Riding an older carbon- do I REALLY need to upgrade?
Discussion
Firstly- I’m fully aware the answer to my question lies in rule 12 but humor me a second.
Have always ridden alloy bikes (mostly cannondale CAAD bikes of different guides) and have recently been riding my first Carbon which is a 2013 Specialized Tarmac Expert di2 sl4.
I can’t help but feel it’s all the bike I would ever need as it is way more capable than I but my question to you all is - am I missing something? Has the game moved on dramatically in 7 years and should I open my vision?
Have always ridden alloy bikes (mostly cannondale CAAD bikes of different guides) and have recently been riding my first Carbon which is a 2013 Specialized Tarmac Expert di2 sl4.
I can’t help but feel it’s all the bike I would ever need as it is way more capable than I but my question to you all is - am I missing something? Has the game moved on dramatically in 7 years and should I open my vision?
Have to agree on old bikes been good, currently looking at this on eBay, Di2, 2019 Trek Emonda, all very nice.
However am struggling to justify spending £1800 on something that looks nearly identical to 2011 Trek, just Di2 am sure is nice but the nearly 10 year old 105/Ultegra running gear on my current bike is working just as well as the day I bought it. Even on the weight front the 2019 bike is exactly the same weight as my current bike at 7.8kg.
Yes am sure the new bike is more aero, but am the biggest aero factor on the bike. Looking at my Strava times from a few years back its also pretty clear time/age hasn't slowed down my 2011 bike.
I do still look at new bikes (as does everyone else here am sure), but the reality is a new bike isn't going to make any real difference to me when am out on the road, but I can think of other ways to spend nearly £2k
.
However am struggling to justify spending £1800 on something that looks nearly identical to 2011 Trek, just Di2 am sure is nice but the nearly 10 year old 105/Ultegra running gear on my current bike is working just as well as the day I bought it. Even on the weight front the 2019 bike is exactly the same weight as my current bike at 7.8kg.
Yes am sure the new bike is more aero, but am the biggest aero factor on the bike. Looking at my Strava times from a few years back its also pretty clear time/age hasn't slowed down my 2011 bike.
I do still look at new bikes (as does everyone else here am sure), but the reality is a new bike isn't going to make any real difference to me when am out on the road, but I can think of other ways to spend nearly £2k
.Unless you're racing at a decent level it's all just for the sake of having the latest, most fashionable kit really... a decent training program will make more difference to how fast you go. A decent road bike from 10 years ago is still a decent bike.
I've got a 6 year old, aluminium Cannondale CADD8 that cost me £800 (I did upgrade the wheels) but can average 20+mph solo and have a fair few KOMs on local hills. I'm not racing so don't see the point in upgrading it, it's not the lightest or at all aero but it does everything I need.
I've got a 6 year old, aluminium Cannondale CADD8 that cost me £800 (I did upgrade the wheels) but can average 20+mph solo and have a fair few KOMs on local hills. I'm not racing so don't see the point in upgrading it, it's not the lightest or at all aero but it does everything I need.
It’s up to you really. New Carbon frames have benefitted from more years of R&D and will have higher quality carbon laminates and be laid up more intricately. They may have better stiffness in the key areas and mor compliance in others. However, some of these gains may be rather nuanced and there is always a certain new bike is faster mentality. New bikes will have better clearance for 28c tubeless tyres which are a big improvement and also have disc brakes which are the other massive improvement. Then of course don’t forget hat they look better and will make you feeel better and that of course is a big part of the enjoyment.
My own experience as someone who has ridden carbon bikes for over 20 years and I have had probably in excess of 30 different carbon bikes over that time is that the new frames are better than the old ones, being generally...lighter, stiffer, more compliant and better engineered, more aero and better looking.
But as I say it’s up to you...really it’s only a bike and it’s a hobby and you either want one or you don’t. If you aren’t racing professionally then there is no need involved.
