Why am I slower on my new carbon bike than I was on my old aluminium one???

brownetara

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

colm_gti

No, must be something wrong with the bike, bring it back.

Ole Rodrigo

Flux capacitor probably.

brownetara

The only difference is I went out at 7am where normally I go after work at 5.0 pm? Think I need a turbo boost!

T

ford2600

brownetara wrote: »

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

Are you the Big Lebowski's alter ego?

brownetara

ford2600 wrote: »

Are you the Big Lebowski's alter ego?

Afraid you lost me there, I haven't seen the movie??

Raam

brownetara wrote: »

The only difference is I went out at 7am where normally I go after work at 5.0 pm? Think I need a turbo boost!

T

Roads are stickier in the morning so you don't roll as well.

marketty

I'm faster on my steel cross bike than I was on my aluminium racer, because I ride it more. Ride harder for longer more often, and as Gok Wan says 'accessorise baby' ie buy more cycling stuff. Every new shiny thing you get helps get you out the door I find

Lumen

Muscles get used to firing in a particular position. Your new bike is probably slightly different.

brownetara

Raam wrote: »

Roads are stickier in the morning so you don't roll as well.

Sounds as good a reason as any, I'll stick with that one!

detones

Is it that Argos Carbon Bike?

brownetara

detones wrote: »

Is it that Argos Carbon Bike?

Argos do a carbon bike, oh dear!

Lumen

brownetara wrote: »

Argos do a carbon bike, oh dear!

It only comes with Shimano. There's even a matching kit.

Beasty

brownetara wrote: »

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

Yo cannot compare after a single spin. As Lumen indicated your position on the bike is almost certainly different and that will affect performance. In addition the road and weather conditions may have been very different, or maybe you were simply not performing as well on that spin.

ford2600

brownetara wrote: »

Afraid you lost me there, I haven't seen the movie??

TBL is a carbon skeptic poster.

Make sure to catch movie sometime..

If you expected new shiny carbon bike to be faster and find it easier; it doesn't work like that.

Give it a week or two and post again

brownetara

ford2600 wrote: »

TBL is a carbon skeptic poster.

Make sure to catch movie sometime..

If you expected new shiny carbon bike to be faster and find it easier; it doesn't work like that.

Give it a week or two and post again

I expect anything new and shiny to make me faster - you don't mean I actually have to work at it??? :eek:

rollingscone

Have you tried fitting a Dura Ace chain?

petethedrummer

Average speed means nothing unless you are on an enclosed indoor track.

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

Average speed means nothing unless you are on an enclosed indoor track.

Sure it means something. It means that is the speed which you have averaged for the conditions prevailing during the ride. :P

petethedrummer

Raam wrote: »

Sure it means something. It means that is the speed which you have averaged for the conditions prevailing during the ride. :P

Next to nothing.

shaka

As lumen said prob slightly different position.

fat bloke

petethedrummer wrote: »

Next to nothing.

That's pretty slow alright.

I'd be worried too if I was the OP.

DirkVoodoo

Use your main finger and turn the bike topwise...topwise!

07Lapierre

New carbon wheels and a pair of Oakley sunglasses! Thats what ya need to go fast!

Zyzz

Probably the suspension..

Chips Lovell

Troll banned

rollingscone

Serious hat on. It took me some time to get faster on my roadbike than on my Hybrid.

The point about adjusting to the new bike stands as your best explanation.

bazermc

brownetara wrote: »

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

There could be plenty of reasons why you average speed wasn't faster - you are not comparing like with like for example;

-You could have been more tired than normal?
-Did you do a different route?
-Was the weather different?
-You could have been holding back on the new bike without realising it
-It will take you some time to adjust to the new bike position
-Was it a different time of day (for example I feel much better cycling mornings than evening time when I am more awake)
-Was your moving average higher or also lower than normal - i.e. excluding stops at traffic lights?

petethedrummer

Also Carbon doesn't necessarily make you any faster. It might be lighter than aluminum but it's probably not any stiffer.

