Does the bike make much of a difference

yop

Folks,
After speaking to a lad on here who was looking to buy my brother in laws Giant I got thinking about my own.

Its a 2009 version Defy 4 with 16 gears, carbon forks. Finding it spot on but I was wondering how far more would I need to go to really notice a difference.

With the computer, pump and bike still in very good nick I could probably pull in 450 for it.

Now my question, I notice the other lads in the cycling club I joined have serious bikes but I know they have spent big money, something I honestly can't do, but to notice a difference from the Defy 4, what am I looking at.

The lads who I bought off before mentioned Lapierre Audacio 400 DB, I mentioned the Defy 3 to them but they said I would notice feck all difference.

I honestly can spent the 1k plus that is required for lapierre so am I as well to hold out and get the money or maybe keep an eye out for a 2nd hand one?

I presume I am as well to look at the more carbon the better?
More gears the better?

What else should I look out for with regards better spec?

Sorry for the blonde questions!!

DirkVoodoo

Planet X, Boardman Team Carbon are all around 1200 euro.

How much difference? More comfortable, crisper shifting moving from 2300 to a 10-speed "race" groupset like 105/Ultegra or Rival.

Faster or better? Well, 90% of that will depend on the rider.

DirkVoodoo

Recent example, I punctured on a spin a few months backs. Myself and Planet-x were stopped fixing it. We raced back to Laragh to meet the group. Rather, Planet-x raced back at 45-50 km/hr from Roundwood to Laragh, I hung onto his wheel.

I was on a full carbon bike, he was on his Giant SCR 4 (aluminium, think it has sora?) winter rig, complete with a triple.

copacetic

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Recent example, I punctured on a spin a few months backs. Myself and Planet-x were stopped fixing it. We raced back to Laragh to meet the group. Rather, Planet-x raced back at 45-50 km/hr from Roundwood to Laragh, I hung onto his wheel.

I was on a full carbon bike, he was on his Giant SCR 4 (aluminium, think it has sora?) winter rig, complete with a triple.

Ah, but if it was the other way around could you have hung on?!

OP, I had giant OCR with tiagra up until a couple of years back. I don't get out much but occasionally head out with friends who are keen cyclists, I always slow them down severly. I upgraded to a lighter ultegra based bike (which I got a really good sale deal on the web) and it made a big difference to how much I slowed them down by, especially on the hills. (I'm still useless, just not quite as bad, if anything the lighter bike makes a bigger difference the less fit you are) It also makes spins on my own more enjoyable. I'd do the same again, but I wouldn't bother unless you get a decent upgrade.

yop

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Planet X, Boardman Team Carbon are all around 1200 euro.

How much difference? More comfortable, crisper shifting moving from 2300 to a 10-speed "race" groupset like 105/Ultegra or Rival.

Faster or better? Well, 90% of that will depend on the rider.

Thanks, so I can keep my eyes peeled for some of the above, even 2nd hand I presume, or is that a risky business?

LOL I get u about the rider, I am only 3 weeks in the club and I already blaming the bike

DirkVoodoo

copacetic wrote: »

Ah, but if it was the other way around could you have hung on?!

OP, I had giant OCR with tiagra up until a couple of years back. I don't get out much but occasionally head out with friends who are keen cyclists, I always slow them down severly. I upgraded to a lighter ultegra based bike (which I got a really good sale deal on the web) and it made a big difference to how much I slowed them down by, especially on the hills. (I'm still useless, just not quite as bad, if anything the lighter bike makes a bigger difference the less fit you are) It also makes spins on my own more enjoyable. I'd do the same again, but I wouldn't bother unless you get a decent upgrade.

Well, that would have made it a more scientific observation. However, your own situation is equally questionable. Can you attribute the change in speed directly to the bike or could it also have been because you had more miles under your belt. A lighter bike will indeed be faster uphills, we were on mostly flat roads, at speed, where the weight of the bike has less impact than your ability to propel it. If we had changed bikes, maybe he would have gone slightly faster, but I reckon I still would have been holding on. I have cycled with him while on his race bike and he isn't really that much faster. Probably saving a few watts in reserve, but I don't think it is enough to change the speeds that dramatically.

You say enjoyment, which is another matter entirely. Yes, a more expensive bike will nearly always be more enjoyable.

copacetic

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Well, that would have made it a more scientific observation. However, your own situation is equally questionable. Can you attribute the change in speed directly to the bike or could it also have been because you had more miles under your belt. A lighter bike will indeed be faster uphills, we were on mostly flat roads, at speed, where the weight of the bike has less impact than your ability to propel it. If we had changed bikes, maybe he would have gone slightly faster, but I reckon I still would have been holding on. I have cycled with him while on his race bike and he isn't really that much faster. Probably saving a few watts in reserve, but I don't think it is enough to change the speeds that dramatically.

You say enjoyment, which is another matter entirely. Yes, a more expensive bike will nearly always be more enjoyable.

I think I can attribute it to the bike as I'm not 'really' a cyclist. I go out every couple of weeks, hardly ever in winter, so never really build up much cycling fitness. I mostly notice it on uphills as you say, a lot of hills I couldn't get up at all on the old bike but on the newer one I mostly can reach the top before collapsing.

yop

So the REAL answer is yes the bike helps on hills, but on the flats it makes shag all difference!!

I generally would be strong on hills anyway, so maybe I need to just get my butt on the road

niceonetom

I reserve the right to deny this at a later date but... the bike makes very little difference at all. Almost none.

If it's in good mechanical order and everything is well set up and lubed correctly then the differences in mechanical drag, aero drag and even weight add up to feck all - certainly much, much smaller than the difference between you with a bit of training and you with a hangover. You'd probably create a bigger difference in terms of avg speed etc. by losing a couple of kgs and lowering your stem a few spacers... Crisper gear shifts are nice, but won't make you faster either...

Now go stare at this and come to the conclusion that many on this forum have, just because it'll make no difference doesn't mean I won't go hungry to buy it.

yop

Fair point.

On with the training then

DualFrontDiscs

In summary:

It's nice to have nice things.
It's nicer to do nice things.

DFD

papac

DFD

Doing Fine Deeds?

DualFrontDiscs

papac wrote: »

Doing Fine Deeds?

Dissuading From Debt

paulieb2006

I bought myself an new Felt F4 SL last september. It was a reward to myself for loosing nearly 4st. Now I didnt really need a new bike but since I got it I have prob done 3 times the Kms that I would have done at this time last year, so for me it has got me out on the bike more, which in turn has made me better.
My average speed has gone up by 3.5kph. Is it the bike or just me getting fitter, I dont know or care I just love it.
Look for something that you will like and makes it more enjoyable. Also something a bit more expensive will guilt you into going out more.

ipodrocker

paulieb2006 wrote: »

I bought myself an new Felt F4 SL last september. It was a reward to myself for loosing nearly 4st. Now I didnt really need a new bike but since I got it I have prob done 3 times the Kms that I would have done at this time last year, so for me it has got me out on the bike more, which in turn has made me better.
My average speed has gone up by 3.5kph. Is it the bike or just me getting fitter, I dont know or care I just love it.
Look for something that you will like and makes it more enjoyable. Also something a bit more expensive will guilt you into going out more.

i agree with you too! im about to spoil myself on a carbon bike after dropping 2st. and feel the time is right. so in some way of thinking the bike would make a difference.