What Are The Most Unpopular Cycling Tech Opinions? | GCN Tech Show Ep. 263
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- We recently asked you to share your most controversial bike tech opinions and we got loads of great responses. Alex and Ollie discuss everything from wanting rim brakes to be banned, to saying that anything over Shimano 105 is a waste of money, as well as sharing their own unpopular cycling opinions. We also discuss new pro cycling tech and bring you the first Bike Vault of 2023!
00:00 Intro
00:31 Unpopular Cycling Opinions
12:45 Hot Tech
21:56 Comments of the Week
24:51 Bike Vault
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Do you agree or disagree with our unpopular opinions? 🙊
Paraphrasing; 1) bikes are too aggressive for everyone not in TdF, 2) Gravel bikes are pointless...fails to recognize gravel bikes are exactly the bike 95% of "road cyclists" should be riding.
@@cjohnson3836I literally just commented the same thing lol!
Send Ollie to Steamboat this year!
Love your banter Guys so entertaining and love the controversial opinions 🤣 we all think we’re pros till we ride. 🤣🤣 great stuff fellas 👌 bike 🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️
@@cjohnson3836 I am in the 95% ,and a gravel bike is precisely what I need and actually ride. No, they are not pointless, they are a great and useful compromise.
Ollie hit me deep when he said a solid aluminum bike with sora and no Strava or Zwift. I have that exact set up, and I love riding. I aim for 60+ miles a week
Whatever works for you, I love tech so I work at a bike shop to get deals
You're not alone. I used to ride an aluminium flat bar hybrid bike which I got as a teenager - it's weights around 15 kg, has Shimano Tourney, but thanks to stem adjustment had more aggressive position and was fun to ride.
Had to move to Japan for education, bought myself an absolute cheapest road bike for commuting (Hiland Alliance 1.0, the only option available on Amazon for my 194cm height), which doesn't even have Shimano drivetrain or integrated shifters, weights around 11,5 kg - and it is absolutely wonderful to ride.
Would a 1500$ bike be better? Definitely, and I will upgrade after returning home, but for 230$ that I've got mine - it's amazing, even for longer rides.
Don't let high-tech elitists, whose lives revolves around bikes, ruin your fun cycling.
If it shifts nicely and has adequate ratios at both ends I have really never been bothered by fewer speeds. Once I am out the garage I usually forget about all the faff and just ride. Spend time and a little money to keep shift cables fresh and drivetrains cleaned/lubed/adjusted and you’ll blissfully forget the number if gears you have.
Don't worry, it's a perfectly fine setup. I have high end carbon bikes but still enjoy riding my caad10 aluminum 10spd bike
all of that means you're probably not an ex-pro-athlete with access to top of the line spec, and you possibly cycle in the rain and off the road and to the shops cause you just like cycling and aren't training for races or events! who would ever want that?!
No power meter? No strava? No zwift? Rim brakes? Aluminium bike? So basically how life was when I fell in love with cycling before big money ruined it…
@Yippee Skippy 20 years later everything is the same, except I now do sometimes use Strava and now I ride Titanium and Steel bikes.
Heaven!
Heaven
If we go back far enough… no paved roads, all gravel, 3 gears, 1x , only French allowed.
Lol had ollie become elitist? 🤔
Ollie: most bikes aren’t fit for form, they need a more relaxed geometry for the average rider. Ollie 10 seconds later: GRAVEL BIKES ARE POINTLESS
To be fair, mountainbikes have a far more relaxed geometry ;)
@@macvos but drop bars are cool tho
@@Ferrichrome sure, but Ollie would just reply to get a road bike (never ridden a gravel bike myself, so they might be heaps of fun)!
@@macvos lol ya, I just like the best of both worlds. But some might say it’s the worst of both worlds! 🤷♂️To each their own. And to be clear I love road bikes too, it was the first time I fell in love with riding
@@macvos but for road a gravel bike with wide slick tyres would be mega comfy and a lot faster
If you have road bike with disc brakes and clearance for more than 28mm tires you got a gravel bike not a road bike.
Endurance road = Gravel bike.... Controversial 👀
Unpopular opinion: 50/34t is too big for most amateur and beginner riders. 48/32t (or even 46/30t) should be the standard chainrings for entry groupsets eg Claris & Sora.
Have you looked at the GRX double? 🔎
No
As amateur and beginner I have a 53/39 9 speed 11/28 dura ace from the nineties and even went bike packing in the alps with it, no problems. It is hard but not too big for me… I still end up spinning too fast in descents anyway
50/34 is great paired with 11-32 rear. Best of everything.
