I would say any bike that costs more than £1000 is overrated. But this is me coming from a purely commuting point of view. (unless it's an ebike then maybe £2000)
I'm going to say the giant derailleurs when you go 1x with small cogs are silly, and... ceramic bearings. I only use ceramic balls (grade 3) to polish steel races on old school hubs and BBs, and then put in fresh steel balls.
Underrated: lights and light mounts that work reliability and effectively. Lights need enough lumens to be useful to see and be seen, mounts that are simple and integrate well for different frames, rear lights where the brightness and blinking is easily controlled. I have a bag full of various plactic mounts, and yet none of them are what I need. Shouldn't be this hard.
Yes, you don't need "just some light", but something that can illuminate the road well, and does not glare the oncoming traffic. However, this does not worth much if your light mount is so flimsy, that the light beam is shaking up and down vigorously if the road a bit uneven.
Absolutely that, I know this site is race focused and aspirational set-up is a stripped out fairweather racer for events and hard training, but most of us ride something which works for winter and computing as well, and most accessories rely on universally sized wobbly clamps or straps.
This blew my mind the other day. I've been riding and racing the same set of Roval EL 45 rim brake wheels with carbon fairings for 10 years as of today being rode every week on English roads. They've got battle scars and scrapes on the sides from rubbing in the bunch and brake pads wearing through, but they're still perfectly true, rims still got some life in them, hubs still good. With proper maintenance and care you can really get a lot out of your gear!!
I have a disc brake race bike with deep carbon wheels as well as a Speedmax TT bike. I still love my Triban RC120 with rim brakes though, because it’s robust and gets me anywhere in comfort - it’s covered about 8000km/year so far.
Tires or wheels? Tires are the rubber things and wheels are the aluminium/carbon bits with spokes. I do agree about noisy freewheels. I don't like them at all.
I replaced my Ultegra cranks last year after they fell victim to delamination. To be honest I'd put it down to sweat ingress from too much indoor use - I hadn't appreciated how they were constucted. The issue started with an irregular clicking under power - I even replaced the pressfit BB with a screw together! It was only when heading out on their final ride where I felt a weird flex that I realised what it was. They were out of warranty, Shimano weren't acknowledging the issue so they went in the bin!
Yeah, it’s hilarious that people put a lot of cash on Duraace that’s just 200g lighter than Ultegra, when taking a modest dump will probably save you more grams, and it’s totally free 😂
WRT wireless shifting: I just upgraded my MTB to SRAM AXS after 7 years of cable shifting. Absolute game changer. Just completed a 457km single stage even using it without a single issue. Main advantage was instant shifts when I needed to suddenly accelerate out of a tricky sandy section. Was able to shift 2 to 3 gears up or down in lightning speed. Def NOT overrated
Some cyclist say that you dont need Disc Brakes only Rim/V Brakes , while sometimes you dont need it sometimes you do 1. Rim Brakes are extremely good really, theyre very light, its easier to fix or maintain unlike disc if the rotor gets bent itll drag over the pads, but it does has its own cons and pros, The cons of Rims are, they are easier to get contaminated actually, specially in wet or rainy conditions its easier to get your brakes contaminated, and your pads can also get easily damaged, it has a slight slight difference in power, so overall if you need rims its either youre doing a short ride home to market or home to your daily job, or youre trying to save every single kgs you can save for races That being same sided for disc, also has its pros and cons, yes i do agree that its overrated, IF youre doing small rides, for example getting a full hydraulic Ice Tech brakeset, and youre just cycling 30km in your neighborhood now thats rubbish, but especially for other reasons like you need an instant stop like an extremely instant stop, or doing high climbs yes you need good weight you also need good braking power during climbing and in descending you also need that, mainly because disc brakes are focused at the center of the wheel rather than being in the wheel itself, etc etc So in the end its based on you, if you can handle yourself with rim brakes doing extremely steep descents then go ahead
Concerning groupsets I would say that the parts don't necessarily have to be new - I mostly got my Campy Record stuff second hand via ebay, small ads or via bike forums. Top groupsets - provided they got well maintained - can still look as good as new, while lower positioned groupsets may soon look worn, due to not so good metals and/or cheap(er) plastic. Concerning lightweight I have to say that it is ok as lang as you don't have to make compromises concerning handlig or safety. I personally get some satisfaction when I know I have optimized every single screw, for example my Record 10speed rear derailleur weights just about 150 gr. I count in the way "My rear derailleur got 20 grams lighter" instead of "My bike got 20 grams lighter". Or my rear rim brake, a still pimped Zero gravity 05 (later versions were to heavy) with 84 grams, and its braking power ist still sufficient, as I am myself quite lightweight (62kg/137 lbs on 1,77m/5.8 ft). With the wheels, I prefer deeper ones that maybe a little bit heavier but are more aero. For years, I had self-made extensions with no proper arm rests, the arm rests cosisted of foam stuff fixed with cable ties on the base bar to save weight. When I first bought proper extensions with proper arm rests it was a real revelation, especially the far better handling. Since then I know handling beats weight. Ceramic bearings are in most cases only hybrid ceramic bearings, which means you have ceramic balls running on a steel surface. As far as I understood it, Hambini said in a video (I think it was even an interview in a GCN video concerning ceramic bearings) that due to the much harder material of the ceramic balls insteaad of "softer" metal balls, those hybrid bearings wear out faster than "normal" bearings. To answer the queation: OSPW are definitely overrated, and - at least to me - they look quite weird.
Family Feud is the name of the show in the US. the one benefit to OSPW (not the ridiculous ceramic speed ones though) is that you can extend the lowest gear size of your current derailleur without having to use a wolf tooth extender. SRAM etap 11-speed short cage can be upped to 32-tooth capacity for example.
No sealant? That means no dried sealant or topping up, sounds great for a low maintenance commuter! No self-sealing punctures, though, but that's already the life with butyl tubes...
Video suggestion . £ per watt . Show a video on bike set up and the cost saving per watt . Like taking out a head spacer and the watts saved , tighter jersey , and what that equivalent saving would cost in bearings and wheels etc
Try telling my wife smth like this: "Babe, I haven't bought my ceramic speed oversized pulley wheels cage. Oh and btw, I'm going to Italy for a bike ride next week" ;) But seriously, I think any spending may be fine if it motivates you! I remember that when I bought my first power meter, even though I didn't really need it as I ride more casually and not structure my training, I started riding much more cause I was super excited that I just got some new equipment and could see some new numbers. I recently bought new bike (overkill for my needs) and since then I've been using every free minute to squeez in a bike ride. It simply pushes me forward and gives me a lot of joy of having more time on a bike.
Electronic shifting is overrated if you like to work on your own bicycle. With Shimano, unless you buy the necessary electronic equipment, you can't install updates without taking the bike to your local shop and hope they have the equipment.. Where with mechanical shifting you can do almost all work on your bike's drivetrain yourself.
I built a gravel bike out of a scrap Orbea 26" frame i bought for €30. Full build with second hand 650b wheels and a Sensah SRX pro group set and carbon forks was about €300. I absolutely love it, best bike ive ever ridden. Makes me smile thats all that matters
Thank you guys for this video. I know you like tech on bikes but not everything is useful, as those items you showed in the video. Nice to see that GCN despite being very fit riders with access to top of the line tech, you understand that this is not the case for the majority of riders and can help us make sense of the useless bling. And yes, it’s called Family Feud.
