Better bike for endurance

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07stuntin6r
Posts: 246
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:09 am

by 07stuntin6r

So let me start this off by saying I did my first crit the other day and GOT SMOKED!!!! Rode my Allez sprint w/tiagra and could not keep up. Anyways I am looking for a bike I can ride further distances say 30-50mi. I've gone 20 on my current bike, but I want something with a more upright ride height so I can log more miles. I'm looking to stay around 2k pref 105 or ultegra...SRAM if I can find it. My choices so far are below. I'm wanting carbon but a lightweight AL frame I'm not opposed too. Feel free to offer other manufacturers as well. Bianchi, felt, fuji.

Tarmac sl5
Emonda ALR/S
CAAD12
Trek domane Image

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dgasmd
Posts: 1953
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:10 am
Location: South Florida

by dgasmd

OK, so you have like 50 contrasting requirements. Get the bike that fits you best. That is what ultimately will get you to log more miles. If you cannot ride 50 miles in your current bike, it is not due to the bike but rather arz to saddle time. No subtitute for that. Carbon frames will always be more "comfortable" when equally fitted than steel or al/ti bikes. Again, what you are looking for is good fit to the bike, not materials or components. Those come a super distant second!!

AJS914
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by AJS914

You might get smoked in your first 10 or 20 crits. Don't worry about it. When I first started racing, it took 10 races to kind of figure it and not get dropped.

I'd talk with a good bike fitter about being more comfortable on the bike for longer distances. It may simply take time in the saddle. Core work and stretching also goes a long way to creating comfort in the saddle.

Noctiluxx
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by Noctiluxx

Get a red bike to make you go faster and a pink to make you last longer.
Bianchi Oltre XR4, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Trek Madone SLR, Giant TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo R5 Disk, Giant Revolt

07stuntin6r
Posts: 246
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:09 am

by 07stuntin6r

AJS914 wrote:You might get smoked in your first 10 or 20 crits. Don't worry about it. When I first started racing, it took 10 races to kind of figure it and not get dropped.

I'd talk with a good bike fitter about being more comfortable on the bike for longer distances. It may simply take time in the saddle. Core work and stretching also goes a long way to creating comfort in the saddle.
Well I'm sure more saddle time will help, but this bike isn't meant for long rides. I've been fitted to the bike already I don't want to keep re adjusting for long ride then change again for when I crit in the future.

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TobinHatesYou
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by TobinHatesYou

There is no comparison between the Domane and the other bikes listed. IsoSpeed works and the Domane has the most upright stack/reach combo.
Last edited by TobinHatesYou on Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

AJS914
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by AJS914

07stuntin6r wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 2:12 am
Well I'm sure more saddle time will help, but this bike isn't meant for long rides. I've been fitted to the bike already I don't want to keep re adjusting for long ride then change again for when I crit in the future.
I guess I hadn't heard of someone getting fit for a bike that is so uncomfortable that you can only tolerate it for a short crit. Ok, I guess you need a bike for longer rides. Pretty much any racing bike will do.

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Lewn777
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by Lewn777

Surely a Tarmac good enough for 100 miles? Maybe if your roads are really rough that alloy frame could be a bit uncompromising. Could you get 28mm tires with latex tubes? Would they fit? Might help.

Sure it would be good to have a carbon fibre climbing bike, so I'd look for a Spec Tarmac, Fuji SL, Giant TCR, Emonda etc so you have got the right idea. If you don't have a power meter you might want to spend your money on that first.

Other bikes with more upright positions will make you even slower so I wouldn't go for any endurance models with tall head tubes and suspension gimmicks like the Domane unless you have a bad back and you aren't interested in racing or going fast not that a Domane would really slow you down that much, just not optimal.

07stuntin6r
Posts: 246
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by 07stuntin6r

Lewn777 wrote:Surely a Tarmac good enough for 100 miles? Maybe if your roads are really rough that alloy frame could be a bit uncompromising. Could you get 28mm tires with latex tubes? Would they fit? Might help.

