Cheap Bike vs Superbike - How Much Faster Is An Expensive Road Bike and Equipment?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.ค. 2024
- Is an expensive road bike and top-of-the-range cycling kit noticeably faster than a much cheaper entry-level road bike and equipment? To find out we pit an S-Works Tarmac SL7 against a £350 Cannondale Caad10. The definitive answer to cheap bike vs superbike!
Road cycling, road bikes, cycling equipment and cycling kit all cost a fortune but is the difference between an expensive road bike and a cheap road bike too big to ignore if you want to go fast on a road bike? road.cc do real-life testing to find out how much slower a cheap road bike and equipment is and then discuss where you can make the most cost-effective road bike upgrades.
How much road cycling speed can you buy? And is it worth it for your road cycling? Let us know in the comments section below...
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3000% price for 1.6% speed. Sounds as a great deal 😅
If your Salary depends on it... but for the rest... hell no!!!
If ur in a race 1.6% speed even matters a lot
@@eaglearrowz if you earn living by racing - yes.
Probably change the gear ration on the cheeper one and they bouth would have equal times... But as my wife one said, "it's not ma matter of having something expensive, it's a matter of showing You can aford it". The discussion was about plastic surgery, but i quess it can be applied to every matter.
A few years go a UCI Pro ran a manufactures basic 105 Di2 ($3250 or so now) race bike against their $10,000 more expensive team bike. Over a nearly 2 hour climbing stage the difference was 1%. It ain't the tool, it's the mechanic.
I’m willing to bet the caad10 would be 3/4 seconds faster with deeper wheels and then the difference will be negligible. No point then spending £10k plus !
How much was that caad 10 worth at the moment of buying? like a cheap orbea with 105 and carbon aero wheels is faster that said caad 10 with dura ace and alloy wheels, for sure, even at +2kilo
@@bernardo9202 well put it this way I have caad12 cost me 500, even if I got 1000 wheels , massively cheaper and the caad12 is a fast bike, it wouldn't be much different to this sl7 which is 12k at least.
So that speaks for itself . And yes it aluminium bike but I had a willier Cento 10 pro before caad12 and I prefer the caad is it brilliant ride
Maybe wheight would be the only noticable change
Are you seriously telling me that all we have gained from CAAD10 to SL7 is 1.6%? Wasn't the CAAD12 supposed to be 5% faster than the CAAD10! We're just being made to look like fools if we're buying the latest bikes when the older bikes aren't really any slower!
Bike drag reduction is 5%
Cool cycling story bro.
No one forcing you to buy new bikes every year
Leur parcours n’a pas de dénivelé ni un mauvais revêtement…les vélos d’aujourd’hui sont très efficaces sur mauvais revêtements et en côte les vélos récents font merveille
Bike itself has virtually no effect compared to wheels and body position. Your fault if you follow marketing hype without thinking.
My take away is how good the cheap bike is
yeah some of the CAADs and Allez's are just so much bike for the money. with the big dollars you save on the frame, you can get some pretty nice components, and suddenly you got a really good performing bike on a very practical and long lasting frame, and still have money left over for good fitting kit and helmet.
Exactly. For my 'runaround' bike I have an old aluminium Halfords Zelos frame with a 105 groupset and cheap Shimano wheels, and other than for the 'feel' it's just as fast as my Ridley Noah with all the bells and whistles. Cost about 500 quid for the Zelos vs. over 5K for the Ridley. Don't get me wrong, it's a pleasure to ride the Ridley, but for the average rider we shouldn't fool ourselves that the bike makes any significant difference once you spend more than a few hundred quid on a bike and put it on decent tyres.
Agreed. I feel like upgrading some other items on an aluminum bike then it'll be just as fast. A lot comes down to the actual motor, aka us lol.
