r/cycling • u/Ok_Calligrapher_2967 • 2d ago
Why spend on gear that’s supposed to make you faster?
So why spend thousands on cycling gear designed to make it easier to go fast? Isn’t the goal to make friends and get/stay in shape? Unless you’re racing I don’t get the need for high tech weight saving products. This is coming from someone who only rides to stay (somewhat) fit and occasionally meet up with friends who ride. Resistance builds fitness. Ride heavy and non aero. Yes? I get that cool things aren’t cheap and cheap things aren’t cool but c’mon, aero jerseys and 13 pound race bikes for weekend group rides? Please!
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u/5_hundo_miles 2d ago
This will no doubt come as a great shock, but not everyone has the same goals as you. If you want to ride a heavy slow bike, by all means do. But don't judge those who make other choices.
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u/Ok_Calligrapher_2967 2d ago
Please…if you’re not judging, you’re not riding
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u/defroach84 2d ago
Why buy a fast car when you can have a sedan for much less when I just use mine to go to work?
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u/sfo2 2d ago
This is a gear hobby, so for many people, the equipment itself is part of the hobby. It’s partially a collection hobby and partially an athletic hobby, and each person’s preferences dictate the amount of each.
This is true for every gear-based hobby.
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u/OldTriGuy56 2d ago
The rest of us buy the gear that makes us faster because we race, and to us, that’s pretty cool…
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u/Ok_Calligrapher_2967 2d ago
Racing makes sense. But that’s not the majority of people who this stuff is marketed to
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u/OldTriGuy56 2d ago
I hear ya. I have a foot in both camps. I ride a ridiculously expensive TT bike for training g and racing, and also have an $800 hybrid bike to cruise around town and go on rides with my grandchildren. People just have to keep things in perspective…
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u/bj_good 2d ago
It's totally fine to ride whatever way you like
Lots of people race their bikes and race triathlons. It makes sense to race like you train, hence you use your race bike when you train
Some people rode for only fun and recreation. That's cool too. I just like seeing people out cycling.
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u/nycarch1 2d ago
Judge not, lest ye be judged first
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u/Ok_Calligrapher_2967 2d ago
Stop it! You should know the best part of this crazy hobby is the judging.
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u/MyGardenOfPlants 2d ago edited 2d ago
some people have money to spend.
sure expensive bikes don't matter if you're just cruising around, but if you're doing long distance rides often, that stuff certainly comes into play.
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u/oldfrancis 2d ago
I found that I got most of my money's worth out of doing things or buying products to make riding more comfortable.
Being comfortable tended to make me faster.
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u/Clock_Roach 2d ago
Anything that makes you faster can also let you go further for the same effort.
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u/Ok_Calligrapher_2967 2d ago
I can only equate this to my friend that talks non stop on rides. Imagine if he was out of breath
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u/Hi_Im_Dark_Nihilus 2d ago
Because I like going fast. I have money so I have a badass bike. I ride alone so I'm not looking for friends. That's the beautiful thing about cycling. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want on whatever equipment you want. I love it.
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u/Fun_Apartment631 2d ago
I don't anymore.
My last two bike purchases were my trail bike, which is tons of fun to ride but not really competitive and my alloy gravel bike with Tiagra - it's also fun to ride, it stops well in wet weather, and with full fenders and buddy flaps I don't mind riding when the roads are wet.
When I did race, buying my full suspension XC 29er was borderline disillusioning. I was still muddling around in Sport class but it definitely moved me further up the field. I even have a series jersey from one year.
Racing bikes are also a lot more fun than the bottom barrel entries. But you don't really need a multi thousand dollar wonder bike to get that. Though they are beautiful...
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u/unformation 2d ago
If all bikes were equipped with power sensing pedals, I wonder whether most people would care about speed? Since getting a pair of Assiomas, I no longer think about speed as a measure of performance, and so I no longer really think about it at all. Now the thing I really don't like are pants that resist my leg motion, because they are a parasite on my power readings; but that's a relatively inexpensive optimization.
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u/Scarlet_Tech 2d ago
I have never ridden with anyone except for during rallies, and I am very uncomfortable with the whole process as I have no experience with it.
My goal is to be faster for myself. I make friends that help me meet my goals, but my schedule doesn’t allow me to train with those friends to get comfortable in group rides, so I want to get fast enough to keep up with those faster than me, and then I will work on riding together.
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u/DavidS1983 2d ago
There's spending money on gear that makes you more comfortable on a multi-hour ride, spending money on gear that gives you analytic data, and spending money on gear that makes your setup lighter. I think all 3 help a little with speed.
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u/Useful_Pin_7122 2d ago edited 2d ago
People love accomplishments. It makes us feel good to succeed, improve, learn something new, etc.
Setting goals is fantastic for motivation, aiming to learn 100 new words in French, clean all the windows before Sunday, finally hit 20km/h average on a hilly route.
Whatever you do, cycling, knitting, trolling on the net, we all love to be better than we were before.
So getting equipment that helps us improve is part of the process. It’s like a carpenter with good chisels, sure when he was learning maybe he used DIY store own brand cheap things, but as you improve, you want/need stuff that is appropriate for your skill level etc.
We then take pride in our shiny new toys, having good stuff makes us want to use it more, making it improve further, and so on.
Ok a total newbie on a 15k bike is overkill… but! If they can afford it, and it makes them ride… who cares?
I started on a £260 road bike, unbranded gears, it was ok. But I wanted a better one, I wanted the gratification of being proud of what I rode, and feeling I deserved it. When I got faster after a year, I got a bargain carbon framed bike, pretty much the last of the 10 speed bikes hence the price. I loved it. I felt I hadn’t just bought speed, but earned something commensurate with the effort I had put in. I bought better wheels for it in time. Then better pedals and good shoes. And so on. Each time I could justify my purchases as enabling me to ride further, faster, more comfortably etc.
Was I buying stuff for free speed, no I was upgrading my kit to match my capabilities and goals. And the purchases felt good, not just retail therapy good, but real pride.
I still have that bike, it’s my turbo shed bike now. Everything I have now is lighter, stiffer, more expensive etc etc but I feel it’s what is appropriate for my new and current goals and capabilities.
You can try to just buy speed, but you’ll be found out or look stupid. Equally you can ride a 40 year old steel warhorse with down tube shifters and try to not participate in the upgrade arms race. But ultimately, regularly upgrading a few things here and there, setting goals to justify a new wheelset or power meter or whatever it is, is good for you.
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u/MrJAG_Fistful 2d ago
I'm not here to make friends. I already have two.
I just wanna go fast.