STOP UPGRADING YOUR BIKE: Your Bike and Gear Don't Matter
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- Опубліковано 23 лют 2018
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Stop upgrading your bike. The stiffness of your frame doesn't matter, the roundness of your chainring doesn't matter, the fact that your bike weighs 15 pounds, 25 pounds, or 35 pounds doesn't matter. Your bike and your gear don't matter.
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Zach that’s easy for you to say, you get to ride really nice bikes
Jack Burton That’s easy for you to say repeated quotes.
I wouldn't consider the bikes he rides "really nice". Not hating but they're not top tier bikes.
Ryan Rigney. Actually your right "really nice" bikes is a bit of an exaggeration
His bikes ain't great and he said he rides nicer bikes then most people hard to believe
@@_IMNNO r/whoosh
You can expand this argument to everything, what do you really NEED? Spending money on your hobby is not illogical if it gives you pleasure, makes you want to ride more.
Exactly
AND keeps you fit, most importantly. Then is is no longer a hobby, but a lifestyle.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. However, some upgrades are logical and functional; since upgraded to tubeless, I no longer have to endure frostbite to my fingers fixing punctures in subzero temperatures.
At the end of the day, there’s always someone better than you. The only person to beat is yourself and the nice gears edges you to dig deeper to justify the expenses.
lton - I'm the opposite . I had more issues with tubeless like constant leaks, burping and at one point the tyre coming away from the bead even on a UST rim . With tubes I rarely get a puncture hacing said that I use thermoplastic tubes and Aerothane tubes .
That's a fallacy. Spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars on something you enjoy doing does not necessarily make you enjoy it more.
I have a lot of hobbies, and I can agree that good gear and occasional add-ons can expand my abilities and make life easier, but it should never be the focus. For too many people, it is.
Photography is a great example for this. I have what would be considered lower mid range gear, yet I have seen many others who spend 2-5x what I have, and they're taking mediocre pictures, and barely getting out enough to build a portfolio and improve.
It's a whole mindset that makes people think they should be spending loads of money on something in order to improve or "enjoy it more".
You enjoy things when you work for them, challenge yourself, when you reach a goal, or when you are doing it with friends. Find things you like, and do them as often and with as many people as possible.
I ride a 20 year old bicycle with a ducttaped seat lol. No care.
Ducttape grips ftw
same but 30
"bikes aren't fast, people are fast". Sure, but fast people on fast bikes are faster that fast people on slow bikes. #clickbait
This is the best reply. People watching this video are probably somewhat invested into their bicycles. Having better components makes for a more comfortable ride, as someone else stated. Also, I have bikes for road racing, bikes for triathlon, a hybrid to ride with my wife and building a single speed for my work commute. I don't want cheap components on any of them.
yeah but it is only a couple of seconds on an hour ride. If that is worth 1000 dollar extra. ride in a pothole and your ultra light carbon bike breaks in two oke.
life is to short to ride shit bikes
life is also "too" short to spend a grand on a bike tire.
plutoplatters I can tell you don’t ride bikes.
had that happened to me to,.
Miosina_ true
fuck this dude
I use a low end mountain bike. I don't know the origin, it was from local bike co-op. the best mountain bike I've ever used (not that I've used very many). All I replaced were the shifters and the pads and suddenly it stops on a dime and shift from 1 to 6 with one twist of the wrist. The derailleurs look like shit but I maintain it and it works like any other bike. I spent a max of $50 on it total. I don't give a shit about what happens to it, and have never had a broken weld, split stem, or anything like that.
I also have an old trek I got from the same place. Only needed better seat and brakes. maybe $70 in upgrades. You can have fun on any bike regardless of age or quality of parts. That is until you get into walmart quality.
I agree, but I feel there's a much larger difference between a $200 bike and a $500 bike than a $500 bike and a $2,000 bike. Saving a few grams or even a pound doesn't matter that much, but saving 5 pounds or more is when it starts to actually matter. Also, a lot of it is the durability too.
I think that you´ll find great differences between some $500 and some $2000, my Trek Marlin 6 weights around 32 lbs, i compared it with a Trek Superfly 7 that weights around 25 lbs and i was impressed how much more heavy felt my bike. I love mine, it works great for what i use it, recreation, exercise and short distance travel, reliable and can take a beating, but for things like cyclotourism when you are all day riding those 7 pounds really makes a difference.