Amateur here with 50/34 2x9 sora. I like to woooooosh down with 60km/h and still to be able to pedal :D
"No powermeter, rim brakes, 3x9 Sora, heavy deca aluminum bike..." are you talking about my bike? She doesn't care and take me around anyway (also in gravel).
With Love, an eavy weight italian kickboxer who Love cycling and GCN
*me with no zwift, no powermeter, no disk brakes, on Shimano Sora and a heavy aluminium bike*
Olli: "Do you still ride your bike?"
me: "yeah"
Olli: "You still riding your bike??"
Alright Olli, calm it down mate 😅
He doesn't know how good he's got it 😂
Did I "NEED" a bar bag before? No! Once I got one and found how useful they are, did I continue to use it? YES!!! And remember Ollie, not all of us are looking to drop every ounce, or be as aero as possible. For most all of my rides I'd rather be practical and fast than impractical and just a hair faster
I am mostly a bike commuter and bikepacker by background. Joining a local cycling club for road rides was pretty wierd. The bikes are largely bare, toolkits are pretty inadequate beyond a puncture fix, and worst of all jerseys are stuffed to the gills in the back. It might be more aero, but riding around like a camel with all your crap on your back is just uncivilaized. Seat bags are mostly too small, and kind of fugly too, so I sewed up a full frame bag. I would bet a nickel a well fitted frame bag is more aero than a mess of bottles/cages/pumps all hanging out in the air, and I can now carry a proper toolkit in the bottom, two water bottles (or one and a burrito thermos) up top, and still have space for my phone, wallet, dry gloves, dry hat, etc to boot. My jersey pockets stay empty unless storing my phone/wallet at a coffee stop.
Ollie lost himself on this point - and I think forgot he was presenting the ‘tech’ show. Did he need a skin suit when he started wearing one? Did he need an integrated handlebar/stem? Did he need internal cables? Did he need 11 speed cassettes?
@@rob-c. Indeed, many people “need” this, but it. Is a lot of cosplay to look like a TDF participant. One can still have a great time on a slightly more relaxed group ride, or god forbid a casual solo ride. Sometimes you need to take yourself less seriously and embrace making your bicycle your own.
Have you tried a top tube bag? Works for me, less of a parachute.
@@charlcoetzee93 Top tube bags are fantastic, but on my 54 cm road bike I find the top tube is short enough that it makes standover issues, well, constrictive. So while most of my non-road bikes have top tube bags, the road bike found its happy spot with a full frame bag fitted to it. In the future I will happily trade back "nimble" handling for more top-tube space and no toe overlap.
Couldn’t agree more with Connor on mudguards fitted as standard. I bought a new bike online (lockdown) and had the choice between rim or disc brake, my preference would normally be for rim brakes but I opted for the disc version as I figured it would give more clearance for mudguards. The clearance was fine however the eyelets were about six inches up the seat stays and fork resulting in the mudguard stays not being long enough to fit the mudguards, it took me a fortnight of experimenting with homemade stays and cutting the mudguards down to make them fit.
This ☝ Wouldn't it be great of you had perfect mudguards out of the box 🙌
for once 😉 Conor talks sense regarding mudguards
@@gcntech Disagree. We should be trying to reduce waste and our environmental impact! That is why alot of us are cycling, after all. Similarly, I actually do agree with how they're not including chargers for new phones anymore, as many people already have chargers that work just fine.
What I think would be a good idea is if, when purchasing the bike, there is a choice to include shop-installed mudgards as a standard add on. That would *actually* be offering a choice, to those who need them.
I'm building a gravel bike, not to ride gravel but to get tire clearance for 32mm tires and full mudguards... More comfortable bike means I'll ride more which is the main point - in this case, it's definitely fit for purpose!
Let me introduce you to the Domane.
@@junksmiles Domanes are not made for very short people. Minimum standover is 28 and the reach is way too long for a small person. Used to be you could get a 43cm Madone with 650 wheels, but it is no longer made. And you couldn't put wide tires on it. I rode a Madone 43cm and currently ride a Serotta 43cm, both with 650 wheels with limited tire choices, always ended up with 23s. Before these bike I rode a Terry with the small front wheel. At least I could put 28s on that. My grip is for us under 5 feet tall.
The Domane was my first choice, but prices for those with decent kit are crazy around here...
I’ve Road biked for 30 years, after I bought a gravel bike I realised quickly it’s the ultimate bike, it rides on the road faster than mtb , I prefer the road position you can take it anywhere so more freedom , it is safer on wet road, most importantly a lot of fun!
Great to hear you're enjoying the gravel life 🙌
I started out thinking gravel bikes were a silly idea and just another money making scheme. However I'm increasingly realising I'm trying to make my road bikes into gravel bikes. Using tryes too wide for the frame, changing parts to get a more relaxed position and taking them where they shouldn't go like gravel tracks. Maybe I should invest in a gravel bike sometime soon.