My own experience as someone who has ridden carbon bikes for over 20 years and I have had probably in excess of 30 different carbon bikes over that time is that the new frames are better than the old ones, being generally...lighter, stiffer, more compliant and better engineered, more aero and better looking.
But as I say it’s up to you...really it’s only a bike and it’s a hobby and you either want one or you don’t. If you aren’t racing professionally then there is no need involved.
rdjohn said:
Just out of interest, how do carbon frames fail?
I have a 2014 Felt which was not expensive and totally exceeds my expectations, but sometimes I do worry that the forks might suddenly fail on a pockmarked carriageway.
The chances of a sudden catastrophic failure, in a Carbon Fibre composite fork is slim to nothing. If you don’t crash, and cause a problem, they don’t just fail, for no good reason. CF responds to shock by forming new surfaces. Over time, repeated shocks result in noticeable changes in the feel of the bike. It will feel noticeably different long before it fails, so you do get warning, unless you really shock it, by crashing, and ride it without getting an ultrasound done, to check for any big problems.I have a 2014 Felt which was not expensive and totally exceeds my expectations, but sometimes I do worry that the forks might suddenly fail on a pockmarked carriageway.
If you want something new and shiny for pride of ownership reasons, go ahead. There's absolutely no other reason to replace a bike that you're otherwise happy with.
Most of my summer riding is on a 5 year old CF frame that was used by Pro teams, but I also have a 20 year old (good quality) alloy bike that I use if it's likely to rain. Apart from 1kg and 10 vs 11 speed, there's really little to choose between them. In fact one of my clubmates reckons I should bring the old one out more often as he thinks I'm faster on it !
Most of my summer riding is on a 5 year old CF frame that was used by Pro teams, but I also have a 20 year old (good quality) alloy bike that I use if it's likely to rain. Apart from 1kg and 10 vs 11 speed, there's really little to choose between them. In fact one of my clubmates reckons I should bring the old one out more often as he thinks I'm faster on it !
outnumbered said:
If you want something new and shiny for pride of ownership reasons, go ahead. There's absolutely no other reason to replace a bike that you're otherwise happy with.
Most of my summer riding is on a 5 year old CF frame that was used by Pro teams, but I also have a 20 year old (good quality) alloy bike that I use if it's likely to rain. Apart from 1kg and 10 vs 11 speed, there's really little to choose between them. In fact one of my clubmates reckons I should bring the old one out more often as he thinks I'm faster on it !
Quite right. I’ve got all sorts of bikes. A couple of budget numbers from years ago, an old Raleigh from the late eighties, and a state of the art super mega Carlos Fandango bike, with a mix of materials across the ‘stable’. Each one works best in different situations. The one that puts the biggest smile on my face is a 350 quid impulse buy from 2015, with a couple of upgrades:Most of my summer riding is on a 5 year old CF frame that was used by Pro teams, but I also have a 20 year old (good quality) alloy bike that I use if it's likely to rain. Apart from 1kg and 10 vs 11 speed, there's really little to choose between them. In fact one of my clubmates reckons I should bring the old one out more often as he thinks I'm faster on it !
BrundanBianchi said:
rdjohn said:
Just out of interest, how do carbon frames fail?
I have a 2014 Felt which was not expensive and totally exceeds my expectations, but sometimes I do worry that the forks might suddenly fail on a pockmarked carriageway.
The chances of a sudden catastrophic failure, in a Carbon Fibre composite fork is slim to nothing. If you don’t crash, and cause a problem, they don’t just fail, for no good reason. CF responds to shock by forming new surfaces. Over time, repeated shocks result in noticeable changes in the feel of the bike. It will feel noticeably different long before it fails, so you do get warning, unless you really shock it, by crashing, and ride it without getting an ultrasound done, to check for any big problems.I have a 2014 Felt which was not expensive and totally exceeds my expectations, but sometimes I do worry that the forks might suddenly fail on a pockmarked carriageway.
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