Also after reading your comment i visited Amazon to see mountain bikes of $200, many of them have listed weight of around 34 lbs, that´s damn close to my 32 lbs Marlin 6, still there is an abyss of difference in quality, $200 have simply are not reliable.
But I wasn't talking about mountain bikes; I was talking about fixed gear bikes, which is what this video is about. With cheap bikes, generally the more features you have, the lower the quality. I wouldn't buy a fixed gear bike for $200 because it's not going to be high enough quality, so there's no way in hell I'd buy a mountain bike in that range, which is going to compromise on parts even more since there are more parts that it has. What I'm saying is that you can easily get a fixed gear bike that's 20lbs or slightly less for around $500. After that point, most of what you're spending is going to very minor incremental gains in lightness, stiffness, and aerodynamics.
Ok, i agree.
People buy expensive and overkill shit because it's fun.
Or because they are dumb consumers who believe they become what they buy. Sent from my iPhone.
Nice one
Finally, somebody said it! A few years ago, I bought a brand new $3,000 (base price) carbon fiber Trek Domane, had it custom fitted, upgraded the seat and handlebars, got clipless pedals, the whole shebang. That bike didn't go any faster than my 25 year old Cannondale aluminum road bike that I bought used for less than $500.
The best way to buy a bike is get a good used one, and make sure everything is working on it, or replace the components that don't. If you want a particular bike and you can't find it used, then fine, buy it brand new if you want to splurge. But all you really need is just a halfway decent bike. You don't need all the fancy upgrades, the special shoes, and everything else.
The weight of the bike doesn't really matter much because, even if you're in good shape, your body weight is going to always be a lot more than the weight of the bike, no matter how much it weighs. It's a bike, people. It's not the space shuttle!
Thank you so much for saying this! For most of us cyclists it is all about enjoying the ride. Most of my most enjoyable rides were on inexpensive under $500 bikes. Actually, I have never owned a high end bike and likely never will. I do recreational day long rides around my city on bike paths with a single speed old style clunker bike. Yes it is heavy and I walk some hills but it is so enjoyable, plain, simple and grass roots cycling.
This is the most contradicting bike channel I’ve ever come across.
Axel Buckets Walmart fixie vid lol
Great video/message for the people you intended this for. I get what you're saying, because some people should hear this. It's easy to chase the upgrades and keep pouring money into your ride, but it's the actual riding time and mileage/experience you have on your bike that makes you better. It makes more sense to start small and build big, rather than spend big and waste money not maximizing your 'top shelf' gear..
To add, once you know biking is you thing, you can pragmatically source/build your own upgrades to your riding style. Not upgrade to impress your friends/get attention
How ever I'm not a crazy cyclist I just do for the freedom enthusiasm of outdoors , and the feeling of adrenaline at some point , no to race against other riders ,that would end up bad , ride safe everyone destination is the limit ... enjoy your ride and made it home safe to your love ones 🙌🙏
I recently had a 2004 Trek 3500 given to me. Coming from a 29er, I was like 'meh'. But tuning up the 3x7 train, threaded forks, upgrading to XT V-brakes. I was impressed by the ride. Having a 48/38/26 Crank made all the difference in the world. For speeding through town and keeping a pace. Looks old school, but what a joy to ride!
When I'm poor then I will take your advice
I bet you will
haha
remember, when we were kids, on our cheapo bikes, going everywhere, and never a thought of upgrading, only repairing. happy times
I'm very happy with my capriolo fastboy. After 10 days I destroyed front and only brake. Now he is 100% FIXIE
I don't look for other people's validation on how I spend my money. If someone wants to spend $100 or $10,000 on their bike that is their business.
Carlos Almendárez
Well said
eh, it kind of depends, if you have a really expensive bike to go to the grocery store you need to be laughed at.
You hit it on the nail....chrome don't get you home is my motto.
Meh, the nicer the bike the more enjoyable the experience, I love the feeling of knowing just how responsive and fast I can go. Pushing how much I can trust the bike to lean on corners and shift smoothly. I love the feeling of riding and gear makes a big difference.
I allways have the feeling my bike needs more to get the perfect bike for me. But Your videos allways flush away those toughts and make me happy I have my bike just as it is and enjoy the ride. Except upgrading for more ergonomic comfort and less pain.
This is a healthy perspective. Humbling messages throughout.
I generally feel that if an upgrade is something I can appreciably notice, it can be an option.
I have an old frame I was going to use for a conversion but it's a tad too big for me, bigger than my road bike frame. Do you think it's OK?