Sure it would be good to have a carbon fibre climbing bike, so I'd look for a Spec Tarmac, Fuji SL, Giant TCR, Emonda etc so you have got the right idea. If you don't have a power meter you might want to spend your money on that first.

Other bikes with more upright positions will make you even slower so I wouldn't go for any endurance models with tall head tubes and suspension gimmicks like the Domane unless you have a bad back and you aren't interested in racing or going fast not that a Domane would really slow you down that much, just not optimal.
Thanks, only thing I've contemplated with the tcr is the riding position is much like the sprint.

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07stuntin6r
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by 07stuntin6r

I do live in FL so it's mostly flat terrain btw.

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Lewn777
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by Lewn777

07stuntin6r wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 12:14 pm
I do live in FL so it's mostly flat terrain btw.

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If I lived in Florida I'd own an aero bike. So I'd try to find a really comfortable aero bike. Madone has the best reputation I think.

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Calnago
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by Calnago

I know you say you’ve been “fit”, but perhaps you’re simply on too small a bike. Maybe got caught up in some “woman in the shoe store” mentality, or for some reason thought getting the smallest frame possible was the way to go. Looking at your bike it appears you have some significant amount of spacers under your stem, and still have a pretty big drop. Trying to get higher on a bike that’s too small is a bad idea. Why?... because as you add height up front, the effective reach shortens so you have to “scrunch up” some. Your arms became more vertical to the bars. And if you still can’t get high enough up front, trying to raise your head to look forward from a scrunched position just creates more havoc on your neck and shoulder area.
Just a thought, but I have never been uncomfortable on lengthy rides on a bike that was on the larger side, whereas it can be very difficult to get comfortable no matter what adjustments you make on a bike that’s too small.
It seems sometimes “fitters” will just do the best they can with whatever bike you bring them to get fitted on. Whereas a good “fitter” might take one look at you and your bike and say “I know you won’t want to hear this, but imo you’re on the wrong size bike. Here’s why I think that... (hopefully they can explain to you why at this point)... I’ll do the best I can with what I’ve got, but I’ll also tell you what a different bike might/could do for you so you can think about if that makes sense to you and go from there.”
Somebody with lots of riding experience may be on a certain bike and be fully aware of why that bike suits them better than another bike or size, and they’ve thought about and understand all the options. They don’t need a fitter. Other less experienced or knowledgeable riders might just need some fit “coaching” to get to where they want to be. I really cringe when I hear some "fitter" in a bike shop telling someone, as they're being fitted... "you really want to be on the smallest frame possible... blah, blah, blah". I've learned to just do my business and get out, but I really want to tell the person to take what the guy here is telling you under advisement, but go get some other opinions as well before you ulitmately decide. Educate yourself and listen to your own body first and foremost.
Last edited by Calnago on Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Lewn777
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by Lewn777

Yeah, I feel that Specialized can 'seem' a bit smaller than other brands. I'm fine on some 52cm frames, but I rented a S-Works Tarmac in 54cm and with a 10cm stem it felt too small (could just have been the bar reach though), I had to change to a 56cm although a 54cm frame with a 12cm stem would have been fine IMO. Not sure if this is the same with a Tarmac. Maybe it's just a case of aggressive uncompromising alloy frame + rough roads + narrow tires + high tire pressures? Not that an alloy frame can't be smooth and comfortable as Trek and Cannondale have proven.

07stuntin6r
Posts: 246
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by 07stuntin6r

Well the frame is a 54 and I'm 5'9. I got the bike from the bike shop who fitted it to me.

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dricked
Posts: 188
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by dricked

07stuntin6r wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:59 pm
Well the frame is a 54 and I'm 5'9. I got the bike from the bike shop who fitted it to me.

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I had to take a bike back that was fittted to me because it was too small. I took it to another shop and they basically said exactly what calnago wrote.

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