@@Ferrichrome I ride my road bike on gravel more often than I should and never had a flat due to the gravel. Always use good quality tyres.
How is it safer on a wet road?
@@glennoc8585 It's not. If anything wide tires provide less grip on a smooth wet surface.
I see Ollie's point about gravel bikes however us mere mortals are not being given a top of the range road bike to ride on gravel. I bet if you did a poll - if you have used your own hard earned cash you ain't going to risk it on gravel. I rode my top of the range Fondriest in Strade Biance Granfondo, (the gravel is pretty tame) it was raining all day, destroyed the rims with the braking and the grit and that was that - although its a brilliant event!! If I do it again I would use my gravel bike with 30mm road tyres.
Great point! Gravel bikes are very versatile and a bit more sturdy than road bikes 💪
@@gcntech Didn't he say in a previous video that he'd be stressed out the whole time if he had to ride his fancy road bike out on gravel? Would he ride long distance on a mountain bike?
12:12 -- yes, we need a disk vs rim stopping power comparison please..! ;)
We do, but get the bodybuilder in on it as well for us bigger lads. The difference for me as >100kg rider in the peaks between my rim brakes even with swisstop pads, and my hydraulic disc is night & day. No longer white knuckling down some of the reservoir descents!
@@xPowello Haha I just commented the same thing before reading this. After descending AdH last summer I know I would have been dead half way down without discs lol
Also would be great to make a fatigue test if possible. Top os the line disc and rim brakes! Maybe budget too?!
Please perform tests looking at modulation too-preferably on a winding road covered with wet leaves.
I have both. No contest. Disc brakes are far superior.
I suspect Ollie's controversial opinion on gravel bikes is actually the mainstream opinion :')
He is the presenter of the people after all 🙌
Except people who use bikes as their primary transportation love them. This annoys elitist roadies but who gives a 💩 what they think?
@@unreliablenarrator6649 Unless you live in the third world, the places you need to go are connected to where you are by a paved road. Huge knobby tires make no sense on pavement they wear fast, provide less grip, and roll slowly.
Maybe it makes some sense in winter snow but I'd rather have a cheap mountain bike that I'm not too worried about rusting out.
@@appa609 Swapping out huge knobby tires on a stock gravel bike with less huge road tires is a thing.
Agree wholeheartedly… if you have $3000 to spare for an absurd fat tired road/ cyclocross bicycle then you are either in the top 1% of elitist cyclists or you’re a fad grabber at any cost
You're both giving me much needed & very healthy bursts of laughter in my confined indoor bike accident rehabilitation,👍
12:03 Of course rim brakes are fine! Still got them on my road bike and not planning to go into disk version at all.
If I had to buy a completely new bike - then possibly so, but no need to switch, just to have disks (incompatible frame issues etc.)
when you do the disc-rim brake comparison, be sure to include rainy weather, descending, downhill, loose gravel and mud ;) also don't just do the standard resin/sintered disc brake pads, but include something funky like kevlar and/or ceramic. also add a rider who is significantly heavier than a cycling athlete.
I have 2 bikes that would be considered Gravel bikes, but to me they are the relaxed geometry, wider tyre options that you were pushing for bikes to be 'fit for purpose'. My favourite 'road' bike is a GT Grade X - super comfy, and simple 1x gears. For the road for a 60 year old hobbyist cyclist.
My main bike is a Specialized Diverge, ali frame. I will certainly take it on much rougher ground than I would my Merida Scultura, and I'm not interested in out-and-out mountain biking. So for me, it is ideal. And it has a more relaxed geometry, which at 65 with arthritis in one knee I really appreciate.
Ollie, come over to the Stuttgart (Germany) area and you will quickly appreciate a gravel bike on the forest roads/ paths around here. There are quite a lot “in between” of those, with deep gravel in which you would typically stuck or slide around with a road bike on one hand, but which are still way to smooth for a well engineered mountainbike chassis, to experience any fun on them on the other hand. A gravel bike with chunky tires is perfect here 😉
Quite the same in southern Sweden. The geography is flat and weather windy, hence not a mountain bike. There are quite a few convenient and enjoyable gravel shortcuts where I'm reluctant to take my 26mm all carbon road bike. With spd-sl shoes you can't walk. My 33mm Aluminium gravel bike with spd pedals is the ideal vehicle for this purpose. I can even fit fenders and panniers. And I don't have a team bus ferrying me between the starting points of the different time trial segments. So, Olli, with all respect, I beg to differ ;)
Maybe we'll send him over... make him eat his words 😂
Tons of places in North America where a gravel bike is exactly the right tool for the job, too. Anyways, the comments about gravel/aluminium frames/Sora groupset/handlebar bags is a good reminder of how much GCN has a strong roadie snob bias.
