and every time I go out I get so much pleasure that I want to carry on all day. I'm not sure I would feel that way on a less capable bike. So whilst the bikes are better bikes than I will be rider and hence I am 'overbiked' I love riding them so I am definetly getting value for money. I am happier, fitter, and more healthy as a result.
But still overbiked.
Edited by Rob_T on Saturday 14th April 19:14
"Overbiked" for me is taking something built to make tough courses rideable and taking it somewhere easy.
For instance I once took my Shocker around the Black Run and back end of Skyline at Afan to to play with settings, bed in brakes and basically get a new bike dialed in. It was a Sod getting the thing up the climb (and I got some funny looks) and the descents that are usually tough and fun were pretty boring, basically point the front wheel and a little dab on some of the tighter turns.
Unless you've got a fleet of bikes you'll no doubt find yourself "overbiked" at times. I ride my Spicy around the green trail at Brecfha quite often with my Son. I don't die of shame when I get back to the car park because it was pretty expensive or is quite long travel though.
The other overbiked I've heard is from the self-appointed trail centre fashion committee types. "all the gear...." "5 inches of ability compensation there" "Pfft 3 grand and he can't even do the double" just saddos and kids suffering from the old green eyed monster usually.
For instance I once took my Shocker around the Black Run and back end of Skyline at Afan to to play with settings, bed in brakes and basically get a new bike dialed in. It was a Sod getting the thing up the climb (and I got some funny looks) and the descents that are usually tough and fun were pretty boring, basically point the front wheel and a little dab on some of the tighter turns.
Unless you've got a fleet of bikes you'll no doubt find yourself "overbiked" at times. I ride my Spicy around the green trail at Brecfha quite often with my Son. I don't die of shame when I get back to the car park because it was pretty expensive or is quite long travel though.
The other overbiked I've heard is from the self-appointed trail centre fashion committee types. "all the gear...." "5 inches of ability compensation there" "Pfft 3 grand and he can't even do the double" just saddos and kids suffering from the old green eyed monster usually.
as others have said when someone says "you're over-biked" what they mean is "that bike is wasted on you" but people seem unable to say positive things anymore so they just put your down or scoff. we were all beginners once and we are always learning or improving, even the pros.
yes, you get the "all the gear" types with 6" travel bikes riding on canal tow paths but they might also be heading off for a week in the alps the next day. There is a guy at work who commutes on sunny days on his Cervelo S3 and a £2k frameset is somewhat excessive for a commuter but I know he is an Ironman triathlete so probably takes the "long" way home....
yes, you get the "all the gear" types with 6" travel bikes riding on canal tow paths but they might also be heading off for a week in the alps the next day. There is a guy at work who commutes on sunny days on his Cervelo S3 and a £2k frameset is somewhat excessive for a commuter but I know he is an Ironman triathlete so probably takes the "long" way home....
I'm overbiked on all three of my bikes in very different ways.
Overbiked a little on my commuter because there really isn't any need for a 105-clad race frame as the basis for a flat-barred commuter bike, even if it is a reasonable length at 32.5 miles for the round trip.
Overbiked significantly on my lovely new road bike (now equipped with lovely, fluffy cloud of fluffiness instead of a saddle), but I really don't care that it's a ludicrous bike for my vastly lardy frame because it makes me significantly faster, and is an absolute joy to ride. I also know that the more I ride it, and the fitter and lighter I get, the less overbiked I will be!
The most overbiked, however, is my mountain bike. It's a Spesh FSR XC Pro, so not massively expensive (under £2k for a full susser with upgraded forks and gravity dropper seatpost), but I can't get close to making full use of that from a technical perspective more than from a fittness perspective. This one does annoy me, so I think I might try getting some mountain biking tuition at some point.
Overbiked a little on my commuter because there really isn't any need for a 105-clad race frame as the basis for a flat-barred commuter bike, even if it is a reasonable length at 32.5 miles for the round trip.
Overbiked significantly on my lovely new road bike (now equipped with lovely, fluffy cloud of fluffiness instead of a saddle), but I really don't care that it's a ludicrous bike for my vastly lardy frame because it makes me significantly faster, and is an absolute joy to ride. I also know that the more I ride it, and the fitter and lighter I get, the less overbiked I will be!
The most overbiked, however, is my mountain bike. It's a Spesh FSR XC Pro, so not massively expensive (under £2k for a full susser with upgraded forks and gravity dropper seatpost), but I can't get close to making full use of that from a technical perspective more than from a fittness perspective. This one does annoy me, so I think I might try getting some mountain biking tuition at some point.