The one piece of tech/functional piece of equipment I feel which has gone sideways are oversized sunglasses. Some look like windscreens from my 1970 MGB 🙂. I do realize it's more of a fashion piece; however some are so darn large and unattractive that it makes the riders head look like a 5 yr old is wearing them. Ride on friends 🙂
A mate of mine has gone doollally. He has a penchant for fitting ludicrously expensive parts on old bangers. He is currently in the marker for a carbon pump.Crazy
I have a few road bikes that are all carbon, electronic, hydro disc and then I picked up a 2018 Giant TCR Maglia Rosa Edition with SRAM Red mechanical and rim brakes and I enjoy riding it more than my newer more techie bikes. It's super light, simple, and just works. So, I think a lot of the latest tech is overrated, mechanical/rim was just fine. I do think indoor training is overrated. Even though it allows you to ride when the conditions aren't perfect or time is sensitive, those miles are just so much more painfully boring than a real ride. I don't get those who do it more than once in a while.
Depends on where you live. It’s not possible to ride outside because of rain, snow, ice and the fact that the sun rises 10.30 and goes down 15:30 in the winter. In addition it’s not enough snow for cross country skiing, so indoor training is golden. Do most of the rides outside in spring and autumn in weather that’s equivalent to English winter.
Using a garbux oversized pully wheel allowed me to put a 50t casette on my shimano GRX whose stated max capacity is 42t. Basically I can spin up 20% hills which are common in the Pennines and Calderdale. It was a functional change not a cosmetic change for me!
just a note on the mention of the dura ace chain. it is like $30 more than the 105 one for 11spd. at least in the grand scheme of a modern bike that's basically nothing, so run the groupset that works for you and your budget and get a nice chain. they aren't that much and like they said can improve efficiency
love my wrielss goupset and battery charge is never an issue as apps tell me the state and my AXS batteriess can be taken off and charged indoors easily. But OSPW...why......as you said, we are talking a watt or two gain......seems pointless (to me) for the cost...
Since currencies fluctuate, the cost to benefit ratios of tech should be evaluated relative to the benefit of oversize pulley wheels (as Josh Portner did in a video with GCN, I think). If Ollie gets a paper published quickly enough on the topic, he could even call this unit of measure the "PB" (short for Portner-Bridgewood). Then, when presenting, one could say "aero socks equate to power savings of 4.2 PB (e.g. oversize pulley wheels) at 40 kph".
I bought Pirelli Smart tubes - two rides and one of them got 4 punctures at one time, not under the tread. So I might understand why they have up dated the product. Incidentally the internet company who supplied these from Girona does not respond to my emails over this issue. Buyer beware
I love that both our countries speak English and we still need translation. The same is true in the Spanish speaking world. My family speaks Spanish and we are always surprised at how different it is from region to region. Family Feud is what we call it in the USA.
I have just spent time going down the rabbit hole of what is the best way to set up my wheels, After a bit of money and faff I have found my go to set up. TPU rocks!!!! Tubeless is just too much faff and robs you of all your cash (wheels tape sealant the list goes on!) Latex ok, fast but had some very stealthy punctures, would go flat in an hour but could not find where from, ahhh. I now run TPU and it is a real alternative to tubeless in my opinion, nearly as fast as Latex, and if Pirelli are right just as fast without the faff of Tubeless, what's not to like.
Tech is great, but….had my heart set on Ultrgra, but after listening to Ollie’s commonsense I went for 105 Di 2 & even went down 2 model’s but with the exact same frame. This allowed me to upgrade my to a nice set carbon aero wheels & get my first ever power meter. Ended up with a bike that I love & came in under budget with money left to put towards upgrading the tyres & tubes.
It’s interesting that you put it the way you did for wheels. I bought a real nice set of wheels, but kept the same excellent tires and latex tubes I was already using. I didn’t feel a huge difference. Switching to those tires and tubes was a much bigger difference. The new wheels were maybe 10%.
Problem with ceramic is that they spoil easier. So it’s a fraction of a watt when they are brand new and then they end up worse than quality steel bearings. Or maintained bearings. The water bottle i use a cheap aluminum one. I can bend to my ideal tightness. I don’t have to worry about faffing in and out. Titanium strength makes no sense. CF ones are finicky
Back in the day, I spent a lot of mental energy agonizing over what components I needed on my bike. The forum comment that changed my outlook was "If you're not racing, it's a functional bike part."
I agree with the overall argument against for example the ceramic bearings in a headset. Serious so you can steer that much smoother?!?! 😂 Spending 10 percent of the cost of that bearing on some quality food to fuel your race or even on a sport psychologist for a seshion or two think might give you more advantage. And i am not one to rely on psychologists. Spend money wiser. Just because on tiktok they show you how long the cranks can spin it doesnt make you faster :D a good bike service so your brakes dont drag or arent spongy. A good braking system can save you sooo much more than ceramic bearings.... braking later than others into corners makes a huge difference. I recomend filtering the crap out of the bike tech being pushed by the industry. Its just bling
As you said, anything that makes the ride more enjoyable and/or not frustrating is a worthwhile upgrade. After all, too many people (including myself) can sometimes forget having fun is what it's all about.
There are things you need and things you want. It is pretty easy to cross that line. I think, if you arent a racer, you should go for functionality/price rather than weight saving/bling
I was wondering when you'd get around to the hollowtech recall. Cranks break sometimes. That's just how it is. That said, as an older recreational cyclist, I went with old school Sugino Mighty Tour instead of Dura Ace on my last bike. Same cost, but non hollow 2000 series square taper, mature tech. Bonded aluminum hollow tech was always a dumb idea. They should have gone with Ti, or even hydroformed chromoly. The old Bullseye cranks everyone copied never broke.
@@nerigarcia7116 Much easier to pedal those... I'm going back to cottered steel cranks. I realize I was kind of negative. Hollowtech is fine. Just keep an eye on them. All cranks can break. Some more than others.
@@matthewlewis2072 Modern BB spindles are better. I was referring to the glued together construction of hollowtech cranks. Shimano just had to recall like 4 million of them. That's a problem.
Bib shorts. All I hear is how great they are and I personally can’t stand them. Salesman talked me into trying a pair saying “ don’t you hate when your shorts slide down?”. If the answer is “no, my shorts never slide down”, you don’t need bib shorts. Just another layer and a pain if you have to take a leak.
Have discovered that the best way to make my bike feel light weight, is simply not to have heavy panniers on the rear rack. I always surprise myself with how light my commuter bike is when it's not loaded with heaps of stuff. (I have to carry my bike up and down stairs.)
Lighter weight on a road bike is not only about climbing. A kilo definitely makes a difference in acceleration and can be the difference between hanging on or being dropped on fast group rides or races. Especially if that weight is in the wheels.
I clearly remember in the queue for the weekly club ‘10’, someone said they’d save 20g by drilling out their chainrings, to which someone else said they’d saved at least 100g by not going to the pub the night before. Pissed myself laughing, nearly fell off when my start time came.
Like a lot of people I love seeing the coolest, most expensive new tech and learning how they can make riding bikes better. But like in the automotive industry, a lot of the “Top-Tier” features trickle down to those more affordable products. When I am purchasing new bike parts, I will look for reliable and durable parts so that I can go out and enjoy the road, scenery & my bike of which all contribute to a great bike ride.
Sealed bearings, great but when they fail they can seize up completely. Had them seize solid in wheels, bb's and headsets. Never had that with loose ball bearings, the headset on my commute bikes is over 30 years old and still smooth.
Bike weight is quite a nuanced topic. I think you guys are right. Yes, over-rated in terms of performance, however, I think it's a universal truth that lighter bikes just feel better. So yeah, light weight is a good thing and people like it, but be realistic about performance expectations.