Totally agree. I live on Stuttgart, too. And here is a huge lot of „in between“. Besides this a gravel bike allows you a much more flexible route planning.
agreed! problem is, in the uk we don’t have much quality gravel! so that’s where i’m coming from!
Hi great session on discussing various opinions. Totally agree with having a bike set up especially for your particular needs! Just to be able to be out and about on a bike is a fantastic start, I say!
Cancel disk brakes. Long live mechanical shifiting.
Hardtail MTB over gravel bike any day. I mean gravel bikes look aesthetically awesome, but MTBs and their wider, low pressure tyres (30psi or less) and bigger gear range are the real way to spend a day out on the gravel routes without feeling like you've spent the day inside a washing machine.
One for the gravel bike here! I do love my road bike, but commuting to work on a gravel bike lets me train in the "correct position" and not get a flat everytime i jump a curb, smash a pothole etc.. and!!! it looks awesome!
For me I like the bar bag for when I'm combining any harder gravely, bumpy trails and bringing stuff that'd usually swing around or possibly fly out of the jersey pockets like the phone. Also great on those colder wetter rides not having to unglove, unzip or pry under the jacket or layers to get at the jersey pockets. Just make sure the bar bag can handle some rain if you're using if for your valuables and phones
My ride to work bike is and Alu framed, 1x8 speed Shimano Sora, rim brake with mudguards. I love riding it. I also love my good road bike, i save it for summer. I am with you on Gravel bikes.
I agree with the mudguard point, I've got a road bike (and I've been using a road bike for years) it is only at the end of 2022 is when I found mudguards so essential especially since it rains a lot in winter (London and the rest of the UK).
Most racing bikes don't actually have enough clearance for any form of bender. Maybe one of those origami under seat mud guards but those are cheap and easy to retrofit so don't require coming standard.
4:53 About gravel bikes. I bought my canondale topstone 5 carbon to be my road/ gravel bike because it has relaxed geometry and it can fit wider tires. With 2 wheel set I can do both with this bike. I did think about getting relaxed geometry road bike for same purpose but there is not so much models where you can but 40mm tires on.
Great point! they make great all rounders 🙌
@@gcntechI use my cross bike so it is light and has mountain bike like tires
OK.... 1: bar bags on a super aero road bike, yeah, probably unnecessary. BUT on a gravel/adventure bike where you're riding all day in the middle of nowhere in a vastly changing set of conditions, they're super useful for carrying extra food, in particular, but also extra layers, camera to take pics of the beautiful places you ride, extra tools/spares.
2: Gravel bikes.... I do plenty of rides (Based in Canberra, Australia) where I'm riding a hug mix of terrain... there may be long sections on smooth gravel or pavement, where a mountain bike would be sluggish, not aero and slow/draggy.... but then hit rougher sections of gravel/trail that aren't technical enough to need a mountain bike, they just need bigger tyres. For me, a Gravel bike is a super reliable multi terrain bike that is comfy enough to ride all day, over a wide selection of terrain in the same ride. It can have flat or drop bars.. but mine has drops. BUT it must have clearance for wide tyres. A racy carbon gravel bike with 38mm tyres is just a fat tyre road bike.... but it is a super capable one that'll handle most terrain if you're careful.
Ollie asking Alex if he would still ride a bike without a power meter with Sora on an aluminum frame...I feel targeted. 😉
Im new to Zwift from few days and I love it! Recently even ordered proper fan for cooling 😉
I’ve heard people using the handlebar bag to store some extra energy powder for when you are doing a long ride and need to refuel somewhere
Now that I’m 56, I love my sport and touring frame geometries more than ever. My old racing and track bikes mostly hang out in the rafters and I’ve relaxed my cyclocross bike’s geometry with a new fork.
Hi @GCNTech, rock climbers use Belay Glasses with a prism to help to look up with head pointing front. Can you please test it for TT usage? Thanks!
Ollie’s knowledge of desmodronic valves further reveals his inner petrolhead. He knows his stuff.
I thought exactly the same! The minute they mentioned its mechanism I just thought to myself 'I bet the designer owns a Ducati'
1:54 I have a top tube bag, hate bar bags too. I used to have all that stuff in my jersey before I finally got the top tube bag.
Hey, Ollie, come up to the Scottish Borders for a weekend of gravel/mixed surface riding, and then you’ll understand why Gravel bikes are good and relevant. I have and regularly do some big routes that include road, gravel (smooth and varying levels of rough) and mud. In fact, there is a GCN challenge - can Ollie ride Scottish Borders routes on a road bike, and will either survive?
oh YES - I so want to see this!!!!!!!!!