So if it's not a very hilly route, you shouldn't expect to go much (or at all) faster. Although the temporary new bike +10% power should have kicked in. Maybe yours came with a -10%. Check the receipt.

endacl

Did you upgrade the engine too OP? Its normally an engine fault when my bike goes slow. Nearly 40 years old and driven hard. Rarely sees a service.

elduggo

better wheels on the old bike?

spin the wheels around on the new one. Make sure the cones aren't too tight and that they spin freely. Check theres no rubbing with brake blocks, etc.

and be patient. if theres a lot of downhill in the spin you're talking about maybe the old bike is heavier (gravity, etc). Over longer spins you might find the carbon is quicker (especially when climbing).

Carpenter

You need go faster stripes .
CRA are doing a special on them this week because it is sunny out .

Roddy23

Obvious case of missing speedholes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVV_COOey0E

funnights74

Try a pro bike fit, there's stuff online or go to a guy who does them near to you. They really do make a difference.

1750W

colm_gti wrote: »

No, must be something wrong with the bike, bring it back.

This comment actually disproves the convention "there are no stupid questions only stupid answers"

colm_gti

1750W wrote: »

This comment actually disproves the convention "there are no stupid questions only stupid answers"

Looks like you broke your funny bone

1750W

colm_gti wrote: »

Looks like you broke your funny bone

No u broke it on me I was laughing that hard! Definitely a contender for the best post I've seen in the web this yr!

The Big Lebowsky

You need to replicate the position from your old bike as closely as possible. Do you use the same make saddle on both bikes? I remember a friend treated himself to a fancy new bike after many years of riding old klunkers with cheap components. Within a couple of weeks of buying the his bike, he was crippled with knee pain. Previously he covered tens of thousands of injury free miles.

The culprit was the chainset on his new bike, as it had a much lower q-factor....This placed his feet in a narrower stance width...causing him much pain and suffering..

You need to check stuff like seat height, saddle setback, tip of saddle to centre of handlebar distance, centre of front wheel to centre of handlebars, crank length,q-factor.

Or heres a mad idea...maybe your old bike is brutally efficient alloy framed bike like a canondale or a principia....and the frameset on your new bike is not as efficient at transferring all your effort to the rear wheel?

monkeyslayer

My heavy as f'ck steel racer decends faster than my 3k carbon bike...

irishmotorist

Raam wrote: »

Roads are stickier in the morning so you don't roll as well.

I just want to check - is this true or a joke? I have heard a different road noise on occasion from my front wheel this week and thought that it may have been running a bit flat, but it's been OK.

Raam

irishmotorist wrote: »

I just want to check - is this true or a joke? I have heard a different road noise on occasion from my front wheel this week and thought that it may have been running a bit flat, but it's been OK.

:pac:

irishmotorist

brownetara wrote: »

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

Which direction are you cycling? We have a slight easterly wind at the moment (Dublin and a lot of Ireland) which is opposite-ish to the usual direction.

brownetara

So I've decided that amongst other reasons -

1. The roads are stickier in the morning
2. I need go faster stripes
3. and an engine!

Thanks lads, for all the feedback.

IM0

monkeyslayer wrote: »

My heavy as f'ck steel racer decends faster than my 3k carbon bike...

gravity win

rollingscone

brownetara wrote: »

So I've decided that amongst other reasons -

1. The roads are stickier in the morning
2. I need go faster stripes
3. and an engine!

Thanks lads, for all the feedback.

Don't forget to poke it full of speed holes (*don't do that)

ednwireland

rollingscone wrote: »

Don't forget to poke it full of speed holes (*don't do that)

you could always do an 'alf engers' on it (first british TTer to under 50 mins for a 25)



yaay its friday

Guill

Three lines of coke before you leave the house in the morning, you'll be in work before you left the house.

ednwireland

Guill wrote: »

Three lines of coke before you leave the house in the morning, you'll be in work before you left the house.

celtic tiger solution !

irishmotorist

Just as an aside on the 'melting roads' theory, I mentioned that I'd been hearing funny road noise from my front wheel on occasion this week. Closer observation today leads me to believe that it was when I was passing through areas of tree sap that is on the road and hasn't been washed away by rain.

rollingscone

Road surface does make a huge difference. Out over Sally Gap yesterday I found sections that were so smooth the bike was practically sucked up some of the smaller hills, and conversely so rough on some descents that I had to pedal to keep moving.