Bike vs. Rider

Rocket_Man

I'm planning on getting a Road Bike, and would like to get check into racing. Now...before I get to far into this...I do understand the importance of "Quality" parts. I come from a "semi-pro" R/C Car background and know that little differences can make a huge difference!!! People who couldn't understand paying $300 for a whole R/C setup thought I was CRAZY to have spent easily $1000 on a race ready car...not to mention my other 2 cars...and extra parts/needed stuff.

ANYWAY, in R/C we figured it to be about 30% car/setup...70% driver. What do you think it is Bike vs. Rider/training??? For a beginner (and a budget of about $700...right now) does it make sense to spend more? The bike I am currently considering is a Trek 1000 SL. I know that there are others in the price range...but that really isn't my question. For someone who isn't sure if I'd like racing (cant see why I wouldn't???) would it be better to spend in the $1000 range vs. $700? If so, why? what are the advantages? If I would like racing alot...could I "build-up" a Trek 1000 SL into a very competitive bike?

Thanks for the thoughts

Eden

2 cents from a first year racer
I started this year on an entry level bike and with very little in expectations about my abilities. Many if not most people spend their first season just working to finish a race with the pack - its harder for men too since the there is more competition (I'm female if you hadn't figured that out), but I found from the beginning that I was able to keep up fine and was generally finishing in the top 12. Since I was doing well I started thinking seriously about getting a better bike. While the one I was riding is OK - mainly 105 components, it was bit on the heavy side and had a triple chainring, both disadvantages. I'm small so the weight I've saved with the new bike -5lbs makes more of a signifcant difference to me than it might to a heavier person.
Since I've got the new bike (Its a Specialized Ruby Pro - sweet bike for a person who is as small as myself) I've found that it has made a difference. It climbs and accelerates better than the old bike. With the old bike my best finish in a road race had be 5th, my first 4's only road race on the new one I took 3rd. I also finally won one of the weeknight beginners circuit races that I've been doing - I beat three people who have all beat me before so I was happy about that - I'd been second in every other one that I'd done. So do I think that the bike makes a difference - yes, but its the difference between winning and coming in second - not the difference between just hanging on and winning. And there are certainly other factors - people upgrade mid season, my fitness has definitely improved, but I do feel the bike gives me just that little more - some of it may even be psychological,who knows. Would I have purchased the bike I have now last year - no way. I had no idea if I would even like racing, much less be doing well at it.
Hope that helps and good luck out there

svbiker

well you could look at it this way lance armstrong could probably beat all of us on here on a 30 pound moutain bike

Eden

Yeah - I've heard that argument before and sure there is always the super fast person out there who could beat up on all of us riding a tricycle backwards with one leg tied behind their backs, but realistically you are racing against others with the same general talents as your own. That's what the cat system is for - it moves the more talented people up to race with others of similar talents - so within your own peer group the equipment you ride may have some small effect - but if and only if you are already very close anyway. Good equipment wont make you a good bike rider, but good equipment may help a good rider to be better.

ishiwata

You're going to get killed for a while. That's ok, and you'll improve if you can stick with it, but you might end up hating it. So stick with a conservative budget if you're getting into all of it at once. Less to lose. You will only continue racing if you love it, and then dropping a couple Gs or more on a decent bike won't seem like such a big deal. With that said, I'd get something on the 105 level or better, so you can be on a basically level playing field. Find a bike that fits well.

mikesbytes

You can't really put metics on it, like the do in say F1, MotoGP or any other technology driven sport, but heres my guess and I'm sure that many will disagree.

A $7000 bike is 3kmh faster than $700 bike for the same effort.
A beginner in the absolute bottom grade is 20kmh slower than a pro rider. Say 150w vs 450w ?

If you are starting out, don't get hung out on the performance of the bike. Pick up a cheaper bike, ride it and enjoy. After you have built some basic fitness and experience you will be in a better position to consider what bike you need, or perhaps you will be happy to continue with the cheaper bike for a while more, perhaps with some better tyres and shoes.

I should also point out that it isn't just about speed, race tatics plays an important part, the grey matter between the ears makes a significant difference in the overall result.

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Training Log

Rocket_Man

Thanks for the thoughts...kinda what I was expecting to hear...but had to ask anyway

Yeah...I will probably start with the 1000 SL or similar...then go out, ride/race, see what happens. I can always start to upgrade as my ability gets better...then make the leap to a $???? bike

Woodbutcher

Ahhhh, is it the Wizard or the Wand. I had the same question not to long ago. Exactly 1 year ago I bought a $850 bike to see if I like road biking. Turns out I LOVE IT. Of course I'm plauged with wanting to upgrade my gear.

When shopping for a suit, your supposed to try on a very expensive suit first to see what a good suit feels like. Then you start trying on suits you can actually afford and get something that fits as close to the good suit as possible. I did the same thing with a bike.

I went to a LBS and tried a spendy bike (about $3500). Yes, the bike looked way cooler then mine and weighed a cool 5-7 lbs less then mine, but the overall riding difference was not night and day. I'd say 95% rider 5% bike.

That being said, I do sit on my bike for about 5-6 hours a week which isn't much, but enough to want a nice fitting bike. I'll upgrade here in a while, but now I'm not in such a rush.