Oval chain rings, over sized pulley wheels, aero has gone to far and very expensive carbon, aluminum, steel and titanium frames and parts. Just get a bike the fits you and your life and works well. I don't mind people that spend money on their bikes just as long as they are not spending it thinking it going make a big difference and they can finally start winning races.
I agree with # 1-3. For #4 I would say electronic shifting: a more expensive, higher maintenance, less durable solution to a problem that doesn't exist. For most underrated tech, I would say good tires and latex inner tubes, though the truth of this is becoming better known in recent years.
LOVE!! how you are talking about money and having a bike in such a practical way. Sometimes it all seems like all is advertising bundled with information. Advertising is fine but ALL advertising ALL the time stinks!. Thanks for doing this.
Most overrated bike tech? Anything that reduces reliability or makes bikes or components disposable. Especially if it adds a lot to the price. Electronic shifting is high on this list. I still have the first bike I ever bought for myself. It was a 1981 Diamond Back Team Pro (bmx), while I upgraded some parts in the first few years that I had it, it all still works. Why? Simplicity. The parts don’t have batteries (especially proprietary ones), the frame is chromoly steel, not carbon fiber. As long as I can get replacement cables, I could probably still be riding it if it weren’t ridiculously small for me. I have never had a cable fail that wasn’t visually degraded for a long time. They are relatively inexpensive, readily available, and interchangeable. What’s not to like?
I'm reminded of the shock I had in the 1970s when an accomplished racer told me that "real" racers rode the steel Campy quill pedals rather than the alloy Superleggera model because the cages didn't wear out. Racers valued reliability and durability over faux performance gains. He also had fenders on a Zeus he used for training on wet days, and I well remember working as hard as I could. just to stay close enough to read the Blumels decal. I've come to embrace the mantra "It's all in the legs."
The most overrated bike tech is the oversize jockey wheels, hookless tubeless rims, cable routing through the headset and lightweight wheels are so low on my priority, they're not even on the list. As the alloy wheels and tyres on my 29 mountain bike. Weigh about 4.5kg. I'd like to save money by doing the replacement on the outer gear cable and brake hose myself. instead of not having the bike to ride as it's at the LBS have these replaced. The reasons are. The oversize jockey wheels are really ugly and put extra torque through a rear mech which wasn't designed for the extra torque. The hookless tubeless rim. The are pointless due to giving the rider less choice in which wheels and tyres he rider wants to use. I heard some hookless tyres and some hookless wheels are not compatible. So Alex thinks the Spengle 27.5" tri spoke carbon mountain bike wheels at €1390 are OK. But the same tri spoke carbon wheels with 24ct European gold hand laid on to the wheels at €10000 is excessive?
Disagree on ceramic bearings. Need to take into account life (and or warranty) Shimano BBs made of chocolate, last 6 months. Ceramicspeed either 4 year or lifetime warranty. 1/2 a watt is not the main point for me.
great bit on overrated tech! alex was superbly on point about the tires being much much more important than fancy wheels . and having ridden everything from Claris to dura ace di2 i agree the the top of the line groupsets are overrated for anyone who isn't racing( someone at least 5 watts per kg upwards ) ( of course there are those that buy it purely for the bling ( but say its for weight issues . those are a different unit ) am still surprised that my no where near top of the line 2014 cannondale (weighing nearlly 3 kgs more ) is much quicker than my much more close to the top of the line izalco max with di2 while i go uphill. :)
Love the "unsposored" truth. Not like videos about Shimano power meters. Wheels should go to the top of the list for 95% of us. Carbon 40mm deep wheels generally gives you 5w at 40 km/h from all reviews i watched over the years. Who rides at 40kmh? If you do, no problem, you should get it.
That's what I did for my 105 5600 by switching to Tiagra 4700, not just for cleaner looks, but also for better ergonomics (I can't comfortably fit my last three fingers underneath the 105 ST-5600) and lower shifting effort (the Tiagra FD-4700's longer arm provides better leverage than 105 FD-5600).
Most overrated tech: Oversized pulley wheels 12 speed cassettes Ceramic bearings Loud freewheels Rear hubs with 24, 36, 52, 437 points of engagement Anything smaller than a front fork fashioned out of titanium Carbon spokes Anything Pinarello (they’re great, and they’re beautiful, but 99.5% of cyclists don’t need to spend that much) Muc Off products
It's all over-rated... just got home from my weekly "race pace" group ride. One of the guys went off the front with 20 minutes to go.. we never caught him... the guy was on a rim brake bike with exposed cables, box section wheels, and inner tunes... it's all about the motor. Yes, tech helps but the legs make the biggest difference.
Apparently we now need a road bike, a cyclo-cross bike and a gravel bike. A few years ago we would've had one bike and three sets of tyres. So I am adding gravel bikes to the list of hype, it's just marketing.
If you like it and want it, get it. If you want to take that holiday and have to make the choice, make it. I notice many on GCN use top end group sets, bikes, etc. As you said, it is all quality components, so to each his own. I love ceramic BB bearings as they seem to last longer than the steel ones, at least for me. Maybe I could buy a few steel ones for the price of one -- still have to service the ceramic ones so I am still taking them out to do that and could simply add a new steel BB -- just my preference, as it should be for everyone.
If OSPW were any good Shimano and SRAM would have adopted them for their high end groupsets by now.
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Regarding super lightweight stuff: If the weight reduction is less than me going number 2, I don't even consider it as an option. Why should I pay a premium price if I can just take a sh!t?
This may be asked multiple times and all we are aware of marketing replies but I wonder if GCN can do conclusive trial to deem its practicality. 1- Shimano 12s cassette with SRAM 12 speed system (I hate the fact that any wheel I buy for my family, I need to buy a spare XDR freehub). Understandable that we may need to use Shimano 12S chain. 2- SRAM brakes with mineral oil, marketing says the seals will corrode but mineral oil is non-corrosive compared to DOT fluid . I wouldn't do it otherwise though (using DOT on the Shimano system), I am sick of the fact that even though there is only one SRAM bike in my family, we need to have two separate bleed kits. #askGCN #askGCNTech #GCNTech
Improvements that provide added function (performance, comfort, safety, convenience) are bigger, lower pressure tires, disc brakes, wireless shifting.
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I have a few thoughts about top tier equipment. Yes it might be overrated by means of functionality, but people are buying it also for their emotion, for feeling that it makes you better, by just feeling good. And also status - having fancier stuff lifts you higher. "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz? My friends all drive Porsches I must make amends..."
Top-end cycling shoes because their value depends so much on fit. Doesn't matter what materials they use or what fastening system is employed if they aren't the right fit. Sure they are good, but people always focus discussion on the tech when I want to know whether it will actually hold my heel well or about the fit of the toe box. I am sure many many people have spent hundreds on a pair of super stiff and lightweight shoes for performance but had to buy them two sizes to big to accommodate their foot at which point the cleats are in the wrong place or any number of other issues which are bad enough on their own, but what damage are they then doing to their feet (bunions, plantar fasciitis) with poorly fitted shoes? Underrated tech: Superfeet insoles.
The problem I have with stated aero gains is, at most in aggregate, one can only save about 45 watts at 36 mph. Since it is an exponential function, the gains drop precipitously with a lower speed and really does not matter in a bigger bunch group. Also, turns causes a huge drop in aero gains. Changing wind fronts, vehicles passing etc only drops the stated gains from the ideal which is not realistic. If you total the aero gains proported from the component industry, the gains is close to 100 watts, which is totally wrong. Something smells with the industry marketing. I would rather spend money to save weight and train my body position.
