1500g to be acceptable for racing?
Just about every forum I look on implies that anything heavier might not even rotate.
I can't help but think it must scare newcomers into thinking they need something costing £600 plus to roll out onto a sportive and £1000 if they want to try and race.
Can I just say that it's total twaddle, yeah better kit is usually err better.
I feel sorry for the poor buggers that try and race and end up sat at the roadside looking in bewilderment wondering why their 1k wheels only kept them racing for two minutes.
I'd like to see more balanced views on kit and advice on where and why you should use it. I think 'gear' comments annoy me more than anything on forums..............................the pills are starting to work now.
Bike Forum
Why does a road race wheel have to be under..
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Posted 2 years ago #
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You're absolutely right! Kit snobbery is the biggest put-off for any newcomer in any kind of hobby or past-time
Posted 2 years ago # -
Nowt to do with mattnuttals post underneath.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Because people need to be able to justify spending the big cash on their fancy kit, so they say that you "need" X level of kit.
Fancy, lightweight kit is nice, and does make a small difference, but ultimately the rider is far more important than the bike.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've never owned a proper road bike but was fascinated recently by a thread over on bikeradar where a bunch of people (in the 'road' forum) swore blind that any wheel with less than 36 spokes would be unridable due to flex, strength, etc. I safely assumed that roadie kit debates are just completely over my 28-spoke, off-road riding head.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I get it all the time on my 500 quid giant ocr with 100 quid wheels ......i love toying with all but the top few then burning them off .........took said bike to 5th in a 25tt with a sub hour time on my first go .... I find the most kit snobbery comes from the mid pack - the real genuinely fast guys at the top dont give a shit and generally encourage you on.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Fancy, lightweight kit is nice, and does make a small difference, but ultimately the rider is far more important than the bike.
Wonder when that will appear in MBR
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've come to terms with that tron owning something for just the pleasure of having it is a great feeling.
The thing that actually made me post was something on an allied forum that implies, well says that at 1530g they wouldn't be suitable for racing FFS.Posted 2 years ago # -
Under 1500g?
'not sure that its very important at all. Who are the numpties you're speaking to oldgit?
I know magazines etc like to go on about rotating weight, and acceleration, but I'd much rather have a light bike with heavier (1600-1800g perfectly acceptable) but stiffer wheels. Handling is better too.
Most of the 1500g-or-less clinchers are not actually that weight when on a real world set of scales anyway.Posted 2 years ago # -
It sort of explains a massive generalization my mate made the other week 'I saw more bling on the way to the race'
I'm not against buying the best there is even if you just want to keep it in the garage, but I suppose it's business after all.
I also wish I could count every reply to 'Mr Newbies'question as to what new wheels to buy when the answers been brand X Y or Z at £600 and no ones bothered to check that Mr Newbie isn't riding a 1985 cast iron Halfords 5 speed.
Not just wheels BTW.Posted 2 years ago # -
Just had a thought .....my mtb wheels(and the whole bike) are lighter than my road wheels at 1600mtb wheels vs 1900 road wheels for crazy - maybe slicks on my mtb wheels would see me well in road races closer to the magic 1500 mark
Posted 2 years ago # -
Road CC. Gear section Sonic wheels.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yeah I think mine are the 2009 1787g wheels lighter that last years 1800g model
Posted 2 years ago # -
Saving weight on wheels does make a significant difference to a bike, but does cost a bit. The best upgrade to a race bike is lighter wheels. Especially the rims. Doesn't mean you can't race on cheaper/heavier wheels, but you might go a little bit quicker on lighter ones.
ook said bike to 5th in a 25tt with a sub hour time on my first go
That is very, very impressive! I bet you really pissed off a load of equipment snobs! Excellent!
See, saving a couple of hundred grams on your wheels would probably see you getting a slightly faster time, but by how many seconds, really? I suppose it would only be worth upgrading if you really wanted to benefit from the performance advantage. But that would only kick in if you always rode every race right on the limit of your ability. You could have a good day, and get a higher position/faster time, on your 'cheap' bike, than having a bad day on an expensive machine.
