Why none of this matters - a lesson in cycling humility

[Saab2000]

We too often get caught up in everything bike and details. As usual, I show up on the Tuesday morning ride and by any measure at this forum I have the nicest bike and nicest clothing, etc. The others proceed to hand me back my ass on a silver platter on their 105 equipped Felts and Treks, etc. These are just regular folks with one or maybe two bikes, budgets that are lower than the average V-salon bike budget but they ride nicely and smoothly and pretty fast.

This happens routinely and while I can make excuses like 80 hour work weeks on a regular basis, etc. the fact remains that the bike just don't matter.

That is all.

[Justin@BlackOakVelo]

Uh huh!

[Chance Legstrong]

while i see what you are trying to do here... the obvious downplay yadda yadda yadda
it is as old and tired as the elitest commentary
plus, as dirty as your hb tape is, it negates any perceived value in clothing, frame or accessories.

[Saab2000]

while i see what you are trying to do here... the obvious downplay yadda yadda yadda
it is as old and tired as the elitest commentary
plus, as dirty as your hb tape is, it negates any perceived value in clothing, frame or accessories.

There was no agenda. Just some thoughts after hacking and coughing back at my crashpad. Today was one of the rare days I am able to make the morning group ride and this is what it is.

Sorry if I wasted your time. You can't have it back.

[jsmillerjr]

the fact remains that the bike just don't matter. That is all.

Not to my speed, couldn't agree more. My fat old ass just feels better on the cool shit.........

[Jonathan]

Saab, you're right. I've been off the bike due to illness and other things for far too long. Its clear to me now as im on the couch that the beauty happens out on the road.

[AJPM44]

We too often get caught up in everything bike and details. As usual, I show up on the Tuesday morning ride and by any measure at this forum I have the nicest bike and nicest clothing, etc. The others proceed to hand me back my ass on a silver platter on their 105 equipped Felts and Treks, etc. These are just regular folks with one or maybe two bikes, budgets that are lower than the average V-salon bike budget but they ride nicely and smoothly and pretty fast.

This happens routinely and while I can make excuses like 80 hour work weeks on a regular basis, etc. the fact remains that the bike just don't matter.

That is all.

Can I have one of your bikes then? Pleeease?

[Chance Legstrong]

There was no agenda. Just some thoughts after hacking and coughing back at my crashpad. Today was one of the rare days I am able to make the morning group ride and this is what it is.

Sorry if I wasted your time. You can't have it back.

why point out what anyone was riding?? "the bike doesn't matter"
just say it was awesome to be out on the bike with a smooth group.
no time wasted

[Ras72]

Hey Saab, I can empathize. Many times I've had the same thoughts run through my head. I guess we all can to some degree.
But I've come to a different conclusion. I feel it is the bike. It's the bike that keeps me coming back. The love of the bicycle as a finely tuned machine - it's physical shape and design. The love of style that comes from high-end makers.
Bottom line, someone will always be faster on lesser expensive bikes. I don't ride to show them they made a poor decision in equipment or apparel.
Just my personal thoughts from similar experience...

[sloji]

[fixednwinter]

Saab, I can relate. Besides my attention to my bike, it's also the fiddling with position that I do, and no matter what, I can't kick my cycling partner's ass.

Like you, I ride some fine, hand-made bikes with parts that I picked myself. I have a position that's evolved from a couple of decades of riding, combined with a few sensible fitting sessions, and working in production frame building for a couple of years. And yeah, I do ride so that I'm not fat (for a 47 year old).

My regular riding partner is a 28 yr old, six foot tall woman with the body of a female superhero, and is our province's Criterium Champion. She rides some generic carbon bike with Ultegra/105 and got to her fit and position on her machine through "feel". And yes, she kicks my ass on a weekly basis, no matter how refined my bikes and position are!

[Ras72]

Sloji, Very fitting... no pun intended.

[suhacycles]

Well, it does matter to Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo, Zipp, FSA, Look, etc.,.... no?

Plus, all these companies kinda bring us together with their products, whether you're sitting in a garage on a rainy day trying to help your buddy install that new ceramic BB while listening to AC/DC and munching on chips and guacamole to laughing at your other riding buddy who shows up with a goofy color scheme cause he likes the way the shoes fit... yeah, in a way those details do matter... =)

[ChimpMensa]

Raw speed on the bike usually boils down to the training advice attributed to Eddy Merckx: "Ride lots". And if the comparison is between someone who has the time to do the miles and someone who has less odometer, well it's easy to handicap that quiniela. Speed is a very enjoyable element of riding but at any point in the season it is what it is. So just run what you brung.

And I agree with some that it is also as much about the bike as it is the riding. Nothing wrong with nice bikes. Is almost never an issue unless it needs to be the saving grace for someone to make it an issue.

I promise that if you don't flaunt your watts per kilogram to me I won't flaunt my boutique bike at you.

[RickM]

Speaking as someone who is reasonably fit but currently sentenced to riding/owning only a 105-equipped crappy cyclocross bike...I would say that the bike matters at least a little bit! I gotta get my shite together and decide on a decent bike..then buy it and get it goin'.

Riding more..or harder..on my current lowly sled could be done, for sure..but it puts me in mind of my old man's thinking about "health food"...which was summed up as; "So...I eat this crap...so I live longer..so I get to eat MORE of this crap?"

[fixednwinter]

Speaking as someone who is reasonably fit but currently sentenced to riding/owning only a 105-equipped crappy cyclocross bike...I would say that the bike matters at least a little bit! I gotta get my shite together and decide on a decent bike..then buy it and get it goin'.

Riding more..or harder..on my current lowly sled could be done, for sure..but it puts me in mind of my old man's thinking about "health food"...which was summed up as; "So...I eat this crap...so I live longer..so I get to eat MORE of this crap?"

Haha! I have to remember your old man's quote. My wife drives me crazy with healthy eating, when all I want is a blue steak with garlic mash, washed down with an amarone.

105 is actually pretty good. I equipped a Hampsten frame with 105 shifters & derailleurs, and that group works surprisingly well. I don't have mountains where I live, so the weight isn't as much of an issue.

[RickM]

.."105 is actually pretty good." yeah..plenty good for me although I'm a longtime Ultegra user...but when it's all hung a piece of rolling gaspipe one might as well be using Tourney.

[jitahs]

Sure. That's it?

[-HvA-]

It matters to me. That's like saying you don't care how hot your girl is as long as you get to fsck her.

[1centaur]

Relative speed between bikes must be one of the smallest differentiators possible. Relative total experience is a whole 'nother kettle of fish, if you're into that sort of thing.