tire optimization more beneficial than entire bike ceramic upgrade.

[thwart]

Good discussion here with Josh Poertner of Silca.

https://youtu.be/asEYkpW0vwQ

As he says, get out the notebook and do the homework to optimize... smooth (and quiet) equals fast.

[martl]

i did research on ceramic bb upgrades when i built my last no-cost-spared super-performance WW bike 15 years ago, decided to not go the way and get some Dugast Silk Strada instead...

[joshatsilca]

i did research on ceramic bb upgrades when i built my last no-cost-spared super-performance WW bike 15 years ago, decided to not go the way and get some Dugast Silk Strada instead...

When every single second counts, you obviously need to do all of it.. but from a triage perspective, do the inexpensive, large benefit and easy stuff first!!

More important than the type of bearings is keeping everything clean and freshly lubed.. it's amazing how much frictional loss increase you see in a bike in just a week of riding, or after even a single long wet ride or race.

[jpritchet74]

Tires & tubes are the cheapest best thing you can upgrade to get faster on the bike.

[Black Dog]

Tires & tubes are the cheapest best thing you can upgrade to get faster on the bike.

Sure, right after fitnesses. ;)

[Themountaintop]

The great Hambini says ceramic will give some benefits so as somebody else previously asserted when every second counts, might as well take'em.

[dancinkozmo]

The great Hambini says ceramic will give some benefits so as somebody else previously asserted when every second counts, might as well take'em.

they absorb less watts when new but that advantage quickly disappears after a few hundred km as the ceramic balls wear the bearing race.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7iZVfSDbiA

[rccardr]

When every single second counts, you obviously need to do all of it.. but from a triage perspective, do the inexpensive, large benefit and easy stuff first!!

More important than the type of bearings is keeping everything clean and freshly lubed.. it's amazing how much frictional loss increase you see in a bike in just a week of riding, or after even a single long wet ride or race.

Correct, sir.

However, to REALLY reduce resistance and friction on race day, remove all of the bearing seals, flush out the grease, and use lighter fluid for lubricant. I wouldn't ride something set up that way on the street, but if every last erg needs to be transmitted to forward motion in competition well...you do what ya hafta.

[oldpotatoe]

Correct, sir.

However, to REALLY reduce resistance and friction on race day, remove all of the bearing seals, flush out the grease, and use lighter fluid for lubricant. I wouldn't ride something set up that way on the street, but if every last erg needs to be transmitted to forward motion in competition well...you do what ya hafta.

I remeber some team taking all the BB seals out fortheir kinda new, outbaord bearing BB bearings..and got exactly one stage outta them before they had to be changed..

GREAT video of wrench on Olle Ritter's Bianchi before TT(Le course en tete?)..wrench is taking BB apart, to flush and re assemble with oil..Olle with 24h, tied and soldered crow's foot wheels, jersey tucked in..TT time!!
'Buon tempo', he says at end...

[Clancy]

Some time back,when ceramic bearings were just starting to create some buzz, I went to see my favorite bike mechanic at his Shop. He was a crusty old guy, former state TT champion and known both for his knowledge and bluntness.

So I ask, what do you think of ceramic bearings?
Looking at me over the top of glasses he says - come back and ask me when you have ceramic legs.

End of story!

In truth, he immediately made e realize the foolishness of my question. There is no argument that ceramic bearings offer less resistance - data is data and plenty of it out there. But at the level that I was riding and racing (back then) insignificant. Thankfully he was an honest shop owner whereas many would have told me what I wanted to hear in order to make the sale. Joe wasn’t like that.

Bike manufacturers put very inexpensive tires on their bicycles to keep the entry price point down. I have seen wire bead tires specked on $1,500 - $2,000 bikes with tubeless rims. Seems to make more sense to put better quality tires with low rolling resistance on the bikes. Would make a dramatic difference with test rides and I believe would certainly sell more bikes.

I remember the first time I rode a bike with really nice tires with low rolling resistance. They were Compass Chinook’s 28c tires. Prior to this point I had always ridden GP4000’s, by no means a bad tire. But that test ride on the “open tubulars” was an eye opener.

But to make a nice bike and put cheap, hard tires on it seems short sighted. Customer test riding a bike it’s all about that first impression. But I’m obviously no marketing guru.

In the last ten years or so the thinking as well as the technology on bicycle tires has evolved I would hazard to guess faster then any time in the history of cycling. (Anyone know for a fact if this is a fair statement?)

As for performance upgrades, marginal gains, or just for pure riding pleasure, far better to put one’s money into tires than ceramic bearings.

Unless of course, one has ceramic legs!

[parris]

I watched the video. Cool info and one of the interesting points was how different the gauges would read on the pumps in team trucks. It was good stuff and something any of us could do easily. Thanks for Sharing.

[pinoymamba]

Sure, right after fitnesses. ;)

Only if fitness was cheap...

[Black Dog]

Only if fitness was cheap...

and easy.