I want to get some lighter wheels for my road bike, as they are relatively heavy (2000+ grams). I know Id be a little quicker on a set of wheels weighing 1500g or so. It will cost me money, though.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Strangely if I was to buy those 1530g wheels and fit my preferred race tyres they would come out lighter than the dearer 1420g wheels with my mates race tyre of choice fitted.
Posted 2 years ago # -
One thing to remember when it comes to really nice stuff is the thought that always creeps into you're head that "maybe I should back off a bit, in case I crash/ hit pothole etc" -thoughts that dont seem as important when you're using heavier wheels and kit.
...an example of how using cheaper, heavier stuff can make you go faster.Posted 2 years ago # -
I feel sorry for the poor buggers that try and race and end up sat at the roadside looking in bewilderment wondering why their 1k wheels only kept them racing for two minutes.
Does that atually happen?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Well I was stretching that a bit
but yes on a few sportives and RTs and a fair few comments from beginners after races.
I suppose businesses push the top kit and after all the top kit will be the best, but I can't help but think the public are being duped.
I mean I'm an old git and when I bought my first race bike the owner would almost refuse to sell you the best. I wanted some new wheels but he made me wait until Nigel Deans ex falcon? race wheels were available secondhand.
So then as now the trade has you're best interests at heart but it's obviously big business now.Posted 2 years ago # -
I feel sorry for the poor buggers that try and race and end up sat at the roadside looking in bewilderment wondering why their 1k wheels only kept them racing for two minutes.
Does that atually happen?
Yes. I was talking to a guy mid way round a Sportive a little while ago and he mentioned how he'd had to walk up one of the hills on it and finished it by saying "I think I need to buy some lower gears".
I looked at his bike, £2500 worth of carbon with Ultegra 10sp compact gearing. I pointed out that his gears were significantly lower than the ones on my old alloy framed bike yet I'd made it up there and he looked genuinely puzzled as to how that had happened. Answer: you can't buy your way to fitness.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Heh! oldgit, I know of at least one shop like that...
The owner, an ex national champion, won't point blank refuse to sell folk the high-end stuff, but he will add on 20%, 40%, whatever, to the RRP, according to how crap he thinks you are, in order to put you off.
Really, theres no rider in or from the British Isles that would be on better-than Sora, by his standards. Posted 2 years ago # -
Cycling like many things contains a huge amount of snobbery, elitism and nonesense both marketing and from individuals egos. From the I have spent a fortune on my bike so I must be good to the inverse point I am sooooo good I can beat you on the delivery bike.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Heh! oldgit, I know of at least one shop like that...
The owner, an ex national champion, won't point blank refuse to sell folk the high-end stuff, but he will add on 20%, 40%, whatever, to the RRP, according to how crap he thinks you are, in order to put you off.
Really, theres no rider in or from the British Isles that would be on better-than Sora, by his standards.Sounds like this feller's got one or two issues, and doesn't sound like a very good businessman. Let people buy what they want. Give them open, honest and sensible advice, sure, but never tell a customer that X is 'too good for them'...
This is the reason why I didn't buy a road bike from Condor. I was willing to splash out a fair few quid, on a custom frame etc, but the pompous bloke in the shop kept telling me I 'didn't need it', and only seemed interested in steering me towards a £600 Spesh Allez or something. Nothing wrong with the Spesh, but I wanted to buy a custom Condor frame with some nice Campag. I was willing to spend the money. He made me feel like I wasn't worthy of one of their nice bikes ('Oh, you're not a member of a club? You don't race? Why do you want a high-end race bike then? Here', this entry level mass-produced one is what you need'). Suffice to say, he didn't get a sale.
Nothing wrong with people wanting something nice, even if it is 'too good for them'. Most of us on here have bikes that are probably 'too good' for us.
Posted 2 years ago # -
That surprises me about Condor. Saw a kid on a 11 speed Super Record equiped Condor bike at the race this weekend he was in the under 12s and off the back from the start. His mum and dad virtually had to tell him which way to go.
I agree Talkemada nothing wrong with that, but to me it looked almost vulgar.Posted 2 years ago #
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