CyclingTips: the slow crawl of road bike progress

[Clean39T]

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/jra-with-the-angry-asian-the-slow-crawl-of-road-bike-progress/

Great little write-up from James Huang that is music to this crowd's ears...

Never hurts to listen to a few echoes - amiright? :beer:

[m4rk540]

New bikes haven't improved that much, but they have, in every way, but not in big ways, but ride an old bike but not too old, just don't race, but set a Strava PR on it. Does that sum it up?

[doomridesout]

I ride a 2005 Seven Axiom SL (I think it was called the Alaris) as my only road bike, I don't race, it doesn't hold me back with a current build, rides great.

[nobuseri]

I will say one thing: that bike pictured is pretty baller. Must be a nice ride.

[Jaybee]

I will say one thing: that bike pictured is pretty baller. Must be a nice ride.


I kinda have a thing for LeMond spine bikes. Couldn't afford one when I was in just post college or grad school while they were current, but the Sarthe I bought then still sees regular use. Every so often I look around to see if there's one out there that isn't a catastrophe where the materials are bonded.

[Clean39T]

New bikes haven't improved that much, but they have, in every way, but not in big ways, but ride an old bike but not too old, just don't race, but set a Strava PR on it. Does that sum it up?


The last few months of my life? Yep.

[cadence90]

What's that thing called in science where the result of the experiment is the result the experimenter wants to see when setting up the experiment?

;)
.

[Mark McM]

What's that thing called in science where the result of the experiment is the result the experimenter wants to see when setting up the experiment?

;)
.

Confirmation bias?

[m4rk540]

I will say one thing: that bike pictured is pretty baller. Must be a nice ride.

I should have stopped reading when he began to wax about compliance in new bikes. That and road seams or something.

[Clean39T]

I kinda have a thing for LeMond spine bikes. Couldn't afford one when I was in just post college or grad school while they were current, but the Sarthe I bought then still sees regular use. Every so often I look around to see if there's one out there that isn't a catastrophe where the materials are bonded.


There’s a NOS Sarthe frame/fork w new CK headset and the nice grey w yellow panels scheme in my size locally for $175. I have zero need for it, but it’s a great frameset and I’ll probably buy it for a good can’t-hurt-it trainer. That Lemond geo works for me. And if I duff-around some CAT-V races, I don’t see it holding me back at all. OX Platinum isn’t Spirit, but it ain’t bad.

[Jaybee]

There’s a NOS Sarthe frame/fork w new CK headset and the nice grey w yellow panels scheme in my size locally for $175. I have zero need for it, but it’s a great frameset and I’ll probably buy it for a good can’t-hurt-it trainer. That Lemond geo works for me. And if I duff-around some CAT-V races, I don’t see it holding me back at all. OX Platinum isn’t Spirit, but it ain’t bad.

Do it. If I came across another 55cm for that price I'd buy and stash just in case anything happened to my original.

[jumphigher]

What a fluff article.

[eddief]

What a fluff article.

every cliche and myth and all the non-measurable stuff we all talk about all the time.

[CNY rider]

. OX Platinum isn’t Spirit, but it ain’t bad.

Tangential but could you elaborate?
My finest riding steel bicycle is made from OX platinum.

[FlashUNC]

I take the opposite tack reading that story. Its something of an oddly reshaped Ship of Theseus. Improve enough little things and you start to realize larger changes out a whole laundry list of small tweaks.

Yes, the last three big changes in road bikes happened a couple decades ago now right lever mounted shifting, clipless pedals and carbon frame construction. But the small stuff, as they say, adds up.

[eddief]

In the metaphysics of Identity, the ship of Theseus, (or Theseus's paradox), is a thought experiment that raises the question of whether a ship - standing for an object in general - that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object.

I take the opposite tack reading that story. Its something of an oddly reshaped Ship of Theseus. Improve enough little things and you start to realize larger changes out a whole laundry list of small tweaks.

Yes, the last three big changes in road bikes happened a couple decades ago now right lever mounted shifting, clipless pedals and carbon frame construction. But the small stuff, as they say, adds up.

[pbarry]

Good read. Like AA's take on things.

[peanutgallery]

Disc=>tire clearance/rim width is pretty big


I take the opposite tack reading that story. Its something of an oddly reshaped Ship of Theseus. Improve enough little things and you start to realize larger changes out a whole laundry list of small tweaks.

Yes, the last three big changes in road bikes happened a couple decades ago now right lever mounted shifting, clipless pedals and carbon frame construction. But the small stuff, as they say, adds up.

