I'm slower on my new carbon bike than I was on my old aluminium one???

I just bought a fancy new full carbon bike, went for my first spin this morning and I'm slower (average speed) on the new one than the old one - is this normal???

T

 

The most important part of the bike is the engine. So if the engine doesn't fit properly...

 

Was the bike fitted to you?

 

Well, there's nothing magical about carbon fiber that should make it "faster". Moreover, one ride isn't really a measure of anything, especially when things can vary from ride to ride, things like wind, temperature, your power output, how you feel.... Also there are things that could be different between your old bike and the new that could also impact speed: tires, your position on the bike, whether or not fit of the new bike is optimal.

 

Yes its normal. You are probably more used to the old bike then the new one. I was pretty slow on my road bike in the beginning, slower then on the hybrid I was using before. Now about 2600km later I am much faster on the road bike. But the hybrid is still faster on the less good roads.

 

Thanks, feel better now!

 

Any change of a machine (bike) will introduce variables that will impact, "average," speed. Is the diameter of your wheel on the new bike a bit larger than your old one? If you switched the computer you had from one to the other, that would tend to show a slower average than the old bike, for example. Did you ride a known distance and time your ride? Things like crank length difference (which would affect your spin) are also a variable to consider. Bike fit while understood, is most critical. Even a difference of less than an inch on the seat to crank length could affect your power transfer negatively.

Just some trivia, while older heavier bikes accelerate more slowly, since the human body is the largest source of drag, at higher speeds there is no difference between a heavier bike and a newer very light bike in average speed over a fixed course. Only at the pinnacle of racing athletes do minor differences in bike mechanics influence who wins the race. For the vast majority of us bike enthusiasts, we are the engine that makes the big difference, no matter what machine we apply our power to.

 

I'm sure it was the bike, 1st thing I would do is go out and buy an even more expensive one. That would surely make you faster.

 

AH yes, I see your cunning plan!! Its the How many bikes should I have formula - N+1 where N is the number currently owned!

T

 

Well this is something to think about. I would imagine the overall design would attribute to that too.