Over biked is inevitable, if you aren't overbiked in 90% of situations then you probably have the wrong bike or you a stable of bikes. As other's have said a full susser is overbiked and unsuitable for riding on the road or along canal tow paths, and probably on quite a few red runs but it's more comfortable and a nicer ride on the iffy bits.
I have one bike. It has 150mm on the front end, hydro brakes and xt/x7 gear with hope hubs.
It's hugely over biked for the commuting I do.
It's overbiked for the local trail.
It's perfect for 'cocking about in the woods' which is what it was designed to do.
I struggle to give a damn if someone else doesn't think it's being ridden properly.
It's hugely over biked for the commuting I do.
It's overbiked for the local trail.
It's perfect for 'cocking about in the woods' which is what it was designed to do.
I struggle to give a damn if someone else doesn't think it's being ridden properly.
i am very much overbiked 99% of the time.
my bike weighs 40+lbs, has 200mm travel front and back, 64 degree head angle and brakes that would stop a tank, yet it spends most of its time on slightly downhill single track and tiny little jumps.
but 1% of the time i am riding it on some of the scariest and most techincally demanding downhill runs in the world (Wales, France, Switzerland, Canada), so im happy with it.
its a b
d to ride on roads though.
my bike weighs 40+lbs, has 200mm travel front and back, 64 degree head angle and brakes that would stop a tank, yet it spends most of its time on slightly downhill single track and tiny little jumps.
but 1% of the time i am riding it on some of the scariest and most techincally demanding downhill runs in the world (Wales, France, Switzerland, Canada), so im happy with it.
its a b
d to ride on roads though.
For me, I felt I was overbiked when I had my Yeti 575..
Built it up for the Alps - where it was superb.. - properly, properly good, and perfect for what it was doing..
However, after I got back, and rode Dorking / Wales everything felt too easy on it.. You'd throw it at stuff, and it would just soak it up. Took away from the fun for me - yes, it was quick but I felt that I wasn't gaining anything from it. So sold it was, and I now have a 100mm travel bike front and rear which IMO is perfect for the riding that I do in the UK.
(That being said I am still overbiked in the sense that its got decent suspension / wheels, xtr groupset etc... but hey - I love the bike, and its one of my toys that SHMBO doesn't mind (and doesn't know how much individual bits cost), so its nice to have!)
Built it up for the Alps - where it was superb.. - properly, properly good, and perfect for what it was doing..
However, after I got back, and rode Dorking / Wales everything felt too easy on it.. You'd throw it at stuff, and it would just soak it up. Took away from the fun for me - yes, it was quick but I felt that I wasn't gaining anything from it. So sold it was, and I now have a 100mm travel bike front and rear which IMO is perfect for the riding that I do in the UK.
(That being said I am still overbiked in the sense that its got decent suspension / wheels, xtr groupset etc... but hey - I love the bike, and its one of my toys that SHMBO doesn't mind (and doesn't know how much individual bits cost), so its nice to have!)
deadtom said:
i am very much overbiked 99% of the time.
my bike weighs 40+lbs, has 200mm travel front and back, 64 degree head angle and brakes that would stop a tank, yet it spends most of its time on slightly downhill single track and tiny little jumps.
but 1% of the time i am riding it on some of the scariest and most techincally demanding downhill runs in the world (Wales, France, Switzerland, Canada), so im happy with it.
its a bd to ride on roads though.
What have you got? How does it work our for you?my bike weighs 40+lbs, has 200mm travel front and back, 64 degree head angle and brakes that would stop a tank, yet it spends most of its time on slightly downhill single track and tiny little jumps.
but 1% of the time i am riding it on some of the scariest and most techincally demanding downhill runs in the world (Wales, France, Switzerland, Canada), so im happy with it.
its a b
d to ride on roads though.Even with all the South Wales DH tracks on our door step, Cwmcarn uplift and Gethin Bike Park in the pipeline My bike mates and I have decided having a DH/Fr bike as our only bike would be maddness.
Oh and I might have ever so slightly messed myself up once riding trail/singletrack stuff on my DH bike because I couldn't get the slack b
h to turn quick enough. 
This is a good example of "overbiked": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vi33puLSwk&fea... (some locals riding our trails on DH bikes for a laugh).
Pah, mine's 45lbs... But despite that I wouldn't say I'm overbiked for the trails I use it on (pure DH stuff: Fort William, Innerleithen, etc).
deadtom said:
Max_Torque said:
40lbs!! F me, you must be fit !! ;-)
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