A decent aluminum or steel road bike with aluminum wheels, exposed cables operating rim brakes and 2x9 or higher derailleurs, and good tires with inner tubes will be a very satisfying experience for nearly every rider, and it will be 95% as fast as the bikes ridden by pros. If you want to go faster, spend your savings on a professional fit and a professional trainer.
it's not a matter of riding experience. It's a matter of showing other that You can afford such bike. It gives +10 to confidence and speed :)
Still down to rider how fit you are so that's how fast you go
Instead of buying a “cheap” bike , buy a used bike for $2500 that was once $10,000 three years ago
Problem solved
Why? I bought a giant tcr with 105 all round for 600euro, 3years old. That's all the bike any novice to intermediate needs. Pro is different. 2500 - no need at all.
@@Cloud007. I think you missed the point… I’m just giving a Ballpark, but the idea is the same
@@johnhirka654
Yes but to me, 2500 is 400% too expensive. I see your point but people don't realise that all you need is 500-600 for a great bike.
@@Cloud007. I find the $2000 mark to be the sweet spot to get a top end used bike. But I have certainly had less then and I agree. Whatever floats your boat!
I don't think i could trust a 10k bike being sold at 2.5k. Usually it's because the frame is cracked, that's why they sell it cheap
Feeling stiffness when out of saddle ok, I take it, but otherwise its entirely psychological. The low tire pressure hype makes the whole feeling fluffy no matter how stiff the frame. Bike aero is negligible, just a marketing hype. Body position and wheels is all that counts.
Very good to know how little difference there is between those bikes and the clothing.
*Excellent*
The rider matters MUCH more than the bike
Great video guys, I'm big time convinced that it is the biker and not the bike that makes a difference. I can see when I reach the same results with my vintage steel post-modern bike, than people who ride on top bikes. It's all about marketing for bikers outside the pro circuits of course
Yep.
"less upgrades, more riding up grades"
@@M.F.Hafizhan exactly 👌 big time
I am living proof that more fitness equals more speed.
Thank you a no BS honest video i applaud you both for such a refreshing video where can i find a Caad 10 please ?.
A change of tyres on the Cannondale might have made it the faster bike given that the margins are that small.
gp5ks and some latex that sl7 is outta there 😂😂😂
Yup
Get a clue. Get a reality.
@@death2pc Get sober.
It is very informative and well conducted test for the whole very different 2 systems
other than the feel of responsiveness i wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the time savings came from the tires.
Agree with many comments here... you can buy a 350 quid bike, upgrade to fast tyres and maybe fresh wheel bearings, get a good fit, all under 5-600 total, the speed difference will be very small
But, being a rider on a premium bike, what a nice bike does is not go fast, but makes you smile when you ride it... in the end, the 10k is worth it, but not for the speed.
solid mid range pair of wheels and descent tires does so much for a cheaper bike. Great video!
For an amateur where there is such a wide range of abilities from 2w/kg to 5w/kg etc, who is pushing the pedals is so much more important.
Great video
Fun fact. You've been played. Still standing fastest UCI times from the 1950's,1960's, 1970's, 1980's. Yes. From that era. The whole lighter, stiffer and "aero" lie is just that. Hey. Have you used the latest "aero" chain lube, as well, "aero" everything else....?
The worst part of all these comparisons, they never compare with equipment swap such as:
- same tires
- same wheels
- same cockpit/handlebars
Majority of the gains are from these and not the frame.
Totally. My experience of high end tyres/tubes from mid range tyres/butyl is over 1km/h average speed. It seems the cannondale is fitted with conti 4seasons or gatorskins, none of which is a quick tyre. Upgrading the rubber alone would greatly improve the results, let alone with a kit+wheel upgrade.
Frames are such a small percentage of the total drag, particularly for larger riders, and yet brands keep selling the idea that a new frameset will suddenly make everyone quicker.
PS: and has anyone heard of weight lifting and structured training? I can guarantee it will seriously improve the speed for very little cost.
