Are 2024 Roadbikes much better than bikes 10+ years older?

Arequipa

Morning,

How are you all keeping?

I was watching a Durianrider video, where he responds to a gcn video where Simon compares a 10 year old rim brake bike to a 2024 aero, disc,electronic Canyon roadbike.

He rides both bikes and of course, the Canyon turns out to be faster etc...

I know a lot of people dislike Harley, but I think he makes some decent points.

here's the video:

https://youtu.be/iPkaD8GhYNw?si=Hj1PpvUN2_mGAW7a

So are modern aero, disc, electronic roadbikes this much better than their contemporaries?

Of the modern 'improvements'

- is aero - better than not aero frame

- is disc better than rim brake

-electronic gears better than cable operated gears.

- integrated handlebars

- tubeless tyres etc etc...

Sorry it is a big question and there are lots of individual discussions that could come out of this...

But I tend to agree that older bikes, look great, work great and are much easier to work on and to maintain than modern bikes...

What do you guys think?

Thanks for reading,

A

Macy0161

Like everything, it depends. Some of that list are "better" because science, if you want to go faster. Aero bike, wider tyre clearance with disc brakes - wider tyres have less rolling resistance.

Chips Lovell

The mistake here is treating a FredTV GCN video as akin to a peer-reviewed scientific paper.

lissard

Everything that Durianrider publishes should be ignored with extreme predudice. He is an utter fraud.

CramCycle

As abover, the two mistakes you made were watching a DurianRider video. Whether is content is correct or not, this type of person does not deserve any sort of support from society, even unintentional. second i taking GCN as anything more than light hearted entertainment.

cletus

Anyone care to throw out some history about this durianrider fella, or maybe a link to such info?

fat bloke

Much better? No.

A little better in some ways, a little worse in others. A top level bike from any era is a wonderful thing. Is a laboratory-measured 5 watt saving at 45kph worth paying 14,000 euro for? Or is a 10 year old, 6.3kg, dura ace build on super posh wheels for 2000 euro.... "better"?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121836951#Comment_121836951

Just Google Durianrider.

Chips Lovell

I've never come across the chap before, but isn't "takes a GCN Video seriously" all you need to know?

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121836998#Comment_121836998

If you google him he was a Vegan (nothiing to do with his issues) cyclist vlogger but he was invovled sexually with young girls (albeit technically 18), accused of raping one and bullying another into sexual acts. He had outstanding warrants in a few countries as far as I know. This said his ex girlfriend and himself have both have accused of abusing each other isn't much better. How this came up in youtube while doom scrolloing one day I do not know but I feel ashamed that I even seen one of their videos, nor know this much info.

PowerToWait

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121837467#Comment_121837467

Very easy to dislike this guy. Smug, preachy, condescending, alleged sexual abuser, fruitarian.

Can’t believe he’s still around after all these years.

PowerToWait

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121837655#Comment_121837655

He duped a lot of people going by his subs, made a fortune. And Freelee as well. People are awful eejits.

rolling boh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121837701#Comment_121837701

They were proberly watching his videos for the women in it .

Macy0161

Hadn't heard of him really until this!

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121836951#Comment_121836951

https://anthonycolpo.com/tag/durianrider/

Arequipa

Hi!

Thanks for the replies...

yes, I heard some rumours about Durianrider...

But I did agree with some of what he was saying in this video...

GCN make some good videos.. but this was clearly a Canyon marketing exercise!

Also the trend of wearing black cycling clothing, which he mentions, is a trend that probably increases the risks of cycling...

A

nicksnikita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058338497/are-2024-roadbikes-much-better-than-bikes-10-years-older

GCN vs DR aside, peak bike for me was around 2018/2019.

Rim brake, clearance for 28mm tyres, electronic or mechanical shifting. I prefer mechanical. Running 25mm tubed.

I ride a Supersix Evo Ultegra 2019 which came stock with carbon wheels and a power metre. Couldn’t ask for more.

Easy to maintain. Cheap to replace parts. No proprietary caper.

Tried road disc. not for me. No need for discs for my riding.

I too prefer the look of bikes from around 10 years ago.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121840012#Comment_121840012

I'm very much of the opinion each to their own, and I think discussions like this are more or less pointless, as it's going to break down into personal preference.

However, a question struck me when reading your post. When you say road disc is not for you, did you find that disc brakes hampered you in some way while cycling?

nicksnikita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121840602#Comment_121840602

Listening to personal preference and opinion of experienced riders is key for me; as well as independent content creators. Other than that it’s influencers and sales reps pushing their employer’s or the industry narrative.

I do maybe 5-6 hours per week in winter/spring. Last Sunday I did 3 hours with 500m elevation. I only braked a handful of times and had no steep descent. Weather was mainly dry. That’s a typical ride for me at this time of year.

Getting setup properly on the Cannondale took a while with trying out longer stems and narrower bars as I was changing from a 54cm to 52cm frame. That wasn’t an option for me on integrated/disc setup. Negatives far outweighed the positives for me. I never had to deal with maintenance on disc but I gather it’s not simple either.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121840759#Comment_121840759

Thanks for that. Would it be fair to say the issue was with the integrated stem/handlebar setup, rather than disc brakes, though?

I see what you're saying about the type of riding you're doing, too, but would it be fair to say that if there were disc brakes on the bike it wouldn't actually negatively affect your cycle?

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121840759#Comment_121840759

I prefer rims but the work on a disc brake bike is a piece of piss if its hydraulic and slightly more piss if its cables but still simple. As above, your issue isn't with discs but with integrated handlebars and I am 100% there with you, I despise them.