As a courier, I NEED good performance on a bike. Of course, I won't buy a track bike (that would be dumb due to durability), but yeah, gear matters. And since I often get into crashes often enough, I need to have really durable bike to AT THE VERY LEAST double my initial investment.
iohanan metellus I have a beater bike some times I ride my roadie but feel comfortable in my fixed bike more durable less maintenance and less weight
Double this, going from a hybrid(giant escape) to a mid high end cx bike(specialized e-5 crux HDR) definitely helped me make more money/h
Why do you get into crashes a lot?
you sound new
Not sure if that was a reply to me. My comment was for the OP. I've been a bike messenger for 12 years. Riding track bikes for 10. This guy has no idea
Hi! I enjoyed your video and I agree in general with your message - get out and ride on whatever you like. Personally though, I am much happier battling up hills on my light aluminium bike now than I was on my steel touring bike. I've always loved cycling (I am not competitive) but the sense of achievement I feel now for getting up a climb without stopping is worth the slight extra investment.
In orthopedic joint replacement we say "you design an implant with a micrometer, manufacture it within a millimeter, and pound it in with a 1kg mallet." Likewise for cycling we have bikes designed with an extreme attention to aerodynamics, they are manufactured with space age materials within fractions of a gram, then we put two full water bottles on it along with our fat asses!
You know your review is based on you and your abilities. Even so I have to agree to some extent “ the rider matters not the bike” with that said if you’re a competitive cyclist “racer” then the bike a gear really really matters. 1800 Watts into a lasko crank doesn’t work out so well. 90+ rpm at all times you will leave skin torn up in jeans trust me the doctor bill is there. It would be better to be more specific as to whom this review is for, for a novice looking to just enjoy riding you are spot on but for someone looking to get the most efficient bike for the job you need a part two my brotha
That Cannondale track really, really matters tho.....
Brave video. Last couple of weeks I've spent changing the shift and brake cables, chain and re-taping. I need to just get out on it more
I agree. I ride a 250$ se draft single speed. Only upgraded the wheels. Been on multiple centuries finishing mid group. Most people are on high end road bikes but have no skill or knowledge of how to use their equipment. Have had the bike for 9 years now with minimal maintenance.
I was looking for a reliable light bike but they were all so expensive. Instead I bought the best big box store Schwinn I could find and rode the wheels off it. I kept up the maintenance, upgraded to puncture resistant tires and shaved off 15 pounds of body weight. Upgraded myself instead of the bike.
I just graduated high school in June. I would like to purchase a new bike for college, but the bike store seems to care more about selling their inventory then helping me find the best fit. My bike from high school has all quick release stuff on it so I want to upgrade to make locking up easier.
Zach,
I’m on risers right now on my first fixed gear. (State Bicycle Co. Core-line) the $299 steel version. Anyways, I’m over 100 miles in and converted over to the fixed gear side of the hub today and I’ve noticed over these miles that you’re right...”riser bars suck for distance rides”. I’m looking at Pursuit bars, just because I like the style and they give more options that regular bull horns. I’m anti-drops ONLY because I don’t like the lower position it puts me in. So... what’s your thought on pursuit bars? Thanks in advance and keep up the great work 👍🏻
My friend is one of the strongest riders I know. He rides practically every day. He can climb steep hills faster and in higher gears than anyone. Hes 60 and wears jeans t shirts and flannel when he rides. His bikes are all used, beat up and clapped out. Hes a legend in our area!
"People are fast."
AMEN
I am in top physcial shape. That is the best upgrade ever.
I’m glad you said what you said. It is a fact that we all get sucked in to buying everything in sight because it is going to do something magical for us. I also liked what you said about Walmart bikes being toys. That was very well stated. Everything here can be applied to all bikes, not just fixed gear. Everyone should take the time and watch this video, and most importantly LISTEN to what is being said. Thank you for your words of wisdom, and please keep your videos coming! I always learn something from them. :)
I completed a hills sportive on my stock 2.1kg wheelset and suffered. I then did another event on upgraded 1.5kg wheelset and wasn’t hating it on every incline. So to me, it was money well spent! But my bike is still a 10kg alloy lower/mid range bike, and I still love it 😀 Any day on the bike is a good day!
I just ride to ride and build my bikes just to look pretty. I know I’m not fast, I’m not a pro rider/racer, i have slow segments on Strava, etc. But i still spend up $800-$1000 on fixed gear bikes, because i like to build them for looks. 🤷🏻♂️ it’s preference at the end of the day, and how deep your pockets are.