I sold my road bike and cross bike and bought a endurance geometry gravel bike . Ive been the happiest in 20 years with my ti Gravel bike. Feels as good as my old road bike but i can basically go anywhere.
A small bar bag allows for the crucial option of adding a windbreaker / shell and extra gloves, socks, etc. Same applies to a top tube bag ("fuel tank") for energy bars and wallets, etc.... Leaving precious real estate for other items in jersey pockets. It's pretty hard to argue with the sensibility of compact bike bags & pouches.
Long-time watcher, first-time commenter. Would y'all consider adding a bike restoration segment? Perhaps replete with pre and post restoration pics and a few written details of the changes made. I've got 2 spicy personal examples and I'm sure others would contribute as well!
Alex's DIY home trainer hack was a brilliant video.. the platform thing with tennis balls that allowed the trainer to lean and move. 👍
I've had my gravel bike for ONE DAY, have only been out on it once but the track was way too gnarly for a road bike and a mountain bike would have been overkill (for most of it, the snow got a bit deep at times). Granted I live in America where we have dirt roads everywhere that vary from nice, smooth gravel to washboarded nightmares that will rattle your fillings out. So maybe it's just a location thing?
Thoroughly enjoyed myself watching this, very entertaining.
As for a road bike with relaxed geometry...sounds like a gravel bike 🤷🏻♂️ my topstone 3 is so comfortable.
I use it for wet/muddy/group/fun rides (mudguards) and for commuting. I use my road bike for fast rides and events (and zwift)
Love my 2005 Trek OCLV Pilot WSD Shimano Ultegra equiped bicycle. It is perfectly fitted to me. Gives me a comfortable reach, standover and ride on narrow, high pressure Conti's. Between this ride and a recumbent trike, I've ridden a lot of happy miles over limestone paved trails, hardpack dirt/gravel and preferred smooth pavement. I've long appreciated the work of Georgiana Terry who brought attention to the bicycle fit problems experienced by women riders. She worked to solve them. And I appreciate Trek for bringing WSD to more of us! I'll keep riding what I have-no reason for the high-priced new!
Chris I've only just found your channel through your Wally Gimber report - Sitting at 3 am with a glass of red as unable to sleep this video tells me to ease back on the red stuff - Hope you well
Bar bag user here. I find it's way more comfortable to put snacks, tools, phone, etc in the bar bag rather than having jersey pockets bulging!
Love the show as always!
Ollie, if you want to see what a Tasmanian bush gravel track is like, then just get in touch.
Within 10km of our house (just south of Hobart), we have 2 amazing rides that you would definitely NOT take a road bike on.
But they are both quicker on a gravel bike compared to a mountain bike. Just saying.
Greetings from sunny Tasmania.
For the pro's an easy fix regarding race numbers, would be to assign them permanent numbers that can be printed on their jerseys like they do for professional athletic teams like Football, baseball, etc. Each team would have their own numbers assigned to each team member.
i think the biggest thing i like about a gravel bike, the excess space to swap wheels out..... as a daily rider i think its better because occasionally swaping wheels and having two sets of wheels and one frame is cheaper and easier to store
Gravel Bikes have their place as they can do road, gravel and single track. When you go exploring, you never know what you may run into for conditions. Is it the best at singletrack or road, absolutely not but allows you to ride pretty much anything you encounter. This makes for a great day of adventure
I love my bike bags! I'm prepared for any injury or bike problem with all the tools and first aid they hold! And this is for YOU Ollie, I love the aerodynamic inefficiencies and excess weight for my year-round training :)
Unpopular opinion: SPD’s are the best clipless pedal. They work great for MTB, Gravel, and Road. Best part is: by homologating, you never have to worry about showing up for a ride with the wrong shoes.
Not a custom paint for the SL7 ! It's a 2023 color with the longest name ever : Gloss Marbled Lagoon Blue-Purple Haze - Orichid-Blaze/Violet Purple Topcoat/Midnight Shadow
Catchy 😂
Gravel works well in North Surrey roads are heavily pot holed. Tow paths are flat but knarly. Ideal for 40mm tubeless.
I am quite sure that derailleur could be improved, by replacing the two cables with a rigid wire, that could push, as well as pull. Also including a toothed plate would place indexing closer to the gears, allowing for easier adjusting (maybe changeable to accommodate for different gear numbers) .... Oh wait I'm reinventing the Shimano Positron.
My question is in the future could it be available with shifters integrated into the brake levers, or at least next to them, even if you need something like a surly corner bar? I loved riding with downtube shifters, but the ease of operation with STI was the best improvement in my ride experience since ditching my mtb for a road bike.