But then a £200 bike wouldn’t be a £200 bike if you are putting £3k worth of wheels, cockpit and tires onto it. Surely the point of the video was to compare a ££££ vs £
Understood, but I think it's the "ALL of these comparisons" part that resonates. These channels seem to go out of their way to avoid delving into how easily an older bike can be made more competitive. You never see them comparing a mildly restomoded older bike against a modern $5000 bike. They always compare the opposite extremes.
Thanks for the suggestion! We will get on it!
@@nluisa you are 100% right about the various major sources of drag, the frame being the least relevant of them all. Tyres, wheels and even a thoroughly clean and well adjusted transmission are far more relevant than all that aero optimised and integrated malarkey. Even a suitable frame geometry for your own body's needs may help you produce a higher power output in a more efficient manner relative to whatever is to be gained by getting rid of exposed cables or "slamming that stem".
Weight lifting and structured training, though, on top of not being mutually exclusive with having a nice/fast/expensive bike, take time, dedication and energy that one may or may not have. And time is money anyway 😁 also, don't forget the mental factor in the training process - I know more than one lads who took a break or given up competitive cycling because of mental burnouts due to all the relentless indoor/outdoor structured training they went through, to the point where they couldn't even stand the sight of a bike for a while. So not all are born or grown equal, and weight lifting or structured training come with a different cost to various people.
Some expensive things are worth it. MAAP stuff, for one. Their Pro Race gloves make you anticipate and look forward to using them, they're that good.
I'd reckon whatever kind of kit makes you want to ride more and maybe feel faster is worth it. Especially if you got a used bike that was good back in it's day.
The CAAD10 is a wonderful bike. Give it some good wheels and a nice group and it will dust your overpriced Specialized.
Whooooaaaaa. The Specialized is looking sharp.
An S-Works is nice and all, but joining a 36kmh, 110km group ride on my $100 Specialised touring bike (with pannier rack) was priceless.
Honestly I thought the difference would be closer to 10%
I think all this proved is that there is little point speed wise in buying a more expensive bike.
So top of the bike tech aero etc only had 5 to 10 secs at 300 watts which is a lot. If you rode at 200 watts probably would be nothing lol
And most of us aren't even close to 200w if we're being honest. Most riders I follow on Strava are in the order of 150-170W over the course of a 3-4 hour ride. At these speeds (25-30kp/h) the two bikes would be virtually identical unless there's a lot of stop/start acceleration, then the light/stiff bike will have the edge.
@thegearboxman Yeah well your wallet with be very much lighter with the 10k bike. Bike brands have always cheated their customers saying this frame weighs 700 grams but actually weighs 850. If I pay top dollar for a 700 gram frame then it should weigh 700 grams. This aero stuff is even worse because it is much harder to prove one bike is more aerodynamic then another unlike just putting a frame on the scale...
This is the wrong question. The real question is who has more money for coffee after the ride?
Get the expensive bike then.
I am riding CAAD10 with Ultegra (stock from factory). With 50mm stack height carbon wheel, it doesn’t feel much slower than lastest carbon bike. The con is rim brake on carbon wheel.
If you're concerned about rim wear but not too much on wheelset weight, check out HED wheels.
I am not worry about rim wear. Rather, I am worry about braking in the wet. Thanks for the recommendation
In fact it is quicker than most carbon bikes, mate.
@@tsctch You're welcome.
Do the test again with caad12 or 10 or 13, with some.carbon wheels and gp5000 tr s on it and I bet we looking at very similar times
The reality...
A rider with 5 more watts on the cheap bike will be faster than the guy who wastes his money on the $12K bike.
Bike industry is an epic rip off hustling dumb people who think they can buy game.
Only reason why pros ride $12K bikes is because they are paid to ride them as advertising.
The fastest rider in any club will be the fastest rider on the slowest bike.
3:01 wow Mathieu relax
Here we go again, Keep your cheap rig upgrade to deep dish hoops 50s, or 80s if you want prime aero benefits, size down the frame if you want extra stiffness/agility, 25mm tires, 110psi then compare.
