Is the real road bike dead

[Jase619]

I meant on this thread - you made a rather controversial statement - let's see you debate it....

 

Agreed.

[Jase619]

Sounds like Rude dog reincarnated.

 

I stand by my feeling about your post. . . 

[shaper]

Fishing is good in these waters it seems.... lots of bites !!

[Eldron]

Road bikes used to be 1x with balloon tyres 

 

Are we returning to our roots?

 

I do love that level saddle/bars approach to comfort and aerodynamics 

[NickGM]

Reading various topics and discussions on this site, I've come to the conclusion that real road bikes are dead.

 

Road bikes were all about speed. Comfort took the back seat and the riders were tougher for it.

 

Now we are seeing 1x drive trains on road bikes, rediculously large cassettes and compact chainrings to make climbing easier, big tyres to make the ride more comfortable and disc brakes.

 

What I can see is that road bikes are starting to morph into mountain bikes.

 

If you want a bike with fat tyres, dinner plate cassettes and disc brakes, get a hardtail mountain bike.

 

Let road bikes go back to the their roots as stiff, lightweight speed machines where comfort is secondary to speed and strong legs get you up the hill fast.

Speculation that this is a wind-up may give you convenient exit strategy from this fairly bizarre observation.

[shaper]

In answer to your question, the real road bike has been dead since the introduction of carbon..... only steel is real

[David Marshall]

There are thousands of cyclists in this country who are happily riding their triple crank 26" mtb's, rim brake tandems and old tec road bikes.  They don't care if they overtake or are overtaken by a hubber on disc brakes or fat tires.  They also have never heard of or can't be bothered about TheHub.  Road (or any) bikes are only dead when they are scrapped and we keep them going far beyond what technology dictates.  So my take is that real road bikes will be with us for a long time.

[Eugene]

Not this again.

 

Look, if you don't like innovation, then keep riding what you have.

 

But the argument is a bit silly. It based on the premise that ALL road bikes are becoming more comfortable, with CX tyres and suspension. I find that a bit strange considering that the hub is currently covered in the launches of the new aero Dale, Spez and BMC.... not comfort bikes AT ALL. Be a real man and ride the new SystemSix up Ventoux!

 

If this was a real question

If it was an attempt to create an argument

Not an attempt to create an argument, simply an observation of what I see being discussed on the Hub and wondering what other people think.

 

Seems as if my comments have hit a nerve. I didn't actually expect that. I was expecting some comments but not this aggressive.

 

I realise that there are many options out there, but are people buying them. Are people buying bikes with 23/12 at the back or going for the WiFli option.

 

Invovation vs demand is a different thing. Are people wanting easier ratios because of Invovation or because it's easier to get up a hill.

[Eugene]

Speculation that this is a wind-up may give you convenient exit strategy from this fairly bizarre observation.

Not a wind up.... I have alluded to this in many other discussions, but just felt like putting my observations and opinions into one post.

 

Patch has already thrown the Invovation book at me when I made a comment on the disc brakes or was it when someone was asking about 32mm tyres.

[bertusras]

In that case, let me provide a quote from my favourite messy-haired Professor

 

[shaper]

Not an attempt to create an argument, simply an observation of what I see being discussed on the Hub and wondering what other people think.

 

Being discussed, because it is new technology... and the discussion has both for and against.... unless as per your blinkered view is everyone buying into the technology/innovation... which very far form the case!!

[Patchelicious]

Not an attempt to create an argument, simply an observation of what I see being discussed on the Hub and wondering what other people think.

 

Seems as if my comments have hit a nerve. I didn't actually expect that. I was expecting some comments but not this aggressive.

 

I realise that there are many options out there, but are people buying them. Are people buying bikes with 23/12 at the back or going for the WiFli option.

 

Invovation vs demand is a different thing. Are people wanting easier ratios because of Invovation or because it's easier to get up a hill.

You didnt hit a single one of my nerves about "real bikes" I dont think such a thing exists, only different bikes. 

 

Agressive??? Come on that wasn't even nearly agressive, you want to talk about riding "real bikes" like real tough men, but then you go and see that post of mine as aggressive? So are you saying that your ass can take more punishment than your eyes and brain?

 

​Edit: Put in comic sans before people take it all too seriously. 

[Allrounder]

I think that you have to keep in mind, back in the day, only "pros" and wannebees had road bikes. These days everybody can buy one. 

 

The not so fit or strong ones also wants to ride a road bike. Hence the big cassette and compact crank, but the hard core guys will still be riding the best bikes that their money or sponsors can buy. 

[gummibear]

There are thousands of cyclists in this country who are happily riding their triple crank 26" mtb's, rim brake tandems and old tec road bikes.  They don't care if they overtake or are overtaken by a hubber on disc brakes or fat tires.  They also have never heard of or can't be bothered about TheHub.  Road (or any) bikes are only dead when they are scrapped and we keep them going far beyond what technology dictates.  So my take is that real road bikes will be with us for a long time.

Amen 

[26er]

I love the direction it's going in,

They are becoming much more versatile 

To even think I rode on 23c tyres once upon a time ...

[Eugene]

technology evolves, as does the research and research techniques.

 

Have a look at supercars. They used to be hardcore road going versions of race cars that would bite you in the ass if you even thought about doing something stupid, you had to be really hardcore to drive them every day, now you can climb into the latest supercar as a learner driver, drive it to the shops without worrying about killing yourself and everyone around you, it can be used every day and doesnt require you to use a kidney belt to drive.

Yet they will annihilate almost every super car from the 90's with ease.

I get your point about the modern day supercars, but whenever a super version of that super car is created (normally as a special edition) those creature comforts, driver aids etc are removed. Why do the always switch traction control off to get better lap times?