Slap on two full bottles of water and that add a kilo, more drag. Jees! Many won't remember aluminum 5 speed freewheels and the Huret Jubilee derailleur, HiE wheels and drilling out everything.
Slightly oversize pulley wheels can be a good value way of increasing RD wrap. I used a set of 12/14 pulleys from BBB to replace the 11/11 in a Shimano RD-M952/3 (and others). Combined with a reversed and longer b-screw an actual wrap of 55 is possible compared to the 43 spec and the max sprocket goes to about 42 compared to the 34 (I think) spec. I don't go any faster but have much better gear range.
I’ve been using the non TLR version of the Challenger tyre now for a while. Definitely recommend if you want a reasonably fast yet durable and puncture resistant tyre. The non-TLR version is excellent value too.
I much prefer mechanical groupset with rim brakes. Everything is under my own power and it's just man and machine. Everything is also intuitive and you can fix everything yourself. It's the true feeling of freedom. I ride up Cypress (Local Vancouver version of L'alpe D'huez) very enjoyably with my 1991 specialized sirrus and "upgraded" Sora Triple hollowtech 8 speed drivetrain with downtube shifters. It doesn't miss a beat. Bike weighs nearly 11kg. I'm slow, but it's still fun :)
I agree that some of those things are pricy and don't really add much in the way of performance, but ceramic bearings last much longer and save me trips to the bike shop for replacement. My wheels came with ceramic and have easily lasted 4x longer than my old wheels with standard bearings and are still going strong. Maybe not so much in the head tube, but in wheels, they get a thumbs-up from me!
I think that was sorta the point Oli was making when he was talking about using ceramic bearings in headsets. How much difference a ceramic bearing makes depends massively on how much rotation is happening, so wheels: sure, BB: probably, headset: vanity.
If Ollie does do a bike with a Pinion gearbox. He has a choice. The 1.12. Which is 12 speed. Or the P1.18. Which is 18 speed but they also have a P1.12 as well. The P-Line are lighter. But the C-line are more durable.
Why are so many tyre manufacturers still maxing out at 32c widths - normal endurance bikes, that ordinary people use, now allow 35/38c, but there are so few options available to take advantage of them. Especially urban, endurance puncture resistant tyres, like that new Hutchinson and Gators etc.
I agree with them especially those OVERRATED parts that are priced over the roof and will save you a few ounces or a few watts which is very-very unnoticeable. I would rather spend those precious dollars for our vacation or to some important and essential needs. Have considered getting a new on-road bike but the prices seems to be overrated for me, thus, I will still keep on using my 2011 8-Speed Specialized Allez with upgrades of better parts and 5 sets of rim brake wheels with cassette. The only original part my bike have is the seat post and head set bearings.
Great article guys and you brought to mind and interesting little bit of the human experience with technology. In earlier times, I was a great fan of hi-fi and got into it in a big way. The manufacturers were doing well and year after year, the tech got better and more expensive but the improvements never quite came up to the new costs. It was the discovery of "the law of diminishing returns." I was also working as a musician and in the same way, the tech gets better and better although at some point, the prices are much higher than the improvements in sound. This article on some overrated tech for cycling points out that very same human need for something better even if the new thing is twice the cost with yet smaller and smaller increments of improvement. What we're reluctant to mention is that the 'tech' improvements in musicianship and cycling, in art and sport, has to come from us. From ourselves through intelligent practice and diligent training. Keep up the good work, your articles and discussions are always fascinating and I watch and listen sometimes when riding indoors.
Good to hear that the weight weenie debate is being debunked, My 10kg steelie is becoming fashionable again. We always said back in the dark ages, the wheels are the thing that makes you fast. I had a friend who upgraded to tubulars back in the dark ages from some ordinary wheels. I spent most of the next ride shouting for him to slow down. Nuff said.
Overrated: Integrated cockpits. the one that comes with your bike will almost certainly not fit and a replacement costs a fortune and is a nightmare to install.
I once had a customer asking if I can swap out his new 2021+ Trek Émonda SL's two-piece cockpit for a one-piece cockpit right off the bat, but here's the catch: 1) He's never ridden this bike before. 2) I don't think he's ever had a bike fit on a fit bike replicating its geometry. Therefore, I don't know what dimensions would fit him yet unless a bike fit was done beforehand, so I indirectly denied the request.
@@chrisridesbicycles It's for liability reasons too. They can't blame me for installing a cockpit with the wrong dimensions if they don't even know what the right ones are yet. I usually don't see them know any better. Good thing he didn't throw a fit, you know how unpredictably unreasonable some customers can be. I don't believe in the phrase "The customer is always right.".
Spending thousands more on a high-end bike to save weight but only realize single digit performance gains only in specific riding circumstances, is a disappoint, at best. Simon's video also comes to mind where he compared Canyon Aeroad high-end CFR to mid-end CF. He was adamant that, although spec'd almost identically, the two bikes felt very different. I believe the high-end CFR is stiffer and less comfortable. So, save your money, get the mid-end CF Aeroad, which performs similarly... but actually, maybe better performance because of the better comfort.
Look at the grams that are saved when wearing light weight clothing, cutting the cloth using less material saves weight and is way more expensive than the same item in size XL XXL & XXXL and larger size shoes too, cheap as chips.
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What do you think is the most overrated/underrated tech? 👀
Underrated..... Olllie's hairband. That thing is working at it's limit to contain that mane!
I would say any bike that costs more than £1000 is overrated. But this is me coming from a purely commuting point of view. (unless it's an ebike then maybe £2000)
I'm going to say the giant derailleurs when you go 1x with small cogs are silly, and... ceramic bearings. I only use ceramic balls (grade 3) to polish steel races on old school hubs and BBs, and then put in fresh steel balls.
Most overrated, anything over a Claris groupset. Underrated, is your own leg strength, DO SOME HEAVY SQUATS!!!!!
Any tech that requires additional maintenance is overrated. It takes away from the fun of owning a bike if you have to look after it.
Underrated: lights and light mounts that work reliability and effectively. Lights need enough lumens to be useful to see and be seen, mounts that are simple and integrate well for different frames, rear lights where the brightness and blinking is easily controlled. I have a bag full of various plactic mounts, and yet none of them are what I need. Shouldn't be this hard.
Wiggle's LifeLine Aluminium Handlebar Mount is my favourite.
Yes, you don't need "just some light", but something that can illuminate the road well, and does not glare the oncoming traffic. However, this does not worth much if your light mount is so flimsy, that the light beam is shaking up and down vigorously if the road a bit uneven.
You actually want to concentrate on Lux, not lumens.
Yep, Bontrager Ion all day (and night)
Absolutely that, I know this site is race focused and aspirational set-up is a stripped out fairweather racer for events and hard training, but most of us ride something which works for winter and computing as well, and most accessories rely on universally sized wobbly clamps or straps.
This blew my mind the other day. I've been riding and racing the same set of Roval EL 45 rim brake wheels with carbon fairings for 10 years as of today being rode every week on English roads. They've got battle scars and scrapes on the sides from rubbing in the bunch and brake pads wearing through, but they're still perfectly true, rims still got some life in them, hubs still good. With proper maintenance and care you can really get a lot out of your gear!!
Brakes
I have a disc brake race bike with deep carbon wheels as well as a Speedmax TT bike. I still love my Triban RC120 with rim brakes though, because it’s robust and gets me anywhere in comfort - it’s covered about 8000km/year so far.
