Is it ever the bike?

[alexis_the_tiny]

It just came up in conversation one day, someone asked me if I was sure that my utter lack of progress in getting a faster average speed on a bike (still stuck under 30km/h after 6 months) wasn't because of my bike.

I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, the amount of thought that went into buying my road bike was "Oh, look, a 44cm frame and for 800 bucks. Sold!" and my first mountain bike was also a terrible ride until I traded it up for something else. On the other hand, the words "a bike is only as good as its rider" are still ringing loud and clear in my ears.

What do you guys think? Is it ever the bike, even after fit is factored in?

[crazycanuck]

Alexis, i think the bike can be part of it. I look at my former mtn bike (small scott scale 40) and how big it is compared to my titus. No wonder i had a few issues ..

Life is so much better on a bike that fits. I finally understand what it means to feel at one with my bike

Just a thought

[alexis_the_tiny]

Alexis, i think the bike can be part of it. I look at my former mtn bike (small scott scale 40) and how big it is compared to my titus. No wonder i had a few issues ..

Life is so much better on a bike that fits. I finally understand what it means to feel at one with my bike

Just a thought

I know that feeling, my first GT Avalanche was terrible, far too big and heavy for me despite it being a small size. Switching to the Voodoo was like growing wings. Which was why I wondered about my road bike, it fits at 44 cm but it also doesn't feel right somehow.

[Lesley_x]

I think of it like which would make you go faster - a bus or a ferrari

If you get a better bike, yes you might go faster, and be able to go for longer distances, but it won't do anything for your fitness. I think that's the key point. You need to keep up your training along with it.

I'm wanting a new lighter bike because my area is very hilly, and I don't trust myself to be able to get up some of them on a 14kg mountain bike orientated hybrid.

[Kiwi Stoker]

I thought I was a terrible rider. My husband had leap ahead of me in speed and endurance and I was the slowest member of the cycle club's slow group.

Then I changed my bike from an Aluminium hybrid with disc brakes to a full carbon road bike.

I gained 6km average faster. Suddenly I wasn't the slowest anymore and could keep up with our friends. Bike weight difference 8kg vs 15kg.

Yes sometimes it's the bike.

[OakLeaf]

This is really two questions:

Some bikes are always going to be faster than others with a given rider over a given terrain. Weight; geometry; stiffness vs. flexiness of frame, wheels and components; suspension setup if any, etc.

If you're making no progress, bike fit could be contributing, even if it's a theoretically go-fast bike. But I think the fit would have to be pretty far off, and very uncomfortable, to keep you from making any progress at all, and you would know it. It's more likely something in your training or nutrition IMO. Or possibly in your expectations. What exactly are we talking about? Have you been stuck at 29.9 km/h for the whole six months? Or ...?

[alexis_the_tiny]

My road bike isn't exactly a go fast bike. Its a Cannondale Optimo from a while ago and weighs possibly in the 9kg range?

I've been mountain biking on and off for 5 years prior to this, but only started training seriously 6 months ago. Since getting the road bike, the speeds have stayed pretty much 24 to 30km/h the whole time, the only time there was a difference was when my friend helped me tweak the fit, then it just took less effort to keep going at 30. There's a race coming up next May that I really want to do and suddenly, I feel like I've wasted 6 months training with nothing to show for it.

Muirenn, I'm not quite sure what's off. I have a sneaky suspicion that 650CC wheels and a 44cm frame while fitting fine, are a touch too small for me. I've managed fine on 48 to 50cm bikes before but took this one anyway because the ladies who owned it before me were about the same build. Which...probably not the best idea...Hmmmm.