Road Cycling

touch said:
Yep, just Tarmac before it. It was originally called a Specialized McLaren Venge and later Specialized S-Works Venge. I think it was released around 2011 - I seem to remember Cav riding one and he was at Sky from 2012.
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Thanks, had thought so :)

Steedie said:
P1F2Ekm.jpg

Picked her up! Went for a quick ride when I got home with all my new gear on :D couldn't help myself. Only did 5km as it was dark but was practically dying after that anyway lol. So unfit
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You'll soon gain the stamina and fitness, especially when trying to keep on Bennys wheel! Just make sure you ring the bell lots at him to annoy him! ;)

It actually looks superb, better than the pictures on the web! :D

Saytan said:
Planet x and Ribble both have aero options now although exactly how slippery they are remains to be seen
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I think I'm too much of a tart to be seen on a Ribble/Planet-X/Boardman/Merida etc! Feel kinda similar about a Giant/Canyon ;)

And although I'd love an Oltre/Foil/Cento/Noah I think the only way I'm going to be able to justify things is a frame costing less than £1000-1500, so ideally I'm looking S/H to get more for my money...!

merlin said:
Are the gains from aero really worthwhile?
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Marginal. My current stable is a Diverge for everything (gravel bike so not aero in the slightest) and a Giant Defy ('Sportive' comfortable relaxed geometry & aluminium). The only way I can justify a new frame is by kinda replacing the Defy with it, I'll be going carbon and need to go semi-high end to get the weight as low as possible. By going aero I've got something else 'different' to the Defy to justify it more...

My Defy was a great 'do-it-all' bike, the Diverge now does that, as well as being even more perfect for bad weather/winter (large tyre volumes, grip & discs). So I'm now changing my old 'do-it-all' (which is getting zero use away from the turbo) to a specific light/fast summer bike.
 
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Shamrock said:
I'd say negligible instead of marginal.:D

Let's be honest, aero frames look cooler/faster but outside of TTing probably have no effect in a road race/crit scenario and definitely not for the weekend warrior.
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Impact in the peloton is likely minimal, but in a break it could be the single second you need.

as for weekend warriors - All about those strava KOMs
 
Saytan said:
All about those strava KOMs
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People who get Strava KoMs are either pretty strong already, specifically targeting segments with a huge tailwind assist or getting them in a group-assisted ride. I doubt their 0.1W saving with an aero frame is the contributing factor.

Don't get me wrong though, I like the look of an aero frame as much as anyone else.
 
kiteloopy said:
A bike that you like the look of, is a bike that you ride more.

(And I think aero frame bikes with deep wheels look the nuts!)
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This most of all. I occasionally see a fella who must be 20 stone out on a giant propel. If having that propel gets him out more often, it was definitely the right choice
 
merlin said:
Are the gains from aero really worthwhile?
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I noticed a good improvement going from an upgraded Specialized Allez (2011) to a Canyon Aeroad.

Previously on my Allez my max downhill speed would top out at around 46mph, even on long downhills with a backwind. On Saturday on my Aeorad I hit 55mph on a relatively short downhill section.
Also, I've noticed my average speed is around 2-3mph faster for the same power than it was on my Allez, across 20-60 mile distances.

The aero wheels, frame, stem & bar, 20cm narrow and lower bars and 1kg less weight all add up to more speed on the flat, up and downhill :)

Finally, my pedalling style has also changed. On my Allez I would have an avg cadence of 96 for optimum speed & power, but on my Aeroad I find it gives me a feeling of being able to push on harder at 92 cadence.
 
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Shamrock said:
I doubt their 0.1W saving with an aero frame is the contributing factor.
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It is for me! I'd obviously have hundreds of KOM's with an aero bike! ;)

I'm the same, I love the look of an aero bike. The two I currently have are very relaxed geometries so just having a more aggressive/race geometry and a lighter carbon frame is going to make the huge difference to me, rather than aero. But if I'm buying a lighter frame for summer riding, then why not go aero? Aero used to mean heavy, more recently the lines between aero and light-race bike are very blurred. I want to use that to my advantage.

I'll also probably be fitting clip on aerobars as I really fancy some TT'ing!
 
Most people you see on particularly aero frames are in particularly non-aero positions too. Surely would save a lot more by just going aero yourself :)

However, that doesn't mean aero tucking on the left hand side of the road in a bunch of 40+ with many riders metres ahead is a smart move in a sportive!
 
Lethal` said:
Most people you see on particularly aero frames are in particularly non-aero positions too. Surely would save a lot more by just going aero yourself :)
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It's much easier to purchase speed than earn it (even if earning it is far more effective, and cheaper) especially if you're knocking on a bit and well off ;)
 
There are many videos on YouTube from GCN, Cycling Weekly etc.. which demonstrate the advantage of aero vs non-aero in the real world.



 
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Interesting stuff.

The top speed thing I think I can relate to - no matter what I do I can't get myself and my bike to go faster than 46mph and it's not that I'm running out of gearing, it's just that is the max speed at which me + bike will cut through the air. I quite like the Giant Propel (there's some 2016's kicking around still) but now comments over the brakes have sort of put me off.
 
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