With all the money and technology involved in the up and coming industry of cycling, it becomes tough to keep track of who is doing what. New Technology is constantly being developped to maximise the performance of the athlete-machine combination. But I ask, is all this time,money and effort really worth the outcome? How much could it possibly help? Perhaps shaving a few seconds of your personal best? Will having a R60 000 carbon fibre bike really guarantee that sub-3hr ride you've been longing for? I’m not trying to raise a debate- I merely want to know. Yeah, sure, we all want the latest gear and equipment- it looks good. But I rode my first sub-3hr on a Raleigh Rc3000 year 2005 modelhttp://www.raleighusa.com/, it has a simple 9 speed shimano Tiagra group setting , may I add I was 15 years old. Im not boasting, im just saying that the outcome of this demanding athletic performance is based ten times more on the mental fitness of the athlete powering the machine than the technical variables-like the bicycle itself. Why I specify mental? Because if you believe you can, you will. Hence: If you believe that a bicycle is going to make you slower, you will be.
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Either way- you still have to pedal it.
This is true what you are saying here B. I own a RC1000 and i have competed in many races where there are the most expensive bicycles out there in the same starting paddock but come the end of the race, if your mental and physical fitness is strong, those expensive limited editions and carbons are behind you.
ReplyDeleteMind over matter, you believe you can and you will.
Its Notorious.. More expensive doesn't make you better.
Well Said B "Either way- you still have to pedal it."
Exactly true
DeleteI agree it is not about the Cycle that cost the most that will give you the chance to reach your goal. I say you need to get pedalling and make sure you get enough time on the saddle.However you need to train wisely. Work on your weaknesses and improve on your strong points. Try to get rid of old habbits you learned on your cycle.Push yourself to your limits but make sure you do not cross the line to get injured.Train,Train,Train is the only way you will get and perform better. I know i am also quilty as i am not on the saddle like i should be but i am working on a plan to get this fixed.
ReplyDeleteIt's the rider not the bike. You can train ''properly'' and ride a Viner and beat anyone on a Cannondale,Bianchi.etc = Mind over Matter
ReplyDeletewow i do not know much about bikes hey but is there really that much of a difference especially for people like me who just ride for the fun of it.What can you say in simple yet convincing terms to normal bike riders that will want them to atleast try it out and know it will be worth their money?
ReplyDeleteWell, Chellas, in simple terms i can say that whatever you are looking to find out of the sport, You Will find it. Whether its to keep fit, just to get away or to get you adrenaline going- you choose. To get started, generally it is an expensive sport, but you dont need to empty you savings account to get a decennt bike. Check out www.gumtree.co.za for some 2nd hand bikes.
DeleteI like your thinking, but did you know that:
ReplyDeleteAluminum frames have a harsh ride?
Titanium frames are soft and whippy?
Steel frames go soft with age, but they have a nicer ride quality?
England's Queen Elizabeth is a kingpin of the international drug trade?
All of the above statements are equally false.
There is an amazing amount of folkloric "conventional wisdom" about bicycle frames and materials that is widely disseminated, but has no basis in fact.
The reality is that you can make a good bike frame out of any of these metals, with any desired riding qualities, by selecting appropriate tubing diameters, wall thicknesses and frame geometry. I think the truth lies in how the Brand position themselves, and believe me, somewhere out there is a cyclist that would buy the 'dream bike' because marketing/ media tells us it is the best there is!
Well said. Brand positioning plays a huge factor here, it is all PR. Big bike brands sign the best cyclists to ride their bikes, hence; everyone wants to use their product. Take for example Lance Armstrong, he rode on a Trek with all seven of his Tour de France wins as well as his comebacks- how good did that make the Brand look?
DeleteI'm sure you have to agree with me that the Tour de France on the one hand is about brand positioning, but more importantly it is where the manufacturers do their research on improving bike performance. And yes, there is a link between the brands we see on the Tour de France and the bikes we end up buying. Media exposure of a brand either encourage us to read more about the brand or it shapes our reality that we 'think' surely it should be a good brand if it had won the Tour de France 7 times?
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with you. The Tour de France is largely the most respected road cycling event; therefore, these brands take advantage of the oportunity. Afterall, if one wants to survive in this fast paced industry and be the best,it is essential that oportunities like that be taken. So if you can't take the heat both on the bikes and whilst developping them, get out of the nuchlear reactor.
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