Aluminium frame, aluminium wheels, rim brakes, sora, no Zwift, no power meter, flat pedals and most importantly no oil slick paint. I have a bar bag and an underseat bag. A spare tube in each. Tyre levers, quick patches and a small first aid kit in the seat bag. The bar bag will have food for longer rides, a multitool, CO2 canister, mobile phone (which is used for music and strava). I would happily hop on the Eurobike and ride it. My bike would be lighter and might be more aero but and hour on either bike is still on hour of riding.
I would never stop riding my bike willingly, I've never owned a power meter as too expensive (for me) I love indoor training but not on Zwift, I just train with GCN on my ipad and follow the cadence as much as I can, I would love to send Hank a towel for his indoor training sessions (his are my favourite) :)
I have also never had a power meter, and don't bother w a bike computer or any of that, I'm out to enjoy my ride
@@nanciparoubek3256 I have a Garmin as I have a psychological need (:) ) to know my mileage
I think £5k is the threshold for getting all the pro features for the best price. a lot of electronic shifting, semi or fully integrated cables, carbon wheels ect
I love my Trek Domane - it has a relaxed geometry and with 32mm tubeless, it works pretty nicely on gravel
well, apparently you should sell it and get a road bike and an MTB instead! ;)
Choice. It is what makes things work. I have used rim brakes but In San Francisco, going up and down certain streets, i just feel better with high modulation hydraulic brakes. Nothing wrong with rim brakes, and certainly a fresh pair of pads helps loads in San Francisco. So if you do a rim vs disk brake test, have confidence be a parameter.
Aluminium - check
Shimano Sora - Check
Non-internal cable routing - check
No power meter - check
Rim brakes - check
Thank you Olli, you just described my bike…
@gcntech When you do your comparison tests between disc brakes and rim brakes with premium pads, you should test with the same size tires on both bikes.
100% agree with Ollie!!! At last someone spoke the truth! Gravel bikes are useless, a marketing trick, at least in my country (Greece) where there is no "gravel", just pure dirt roads with stones and gutters!!
I agree and disagree at the same time. Most of us have 2 bikes. I have road and XC bike. For us gravel is 100% useless. But Gravel bikes have bring a lot of new riders cause it's quite good mix of those two bikes. But I don't see a reason to create separate championship, especially when we have a CX championship...
I agree 100% with ollie aswell!!!!! 2000thumbs up
Road bikes are useless my gravel bike is as fast with road tires.
@@The2808erik your statement is plain wrong at it has been proven many times.
@@Gufolicious How has it been proven ? Outside from top tour de France level racing it doesn't matter. And if you are that good you have a "gravel bike with restricted tire clearance" sponsor from what ever brand that's slapped their sticker on a cheap Chinese carbon frame.
My argument for racy frames is that if you make more bikes with relaxed geometry then it limits people who want to get low, you can always add spacers, you can't takeaway headtube.
Interesting point Jack! There will always be a place for racy bikes but perhaps there is a market for racing bikes with relaxed geo's 🤔
I would really like to know what the optimal Ollie setup would be for unbound. It seems insane to do it on a road bike and much slower to do it on an XC MTB. Most of the pros run 40-45mm tires there
Or the Tour Divide. Real gravel races, not that farce they called the "Gravel Worlds" in Europe.
I've never come across a perfectly consistent gravel trail wherever I've ridden. It's either very light in which case I'd prefer my road bike, or it gets rough and to the limit in which case I'll just use my hardtail mountain bike with gravel tyres on. So not in the gravel bike camp as I feel it's too limited. But I can see why people go for them, they do look good. I just can't justify forking for another bike when my existing bikes do the job very well.
I think the main reason i bought a gravel bike and many others is its the "do it all bike with emphasis on comfort" - yes it does most of it worse (its worse than a road bike on the road and worse than a mountain bike on technical terrain) but if you dont have access to swapping your bikes on a whim, and you dont have the privileges of a fully assembled team to carry all your bikes like ollie. its the ideal touring bike -
alot of people will follow up with "just use a mountain bike then" but realistically you're going to be using roads to gravel 80/20% of the time. a gravel bike is faster at handling this ratio than a mountain bike - bc it essentially functions as a more versatile and more flexible roadbike. Ollie's points - (id rather have a road bike on the road and a mountain bike on gravel / intense off road) is why we freakin love ollie! always want to be competitive for speed rather than practicality
Ollie, Gravel bikes are not pointless, they have a more relax geometry, as you say; and for long gravel routes, like are found here in Colombia are perfect....maybe my route bike could pass through, but it will never be near comfortable as a gravel bike, specially on descens
I completely agree with Ollie on gravel bikes. A gravel size tire has little extra grip over a CX or 32mm road bike tire. It’s still not enough grip, a mountain bike tire is enough grip. I use 32mm tires in my cx bike for gravel. Most/half of the roads on a gravel ride in Ohio are paved.