Wishbone Ash

For me it's hard to justify putting a lot of money into keeping an older bike on the road. I gave away a 10 year old bike recently as it needed about €300 worth of replacement parts and I wasn't prepared to spend that. A bit like having a car that's worth €500 and having to spend €600 on new tyres.

(I can't believe some here have never heard of durianrider. A few years ago, you couldn't open this forum without a thread or link about him).

nicksnikita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121840814#Comment_121840814

For sure. Discs are great on Mtb and I have them on a rigid fork, single speed Vitus mtb/hybrid thing also. Grand job.

But on road, the disc "package" was a nuisance. If discs didn't come with the integrated bar/stem, the increased weight or hefty price tag, I'd probably consider them again. The squealing was also annoying but that could have been down to the way I was cleaning the bike.

gn3dr

Weight and price. Older bikes (top end) win on both those counts.!

Edit to add a more personal subjective point also - looks. Dropped stays on newer bikes are fugly as well as technically stupid.

I'm toying with buying a gravel bike new on bike to work scheme . The Giant revolt seems to make most sense from a value point of view, plus I run a TCR so do like the Giants, but I'm struggling to go ahead purely because of the dropped seat stays.

nicksnikita

Of the improvements over the past 10 years...accessories have come on a lot.

bike computers are brilliant nowadays. I’ve had the Garmin 810 since 2017. Mapping has opened a lot of possibilities for me over the years.

Sensors and software have made indoor training a lot more engaging. I don’t do Zwift or similar but do use speed and cadence sensors indoor

and more recently chain waxing has been great. I use squirt wax and the reduction in time spent cleaning the drivetrain has been welcome

Macy0161

I take it, and imagine, that integrated bars are a bit of nightmare to work on. However, whatever about dropped stays (which I actually don't mind), I love the clean look of intergrated bars.

8valve

My two cents....

Cycling (from a high-level competitive sense, at least) has had massive amounts of science thrown at it, just like any other sport where equipment is a key part of it.

Modern frames and componentry are wonderful, cutting edge examples of technology and fantastic pieces of design; but they are made for competition, weight-saving and aerodynamics. Not for end-user friendly serviceability, ease of repair, longevity of use or durability. Derailleurs, brakes and bearings don't do well when covered with three months of wet road-grime, salt and cowshite every winter. Don't get me started on integrated stems/bars/headsets and if you mention internal cabling, I'll cry.

For the everyday cyclist or amateur, do they make any difference? Certainly from a psychological standpoint, they definitely do.

Having six grand wheels, on a ten grand frameset, fitted with five grands worth of groupset will certainly give you a thrill every time you ride it, make for great conversation at the cafe and make you the envy of your ride-buddies.....but will you be afraid to inadvertently hit off it with the handle of the lawnmower in the shed, let it fall outside the coffee shop, or worse still, crash it on Ireland's lovely, scenic, challenging, yet seemingly carpet-bombed, backroads?

High-end bikes are like Ferraris; riders buy them because they can (usually!) afford them. Professional Ferrari drivers can bang it off a crash barrier or another race-car and the team will just give them another one to continue on their merry way. Likewise, pro-riders ride the best cutting-edge machines. Puncture? Bent mech after a spill? Buckled wheel from hitting a pothole? No worries, here's the lad in the team car coming to hand you another one and even give you a push-start to get you going again! If you have technical difficulties on the road up to Mahon Falls, there's no team car coming. Come to think of it, if ye are a bunch of masochistic hardcore hoors, the lads aren't even stopping to help; they'll wait at the top for you, cursing that you're shagging up everyone's strava stats.

Then comes the servicing and repair. Lads get pale when I tell them that a pair of new tyres are going to cost them 150 quid fitted, with new tubeless sealant and new valves (the old ones are frequently glued shut with old sealant). New chain and cassette? No bother, that'll be nearly two hundred quid please-and-thank-you, after they've spent all weekend f*ckarsin around trying to change them by themselves, with the single-use split link now beyond use, two many links removed with your Halfords chain-breaker and the lock-ring threads in the freehub ruined/cross-threaded. Bent derailleur hanger? No problem...which one of the hundreds available would you like?

I have a 1986 Merckx in the spare room. Fitted to it is a seven speed rear Dura Ace mech. WITH THE ORIGINAL JOCKEY WHEELS STILL ON IT. That's pro-level (for its time), but with build-quality, lightness, strength and durability designed into it. Would it be faster than a normal bike? Yes, if Sam Bennett called in and borrowed it for one of his local training spins, it surely would. Not sure how he'd feel about the toe clips and straps, though....

Hanging beside it is a 4T titanium, with the first Dura Ace 10 speed group from the early noughties (IMO the greatest groupset ever made...but I may be biased). Bombproof, durable and shining as brightly as the day it was made.

Do you need the latest and greatest high-end stuff? Maybe, if you're an A4 this year and want to be A1 by this time next year. Or a professional.

Will it make you faster? Maybe.

But it'll cost you.

ARX

Another point: with internal cable routing (hello new TCR) through the head tube you won't be able to move the handlebars enough to get it into a case for flying. Unless you get a case that is designed for that.

MangleBadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121857273#Comment_121857273

If it is not a 1 piece bar and stem there can be enough scope to fit.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121857446#Comment_121857446

The new TCR caught my eye as I'm half in the market, and it's not a 1 piece stem and bar, even on the SL models (I'm not in anyway in the market for the sl models!).

MangleBadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121857545#Comment_121857545

It is a lovely looking bike. And as much as lots of people hate on it, I love the clean look of internal cables.

CramCycle

Do you need the latest and greatest high-end stuff? Maybe, if you're an A4 this year and want to be A1 by this time next year. Or a professional.

Will it make you faster? Maybe.

But it'll cost you.

If you need the lastest gear to get out of A4, then I can assure you, you are never making it to A1