The deeper the pockets, the better the poser 😄
Good effort on the backpack I used to not have a rack/panniers and used to camp/tour on my bike with a 100l Karrimor Sabre rucksack on my back. It is so much easier with panniers.
Excellent video. Yes, a lighter, more aero, stiffer bike will be a bit faster, but if it fits, it's robust, and it is reasonably light then that's all you need. Anything else is either a bonus or an indulgence. Cycling used to be a cheap and simple hobby and a viable method of daily transport. Look in a bike shop now and you'd think it was the most technical and elite sport out there. I did my longest ever day on the cheapest bike I've ever owned: a mild steel framed 5 speed with chromed steel wheels. I like a nice bike, but it's always the rider that makes the most difference.
I like this video. I was thinking of upgrading my bike so I could go faster and do better trainings, but hey, I can get tired even if I ride a bit slower.
I dont have enough money to upgrade my bike either. He just reminded me that I can enjoy cycling without pro equipment.
sure gears don't matter, weight doesnt matter, nothing matters when you are riding "ALONE" in your own world, passing people you see on the road doesnt mean you are faster or better than him/her, because you don't know the distance he has been riding, the intensity that person was riding before, or what type of interval training he/she is doing at the moment. Go ride with a proper group of roadies, do a 50km which involved some climbing, with your fixie and your jeans, put the video here to prove that you can keep up without getting drop, then you can tell us bike and gear don't matter. I bet any gradient with more than just 5%, you and your fixie with that gear ratio, won't be able to keep up with the group.
I would actually be fascinated to see this.
I ride fixed offroad, most of the time. Derailleur bikes are only for rides over 30 miles. Im forced to ride as hard as I can just to keep momentum up hills. Every hill is interval training. The only time I get passed by anyone is when Im walking or catching my breath. 5% is not even close to being steep! I ride a road thats 7 miles at 5-10%. Its not hard unless I pedal harder!MTB trails are way harder. You make it up or you dont, then walk,simple!These sorts of difficult obstacles are purely in your mind. Learn to conquer your mind. Go beyond where you thought you could. LOVE THE PAIN.
Try it before you bash it. Then, Id bet,youll find out its the motor, not the rest of the machine!
Shit Yeah! I do the same thing!
I love flying by guys on there
mt bikes. Especially when they get all bent and give chase. They never catch up. And it makes me pedal harder. Fixed gear! ✊
One speed is all you need
Christopher McLaughlin Not only that, my bike is over 30 years old, lugged steel and built like a tank. I built it to survive being pounded through the rocky trails I ride on near my home, And it has offroad drop bars, but its definitely not a road bike! Thats what gets people shaking their heads!
Alex Miles I have a 60 year old hippy buddy who does exactly that. He rides inexpensive worn out bikes. He rides in cut offs,
t shirts, bluejeans and flannel. He eats chili peppers as energy food! I think he does it to psych people out! He keeps up to very fit roadies on $10K bikes. Some 15 years younger. Many he slays on big climbs. Hes just a very gifted rider. Hes fast because he rides all the time. I call him a freak of nature!
Theres always someone out there faster than you, even riding on some unbelievable piece of junk! Never forget, its the rider, not the bike!
3:09 When I had cheaper Bicycles all I was ever doing was getting the damn things fixed. With the good bicycle the parts didn't break near as often. And I knew how to take care and look after the bicycle. I was never excessively rough with my equipment either. Cheap Bicycles are just break often.
3:34 Its not about how many seconds you save. Its about making it easier to cycle. A lighter bicycle is easier to cycle. A lighter bicycle is much easier to cycle up hills too.
I never cared about aerodynamics.
Do you MTB at all?
Hey, im a rugby player mountain biker and student. im looking for a fixed gear bike to mess around on during the summer and keep my off season fitness up( also have days off the mountain bike) what bike/ bikes would you advise?
If you are looking for aesthetics and performance bikes then i would recommend aventon,cinelli,colossi,visp,masi,engine 11 or leader(you can buy them in japan).i am currently riding a leader 735 and i am absolutely in love with it.
He's right about diminishing returns vs costs, and your personal fitness and weight but the aero profile of your wheels matter, the stiffness of your frame matters. I rode the same routes for 3 years, almost never PRing the last couple of years, but when I got some deep carbon wheels, I was sitting PRs again for the next two months. Before that, I was riding fast group rides on a modern 21 lb steel frame bike and getting dropped at the same spot every time. I upgraded to a stiff Cannondale Supersix Evo, I never got dropped again. Sure, it was 4 lbs lighter but it was the stiffness is what allowed me to match the accelerations. So sometimes the components do matter.