Most overrated is noisy freewheels. Tyres are the single most underrated bike tech.
Great point!
Tires or wheels? Tires are the rubber things and wheels are the aluminium/carbon bits with spokes. I do agree about noisy freewheels. I don't like them at all.
@@glharlor . Tyres. You can save 20W by changing tyres. Other than riding position almost nothing else can do that.
@@Alan_Hans__ makes sense. I misread, and thought you said the most overrated instead of underrated.
It would be interesting to learn how many owners of the noisy freewheels also have a V8 (or a motorbike with a modified exhaust)...
Ollie’s emotional support hairband…the ultimate in unnecessary tech 😂
keeps hair out my eyes! i need it!
It's not just any headband, it's an aero headband
😂😂😂
I replaced my Ultegra cranks last year after they fell victim to delamination. To be honest I'd put it down to sweat ingress from too much indoor use - I hadn't appreciated how they were constucted. The issue started with an irregular clicking under power - I even replaced the pressfit BB with a screw together! It was only when heading out on their final ride where I felt a weird flex that I realised what it was. They were out of warranty, Shimano weren't acknowledging the issue so they went in the bin!
Regarding the weight: i see a lot of emphasis placed on bike weight with little no to non on rider (or overall system weight).
Yeah, it’s hilarious that people put a lot of cash on Duraace that’s just 200g lighter than Ultegra, when taking a modest dump will probably save you more grams, and it’s totally free 😂
@@Christian-pw5ws never underestimate the watts saved by a strategically timed dump :D
WRT wireless shifting: I just upgraded my MTB to SRAM AXS after 7 years of cable shifting. Absolute game changer. Just completed a 457km single stage even using it without a single issue.
Main advantage was instant shifts when I needed to suddenly accelerate out of a tricky sandy section. Was able to shift 2 to 3 gears up or down in lightning speed.
Def NOT overrated
Some cyclist say that you dont need Disc Brakes only Rim/V Brakes , while sometimes you dont need it sometimes you do
1. Rim Brakes are extremely good really, theyre very light, its easier to fix or maintain unlike disc if the rotor gets bent itll drag over the pads, but it does has its own cons and pros,
The cons of Rims are, they are easier to get contaminated actually, specially in wet or rainy conditions its easier to get your brakes contaminated, and your pads can also get easily damaged, it has a slight slight difference in power, so overall if you need rims its either youre doing a short ride home to market or home to your daily job, or youre trying to save every single kgs you can save for races
That being same sided for disc, also has its pros and cons, yes i do agree that its overrated, IF youre doing small rides, for example getting a full hydraulic Ice Tech brakeset, and youre just cycling 30km in your neighborhood now thats rubbish, but especially for other reasons like you need an instant stop like an extremely instant stop, or doing high climbs yes you need good weight you also need good braking power during climbing and in descending you also need that, mainly because disc brakes are focused at the center of the wheel rather than being in the wheel itself, etc etc
So in the end its based on you, if you can handle yourself with rim brakes doing extremely steep descents then go ahead
Concerning groupsets I would say that the parts don't necessarily have to be new - I mostly got my Campy Record stuff second hand via ebay, small ads or via bike forums. Top groupsets - provided they got well maintained - can still look as good as new, while lower positioned groupsets may soon look worn, due to not so good metals and/or cheap(er) plastic.
Concerning lightweight I have to say that it is ok as lang as you don't have to make compromises concerning handlig or safety. I personally get some satisfaction when I know I have optimized every single screw, for example my Record 10speed rear derailleur weights just about 150 gr. I count in the way "My rear derailleur got 20 grams lighter" instead of "My bike got 20 grams lighter". Or my rear rim brake, a still pimped Zero gravity 05 (later versions were to heavy) with 84 grams, and its braking power ist still sufficient, as I am myself quite lightweight (62kg/137 lbs on 1,77m/5.8 ft). With the wheels, I prefer deeper ones that maybe a little bit heavier but are more aero. For years, I had self-made extensions with no proper arm rests, the arm rests cosisted of foam stuff fixed with cable ties on the base bar to save weight. When I first bought proper extensions with proper arm rests it was a real revelation, especially the far better handling. Since then I know handling beats weight.
Ceramic bearings are in most cases only hybrid ceramic bearings, which means you have ceramic balls running on a steel surface. As far as I understood it, Hambini said in a video (I think it was even an interview in a GCN video concerning ceramic bearings) that due to the much harder material of the ceramic balls insteaad of "softer" metal balls, those hybrid bearings wear out faster than "normal" bearings.
To answer the queation: OSPW are definitely overrated, and - at least to me - they look quite weird.
Family Feud is the name of the show in the US. the one benefit to OSPW (not the ridiculous ceramic speed ones though) is that you can extend the lowest gear size of your current derailleur without having to use a wolf tooth extender. SRAM etap 11-speed short cage can be upped to 32-tooth capacity for example.
Exactly what I did with my Campy rear mech. Much cheaper than a new one
No sealant? That means no dried sealant or topping up, sounds great for a low maintenance commuter! No self-sealing punctures, though, but that's already the life with butyl tubes...
I'm gonna go get some Dura Ace jockey wheels to go with my Tiagra, Sugino, SRam drive train. Just so I can say yeah I've got Dura Ace components.
Video suggestion . £ per watt . Show a video on bike set up and the cost saving per watt . Like taking out a head spacer and the watts saved , tighter jersey , and what that equivalent saving would cost in bearings and wheels etc
Latex/TPU tubes would probably be at the top.
Or clamp-on TT bars, if we're talking about time trial races specifically.
17:50 Love the subtle change in Olluminati’s laptop. 😅
Thank you for pointing that out!! I had missed it
Ollie as a GCN presenter is definitely underrated by a huge ......... margin 😮
Try telling my wife smth like this: "Babe, I haven't bought my ceramic speed oversized pulley wheels cage. Oh and btw, I'm going to Italy for a bike ride next week" ;)
But seriously, I think any spending may be fine if it motivates you! I remember that when I bought my first power meter, even though I didn't really need it as I ride more casually and not structure my training, I started riding much more cause I was super excited that I just got some new equipment and could see some new numbers. I recently bought new bike (overkill for my needs) and since then I've been using every free minute to squeez in a bike ride. It simply pushes me forward and gives me a lot of joy of having more time on a bike.
Hey!
I would love to see a cheap bike build with (elitewheels) and some cheap carbon frame like hygee, trifox or even elves
Electronic shifting is overrated if you like to work on your own bicycle. With Shimano, unless you buy the necessary electronic equipment, you can't install updates without taking the bike to your local shop and hope they have the equipment.. Where with mechanical shifting you can do almost all work on your bike's drivetrain yourself.
I built a gravel bike out of a scrap Orbea 26" frame i bought for €30. Full build with second hand 650b wheels and a Sensah SRX pro group set and carbon forks was about €300. I absolutely love it, best bike ive ever ridden. Makes me smile thats all that matters
Thank you guys for this video. I know you like tech on bikes but not everything is useful, as those items you showed in the video. Nice to see that GCN despite being very fit riders with access to top of the line tech, you understand that this is not the case for the majority of riders and can help us make sense of the useless bling. And yes, it’s called Family Feud.
The one piece of tech/functional piece of equipment I feel which has gone sideways are oversized sunglasses. Some look like windscreens from my 1970 MGB 🙂. I do realize it's more of a fashion piece; however some are so darn large and unattractive that it makes the riders head look like a 5 yr old is wearing them. Ride on friends 🙂
One piece cockpits and carbon spokes are overrated imo but the most, most overrated thing is Hookless wheels.
