Does a different bike make that much difference in riding?

[Bike Writer]

In my case the answer is a resounding YES. I continue to be amazed at how much difference a new and different bike has made to my ride, ride enjoyment, ability, speed and efficiency. I've had my new bike for 10 days and rode 70 miles on her. I simply can't believe how much difference this bike has in quicker acceleration and greater pedaling efficiency. I go up hills and inclines easily that I used to struggle with. There are still several hills that remain challenging but conquerable.

I thought I had a very comfortable bike before, but on this bike I feel less tired after a ride. I usually come back feeling like I could go a few more miles and I'm not spent. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not about feeling like I could go more miles but it's working very well for my body and overall feeling of fitness.

I don't recall having this much joy from such a simple thing in a long while...with the exception of discovering the love of a bike all over again since taking up riding again last year :D

Anyway, I'm not sure if this is just me or there really is a reason why this bike can just get up and go faster and the efficiencies it has created.

[Velocivixen]

Your post got my attention because I'm already thinking of getting an additional bike for a different "feel". I've had my Trek FX 7.3 for 6 months and really like it a lot, but on longer rides (for me over 20 miles or so), I'd like not to reel the road so much and to be on dropped bars.

What kind of bike do you have now that you like? What bike does it feel really different from? I love to hear about people's bikes. ;)

[zoom-zoom]

I think so. My first road bike was a GREAT starter bike...but I quickly "outgrew" it. First bike was 105-equipped, relaxed geometry, WSD, aluminum.

Within a relatively short time I discovered that I like a more aggressive posture (we kept moving spacers up and flipped my stem, but it still wasn't enough), that I likely would have fit a men's frame better (stubby legs, long torso), that aluminum SUCKS on chip-sealed roads, and I never could get the hang of Shimano's shifting set-up.

Bike #2 is carbon (lighter, but more importantly is SO much comfier on chip-seal), stiffer, performance geometry, SRAM Rival equipped (their "double-tap" shifters just makes more sense to my brain)...generally a much better "fit" for me. I always read that performance-oriented bikes were less comfortable for longer rides...but I'm not finding any difference. If anything I'm more comfortable since I don't feel forced upright. Riding in the drops is worlds more comfortable (I never had the longer reach I seem to need on my first bike). Going fast feels SO much more stable and effortless. Hills feel like less work.

One thing's for certain...I will NEVER again have an aluminum road bike. I will likely go for an aluminum cyclocross bike, but those beefier tires will absorb more of the vibration.

[hebe]

70 miles in 10 days - go you! It's wonderful that you're getting so much pleasure from your new bike!

I actually enjoy my old bike more since getting the new bike, strangely enough. The mountain bike built my confidence through the early part of this year, and as my technical confidence has grown I've been able to change the saddle and seatpost on the old bike to give a better ride. I'm riding the old bike more on the kind of roads/paths it was meant for, rather than stretching it off-road. It's set up with panniers and basket and it does perfectly for errands. I can tow the trailer with either bike. The mountain bike is the one I take when I just want to ride (not shop, or go to the optician, or do the nursery run). It's just so much fun. Much as I love it though, I'm a lot more attached to my Marin comfort hybird though than I imagined I would be and a lot of that is down to the skills and confidence that I have (and still am) learning from the newer Spesh.

So yes, a new bike can make a huge difference, and not just in ways that you might expect!

[Catrin]

Oh my yes it makes a difference! While neither are "road" bikes, the difference in how my Lht and Gunner both perform and feel is quite noticable. Both are steel, both have a very upright riding position, and I can ride all day long on both of them - the difference in how my body feels is outstanding. I attribute this to two factors: the Gunnar weighs 10.5 pounds less and it has a full mountain drivetrain that provides what seems to be a more reasonable gear progression - both have the same rear cassette.

This topic is far more interesting than a boring presentation that I am currently being subjected.