Best upgrade is to buy a $30-50 used skinsuit second hand. Also bigger tires if your city has terrible roads. Most of the upgrades i purchase are focused on comfort. Asymmetrical crank arm length, wider bottom bracket axle, Shimano sandals, frame bag and saddle bag. Although i can think of one upgrade that makes a huge performance difference; tires.
I went from a front 32mm slick tire to 40mm knobby tire and saved about an hour on a 55 mile ride at night through mixed terrains. The added grip of the knobby tire in loose dirt allows me to peddle much faster at night especially in windy conditions. The traction of the 32mm was too low for loose dirt so i would need to travel slow enough to catch myself if the front tire lost grip in a soft patch of sand/dirt. I easily doubled or tripled my speed for the off road section of my ride.
Recently I did my first tour from Durham, NC to Pittsburgh, PA - 596 miles, 32,000 ft, 8 days. I agree that it is not all about gear - but I will never again tour with a backpack. Something always hurts - that seems to be the nature of touring (at least when you average 75 mi/day and climb 4000 ft/day), and whatever hurts the most at any given moment is what your brain focuses on. Throwing a backpack into the mix means your back is in on the cycle of pain. There are a lot of options for luggage space on a bicycle; I'd use every single option before resorting to a backpack.
So I can agree with this a lot, I've had three bikes in my day. My first bike was a single speed (or fixed when I wanted) Critical Cycles bike. I loved the thing and would ride it for hours a day, every day, no matter the weather. I had some cheap bib shorts and a jersey and wore normal shoes (had flat pedals) and a helmet and just went. I got some money from a commission job at work and upgraded to a used Fuji Track Pro (the 09 model) and was sooooo happy. It had a bigger gear, nicer components (Fizik saddle, omnium crank, zip stem, etc) and in all it was a lot of bike, a sexy looking one too. It was beautiful, my first sprint my computer hit 32mph and I loved it. Granted it was with foot straps but those I added.
In less than a week I got hit by a car and the bike was wrecked. I was off the bike for four months with injury and received money for damages to replace it. The Fuji was a build for a track competition but was never rode and apparently cost a lot more than I paid. So with the money, and urging from my brother, I got a new Specialized Allez Expert and specked it to have a full ultegra groupset. It had it all, it was my first bike with clipless pedals (fancy ultegra ones), my first bike with gears, and it was a beauty. Even had a second bottle cage which I never had before. Wound up costing over $3k with upgrades mind you (that extra bottle cage is costly!)
But in all honesty, it hangs on my wall most of the time. I don't ride it much, I have been busy and all, but I just don't enjoy this bike as much as my cheap $200 steal single speed. It's kind of odd in a way, like even right now I wanted to just hop on the bike and take it for a spin but it just isn't the same and I put it off. I'd much rather hop on my Critical and go for hours than on my Specialized.
Don't get me wrong, the bike is a blast to ride and handles really well and with the compact gearing it can be really zippy but it has less of that "I can thrash this and beat it up" appeal. And as nice as it is, I have taken it back to the shop for tuning multiple times. Front mech won't shift to the big ring, fishing line got caught in the rear mech which had to be re-assembled, bad press fit bottom bracket, bad cable tension leading to cable replacement, I can go on.
Something about the ease of fixing a single speed and the ability to thrash it makes it so much more appealing to ride. I am even in the position to ride my bike to work now, but don't because I don't want to bring a change of shoes which would mean a backpack and what not. Not to mention worrying about mechanicals or something, which to the Criticals credit I had less than 5 or so issues with with my daily 30+ mile rides (which went on over 6 months) vs my now weekend warrior routine with my road bike if I ride at all.
Currently just saving up to get a cheap steel frame single speed again to be honest. Really miss it (and threaded bottom brackets!)
EDIT: I will also add words of advice from my uncle who does Iron Mans, when I asked what would be a good bike upgrade he simply said "You". He said if you aren't fit, your bike means nothing. Mentioning it's fun to see guys with nice bikes at the start of a triathlon and then not seeing them at the end because they spent too much on the kit and not enough on fitness. Though he has one hell of a bike, he said he built it over half a decade only getting upgrades after every competition because he knew he was in good enough shape to make use out of them.
I've been waiting a long time to hear you say this.
