Recommend Spec for Road Race Bike

Mechanic365

Hi, im in the process of planning my racing season next year and Im in a dilema about upgrading my frameset/groupset for it.

I currently ride a Turas2.0 with SRAM RIVAL, its a great bike that has never let me down in any club race or sportive but the anti is going to be upped next year.
I was going to just upgrade to SRAM RED for racing but i mean thats nearly 1500 (give or take) and im still stuck with my alluminiun bars and standard saddle etc.
I dont want to upgrade the spec on it because its my training bike too.

So should I just upgrade it and use it for training too or would I get more value and comfort out of a full race ready bike with SRAM RED alongside my training bike (which would have carbon bars and the best components)

BTW the wheelset will be Corima Aeros either way....

Cee-Jay-Cee

Maybe it's my inexperience speaking but I don't see how upgrading a groupset will help much in racing, if your current groupset works well then maybe change the cassette to a closer set of ratios and upgrade your wheels, tyres and brakes?

fat bloke

I'm a firm believer that the only sensible way to buy a group set is with it attached to a bike.
Or if split your 1500 quid into 500 to 600 ish for a second hand winter training bike and 1000 ish for nice wheels.

Unless you're very careful with cleaning and minding your nice race bike could be distinctly the worse for wear after a solid winter of training on it. -I certainly wouldn't like to subject my flash new sram red groupset to that (personally).

fixie fox

"its a great bike that has never let me down..." - what exactly are you looking for in the upgrade?

Mechanic365

CJC999 wrote: »

Maybe it's my inexperience speaking but I don't see how upgrading a groupset will help much in racing, if your current groupset works well then maybe change the cassette to a closer set of ratios and upgrade your wheels, tyres and brakes?

TBH ive worded the intro quite badly, my groupset is OK but it doesent have great shift quality in the rear gears. Dont get me wrong its fine but I just want to go with a really good groupset and stick with it. Im basically asking should I use the upgraded bike for training/racing or just racing.

Mechanic365

fat bloke wrote: »

I'm a firm believer that the only sensible way to buy a group set is with it attached to a bike.
Or if split your 1500 quid into 500 to 600 ish for a second hand winter training bike and 1000 ish for nice wheels.

Unless you're very careful with cleaning and minding your nice race bike could be distinctly the worse for wear after a solid winter of training on it. -I certainly wouldn't like to subject my flash new sram red groupset to that (personally).

Quite true and I have my eyes on a brand new bike which is going at a good price which im planning on getting once I make my mind up

Exactly what im thinking because like that my current bike is showing signs of wear and tear, i would much rather have my shiny race bike in the house while i swirve around the potholes

High Nellie

Mechanic365 wrote: »

TBH ive worded the intro quite badly, my groupset is OK but it doesent have great shift quality in the rear gears. Dont get me wrong its fine but I just want to go with a really good groupset and stick with it. Im basically asking should I use the upgraded bike for training/racing or just racing.

If you can afford to keep the old bike I'd say you are better off to keep the new bike for racing, and for training well into the season when the roads are dry etc. Keep the old bike for the crappy days. However, you would need to ensure that the setup in both is similar. I allow myself slightly higher bars on the winter/crappy weather bike.

Mechanic365

High Nellie wrote: »

If you can afford to keep the old bike I'd say you are better off to keep the new bike for racing, and for training well into the season when the roads are dry etc. Keep the old bike for the crappy days. However, you would need to ensure that the setup in both is similar. I allow myself slightly higher bars on the winter/crappy weather bike.

I think youre on the ball there and this is exactly what im going to do, I have the budget alright but i just dont want to spend the mula and end up regretting it. (I think the whole country knows what that feels likkkk)
Thanks High Nellie and everyone else...

fat bloke

Yeah, you're kinda between 2 stools in that your turas is too good to be a training hack, but (to your mind) not good enough for racing .

You could tough it out with the one bike for another 12 months. Keep the turas maintained and cleaned throughout the winter, race her away all summer and then come autumn 2014 you can retire her to winter duties and treat yourself to a brand new flash race bike.

Sram red builds are still dear enough, but with the 11 speed sram 22 out now, it might lead to some 10 speed bargains. I've the latest sram 10 speed, which was new for end 2012, and it really is crackin' kit. I love it.

Mechanic365

fat bloke wrote: »

Yeah, you're kinda between 2 stools in that your turas is too good to be a training hack, but (to your mind) not good enough for racing .

You could tough it out with the one bike for another 12 months. Keep the turas maintained and cleaned throughout the winter, race her away all summer and then come autumn 2014 you can retire her to winter duties and treat yourself to a brand new flash race bike.

Sram red builds are still dear enough, but with the 11 speed sram 22 out now, it might lead to some 10 speed bargains. I've the latest sram 10 speed, which was new for end 2012, and it really is crackin' kit. I love it.

Ya well theres a bit of "i want a new bike" going on too in my head but either way the current bike is staying with me for training this winter and next!
Another thing is the frame i want for next season is going out of production so i either buy it now or never.

Haaahaa the bike im planning on buying is already fitted with SRAM RED 22 speed and my god is it the business.....im not to bodered about the bill but there is big gaps between force, red 20 and red 22 even though they all offer the same quality and weight figures (some may beg to differ)

fat bloke

Oh wow, well, far be it from me to talk a guy down from the edge of the precipice!

What's the bike? Or are you allowed to say? . I've heard people give out about the older sram, that it's hard to set up, hard to keep shifting accurately. I got my bike with the new (then) red on it last year and raced and rode it regularly all summer and, honestly, I have not had to go near the adjusters, not once. It's phenomenal.

Mechanic365

fat bloke wrote: »

Oh wow, well, far be it from me to talk a guy down from the edge of the precipice!

What's the bike? Or are you allowed to say? . I've heard people give out about the older sram, that it's hard to set up, hard to keep shifting accurately. I got my bike with the new (then) red on it last year and raced and rode it regularly all summer and, honestly, I have not had to go near the adjusters, not once. It's phenomenal.

On my 2011 RIVAL compact i have problems with the front deraliure popping off the chain when shifting into the big ring and then i could adjust it back a touch and it wont shift atall. A friend has a Vivelo with the old RED 20 and its never ever had a hickup he preaches.

The Bike is a Turas RR1.0

happytramp

Mechanic365 wrote: »

On my 2011 RIVAL compact i have problems with the front deraliure popping off the chain when shifting into the big ring and then i could adjust it back a touch and it wont shift atall.

That's to do with the way it's been set up not the group itself.