[whateveronfire]

I kinda have a thing for LeMond spine bikes. Couldn't afford one when I was in just post college or grad school while they were current, but the Sarthe I bought then still sees regular use. Every so often I look around to see if there's one out there that isn't a catastrophe where the materials are bonded.

I've had spine Zurichs twice. Once bought new in '06 and then another bought in nostalgia a couple of years ago.

Very nice riding bike. I still kind of want one of the Ti ones.

Neither of mine had any trouble in bonding.

[Clean39T]

Tangential but could you elaborate?

My finest riding steel bicycle is made from OX platinum.


Just a comment on Spirit OS being the bees-knees these days - lighter, bigger, etc.

OX Platinum is pretty dang nice stuff.

[duff_duffy]

I just sold a titanium one in new condition. Bonding on mine looked like the day it came out of factory. Keep an eye out, mine took a bit longer to sell than expected and someone got a great deal.


I've had spine Zurichs twice. Once bought new in '06 and then another bought in nostalgia a couple of years ago.

Very nice riding bike. I still kind of want one of the Ti ones.

Neither of mine had any trouble in bonding.

[fogrider]

With today's lighter parts, older framesets can be built up to reasonable weight bikes. But modern super bikes are so good, most of use really can't take full advantage of how good they are. And Peter Sagan will out sprint me on a 20 year old steel frame even if I'm on the latest Tarmac or Venge.

[oldpotatoe]

What's that thing called in science where the result of the experiment is the result the experimenter wants to see when setting up the experiment?

;)
.

Bike business:)

[El Chaba]

What's that thing called in science where the result of the experiment is the result the experimenter wants to see when setting up the experiment?

;)
.

"Climate Change"?

[oldpotatoe]

"Climate Change"?

you forgot the :)
eek:
https://www.livescience.com/61239-flat-earth-in-2017.html
Flat-Earthers believe that the Earth is a flat disc ringed by an ice wall. All those elegant models of a round Earth that perfectly explain seasons, eclipses, sunrises and sunsets? Lies and cover-ups, they say. Pictures of the round Earth from space? Government conspiracies. The fact that you can see ships disappearing hull-first over the curve of the horizon with your own eyes? Well, flat-Earthers claim to see something different.

[Black Dog]

"Climate Change"?

Add gravity to that list!

[cmg]

at yesterday's afternoon grand national or weekly bike ride, saw a guy on steel track bike, the rear wheel wasn't fixed it freewheeled. He had no problem keeping up with the fast guys. don't need the latest to ride but they always look pretty. lemond's geometry never worked for me, the reach was always out of reach......

[Clean39T]

Do it. If I came across another 55cm for that price I'd buy and stash just in case anything happened to my original.

Picked it up today. It's in NOS condition. Unreal...

[Jaybee]

Picked it up today. It's in NOS condition. Unreal...

Glad to hear it. I know you've got a lot of fine bikes in your stable (and seen many more over the past year;)), but I think you'll like this one. I hope you'll find a chance to compare it to your others for people like me who haven't ridden all the cool bikes you have.

Cheers.

[pdxharth]

Agreed. For a guy immersed in the bike-tech world as long and deep as he has been, he has a pretty even keel about it all. I appreciate his perspective.

Good read. Like AA's take on things.

[livingminimal]

What a fluff article.

Yeah.
honestly, this article is ridiculous.

"are new bikes better? unquestionably"
<repeat>
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<repeat>
"Is your old bike good enough (since 99.99% of the population doesnt NEED to go faster? yes."
<repeat>
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<repeat>

No ****, sherlock.

[El Chaba]

I note that he wrote a version of the phrase that no bike fluff-test article can be without when he wrote that bikes now are both more comfortable AND stiffer than before...the rough equivalent of "stiff yet compliant"...

[dogrange]

Just a comment on Spirit OS being the bees-knees these days - lighter, bigger, etc.

OX Platinum is pretty dang nice stuff.



Except that for some, bigger is worse. Too damn stiff.


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[ultraman6970]

I like that article, and honestly the only lemond modern era I always wanted to try is the one in the article, always wanted to know how carbon and steel feel together.

He says.... "But for riders who are mostly just out for fun, a new high-end road bike can be a tough sell, especially when it costs much less to just upgrade here and there".... I have to agree with that big time.

Now to find me one of those lemonds :P

[CNY rider]

Except that for some, bigger is worse. Too damn stiff.


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I'm going to agree with you. As a 150 pounder, spinning type rider, OX Plat is just right for me.