This just made my day! Presents a reasonable and middle of the road approach. I think the point is to find the spirit of cycling within yourself, as you are the prime mover of the experience and the changes you can will yourself to make will greatly excel the nitpicking of bleeding edge parts. If investing large sums into your bike makes you happy, go ahead and do it. Its fun, and helps support a great industry. But a great time can be had at a much more generally obtainable pricepoint.
I'm currently commuting to work and around town on a sub $100 dollar big box bike. I trim time off my trips and feel less fatigued by keeping up the practice and wanting the reward of riding. That being said, yeah it is like a toy.... While I will admit to drooling over the top of the line bicycles, in practice I foresee a purposeful upgrade for durability's sake.
Bike weight & stiffness definitely DOES make a difference! I know it does from 30 years of cycling experience.
This is true of just about anything in life. No amount of equipment or money will replace passion and effort. You will get out what you genuinely put in.
it´s a pity that there aren´t much other channels like this, which are soooooo good.... thumbs up!!!
Simple message which may allow some consumers to actually buy a reasonable bike and have fun. I race with gears and would love a fully bling bike, however I know that currently it is the engine which is the slowest component not the bike. Looking to do some track riding on a fixed wheel soon.
Hey Zach! Love your videos! What kind of backpack is that?
I commute with a Marin Nicasio gravel bike which cost me $550. It has Shimano Claris. I maintain it and it's given me no problems, I have a lot of fun commuting. More important for me are lights to make sure I'm visible!
I'm 25 now, when I was 11 years old and I got my first road bike, my dad and I always said right around $500 was the sweet spot for bikes. You get so much more bike for your money when you move from a $100-200 bike to a $500-600 bike. Anything after that you're just getting nice gear, it's a luxury.
Ironic that one of your other videos is titled "top 5 components to upgrade" 😂
Haters gonna hate 😂
hi zach, i love ur principles but in my case, i cant even use my bike properly bcoz my rear wheel always stocked on my frame, and i dnt have sealed bearings. i still trying to fix as much as i can.
I partially agree, fitness always comes first. But at some point gains with going high end are there. I ride a heavy gravel bike with fat 42 mm tires avg rides at around 30km/h. Went with a tarmac, deep section wheels, slammed the stem. Avg speed now 35km/h+ on long rides.
I didn’t know they even offered classes at the SD velodrome. I live in the Pacific Beach area…I have my daily routes, but I am finding that I don’t even switch gears..I am planning to get a fixed gear since it’s predominantly flat here, and because I have always wanted one…
thank you for reminding me why I ride. It's easy to get lost in the up grades or having the better bike. Since I ride 10,000+ miles a yr, I tend to buy the best I can afford. cheap stuff simply doe s not last and is harder to work on. Thanks again, this is coming from a 57 yr old man
I needed to see this. Thank you for the inspiration
Zach what is the best gear ratio for a beginner fixie? say for a commuter then maybe a tour someday? Thanks!
I enjoy multi-day tours on my fixed wheel, but I hate backpacks, will I get mad fixie-points by adding racks and panniers to the bike?
All true my Fixie cost me £275 English pounds had it 3 years no problems the odd puncher and new tyres apart from that it’s great fun keeps me fit I’m age 50+ years and I love it, great video keep them coming 🚲✔️
I'd rather stick with my Walmart bikes, they're alright in my opinion. Even though they're considered "toys" it shouldn't matter much, just as long as it gets you from point A to point B. A bike is only as good as the person using it. I had a nice Genesis mountain bike (for only $149.99) and from the time I was using it, lasted me a whole year (because well...that's how long i had it before I decided to get rid of it and upgrade to a moped) had no problems with it while going through my local streets with all the pot holes, debris and such, and I'm a pretty heavy set person. Plus, I would hate to spend over $500 on a bike for it to end up getting it stolen or jumped for it, nope not in my neighborhood!
What's the bike pump you used?
It's really about what you can afford. If you can't afford to get a high-end bike from your LBS, but only have enough money for a used or a decent Walmart bike such as a Schwinn bike then you can have a decent experience as long as you upgrade and a few major components such as the saddle, handlebar grips, bottle cage (if your bike can be equipped with one). Though if you are unsure or need help with the inspection or installation of the bike, your LBS would be able to help you with that, which may cost around $10-$50+ depending on how much they charge. You should also have a small repair set in case something goes wrong with the bike during your ride. I'd estimate it would cost around $50-$500 in total including how much you bought the bike for. This is just my personal opinion, but your free to agree or disagree on why I'm wrong or correct.
