The bike doesn't matter... it's the motor

Here is a great lesson to file under 'The bike doesn't matter' for all of you hardware whores.

I was out on a group ride with the local wrecking crew. Fast expert and sport mountain bikers riding road bikes. One of the expert guys, former state champ winner and such a general bad ass that the meanest part of one of the local rock quarry turned mountain bike parks is named after him.

Anyway he usually rides usually older and sometimes hand me down hardware. His road bike is an old beat up Cannondale from the 1980s that he found in the trash a few months back. This thing is corroded, beat to **** and has the SWEET 1980s style 36 hole heavy rims.

And on that beat up old POS bike he put the wood to several titanium-carbon-uber-bling riding peeps.

So next time you're discussing arguing the performance difference between radial and single cross wheel lacing, or the difference between 1" and 1-1/8 inch steerer tubes or some other bull**** that really doesn't matter. Think about this guy on his garbage pile Cannondale.

Of course you are right and its fair to say that fitness is critical but there should be no doubt at all that a given rider would perform better on top kit than - as you call it - trash.

Each to their own and, after all, everyone decides how to spend their own money.

Maybe marginally...

When I say trash I mean it. He literally pulled the bike off his neighbors garbage pile put new tires on it and rode it. No ****...

The guy is an animal...

Ask him if he'd swap that bike for a brand new top spec one...

Aren't you the guy that screams if a bike isn't made of titanium?

Perhaps the rest of the group can't handle road bikes as well as he can or just plain suck compared to him.

Guy sounds like he could smoke everyone even on a big wheel. I'm glad folks like to toss 5 grand on a bike with "just like Lance" conponents. That keeps the bike industry in business and generally keeps the prices on everything, overall, lower. Think economies of scale and mass production for you economist types. Great groups like 105 are what they are because of the trickle down technology of DA a few years back. Same goes for the mtb world with XTR and XT. Would I personally drop that kind of cash? Nah, I'd rather rider 105 mid level stuff if I was paying for it. I have 2 DA bikes I picked up for free in trading some web work. Now they a bit sweeter (especially the Litespeed TI) that the mid level, although, to me, not wortyh the extra cash. The moral of the story is spend however much on a bike you want and can afford, but no matter what there is always going to be someone better out there (sometimes on a trash bike).

I have a similar story -- I live in Connecticut and I remember a guy with legs the size of trees many years ago who rode an old beat up bike during each of the NewEngland seasons --- he was amazing !!!! --- in the Winter those legs would drive him and bike through the snow and although I never witnessed this I heard that he took the lead in the snow ahead of buses and cars coming down a local mountain -- I did witness him being paced in the Summer by his wife on a moped !!!! do you believe it ?? a moped !!!!

But I also know that for either financial or spiritual reasons he lived very frugally -- I'm sure if someone had given him a better bike, he would have loved it !!!

I myself rode a Trek "touring" bike for close to 20 years and after the family was grown I bought a Ti with Campy components and I must say that I don't regret the purchase --- yes , it's still about the body but I enjoy riding more !! for one thing I don't have to continually whack the brake spring with a hammer to keep the weels centered on the pads ; and yes my internal headset has creaked a little --- but that issue was finally solved and for the most part I like the new components.

I know Ivan Basso can beat me riding no handed in a fixed, but when I turn to look for technology for increase my performance, it's not that I'm trying to leave McEween in the dust at the finish line, it's only to improve against myself and the group that competes at my category.

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Sorry, English is not my primary language.

Absolutely! I think it's great when some college kid goes and buys a Madone with his student loans. It's just going to make next year's 105 that much better! Not only that but then there's also a good chance of picking up good used bikes at great prices.

Keep on buyin' 'em people. Just keep on buyin' 'em.

Some people just don't cave in to consumerism. Besides, that guy could have a million bucks in the bank. You just never know.

Just think about all of the billions spent annually on advertising that has the sole purpose of getting us to part with our hard earned dollar. It's crazy.

Lance could probably beat me up a mountain on a tricycle, but that doesnt mean better bikes dont help.

Let me get this right what you are saying is if Lance was Ridding the bike that Lemond road in the 80s he would still have won the tour. I

Is that right?

I could probably get to work everyday in the POS used Chevy pickup that I bought in 1976 but it is alot more fun to get there in my new BMW.

Who cares if someone can go faster on a old bike.

I drive a beater pickup truck to work so I can afford the dope bikes!

I learned that lesson a slightly different way. I was traveling with my racing bike and upon returning home and reassembling, I stripped the threads of the rear derailer hanger. I was signed up for a triathlon that weekend and didn't get the race bike fixed in time. So I moved the clip-on aerobars and race wheels over to my 25lb touring bike (complete with rear rack) and used that in the triathlon and ended up riding that the same speed I had ridden just a couple of weeks earlier on the race bike.