Well, look at the new Tarmac SL8...the marketing text says its 16 seconds faster over a 40km course, for the same power ... although they're talking about someone averaging close to 25mph.
My numbers are nowhere near that and im guessing most people aren't that quick either, so in reality its all meaningless.
I suppose its all a question of margins. You would think it would make sense to say 'get 95% of the performance for a fifth of the cost', but I'm guessing the bike companies are more interested in selling ten $10k bikes than 50 $2k bikes.
Some amazing humor )
Serious question… where did you find a mars bar cause I’ve not seen one in years and have been craving on just as long!
Come to Australia Mars bars everywhere. Often "half price".
@@Damian-ck5lo sounds like a business opportunity for some exporters to the U.S.!
Tires, tubes, wheels and clothes. Can you do this again with matching tires, tubes, wheels and clothes please.
I’d rather see a mid-spec bike vs a pro bike. How does an Ultegra group set bike with basic Hunt carbon wheels and a slightly heavier carbon frame do up against a top end bike?
Probably much closer than this.
@@bluemystic7501 For anyone with an ftp this side of 250w my guess would be no difference whatsoever.
i think the best comparison is a new 10k bike vs 3k bike
CAAD10 such a legendary value bike.
I just moved from a $2000NZD alloy Domane to a $10k Emonda with ENVE 65s.
Does the bike go 5x faster? Hell no.
Is it 5x better? Hell no.
Does it go 3kph faster and transitions into better run legs? Hell yes.
Do I now finish my races 10 minutes faster? Hell yes.
Comparisons like this never stack up. The money buys enough fractional speed and comfort to finish races minutes faster, and minutes mean podiums over top-10s over and over again, and that is where the value sits.
Obviously it comes down to the rider and all of the other perfectly appropriate factors. But the least these seemingly endless TH-cam comparison videos could do, is compare on real world outcomes rather than the same old results sheet.
Agree. Depends on what your end goals are. For a competitive cyclist like you, yes, the bike does matter. For a weekend warrior cum occasional bikepacker like me, it doesn't .
The wheels and tires alone should give you 3kph.
So if I'm not wrong it is about 1.2km/h slower on average? Which would be a 1min45s gap over an hour. The same test with good enough aero wheels + good tires within 105%, reasonable aero kit, and cheaply done waxed chain would be interesting and stay in the spirit.
Yeah, but how many 'average' riders are capable of riding in excess of 40km/h for more than a couple of minutes never mind an hour? My best guess would be zero. This is just another meaningless test that is only applicable to seriously fast riders.
@@thegearboxman I'm sure a lot of us are capable to do it for at least a couple minutes at once, if you ride in group it means you can take multiple turn doing so. If you race and do crit it is even more relevant, 1.2km/h more speed is significant between gaps.
You have to wonder why the saddles are so high in comparison to the handlebars
I think there is another aspect you touched on - but then ignored at the end. Presumably spending a lot of cash also buys a lighter version of any cheaper version. And whilst this may only translate into very small speed savings, it does give a tangible boost is the feel of speed and responsiveness? And - since most people are riding for enjoyment not to win races - actually that improved feeling may justify the extra cost?
Spending extra 12k makes your wallet so much lighter, that you climb 5% faster
I was with you until you said 'justify the extra cost'! 😂
@@stanislavkindiakov6334😂😂😂
If one needs a 25x more expensive bike to enjoy their riding, perhaps it would be time to discuss the matter with a therapist.
I was looking forward to this up until the point where he said 300w. I mean, come on, who consistently turns out 300w on a Sunday morning other than pro cyclists. Test at something realistic like 150-200W which is far more typical of the sort of rider who watches these videos. At average speeds of 25-30km/h the differences between the two bikes would be almost impossible to measure. As a small bloke with an ftp less than 200W I can go the same speed on my old aluminium 105 Carerra Zelos than I can on my Ultegra Di2 Ridley Noah in most conditions.