Man the pink S-works (first in bike vault) looks lit AF, should have been a supernice!
please do the test disc brakes vs a rim brake with alloy rims and good pads such as Swiss Stop BXP 👍
Additionally you only have to test with an aluminium front wheel where like 70% of the energy will be dissipated. But use direct mount calipers, there's a notable difference in modulation.
they have done this before
@@Michaelsmith21588 not seen it with alloy tracks only si and olly which where both on carbon rims unless I've missed the video
@Yippee Skippy this for a best case scenario. And then repeat the test after a rainy day of descents and road grit and crap on the wheels for a more realistic scenario. There's probably little difference in the first scenario, but a huge difference in the second one.
and direct mount rim brakes like those on Canyon Aeroad, etc.
I love GCN!! you all do so much for the worldwide cycling community.. Thanks for everything 😉😁😁😁🚴♂️💨💨💨💨
Thanks Paul! That really means a lot, we are trying to foster the biggest cycling community! Great to hear you've been loving our videos... big year coming up 👀
Ah yes cycling 🍃💨
Me too!!! It is my favourite weekly fun channel. And informative and cool! The team at GCN feel like family.
I mostly use easier or lower gears on my bikes. When I go downhill ( on my road bike ), I mostly coast downhill, so I don't really use my harder or higher gears.
I agree with Gregor (@10:46) as my bike was definitely less than €4000 (or at least the cost that I've told my wife is less than four grand)
10:42 I agree with Alex about having access to the finer, more premium product. No one who doesn't race cars needs a Ferrari but it sure is nice to have one. As I age I realize I can't go as fast as I used to and I probably have no need for a race bike anymore, but I just love bikes so I have one. I've since sold my other race bikes and bought bikes that more suit my certain needs. I cruise more nowadays but it doesn't mean I can't have a nice bike to cruise on. Is it a waste of money? Perhaps to some, but if it's my passion then it's well worth it to me.
30:25 Me too. I also like the old De Rosa and Cannondale logos over the new.
Your brake test was already done by your former presenter from the states. Jeremy did a great job too.
I would love to see you do a show on the differences in the geometry of gravel and road bikes. Maybe visually overlay the two so it is obvious to those of us who don't know.
Sounds like something we could do 🙌
The only important difference is tire clearance. All the talk of relaxed head tubes and long wheelbases are fighting over like 2 degrees and one inch. The actual effects are small. Manufacturers would like to convince you that these small differences make your current bike unfit for the new purpose and you need to buy a whole other bike to participate.
@@appa609 That is the kind of info I need. Would still love to see the different bikes visually overlayed.
Ollie, when you asked, would you ride a triple, aluminum, rim brake mechanical Sora, I laughed because I rode my Specialized Allez from California to my Bronx, NYC home at age 60.... and tomorrow at age 70, I will do a short 40 to 50 miles loops just for the joy of riding on that exact same bike. By the way, it's still a 24 speed. 😀
Re: the S-Works Tarmac - nice to see Global Photography Network concentrating on the important factors once again 😁
The Alpe d"huez hoodie looks very nice. Unfortunately, all the sizes bar extra small have sold out.
Duo-desmodronic control was initially used by Mercedes Benz in the Thirties for valve actuation, sans spring, to address 'valve float' at high rpm. There was a separate cam to open and then close the valve, with no 'latency' (expressed as 'float') due to relying on a spring to close the valve after the cam had opened it.
More recently, Sturmey-Archer used it on their early five spd internal hubs. It has been used elsewhere. The problem with 'push-pull' control systems is the adjustment...
Interesting GCN show. I find many too hard to watch due to the 'corporate conformity' of the message. By being honest like this one, you'll find a lot more of we seasoned old-timers more interesting in watching on a regular basis.
I agree with Ollie regarding Gravel bikes. A XC hardtail or a road bike depending on how rough the surface.
I agree with Ollie on Gravel bikes. Every time I leave smooth tarmac when riding with my road bike, I switch to my mountainbike, which I'm always carrying in my handlebar bag. As soon as the road gets smooth again, I'll re-switch back to the roadbike. Absolutely no need for a bike that would perform decent on both surfaces.
For me gravel bike is less about performance and race but enjoying the ride comfortably and as far as possible :)
6:08 and pedals! If you want yo put your own on that's up to you but if I'm spending too much on a bike to begin with I shouldn't have to spend more to actually use it. I'm not saying top of the line pedals here but a nice set of metal flat pedals should be included with every bike
Sound of Ollie scratching his beard at 16:30 was so loud I thought something was wrong with my turbo trainer (was watching this while Zwifting).
