Aero vs Lightweight

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:33 pm

Now I know atleast someone will say this has been covered, and if it has feel free to link me. Looking to pickup a new bike and am in that 6k bracket. The decision i'm trying to make is to go Aero or stick conventional. I live on the Far North Coast and yeah, I climb a fair bit, but I also spend alot of time on flats. Just trying to get an idea of the advantages and hinderances each face, and if its worth it. Looking at the S5, Venge, Propel etc. Or something such as a TCR Advanced SL 0/1.

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:46 pm

Surely for 6k you can to get aero and light?... well within a couple of hundred grams anyway.
How aero and light are you? :P

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Fri Mar 22, 2013 6:34 pm

Well yeah, of course. Though I've heard bad things about the climbing abilities of the more Aero bikes, which is to be expected as it's not exactly the biggest part of the design brief. I like to think i'm pretty Aero and light :wink: 5'10" and 61kg

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Mar 22, 2013 6:44 pm

Suppose it depends what sort of riding you do then... for Strava climbing KOM's go light, for racing go aero / stiff / light as poss.
What bad things have you heard about the bikes you have mentioned in regards to climbing?.

TDC
Posts: 587
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:37 pm
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby TDC » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:10 pm

Jordan wrote:Well yeah, of course. Though I've heard bad things about the climbing abilities of the more Aero bikes, which is to be expected as it's not exactly the biggest part of the design brief. I like to think i'm pretty Aero and light :wink: 5'10" and 61kg
Historically the engine (ie rider) has a lot to do with the climbing ability of bikes.

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:13 pm

toolonglegs wrote:Suppose it depends what sort of riding you do then... for Strava climbing KOM's go light, for racing go aero / stiff / light as poss.
What bad things have you heard about the bikes you have mentioned in regards to climbing?.
In a perfect world, I would. But I'm more after something that will perform as well as possible at both. Nothing bad really, just that they lack the climbing ability in comparison to lightweight or more conventional bikes

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:32 pm

It's always a compromise ... depends where your priorities lie.
I have neither a light or aero bike ... but it suits my abilities well.

wardie
Posts: 399
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Kirrawee, Sydney, NSW

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby wardie » Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:06 pm

I have a Cervelo S2 and my only complaint is that the bike doesn't feel as 'agile' as others and not as zippy. But once up to speed then it's equal to anything.

Maybe it doesn't climb well but I don't think I'd climb we'll on Cervelo's new 670g frame.

If I did a lot of crit racing on tight courses then I wouldn't ride my S2. Maybe better for longer road racing.

If you're not doing much racing of any kind then I don't think you can go wrong with a $6k budget.

User avatar
Shpox
Posts: 272
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:54 am
Location: Brisbane, Queensland.

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Shpox » Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:40 pm

Aero is always omnipresent.
Weight seems to affect riders only in certain road conditions as it's not so much an issue when upto speed. This is all relative though.

The best combination is both. You don't want a wet noodle at the end of the day. A good look at something would be BMC's TMR01 I believe it's called. The same goes for Giant's propel/Scott Foil etc... They're not superlight builds at ~7.3-7.5 kg's.

As an avid climber myself, I'm personally interested in the Aero bikes much more than purely light builds - mainly because they're not heavy either so you get best of both worlds. I'd love to see a test between a lightweight bike and an Aero bike on hilly section of road.

theprophet
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:53 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby theprophet » Sat Mar 23, 2013 9:37 am

I am getting an S5 and its not a light bike but it still climbs exceptionally well because it has a really stiff bb area. and while it doesent feel light on the climbs it feels like all the power your putting in is getting to the road. It climbs well and handles brilliantly on the descents. I would reccomend it to pretty much anyone.

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Sat Mar 23, 2013 3:24 pm

Looking closely at the Propel, although they'll be quite scarce until next year. Would love to get one built up to my liking. Thats good to here about the S5, as it is on the heavier side of the scale

User avatar
redcorpsjames
Posts: 789
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:45 pm
Location: sydney

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby redcorpsjames » Sat Mar 23, 2013 3:39 pm

I was never fan of meria road bikes til this year. Have look at this http://www.merida.com.au/2013-bikes/roa ... -team.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; so light . . .

TDC
Posts: 587
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:37 pm
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby TDC » Sat Mar 23, 2013 5:41 pm

redcorpsjames wrote:I was never fan of meria road bikes til this year. Have look at this http://www.merida.com.au/2013-bikes/roa ... -team.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; so light . . .
i didn't know they were good until a pro team started to use them. :)

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:07 pm

theprophet wrote:I am getting an S5 and its not a light bike but it still climbs exceptionally well because it has a really stiff bb area. and while it doesent feel light on the climbs it feels like all the power your putting in is getting to the road. It climbs well and handles brilliantly on the descents. I would reccomend it to pretty much anyone.
What does it weigh?

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:27 pm

From what I can recall from Giant's claims, it's the heaviest aero frameset amongst the top 6-7 around

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:17 pm

Yeah but what is difference between the heaviest and lightest frame set?... Probably no more than 100-150grams at most surely.

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:38 pm

546g between it and the propel according to giant
http://www.winwithgiant.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby toolonglegs » Sat Mar 23, 2013 9:47 pm

That must be total bike weight.

warthog1
Posts: 14305
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:40 pm
Location: Bendigo

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby warthog1 » Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:26 pm

My 56cm S5 team with ultegra 6700 and SRAM s900 crankset is 7.9kg. I.5ish kg wheel set on at that weight.

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:07 am

toolonglegs wrote:That must be total bike weight.
Nope. Just frame, forks, plug etc.

User avatar
redcorpsjames
Posts: 789
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:45 pm
Location: sydney

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby redcorpsjames » Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:18 am

TDC wrote:
redcorpsjames wrote:I was never fan of meria road bikes til this year. Have look at this http://www.merida.com.au/2013-bikes/roa ... -team.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; so light . . .
i didn't know they were good until a pro team started to use them. :)
big difference between the last year frame and this years

Jordan
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Jordan » Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:15 pm

Another question then, TCR Advanced SL1 and SL0. Is there a difference between the carbon quality of the frames? or just the groupsets and colour?

User avatar
Xplora
Posts: 8272
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:33 am
Location: TL;DR

Re: Aero vs Lightweight

Postby Xplora » Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:47 pm

Legend has it that you can't have both at the pointy end of the market (which you are at, spending 6K). The lightest bikes are less aero.

That said, the hallowed aero chart says that you'll get better speed gains from a skinsuit and shoe covers than the difference between a Venge and a Tarmac.

If I was in your situation, at your weight, I would definitely go light because you aren't big enough to generate the horsepower to make the difference. You're missing 30kgs of muscle to consider yourself focussed on aero at the expense of climbing power. You'd be better off sticking with a disc for TTs if you MUST get the aero... although you'd get better gains training with a power meter, for similar cost.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users