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for a ride over 100 miles would you choose a light fast bike, or one a bit heavier, but far comfier?
reason i ask, whilst away recently, i bumped into a bloke riding a carbon race bike, with pannier rack p-clipped on the rear, and a huge handlebar bag on front.
he mentioned that he could not stand up and ride out of the saddle because the bike wobbled too much.
If you're not racing, why ride a race bike?
Fast AND comfortable is easily available these days.
light and fast for me; but my Trek OCLV frame is v comfy too
Best of both worlds
My carbon summer bike is as comfy as any of my others. If I didn't want to carry anything other than what I can fit in my pockets then I'd take that. If there was off road stuff involved then I'd take my cross bike. If I wanted to carry stuff I'd take my tourer. I don't understand why anyone would have a bike that wasn't comfy 🙂
Very few audaxers ride trimmed down carbon race bikes. Some of them are quite fast. And they are still quite fast into their 60s and 70s.
Need to get to the finish line fast? Go for lightweight and racier bike.
Need to get to the finish line and enjoy a pint or eight? Go for comfort.
I'm glad I don't have such a dilemma - all my bikes are hefty&comfy
Sounds like he was simply carrying too much stuff.
Ridden my race bike 300k plus in a day and done 200 the next day as well
Ridden my TT bike 100miles
The purpose of those rides was getting to finish fast/first
Equally I rode my tourer 80 miles a day for 6months enjoying the scenery and food along the way with lunch time naps etc was ace
Tools for jobs and horses for courses
Sounds like he was simply carrying too much stuff.
Lots of this nowadays, with [s]touring[/s] "bikepacking" kit appearing everywhere.
Met some riders out towards Highclere a couple of weeks ago. Frame bags, bar bags, huge seat packs. I asked, "You must be out for a long one today, then?"
The reply came, delivered with beaming pride, "Yeah, we're doing a fifty mile loop!"
We get loads of "fast" road bikes turning up at John o'Groats having been piloted from Lands End with all manner of randomly attached luggage. 99% of bikes and riders manage just fine. We also get loads of heavily built tourers. 99% of them manage just fine too.
I can only conclude that both approaches work for the majority of riders.
The one thing I would say is that for many riders, LeJog distance is a one-off thing and I can understand why they'd not simply buy another bike, preferring to use something they already own and are comfortable with. Same goes for touring / bikepacking, it's perfectly ok to make do with what you already own rather than constantly trying out new/different bikes.
Ive done 100+ mile loops & 200K+ loops with nothing more than what I can care in my pockets & a small tri-bag on the top tube for jelly babies.
I've also done a multi day mini 'tour' with a bar bag filled with spare kit/casual kit for the hotel stops.
All on the same bike.
Personally, next time I'll avoid the bar bag as it really affected the handling & I hated not being able to see my front wheel.
A decent size saddlepack should see me able to carry a similar amount of kit I reckon.
I'd definitely say comfy AND light myself.
Mean while I oppositely got some eejit loudly declaring to his mates that someone had ramraided alpkit just to ride round laggan while I was eating the biggest pile of food ever - then as I passed to go to bog he said rather sarcastically in front of his mates "where you ridden from with all that" - "Skye" and all his mates creased themselves.
I chuckled to my self later 🙂
applause!
I rolled into Elgin after a few days away, small panniers and couple small bags on the GP bike.
Nearly home after a long shift, bumped into a mate as I tuned the last corner -
" hi Callum, where've you been today?"
" Balir Atholl."
- "better let you get home".
This was over the Gaick, Dava Way, as much off road as I could manage. He wasn't being sarky mind.
If it's the summer then the only 100 mile rides I'll do are TTs, so fast.
In the winter, comfy - 35mm tyres, mudguards etc.
I've got a carbon road bike which would be my first choice for a 100+ mile ride if the weather's good. Today I did 105 miles on my heavier aluminium "winter" bike as it has mudguards and it rained a bit today.
I look at the terrain and expected conditions and who I'm riding with.
Mates on a Hack - fast roadie
Me on a Hack - fast roadie
Me on mixed terrain incl shitty lanes, gravel and such - CXer
Pissing down Hack - CXer no matter what terrain
Chillax rideout with nothing in particular to do but admire the countryside - CXer
I only carry my Apidura bags on the CXer, and it has to be an overnight stop off somewhere.
Depends on how much discomfort you're prepared to accept? If you're new to distance riding, best get the miles done in comfort and learn from the experience - race frames are less accepting of handling errors when you're tired and hanging heavier bags from them sometimes makes it worse. Higher volume tyres run at lower presssure plus decent mitts and shorts might be a good place to start.
Light fast bike for me. But I am comfortable enough on my roadie to knock out long rides without bother. I don't ever carry luggage as such. I've managed a 300 mile ride with a 1L saddle bag and jersey pockets - just stop to buy more food and take a light weight windproof if you know the weather will generally be ok.
But I race so want a race bike. If you don't as CFH says you can get fast comfortable bikes. Also get one that will handle luggage if you are using it.
My fast roadie only takes 25's (at a pinch) and is horribly stiff.
So the slow one, but if it was really hilly and I wasn't carrying loads I'd stick some lighter wheels on.
Have you tried the 2 inch Marathons yet?
Bit good.
Godsend on the appalling roads we encounter on crossing into West Yorkshire.
🙂
I take my 'comfortable' bike out 90% of the time, even for short rides. Unless you're riding race pace, there's really not a jot of difference in terms of perceivable effort or speed, even though it's a good 4 or 5 kg heavier.
I've ridden hilly time trials on my 'comfortable' bike, complete with mudguards, 28mm tyres, etc, and there's only maybe 10 or 20 seconds difference at the end of it. Hardly something that's going to ruin your Sunday cafe ride.
I'd say time is more important than distance. If you're going out and doing 100 miles in five hours, then race bike will be fine. If it's going to take you all day then something more comfortable might be in order.
trail_rat - Member
Sounds like he was simply carrying too much stuff.
What did he have in there? Got to be staying overnight to need that much?
We will never know
Doesn't change the fact his bike was like a flip flop when he stood up indicating overloading.
Can comfy not be fast? Both my road bikes are very stiff and very "head down, arse up". But they're both ultra comfortable as they're well set up, one has been ridden 280 miles in a day, the other 240, neither beat me up to any great degree. So I'll take both please.