Hi. I really enjoy watching your channel. Your story on cheap vs expensive bikes is true ,for the most part The most important thing is practice and training. It doesn't matter on what you train. But when you compete with others, trust me ,any upgdrade you make on your bike will be belt in terms of performance. If you can afford it.
Now you tell me, after I spent $975 shipped on a Wabi with Sub-15 wheels. No upgrades to the crankset though and I don't plan on a SRAM until this one wears out.
Thanks and congrats on your tour.
I wouldn't say they don't matter but I will agree that the point of diminishing returns occurs far more quickly than most cyclists realize. I have lots of gear with many 10's of thousands of miles on it that still works great that I have no reason to replace. My road bike is 30 years old. My lugged steel frame with good components weighs 10 kg. In 2000 I upgraded from 7 speed friction to 9 speed index because 7 speed freewheels were getting harder to find but with careful shopping my total budget for that upgrade was only $200. Until I get within 10kg of my race weight it is cheaper to loose weight on the engine than the bike. For competitive cyclists every pound or fraction of a second can mean the difference between victory and defeat but the rest of us need comfortable, reliable, reasonably light gear that doesn't break the bank. A friend of mine got a $500 Trek hybrid; I was amazed. It's aluminum frame wouldn't win any beauty contests but the bike was light and it stopped and shifted better than any bike that existed 30 years ago. For people who do club rides, centuries and rallies it was really all the bike they need.
I have a 10 year old Trek SL1000 I brought off some guy on Gumtree. It was too big for him and he shoved it in his attic where it sat for 7 years until he sold it to me for £230. The only things I've changed are the saddle, shifters, rear mechs (broken 2) and I brought some second hand Hope Hoops wheels for £170. Oh and a friend gave me his old 2 piece cranks when I fitted his new ones for him. It weighs somewhere around 20lbs and I've ridden it as my main transport around town, across the Pyrenees, came 8th in my category in a 100km sportive and train on it religiously. You don't need a super high end bike to get fit, have fun and get results.
This is really good advice. I find his approach a little one sided, but the points he makes are totally valid, and will make you a better rider, whichever way you look at it
i just put together my first single speed from the cheapest aluminum framed bike I could find and i realy like it, a mongoose detain...
Can you look up Poseidon track bike I want to know if it is a good bike
Thanks Zach
Do you have a review of KHS bikes? Currently I ride their flight 100 model. It's probably 5 years old and still fantastic.
I'd agree with this as far as road bikes, but with mountain biking the rigidity of your frame is definitely a limiting factor as far as speed and even distance. I can bomb on my hardtail, but I'm more comfortable and can ride longer on my full suspension, especially on technical trails with drops. As for the other components, if youre tight on money a small upgrade can make a noticeable difference in your riding. I agree with your message tho about how the bike alone doesnt make the rider.
I ride a 70s road bike frame with 27 in Wheels and a coaster brake hub because I don't think it's fun to jam my knees in order to slow down or break and possibly risk hurting myself in a horrible accident just because it's cool. But when I was younger I did. I have more fun on my single speed coaster road bike than I ever did on a fixed gear. Getting old is interesting
Picking up the line with the guy who owns the parallax .
Why am I not allowed to own a nice bike even if im the slowest ? Its just a hobby and i love customizing my bike
Its just stupid to judge people for there slowness just bc they have a expensive bike
It's the reason why videos titled "Idiots Crashing Supercars" are so funny. If you're going to have a high performance car you better damm well have the skills to handle it.
Well it's not like someone who can ride a cheap road bike suddenly can't ride the most expensive road bike.
It's a different thing with cars, high performance cars usually require more skills, because the engine is not you.
Personally I'd be embarrassed to ride a high end carbon bike slow, but that's just me. If you have the money, just buy whatever you want, it's not my money.
Youre comparing apples with pears. Buying a car with more power brings risks of underestimating its power. So buying more expensive bikes dont require more skill.
Nothing to be emberrassed about. Some are riding for fun and are more into the hobby of building and customizing bikes , like I do .
Others are more into getting more conditioned .
I do agree on your point that not the bike makes the ride but the rider. Better gear makes your life easier and more comfortable but is not something you really need to have fun. All you need is to hop on your bike and feel the wind in your hair! That's what gives me the feeling of freedom I really love about bikes.