[Bike Writer]

I'm glad to see that others notice big differences as well. Now to answer a couple of questions;

Velovixen, I currently ride the Specalized Expedition Sport and my previous bike is a Schwinn Gateway. The Schwinn is set up as a comfort/path/city riding bike. The Expedition is a hybrid that is a cross with mountain and comfort. If you look at them side by side they look similar.

Zoom-Zoom, what is a "105-equiped" and what are you calling relaxed geometry versus aggressive geometry? I mean not so much of the numerical details but in language detail. Numbers don't mean as much to me as when someone describes the fit/feel.

I think I get the sense of what you mean by aggressive because that is how I precieve the feel of the new bike, it feels more responsive, quick and that is how I would describe aggressive. My old bike feels a bit like a slug. I rode it just around the block a couple of days ago and it feels foreign already. I believe that the fact the bike is lighter, has wider tires, front suspension has something to do with it but I can't describe why or what components account for this.

Do components really matter that much and why?

Hebe, I am glad you still enjoy your first bike. I like the way my first bike looks much more than enjoying the way it rides. I used to think it was so comfortable. I believe a lot of that is also because this bike fits me better.

[Bike Writer]

Oh my yes it makes a difference! While neither are "road" bikes, the difference in how my Lht and Gunner both perform and feel is quite noticable. Both are steel, both have a very upright riding position, and I can ride all day long on both of them - the difference in how my body feels is outstanding. I attribute this to two factors: the Gunnar weighs 10.5 pounds less and it has a full mountain drivetrain that provides what seems to be a more reasonable gear progression - both have the same rear cassette.

This topic is far more interesting than a boring presentation that I am currently being subjected.

Not quite understanding something, if both have the same rear cassette that what constitutes the full mountain drivetrain?

[zoom-zoom]

Zoom-Zoom, what is a "105-equiped" and what are you calling relaxed geometry versus aggressive geometry? I mean not so much of the numerical details but in language detail. Numbers don't mean as much to me as when someone describes the fit/feel.

Do components really matter that much and why?

105 = Shimano 105. This is their mid-level group. My SRAM Rival is also considered mid-level, but generally price-points a hair above the 105. New bike also has a SRAM Force crank, which is a step above the Rival group, too. And I have a compact double, instead of the triple. I never liked the triple. It was always sticking between gears and the chain would drop. I have yet to drop the chain on the new bike. Hubby blames the triple for those issues.

Aggressive/performance geometry generally has the rider less upright. The bikes are usually stiffer and in many cases less forgiving/comfortable for long rides. Like you have found, my previous bike was hard to get moving fast...like it absorbed so much of my pedal force. Now when I push hard on the pedals my bike responds. I would compare my bikes to a family sedan vs. a sport coupe. Though I still think my new bike is very comfy.

[Bike Writer]

Like you have found, my previous bike was hard to get moving fast...like it absorbed so much of my pedal force. Now when I push hard on the pedals my bike responds. .

Exactly! It is hard to get 'er moving and my energy seemed to get absorbed without response. Now my feet and pedal force seem to spring my bike forward like it's been propelled by something with greater force than my feet, if that makes any sense. But I don't know why because I am every bit as upright and the new bike is a comfort dream come true. I just don't know the reason for this, but then again I don't have to know why, I can just enjoy it. :cool:

[zoom-zoom]

Exactly! It is hard to get 'er moving and my energy seemed to get absorbed without response. Now my feet and pedal force seem to spring my bike forward like it's been propelled by something with greater force than my feet, if that makes any sense. But I don't know why because I am every bit as upright and the new bike is a comfort dream come true. I just don't know the reason for this, but then again I don't have to know why, I can just enjoy it. :cool:

Perhaps the new bike flexes less than the old one...?

[Roadtrip]

Compared to my carbon road bike, my hybrid feels like a tank, but both are great bikes!

Shannon

[Bike Writer]

Perhaps the new bike flexes less than the old one...?

