I’m 2 yrs into road cycling. Not a great one but I consider myself a good strong social cyclist. I know what’s power to wt ratio, purpose of lower and medium profile wheel, 23mm vs 25mm tire, benefit of shaving leg hairs, types of tying your hair to gain sec, reading books on power, etc. and yes, all these while I’m equipping myself with lots of reading and applying it during riding.
I hv a bunch of friends that are not technically inclined, doesn’t really read but always have a buying urge called gear acquiring syndrome. They will change from wheel to wheel, a medium profile to a slightly higher and back to same profile of diff brand, changing bikes in the hope of lesser effort, etc. The latest craze was 3 of my friends sold of their old bikes for the latest pina F8. Nothing wrong if your pockets allowed and I agree is a lovely and pretty bike. But what amazed me was their remarks as they progressively change their gear, too often I will hear: this bike can climb, this wheel just won’t stop spinning, this wheel has holding speed, this combination damn fast , bla bla.
I’m riding a decent 2011 Specialized Tarmac SL2 and a low profile wheel. But most of the social rides, flat or climb, I’m ahead of them. Occassionally I do test out their prized bike for a short distance (generally not more than 1km) but I just can’t feel the diff. Maybe my testing distance is too short. Or my “feel†is not as good as theirs. I just don’t have their kind of “feel†and able to tell off the cuff “this bike can climb better than mineâ€. What I do know, as in all bikes that if I pedal, the bike will go. If I stop pedal, the bike will obviously stop.
I want to gain the benefit of technology but I’m losing out on the “feel†factor. And I do not wish to spend needless money for upgrading for a placebo effort that only looks good.
Your thoughts?
I hv a bunch of friends that are not technically inclined, doesn’t really read but always have a buying urge called gear acquiring syndrome. They will change from wheel to wheel, a medium profile to a slightly higher and back to same profile of diff brand, changing bikes in the hope of lesser effort, etc. The latest craze was 3 of my friends sold of their old bikes for the latest pina F8. Nothing wrong if your pockets allowed and I agree is a lovely and pretty bike. But what amazed me was their remarks as they progressively change their gear, too often I will hear: this bike can climb, this wheel just won’t stop spinning, this wheel has holding speed, this combination damn fast , bla bla.
I’m riding a decent 2011 Specialized Tarmac SL2 and a low profile wheel. But most of the social rides, flat or climb, I’m ahead of them. Occassionally I do test out their prized bike for a short distance (generally not more than 1km) but I just can’t feel the diff. Maybe my testing distance is too short. Or my “feel†is not as good as theirs. I just don’t have their kind of “feel†and able to tell off the cuff “this bike can climb better than mineâ€. What I do know, as in all bikes that if I pedal, the bike will go. If I stop pedal, the bike will obviously stop.
I want to gain the benefit of technology but I’m losing out on the “feel†factor. And I do not wish to spend needless money for upgrading for a placebo effort that only looks good.
Your thoughts?