Hahaha maybe he's just so in tune with tech that one scratch of the beard and he can talk to your turbo 🧞
The Photo with the Boardman rad was made in Zurich rather than Skipsey.
My argument for a gravel bike is that it gives you “road riding” without the danger/unpleasantness of traffic.
In other words, on a gravel bike, I can leave from my doorstep and quickly get on to traffic free trails. I can’t do this on a road bike because most of the UK gravel is bridal way which makes tyre width > 40mm ideal.
Mountain biking is completely different. You load your bike up in the car and take it to mtb trails. It’s a totally different style of riding.
Most bike parts standards are made overly complicated or purposely different for marketing purposes
Its perfectly ok for a fixed gear bike to have brakes.
People with fixed gear bikes would flame me for this.
For Bike Geometry. What if they start to develop some sort of spacer at the bottom of the headset. wouldn't it influence how the bike feels more (it can increase the headtube angle) than just having spacers on top of the headset which just raise the handlebar.
THANKS OLLI !
Finally someone getting this straight. Gravel Bikes are neither/nor.
Desmodromic valves ... see: Ducati Motorbikes
Gents--there's an admittedly small group of us that refuse to spend the cash for the newest tech out there (even if we had it). Steel frames, alloy wheels, rim brakes, and (horrors!) fixed/ss drivetrains will always have a niche place in cycling. We don't ride at the speed of pros (or anywhere near it), the marginal gains we seek are far simpler--and cheap. Tire pressures, wider tires, rider position, maybe latex tubes will perhaps make us faster. Power meters, Zwift, and $500+ head units will not improve the cycling experience for us in any way meaningful. Cool? Sure. Worth the money/aggravation over time? Many of us will never know-and we are OK with that. Cheers!
Great comment about performance road bikes and the aggressive geometries. I really appreciate what the folks at Fairlight Cycles are producing by offering both regular and tall sizing for a more relaxed geometry (or if you're like me and are all legs and short torso)
I agree wit Ollie about bike geometry. Not sure about gravel bikes as I have never ridden one. How ever I have ridden my Orbea Laufey on road rides. With 140mm travel forks Maxxis Minion DHF 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ on the front and a Maxxis Rekon 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ rear, 780mm wide bars and 11-51 and 32 tooth chainring. On 50+ mile rides.
Agree with Dan re Zwift. Guys turn up at the corner on a Saturday having had "2 races" in the week, they haven't though, they've done 2 intense turbo sessions.
Cracking show to start 2023 guys 👌🏻nice and long too 😍 Ollie did you complete your festive 500….. is that why your away with the fairies 😵💫🤔😂
Ollie is right about the silly bar bags for road bikes. Unless you're going touring you should be able to get enough stuff in your jersey or a top bar bag.
Gravel bikes suit people that do a. It if gravel or sedate single tracks but also road and can't afford or have room for more bikes
Disk vs RIm. My father and I have had the hobby of acquiring used bikes of all kinds and tuning them up and giving them away or occasionally sell them for a few bucks. First thing I do is take them for a test ride to check shifting and of course braking.
I have ridden and tested every version of rim brakes in existence. Some better then others, only 1 set blew my mind for stopping power. ALL others pale in comparison to cable activated disk brakes.
Rim brakes work no doubt, all of my bikes until 2016 (first bike at 6 years old '68) were rim. 2 of my current 4 bikes are rim, but I would NOT buy a new bike with rim brakes. There is no comparison in stopping power unless it is the version as mentioned above.
That set in particular made the most of 'leverage' in the actuation, and upon examination in made perfect sense why they were so effective, and all rim brakes should operate that way. I don't recall a brand.
Especially as a teenager flying down hills at speeds of up to 100KPH, I have melted rim brakes on many occasions. Not an issue with disk.
The real argument should be hydraulic vs cable disk. Hydraulic are more effective in general, but not enough
for the added cost and maintenance, in my personal opinion. I have been ripping around for the last 18 months on an eMTB, and there has never been an instance where I wish I had hydraulic disk.
Ride what you love, love what you ride. All else is personal preference.
P.S: I don't care about saving 100grams. I just read a study on weight vs aero. Reduction of 100grams lowered travel time on a 120km route at average speed of 30KPH...3 seconds...
Gravel bikes are about having fun, not about being fit for purpose 😀. I’m having much more fun on my gravel bike than I ever had on a MTB. And: gravel bikes have often a more relaxed geometry and a more useful range of gears, so they’re actually more fit for purpose for most not pro riders 😉