Top Gear for bikes
I understand that the difference in speed is less than 2 percent. But what is the difference in power? As far as I know, there is a bigger difference in power than you might think.
Nothing like a double blind test, and this was nothing like a double blind test….
Unsure how you suggest we do a blind test…on bikes…
Ithought the other guy was peter sagan and i clicked on the video :)
To be fair I just ask for a same tires in this kind of comparison.
As long as road cc , doesn’t start doing super bike vs Chinese 16kg eurobike ! Just for revenues ……
I am sure you guys either wash those cycling kits or had two pairs. Right?
Don’t you worry - there was 2 pairs, the helmets were a bit sweaty though…
Hahahahaha....remind me of a guy with big belly telling my the carbon shoes is really light
Wait... They also swapped cloths? 😬
People saying that the difference isn't that much?! I don't know if they know that 5 seconds in distance is a different game.
make a test ''EPO vs without EPO''
Spend another $800-1000 on some carbon wheels and then the difference will basically disappear :)
A lot of what you’re paying for is how the bike rides and feels. Sure the SL7 was only marginally quicker, but after all they are just bicycles and can only be improved upon so much.
I can hear the screams of the guys with expensive equipment
Although carbon and high end bikes like Cervelo Scott Cannondale S-works or any other Bikes etc but an aluminum bike with a carbon looks is enough to catch a pro cyclist riding a carbon because aluminum is entry level but it depends reliable too it can have the same groupset as carbon bikes have it also depends on rider if the rider of the aluminum bike is a beast then he can beat any carbon bikes but the Disadvantage of the carbon is they break with just a couple of crashes
People who spend more on their bike(s) justify the added costs mentally by "feeling" like the extra costs permit more speed. My cheaper Shimano 105 equipped Kinesis 4S Disc hasn't caused me to be dropped during fast group rides. I have noticed that among the pack of 45 cyclists I am generally with the first 10 and ahead on all long climbs. The other cyclists might be too self-conscious to ride aluminum bikes.
I am not convinced that more $$$ means more speed. Fitness matters much more. This year my speeds have been comparatively faster than 2022 on the same four bikes. What did I do differently? I have ridden more frequently and longer.
Better than cable disc brakes 👍
So, from this, can I deduce that cheap bikes are not totally useless?
Not all of them are, you just need to identify which ones.
The real question is how much better of a workout do you get on a heavier bike. I see blokes with beer bellys and matching lycra costumes riding laps of regents Park every morning on 10k plus bikes. I can't help but think if they had a normal bike they might actually get a better workout in.
For the vast majority of us road riders it's quite pointless buying a top end bike much better is getting something that'll climb well and is durable for that you are looking at something brand new from about £1200 to £2500 beyond that is diminishing gains.
rim brakes are far from rubbish, as evidenced by decades of service from casual to competition
caad10 for 350 quid? Seems like a pipe dream in my country
It’s 11 speed
the quality of cycling journalism in a nutshell
Groupset is 11 but he said tiagra cassette which only goes up to 10, soooo 11 speed group on 10 speed cassette?
@@tankusbuilds2801 there is literally a closeup on the cassette and one can count 11 sprockets. Not to mention there is no way an 105 11-speed groupset could correctly shift over a 10 speed Tiagra cassette. That bloke has no clue what that bike's setup is.
As GCN goes, so go the rest.
Did you guys share the same race suit? 🫤
Haha they've shared worse...but no, simply teammates so 2 identical skinsuits
Il test lo deve fare la stessa persona non due persone differenti , altrimenti non ha senso
I'm spend budget for old frameset and upgrade component to hight end in budget $1000 is so faster and well
I just hope you guys found a magical way of washing clothes before swapping 😳
The truth is much less magical, they race for the same team and have duplicates
@@roadcc nice and way more hygienic :)
If I had a ton of money I would buy the most expensive bike and turn up to a race just to show kids that the best bike is not everything :)
The CAAD 10 already is a very good bike for that price. If you need to spend more than 1K on a road bike you are doing something wrong anyways.