I don't know much about the properties of steel versus aluminum but my old bike was steel and my new one is aluminum. I would think that steel flexes less than AL but what do I know:confused:

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, are the wheels better/lighter wheels on the new bike? That could account for the difference, too, I'd think.

[Catrin]

Not quite understanding something, if both have the same rear cassette that what constitutes the full mountain drivetrain?

My LHT has a mixed drivetrain: 11-34 rear cassette, and a Shimano road crank. My Gunnar has the same rear cassette but it also has a SRAM mountain crank that provides a different gear ratio. Really the only thing that is similar between the two drivetrains is the rear cassette. Everything else is different from the shifters on back.

I am a sold SRAM woman now :)

[zoom-zoom]

I am a sold SRAM woman now :)

I am, too. It's louder, a bit less smooth, and requires a little more oomph on the shifters, but it has thus far been so much more reliable. And it just makes sense in my brain.

[Bike Writer]

My LHT has a mixed drivetrain: 11-34 rear cassette, and a Shimano road crank. My Gunnar has the same rear cassette but it also has a SRAM mountain crank that provides a different gear ratio. Really the only thing that is similar between the two drivetrains is the rear cassette. Everything else is different from the shifters on back.

I am a sold SRAM woman now :)

Crank, do you mean the thing that holds the pedals to the bike? I measured the two bikes cranks. Old bike is 7.5 inches and new bike is 8 inches. Plus the pedals themselves are enormous on the new bike compared to the old bike. Both of those things probably give greater leverage.

Zoom, Since the bike is overall significantly lighter , I imagine the wheels to be lighter also. The wheel size is much different in width and diameter. My old bike has narrow tires (for me) 1.25 inch and they are 700cc. The new bike has 2.25 inch tires and they are 26 inch. Also the frame is quite different even though they are both low entry design frames. The new bike has the tube that holds the seat going up at a lesser angle and the tube running up to the handle bars is much higher and steeper. For example when I come off the seat at a stop and straddle the bike the handle bars on my new bike are up higher around the top of my rib cage right under my boobs. On my old bike the handle bars came up mid to lower rib cage. Overall the bike appears smaller but it is higher in the front.

I am really enjoying all the comments from those who know more that I do about geometry of bikes because it is causing me too look at the differences between the two and pay more attention to the smaller details and gain a better understanding of the impact of differences.

So thank you because your comments are enlightening.

[Catrin]

I am, too. It's louder, a bit less smooth, and requires a little more oomph on the shifters, but it has thus far been so much more reliable. And it just makes sense in my brain.

I find SRAM to be quieter and smoother than the components on my LHT. I do not have road shifters though, but X0 twist shifters. I find the shift itself to be more solid and I love that I can shift as many gears in the back that I need to :) The derailleur seems much quieter.

You are correct that it is the thing your pedals attach to. It is the combination of the size of your big gears up front (on the crank) with your small gears in the back that provides your gear inches (how many inches your bike moves with each turn of the crank)

I hope that I am not over-simplifying when I say the same rear cassette with a road crank gives you higher speeds at the top end while a mountain crank allows deeper gearing but you lose speed at the high end.

This is my first attempt to explain this so I hope someone will correct menif I am wrong or oversimplifying.

[Bike Writer]

Catrin,

Your explanation turned on a light bulb for me! Thank you. Whether or not this is oversimplification or not I get it now. I equate this to low end torque in a ski boat which is something I am very familiar with. Before I had my knee replaced and got RA I was an avid waterskiier and had a Master Craft. Ski boats have direct drive propulsion with the engine located in the middle of the boat versus at the stern like an inboard/outboard or an outboard does. This "drivetrain" set up means that you have great low end speed and sacrafice a bit at the top end = the skier pops right out of the water like a cork versus being dragged through the water until enough momentum is reached to get the skis to plane out. You mash the throttle down and the boat rockets forward instantly. And that is how this bike feels to me.

Boy is sure is nice when all this makes sense in your head.