One piece cockpits with internal cable routing are the work of the devil.
A mate of mine has gone doollally. He has a penchant for fitting ludicrously expensive parts on old bangers. He is currently in the marker for a carbon pump.Crazy
Ollie is correct-Family Feud
Ollie...Family Feud is correct.
I have a few road bikes that are all carbon, electronic, hydro disc and then I picked up a 2018 Giant TCR Maglia Rosa Edition with SRAM Red mechanical and rim brakes and I enjoy riding it more than my newer more techie bikes. It's super light, simple, and just works. So, I think a lot of the latest tech is overrated, mechanical/rim was just fine.
I do think indoor training is overrated. Even though it allows you to ride when the conditions aren't perfect or time is sensitive, those miles are just so much more painfully boring than a real ride. I don't get those who do it more than once in a while.
Depends on where you live. It’s not possible to ride outside because of rain, snow, ice and the fact that the sun rises 10.30 and goes down 15:30 in the winter. In addition it’s not enough snow for cross country skiing, so indoor training is golden. Do most of the rides outside in spring and autumn in weather that’s equivalent to English winter.
Using a garbux oversized pully wheel allowed me to put a 50t casette on my shimano GRX whose stated max capacity is 42t. Basically I can spin up 20% hills which are common in the Pennines and Calderdale. It was a functional change not a cosmetic change for me!
just a note on the mention of the dura ace chain. it is like $30 more than the 105 one for 11spd. at least in the grand scheme of a modern bike that's basically nothing, so run the groupset that works for you and your budget and get a nice chain. they aren't that much and like they said can improve efficiency
love my wrielss goupset and battery charge is never an issue as apps tell me the state and my AXS batteriess can be taken off and charged indoors easily.
But OSPW...why......as you said, we are talking a watt or two gain......seems pointless (to me) for the cost...
Since currencies fluctuate, the cost to benefit ratios of tech should be evaluated relative to the benefit of oversize pulley wheels (as Josh Portner did in a video with GCN, I think). If Ollie gets a paper published quickly enough on the topic, he could even call this unit of measure the "PB" (short for Portner-Bridgewood). Then, when presenting, one could say "aero socks equate to power savings of 4.2 PB (e.g. oversize pulley wheels) at 40 kph".
I bought Pirelli Smart tubes - two rides and one of them got 4 punctures at one time, not under the tread. So I might understand why they have up dated the product. Incidentally the internet company who supplied these from Girona does not respond to my emails over this issue. Buyer beware
I love that both our countries speak English and we still need translation. The same is true in the Spanish speaking world. My family speaks Spanish and we are always surprised at how different it is from region to region. Family Feud is what we call it in the USA.
I have just spent time going down the rabbit hole of what is the best way to set up my wheels, After a bit of money and faff I have found my go to set up. TPU rocks!!!! Tubeless is just too much faff and robs you of all your cash (wheels tape sealant the list goes on!) Latex ok, fast but had some very stealthy punctures, would go flat in an hour but could not find where from, ahhh. I now run TPU and it is a real alternative to tubeless in my opinion, nearly as fast as Latex, and if Pirelli are right just as fast without the faff of Tubeless, what's not to like.
My Aliexpress Cyclami TPU tubes have been faultless, amazed how tough a 35 gram tube can be.
Well I'm happy to see that the GCN socks I bought for more speed and power weren't on the overrated list!
Tech is great, but….had my heart set on Ultrgra, but after listening to Ollie’s commonsense I went for 105 Di 2 & even went down 2 model’s but with the exact same frame. This allowed me to upgrade my to a nice set carbon aero wheels & get my first ever power meter. Ended up with a bike that I love & came in under budget with money left to put towards upgrading the tyres & tubes.
It’s interesting that you put it the way you did for wheels. I bought a real nice set of wheels, but kept the same excellent tires and latex tubes I was already using. I didn’t feel a huge difference. Switching to those tires and tubes was a much bigger difference. The new wheels were maybe 10%.
Problem with ceramic is that they spoil easier. So it’s a fraction of a watt when they are brand new and then they end up worse than quality steel bearings. Or maintained bearings.
The water bottle i use a cheap aluminum one. I can bend to my ideal tightness. I don’t have to worry about faffing in and out. Titanium strength makes no sense. CF ones are finicky
Back in the day, I spent a lot of mental energy agonizing over what components I needed on my bike. The forum comment that changed my outlook was "If you're not racing, it's a functional bike part."
I agree with the overall argument against for example the ceramic bearings in a headset. Serious so you can steer that much smoother?!?! 😂
Spending 10 percent of the cost of that bearing on some quality food to fuel your race or even on a sport psychologist for a seshion or two think might give you more advantage. And i am not one to rely on psychologists. Spend money wiser. Just because on tiktok they show you how long the cranks can spin it doesnt make you faster :D a good bike service so your brakes dont drag or arent spongy. A good braking system can save you sooo much more than ceramic bearings.... braking later than others into corners makes a huge difference. I recomend filtering the crap out of the bike tech being pushed by the industry. Its just bling
As you said, anything that makes the ride more enjoyable and/or not frustrating is a worthwhile upgrade. After all, too many people (including myself) can sometimes forget having fun is what it's all about.
There are things you need and things you want. It is pretty easy to cross that line. I think, if you arent a racer, you should go for functionality/price rather than weight saving/bling
I can wait to get all the great tech recommendations in this episode for my steel road bike! Thanks guys!
I was wondering when you'd get around to the hollowtech recall. Cranks break sometimes. That's just how it is. That said, as an older recreational cyclist, I went with old school Sugino Mighty Tour instead of Dura Ace on my last bike. Same cost, but non hollow 2000 series square taper, mature tech. Bonded aluminum hollow tech was always a dumb idea. They should have gone with Ti, or even hydroformed chromoly. The old Bullseye cranks everyone copied never broke.
Cranks are overrated, we should just all have balance bikes.
@@nerigarcia7116 Much easier to pedal those... I'm going back to cottered steel cranks. I realize I was kind of negative. Hollowtech is fine. Just keep an eye on them. All cranks can break. Some more than others.
What's wrong with modern bb spindles? Square taper sucks. Source: 54, ridden both.
@@matthewlewis2072 Modern BB spindles are better. I was referring to the glued together construction of hollowtech cranks. Shimano just had to recall like 4 million of them. That's a problem.
Bib shorts. All I hear is how great they are and I personally can’t stand them. Salesman talked me into trying a pair saying “ don’t you hate when your shorts slide down?”. If the answer is “no, my shorts never slide down”, you don’t need bib shorts. Just another layer and a pain if you have to take a leak.
Have discovered that the best way to make my bike feel light weight, is simply not to have heavy panniers on the rear rack. I always surprise myself with how light my commuter bike is when it's not loaded with heaps of stuff. (I have to carry my bike up and down stairs.)
Lighter weight on a road bike is not only about climbing. A kilo definitely makes a difference in acceleration and can be the difference between hanging on or being dropped on fast group rides or races. Especially if that weight is in the wheels.
I clearly remember in the queue for the weekly club ‘10’, someone said they’d save 20g by drilling out their chainrings, to which someone else said they’d saved at least 100g by not going to the pub the night before. Pissed myself laughing, nearly fell off when my start time came.
Like a lot of people I love seeing the coolest, most expensive new tech and learning how they can make riding bikes better. But like in the automotive industry, a lot of the “Top-Tier” features trickle down to those more affordable products. When I am purchasing new bike parts, I will look for reliable and durable parts so that I can go out and enjoy the road, scenery & my bike of which all contribute to a great bike ride.