If i only rode 5 minutes at a time i wouldn't even spend 350 on a bike. How about a 100-200k ride with 1000-2000m of climbing?
Either bikes haven’t come on as much as the industry would like us to believe or the SL 7 really isn’t all that good 😂
Marginal gains are just for pros, everyday people don't need anything but exercise.
You know most people buy expensive bikes just for the look 🤷
It’s all psychological. Every rider is different regardless of the bike.
for me £400 is an expensive bike and 12k is a concideration
"No expense spared" on an Ultegra build
You put Pogacar on my 3 year old daughter’s trike, you put me on SL8 Tarmac and he is still half an hour faster on 50 km course.😂
10 secondes d’écart pour 5 mn. C’est à dire 2 mn par heure. Ça suffit largement pour gagner. Ceux qui disent que les vélos modernes n’apportent rien n’ont jamais roulé avec ce type de matériel 😂
My question is, if you're not racing, why train for fitness on a race bike, let alone an expensive one! I bought an inexpensive (relatively) hybrid with straight handlebars, front suspension and wider tyres, much more comfortable and better suited to the crap roads we have. I can't image I'd get fitter on a race bike. I doubt most to the cyclist I see on race bikes ever race!
Yeah but 300 pounds Vs 12k sorry just ain't worth the upcost
The cheap bike had terrible tires.... get some conti 5000 or P Zeros tires and you'll instantly see the difference....
We wouldn’t say that the Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance is a “terrible” tyre but yes there is a few watts that could likely be saved in this area
I am on the poor lads side . All that expensive pap came out of a ‘ bag for life ‘ ha ! Eat the rich. Peace.
That 105 has 11 speed
The difference between the expensive bike as compared to the cheaper one is that when you push the superbike, it still look faster. 😂😂😂
Sorry guys, if you want to be completely dissatisfied with your existing metal (take your pick, I’ve got ‘em all) rim brake cable shift bike get a mid-level (ok it’s still really expensive) modern bike for a 1k mile test ride. I have Italian steel, CAAD 10 and a swank Titanium LeMond all equipped with current or close to current cable shift and premium rolling (mostly Chris King hubs) alloy rim brake wheels. Recently went impulse buy and got a 23 TREK Emonda SL7. Now at 2,100 miles still trying to figure out how it’s so much better. Faster, smoother, fun to kick up hills out of the saddle, you name it. Still love each of my traditional bikes but get real. There’s no controversy here.
So cheap bike and tons of money for the pub it is.
If you are not competative cyclist..go to mid range road bike...if you are competative cyclist..find a sponsor who give you a high end road bike🚴🤣
The wheels are junk at entry level. Budget $700 for replacements.
So to conclude, no difference. Waste of money.
Not watching the video. Just here to say I'm perplexed how youtube has seemingly squeezed all possible discussion out of "cheap bike vs super bike" and yet another rehash comes out and 1200 views in the first hour? Do people have nothing else to watch? Let alone do!
Looks like you guys swapped shorts. Ewww.
Or we had two the same…
Paying 25 times more money for a pathetic 1.6% performance improvement. You gotta pump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers in this racket.
No, seriously, how much more gullible can the "modern" road bike buyer be? At this point the cycling industry keeps asking these increasingly ridiculous prices just because there are enough fools to be parted with their money.
That expensive bike could be done for far less money and get the same results, allez + 12 speed mechanical 105 and some wispace wheels and a finishing kit from the likes of prime, for 3.5k£, that caad 10 at the moment of purchase was what 2.3k£ plus inflation. really, is almost the same price.
Those princeton wheels cost 4k and are just dumbfound
Now you're doing this... I thought this was a gcn thing.... Blah...
Only fools think the bike will make them faster.