I had the standard norco seat that cracked when it was cold and ripped every time I fell so I upgraded to a 100$ SDG circuit made from Kevlar and titanium. There was a horrible creak from my bottom bracket but I was 99% sure it came from one of my pedals and my old plastic pedals were worn on the outside so I bought Funn Mamba one side clip pedals for about 70$(55%discount). I bought a new derailleur hanger for 35$ because my old was bent. I bought 4 brake pads for 40$ because I want to have spares and my old ones were worn. I bought a shimano bleed kit for 40$ because I had to bleed my brakes. I bought a 27,5 X 2,8 WTB ranger TCS tough fast rolling tire for 80$ because my old tire was completely smooth. I bought too chains for 28$ because my old one broke. I bought two new cassettes for 160$ because I wanted to have a spare and my old one was worn. I have to buy a new bottom bracket, bottom bracket tool, fork oil, fork grease, hex wrenches, a fork pump, different fork seals, isopropyl alcohol, a new click shifter, cable end caps and a shimano brake caliper for about 180$. Total=733$ 😭😱🤮💸💸💸💸💸💸
170$ cosmetic
443$ worn parts
120$ on tools
Cool video thanks for posting
Just discovered you. Like what I've seen sofar. I like your attitude on gear. I dislike the whole lycra is essential thing that is here in the UK. I've ridden single speed for a long time, not hard core enough for fixed. Right now I have a geared bike, and I have to say, gears are annoying,I spend to much time worrying about them or trying to get them set up right. I miss the days of just not needing to worry about them, but saying that they are helpful on hills and mountains..
What backpack is it?
Zach, I found this video to be refreshing! I know you always say "ride more" but you really put your money where your mouth is. Glad you haven't bowed down to corporate sponsors. Props homie! Keep on keepin on!
My friends says this also, i have Cube Aim 2020 3x8 drivetrain they have 3x9, 3x10, 2x11 but they said it will cost me double so i just bought bigger cassette 3x8 and that's it.
Fun story, when I broke my bike I fixed it
Shifts broke so I took old wheel from friend and made my bike fixed, it was hard in the beginning (I had also pause from riding a bike because while I was breaking my bike I broke my wrist) but now I feel safe and good on it, and finally can maintain it myself.
i use to ride a $100 road bike from target for 3 years and it was great
Are there fixie with quick release??
Enjoyed the video bro ! Good points !
I could partly agree... fancy materials and good bikes have their role but its not the only thing - as you said - will is far more important
I'm 6'3". Current bike is a regular off-the-rack sized Chinese-made Schwinn label upright picked up on Craigslist for $50.00. A set of rigid Shimano brake levers (~$25.00), monster tall seat post, similarly sized gooseneck steering stem, Van Schothorst stainless steel rims, and cheapie sealed bearing hubs round out the functional upgrades. I use it for all kinds of daily errand running and frequent long 30 to 50 miles trips.
There's 4,000 miles on the odometer and I banged out a 75 mile ride yesterday (03/18/2018).
I like the cheapies off Craigslist since they can be acquired for $50.00 day in and day out -- buy it, ride it, use it up, and buy another one.
There's a saying in motorcycling that goes, "There are bike owners and bike riders. Be a bike rider."
This is true, i personally ride a celt 2017 with cannondale rims and mavic hubs and spokes, apart from that and my bullhorns from origin8 everything is stock and i can still ride from cavite to tagaytay. Im half filipino
I love passing speed bikes with their 500$ gear and 6k bicycles on my 30lb XL mtb wearing loose cloths and a bag pack
Dude, here in colombia there's a bunch of peasants that ride in a 50 pound bike from the past century, carrying 40 pounds of potatoes up hill and they are still faster than a lot of pros.
???
Because they're chewing those coca leaves....
Haywood Jablome you had to go there 😂
Can u give like the actual speed?
BARACKOBAMA1718188191 I suppose the more they chew, the faster they chew. I don't know how to measure chewing speed
I'm more of a roadie, but I love your channel. Thanks and keep it up!
This was one of your best videos in my opinion. Cheers!
I find this video very funny since I only fixy since I couldn't afford a real road bike to go to school but I also do downhill mountain biking so I have a fixed gear that I have no reason to upgrade what so ever but at the same I need to upgrade or repair my mountain bike very frequently and the contrast is interesting
I've been riding my used specialised allez sport 2015 that I got for only 290 euros. Aboslutely love that thing. People dont understand that instead of spending 5000$ for a more aero bike to save a couple minutes you could train harder for a month and fill that 2 minute gap with your own legs.