Sealed bearings, great but when they fail they can seize up completely. Had them seize solid in wheels, bb's and headsets. Never had that with loose ball bearings, the headset on my commute bikes is over 30 years old and still smooth.
Bike weight is quite a nuanced topic. I think you guys are right. Yes, over-rated in terms of performance, however, I think it's a universal truth that lighter bikes just feel better. So yeah, light weight is a good thing and people like it, but be realistic about performance expectations.
Oval chain rings, over sized pulley wheels, aero has gone to far and very expensive carbon, aluminum, steel and titanium frames and parts. Just get a bike the fits you and your life and works well. I don't mind people that spend money on their bikes just as long as they are not spending it thinking it going make a big difference and they can finally start winning races.
I agree with # 1-3. For #4 I would say electronic shifting: a more expensive, higher maintenance, less durable solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
For most underrated tech, I would say good tires and latex inner tubes, though the truth of this is becoming better known in recent years.
Great show this week Margaret and Ollie.
Who is Ollie?
Ollie is the one with dark hair, right?
Where’s Stan?
LOVE!! how you are talking about money and having a bike in such a practical way. Sometimes it all seems like all is advertising bundled with information. Advertising is fine but ALL advertising ALL the time stinks!.
Thanks for doing this.
Shimano have only had an issue for 11 years so well done in quickly revealing the issue 😂
Most overrated bike tech? Anything that reduces reliability or makes bikes or components disposable. Especially if it adds a lot to the price. Electronic shifting is high on this list. I still have the first bike I ever bought for myself. It was a 1981 Diamond Back Team Pro (bmx), while I upgraded some parts in the first few years that I had it, it all still works. Why? Simplicity. The parts don’t have batteries (especially proprietary ones), the frame is chromoly steel, not carbon fiber. As long as I can get replacement cables, I could probably still be riding it if it weren’t ridiculously small for me.
I have never had a cable fail that wasn’t visually degraded for a long time. They are relatively inexpensive, readily available, and interchangeable. What’s not to like?
I'm reminded of the shock I had in the 1970s when an accomplished racer told me that "real" racers rode the steel Campy quill pedals rather than the alloy Superleggera model because the cages didn't wear out. Racers valued reliability and durability over faux performance gains. He also had fenders on a Zeus he used for training on wet days, and I well remember working as hard as I could. just to stay close enough to read the Blumels decal. I've come to embrace the mantra "It's all in the legs."
The most overrated bike tech is the oversize jockey wheels, hookless tubeless rims, cable routing through the headset and lightweight wheels are so low on my priority, they're not even on the list. As the alloy wheels and tyres on my 29 mountain bike. Weigh about 4.5kg. I'd like to save money by doing the replacement on the outer gear cable and brake hose myself. instead of not having the bike to ride as it's at the LBS have these replaced. The reasons are. The oversize jockey wheels are really ugly and put extra torque through a rear mech which wasn't designed for the extra torque. The hookless tubeless rim. The are pointless due to giving the rider less choice in which wheels and tyres he rider wants to use. I heard some hookless tyres and some hookless wheels are not compatible. So Alex thinks the Spengle 27.5" tri spoke carbon mountain bike wheels at €1390 are OK. But the same tri spoke carbon wheels with 24ct European gold hand laid on to the wheels at €10000 is excessive?
Indoor trainers + Zwift. Most underrated bike tech❤
Disc Brakes and Tubeless Tires. Give me Rim Brakes and Tubes any day. Although Disc Brakes are an advantage in wet and muddy terrain.
Disagree on ceramic bearings. Need to take into account life (and or warranty)
Shimano BBs made of chocolate, last 6 months. Ceramicspeed either 4 year or lifetime warranty.
1/2 a watt is not the main point for me.
23:17 you can see Alex's brain throwing up some jokes and then his self censoring kicking in
great bit on overrated tech!
alex was superbly on point about the tires being much much more important than fancy wheels .
and having ridden everything from Claris to dura ace di2 i agree the the top of the line groupsets are overrated for anyone who isn't racing( someone at least 5 watts per kg upwards ) ( of course there are those that buy it purely for the bling ( but say its for weight issues . those are a different unit )
am still surprised that my no where near top of the line 2014 cannondale (weighing nearlly 3 kgs more ) is much quicker than my much more close to the top of the line izalco max with di2 while i go uphill. :)
Cycling Tech is the Best!
Riding your bike and not having to think Cycling Tech is also the Best!
Great show and thanks!
Love the "unsposored" truth. Not like videos about Shimano power meters. Wheels should go to the top of the list for 95% of us. Carbon 40mm deep wheels generally gives you 5w at 40 km/h from all reviews i watched over the years. Who rides at 40kmh? If you do, no problem, you should get it.
I keep thinking about upgrading my DuraAce 7800 levers to get rid of the cables. But they shift perfectly. It would be purely aesthetics.
And bit of aero improvement.
That's what I did for my 105 5600 by switching to Tiagra 4700, not just for cleaner looks, but also for better ergonomics (I can't comfortably fit my last three fingers underneath the 105 ST-5600) and lower shifting effort (the Tiagra FD-4700's longer arm provides better leverage than 105 FD-5600).
Most overrated tech:
Oversized pulley wheels
12 speed cassettes
Ceramic bearings
Loud freewheels
Rear hubs with 24, 36, 52, 437 points of engagement
Anything smaller than a front fork fashioned out of titanium
Carbon spokes
Anything Pinarello (they’re great, and they’re beautiful, but 99.5% of cyclists don’t need to spend that much)
Muc Off products
It's all over-rated... just got home from my weekly "race pace" group ride. One of the guys went off the front with 20 minutes to go.. we never caught him... the guy was on a rim brake bike with exposed cables, box section wheels, and inner tunes... it's all about the motor. Yes, tech helps but the legs make the biggest difference.
Apparently we now need a road bike, a cyclo-cross bike and a gravel bike. A few years ago we would've had one bike and three sets of tyres. So I am adding gravel bikes to the list of hype, it's just marketing.
Wait thy re coming up with grass bikes
If you like it and want it, get it. If you want to take that holiday and have to make the choice, make it. I notice many on GCN use top end group sets, bikes, etc. As you said, it is all quality components, so to each his own. I love ceramic BB bearings as they seem to last longer than the steel ones, at least for me. Maybe I could buy a few steel ones for the price of one -- still have to service the ceramic ones so I am still taking them out to do that and could simply add a new steel BB -- just my preference, as it should be for everyone.
Ever neglect to charge your Di2 battery? I LOVE my mechanical Ultegra groupset.
Can't run out of juice if it never needed any in the first place. 👉😏
...apart from the yen piece crankset 😂 (R8000 here)
About as often as I've had an RD cable snap or jam.
If OSPW were any good Shimano and SRAM would have adopted them for their high end groupsets by now.
Regarding super lightweight stuff: If the weight reduction is less than me going number 2, I don't even consider it as an option. Why should I pay a premium price if I can just take a sh!t?
This may be asked multiple times and all we are aware of marketing replies but I wonder if GCN can do conclusive trial to deem its practicality.
1- Shimano 12s cassette with SRAM 12 speed system (I hate the fact that any wheel I buy for my family, I need to buy a spare XDR freehub). Understandable that we may need to use Shimano 12S chain.
2- SRAM brakes with mineral oil, marketing says the seals will corrode but mineral oil is non-corrosive compared to DOT fluid . I wouldn't do it otherwise though (using DOT on the Shimano system), I am sick of the fact that even though there is only one SRAM bike in my family, we need to have two separate bleed kits.
