What makes a “Fast Bike”?

The Basic Problem:

The title question can spark a lot of debate among the bench racers.  Often the answers will center around a particular component manufacturer’s top-of-the-line group, or a set of “Wonder Wheels,” or some mystical property of some frame builder’s top tier offering.  Super light weight is often a big part of these discussion.  The sages will debate the merits of “aero” frames.  Gearing choices can play a part.  Some will even delve into the minutia of tire types and inflation values.

Ultimately, all agree that lighter bikes are faster.  I can not dispute this.  All other factors being equal (and they never are) the lighter bike will be faster.  But let’s look at this for just one moment.

Generally speaking, new road bikes start out at about $700.  That’s the “entry level” bike.  Price points start going up in about $200 dollar increments.  As one moves up the price ranges it’s fairly easy to see the differences.  Features change, but the weight of the bike doesn’t change much.  The bikes in the lowest three price ranges are all in the 21 to 22 pound range.  Suddenly around the $1300 price point, the bikes get a bit lighter.

Something magical happens around the $2000 price point.  From there on up there are no significant changes in feature or function.  They all have the same number of gears, the same general kind of shifters, and the wheels and brakes seem about the same too.  But there are lots of bikes that cost more than $2000, some of them a whole lot more.  A buyer might reasonably ask,  “Just what am I getting for all this extra money?”

The answer to that last question would be,  “In truth, you aren’t getting anything.  You are paying more to get less.”

That’s right.  Above the $2000 price point the new bike buyer is paying for lighter weight, at about one thousand dollars per pound.  (Remember, we’re speaking in generalities here.)  Bascially a $2000 bike weighs in around 20 pounds, and an $8000 bike weighs about 14.5 pounds.  So the buyer is paying to lose weight, at a rate of about $1000 per pound.

A Modest Proposal:

Givens:

• Most road bike buyers are in the 30 to 50 year age range, and are therefore assumed to not be in contention for top ranks among professional cyclists.
• Most road bike buyers are carrying a bit of extra weight around with them.  Usually this is anywhere from 10 to 1000 pounds.
• The act of riding a bike, and changing one’s dietary habits to healthy ones will result in weight loss.
• Super-lightweight bikes are racing bikes, and are just not as reliable as their more modest cousins and brothers.
• Doing the regular work necessary to losing extra poundage will result in better physical condition and strength.

Conclusion:

If one is in the market for a fast bike.  One should buy something in the $700 to $2500, and ride the ever-lovin’ stew out of it, while reforming dietary habits.  The result will be a rider who loses ten to 50 pounds, without spending thousands of dollars.

Oh!  And by the way…  The process outlined above will result in a lot of happy riding, and the decreased rider weight and increased fitness most certainly will result in a faster bike!