#askGCN #askGCNTech #GCNTech
Improvements that provide added function (performance, comfort, safety, convenience) are bigger, lower pressure tires, disc brakes, wireless shifting.
I have a few thoughts about top tier equipment. Yes it might be overrated by means of functionality, but people are buying it also for their emotion, for feeling that it makes you better, by just feeling good. And also status - having fancier stuff lifts you higher.
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches I must make amends..."
Top-end cycling shoes because their value depends so much on fit. Doesn't matter what materials they use or what fastening system is employed if they aren't the right fit. Sure they are good, but people always focus discussion on the tech when I want to know whether it will actually hold my heel well or about the fit of the toe box. I am sure many many people have spent hundreds on a pair of super stiff and lightweight shoes for performance but had to buy them two sizes to big to accommodate their foot at which point the cleats are in the wrong place or any number of other issues which are bad enough on their own, but what damage are they then doing to their feet (bunions, plantar fasciitis) with poorly fitted shoes?
Underrated tech: Superfeet insoles.
The problem I have with stated aero gains is, at most in aggregate, one can only save about 45 watts at 36 mph. Since it is an exponential function, the gains drop precipitously with a lower speed and really does not matter in a bigger bunch group. Also, turns causes a huge drop in aero gains. Changing wind fronts, vehicles passing etc only drops the stated gains from the ideal which is not realistic. If you total the aero gains proported from the component industry, the gains is close to 100 watts, which is totally wrong. Something smells with the industry marketing. I would rather spend money to save weight and train my body position.
Slap on two full bottles of water and that add a kilo, more drag. Jees! Many won't remember aluminum 5 speed freewheels and the Huret Jubilee derailleur, HiE wheels and drilling out everything.
Slightly oversize pulley wheels can be a good value way of increasing RD wrap. I used a set of 12/14 pulleys from BBB to replace the 11/11 in a Shimano RD-M952/3 (and others). Combined with a reversed and longer b-screw an actual wrap of 55 is possible compared to the 43 spec and the max sprocket goes to about 42 compared to the 34 (I think) spec. I don't go any faster but have much better gear range.
I’ve been using the non TLR version of the Challenger tyre now for a while. Definitely recommend if you want a reasonably fast yet durable and puncture resistant tyre. The non-TLR version is excellent value too.
I much prefer mechanical groupset with rim brakes. Everything is under my own power and it's just man and machine. Everything is also intuitive and you can fix everything yourself. It's the true feeling of freedom. I ride up Cypress (Local Vancouver version of L'alpe D'huez) very enjoyably with my 1991 specialized sirrus and "upgraded" Sora Triple hollowtech 8 speed drivetrain with downtube shifters. It doesn't miss a beat. Bike weighs nearly 11kg. I'm slow, but it's still fun :)
The main reason people pick lightweight over aero is that weight is easier to measure. You only need a scale, as opposed to a wind tunnel.
Large pulley wheels are at the top of my “never again” list.
I agree that some of those things are pricy and don't really add much in the way of performance, but ceramic bearings last much longer and save me trips to the bike shop for replacement. My wheels came with ceramic and have easily lasted 4x longer than my old wheels with standard bearings and are still going strong. Maybe not so much in the head tube, but in wheels, they get a thumbs-up from me!
I think that was sorta the point Oli was making when he was talking about using ceramic bearings in headsets. How much difference a ceramic bearing makes depends massively on how much rotation is happening, so wheels: sure, BB: probably, headset: vanity.
If Ollie does do a bike with a Pinion gearbox. He has a choice. The 1.12. Which is 12 speed. Or the P1.18. Which is 18 speed but they also have a P1.12 as well. The P-Line are lighter. But the C-line are more durable.
Why are so many tyre manufacturers still maxing out at 32c widths - normal endurance bikes, that ordinary people use, now allow 35/38c, but there are so few options available to take advantage of them. Especially urban, endurance puncture resistant tyres, like that new Hutchinson and Gators etc.
Di2 is the most UNDERRATED tech... Absolutely transformative and worth every penny.
Over-rated bike tech, integrated cables, look good until you need to work on your bike, a sure way to be stopped at the gates of heaven 😢
I agree with them especially those OVERRATED parts that are priced over the roof and will save you a few ounces or a few watts which is very-very unnoticeable. I would rather spend those precious dollars for our vacation or to some important and essential needs. Have considered getting a new on-road bike but the prices seems to be overrated for me, thus, I will still keep on using my 2011 8-Speed Specialized Allez with upgrades of better parts and 5 sets of rim brake wheels with cassette. The only original part my bike have is the seat post and head set bearings.
Great article guys and you brought to mind and interesting little bit of the human experience with technology. In earlier times, I was a great fan of hi-fi and got into it in a big way. The manufacturers were doing well and year after year, the tech got better and more expensive but the improvements never quite came up to the new costs. It was the discovery of "the law of diminishing returns." I was also working as a musician and in the same way, the tech gets better and better although at some point, the prices are much higher than the improvements in sound. This article on some overrated tech for cycling points out that very same human need for something better even if the new thing is twice the cost with yet smaller and smaller increments of improvement.
What we're reluctant to mention is that the 'tech' improvements in musicianship and cycling, in art and sport, has to come from us. From ourselves through intelligent practice and diligent training. Keep up the good work, your articles and discussions are always fascinating and I watch and listen sometimes when riding indoors.
Giving that Lauf a supernice screams bias towards sponsorships.
Good to hear that the weight weenie debate is being debunked, My 10kg steelie is becoming fashionable again. We always said back in the dark ages, the wheels are the thing that makes you fast. I had a friend who upgraded to tubulars back in the dark ages from some ordinary wheels. I spent most of the next ride shouting for him to slow down. Nuff said.
Overrated: Integrated cockpits. the one that comes with your bike will almost certainly not fit and a replacement costs a fortune and is a nightmare to install.
I once had a customer asking if I can swap out his new 2021+ Trek Émonda SL's two-piece cockpit for a one-piece cockpit right off the bat, but here's the catch:
1) He's never ridden this bike before.
2) I don't think he's ever had a bike fit on a fit bike replicating its geometry.
Therefore, I don't know what dimensions would fit him yet unless a bike fit was done beforehand, so I indirectly denied the request.
@@yonglingng5640 Very responsible thing to do. I applaud you. Sometimes you have to protect the customers from theor own ideas. 👏
@@chrisridesbicycles It's for liability reasons too. They can't blame me for installing a cockpit with the wrong dimensions if they don't even know what the right ones are yet. I usually don't see them know any better. Good thing he didn't throw a fit, you know how unpredictably unreasonable some customers can be.
I don't believe in the phrase "The customer is always right.".
Why dont you do a show on how to plan your first bike holiday? Where to go,where to stay?how to get there? What resources to use or avoid. Thx
Welcome back Albert. Hope Nice was nice...
Spending thousands more on a high-end bike to save weight but only realize single digit performance gains only in specific riding circumstances, is a disappoint, at best. Simon's video also comes to mind where he compared Canyon Aeroad high-end CFR to mid-end CF. He was adamant that, although spec'd almost identically, the two bikes felt very different. I believe the high-end CFR is stiffer and less comfortable. So, save your money, get the mid-end CF Aeroad, which performs similarly... but actually, maybe better performance because of the better comfort.
Look at the grams that are saved when wearing light weight clothing, cutting the cloth using less material saves weight and is way more expensive than the same item in size XL XXL & XXXL and larger size shoes too, cheap as chips.