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Riding an older bike - Am I missing out?
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After barely riding at all for the last 4-5 years I've been back to regular riding for the last 7-8 months. I'm still on my 2008 carbon Bianchi with 9-spd Dura-Ace on it. Obviously I'm missing out on the disc brake revolution, my riding friends have a few more gears and all the cables seem to be hidden from view these days. Am I wrong in thinking those things aren't really that dramatic in terms of tech evolution? Is there anything significant I'm missing out on with my older frame and components?

I get the allure of new and shiny as much as the next guy. But if I can talk myself out of that aren't I actually sitting in pretty good shape?
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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My road bike is a 1995, and my tri-bike is a 2005. So, you already have "new and shiny" as far as I'm concerned.

As far as I can think, if you don't care about disc brakes, then the other major change is frame clearance for wider wheels. If you're happy with 23c...then, enjoy spending your money elsewhere. :-)
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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IMO you're fine. If you have enough gears then no good reason to buy new stuff. You won't be giving anything up even in a race.

I think the big improvements since the 80s have been clipless pedals and index brake/shifters. There are a lot of little things that are pretty nice but you already have most of them.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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Nope. I’m running 9s dura ace / ultegra mix and it still works great. The only thing that Im really missing is wider tires, but that’ll change after my current set of conti attack/force are worn out. I can fit 25s, and maybe 28s. 25s will be wide enough.

Going to 11s gets me a couple of gears that I mostly don’t care about, and a few hidden cables. Not a big deal to me.

I will upgrade eventually, mostly for better ergonomics of the lever hoods.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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If your brakes work okay you're missing nothing there.
If the 9s is sufficient for your needs you're okay on that front too - I'd miss the 11s up the mountains but on flatter terrain I'd hardly notice the difference.

I doubt you're missing out on much except for the bling factor - and that's massively over rated.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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go so slow wrote:
After barely riding at all for the last 4-5 years I've been back to regular riding for the last 7-8 months. I'm still on my 2008 carbon Bianchi with 9-spd Dura-Ace on it. Obviously I'm missing out on the disc brake revolution, my riding friends have a few more gears and all the cables seem to be hidden from view these days. Am I wrong in thinking those things aren't really that dramatic in terms of tech evolution? Is there anything significant I'm missing out on with my older frame and components?

I get the allure of new and shiny as much as the next guy. But if I can talk myself out of that aren't I actually sitting in pretty good shape?
You're in great shape. I really think the only thing you're missing is better gearing. If you bought a new bike you'd have a compact crank and a wider range cassette / derailleur that can handle that. It's funny you mention disc brakes because the only thing you're missing there is that if you hadn't ridden your bike for 4-5 years you'd have no brakes until you spent some $ to get them fixed :-).
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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You're missing out on complexity, higher costs, financing charges, exotic rims, bikes that didn't exist in anyone's imagination back in '08, all sorts of add-ons that will be outdated by the time you figure out their usefulness, and stuff you don't really care about, only others care. But what do I really know? I race on a 2006 model tri bike. Acquired my back-up race bike, a road bike with aerobars, in '96. I train on bikes bought in '01 (used),'04 (used), & '05. If I was back in my late 20s, I'd think about buying electronic shifting, disc brakes, and tubeless tires, but probably would settle on raising a family. FOMO is an awful situation. Buy only because you want, not what others influence you to think.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, you are missing out (sorry). Current frames are more aero (read faster), the wheelsets are better (wide aero rims with 23/25c tires....though you could get these for your existing frame), framesets are stiffer and tend to corner better.

The biggest improvement though (IMO) is electronic shifting. I was iffy on whether it was worth it (when I replaced my 2004 9spd Ultegra bike with a 2016 11spd Di2), but I would never switch back. The effortlessness of electronic shifting means you shift more (for me literally 2X) and spend more time in the proper gear. It's hard to explain just how much electronic shifting improves the ride experience, and while it was crazy expensive a decade ago it's a staple for midrange bikes now.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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An old bike with carbon wheels (say zipp 404) will be much faster than a new bike without wheels. And if you feel that you are still slower than everybody else, get better at drafting, loose weight, do squats. Think of having an "older" bike with less fancy stuff as an opportunity to be stronger on race day with a bike you rent.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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I’m going to disagree with the group. I’m certainly not saying you “have to” upgrade to enjoy cycling. And I don’t know your definition of dramatic. But, it’s utter nonsense to suggest that a newer carbon frame with wider wheels/tires, electronic shifting, (potentially) more gear options, other better components, etc. won’t enhance your riding experience. Only you can decide if the money is worth it.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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I'm in the "your missing out" camp. I went from a 2007 Trek Madone to a 2018 Trek Domane Di2 and the two bikes are night and day. I've got 30k miles on the Domane and it's crazy how comfortable it is. Bigger tires, better geometry, frame technology, electronic shifting. To each their own, and for me, the "modern" bike has been worth every penny.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [AboveGround] [ In reply to ]
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I get to ride a 2009 Cannondale CAAD, a 2012 Tarmac Expert and a 2019 Tarmac SW. The newest one is a fascinating bike. That doesn’t mean that the other two are not fun. The CAAD is very hard on bumps, but has a great, aggressive riding position and the older Tarmac is quite good and surprisingly light. With smart part swapping you could improve a lot if you want to.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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Most likely not. I'm still riding an almost 15-year old Specialized Roubaix and the only upgrade was Dura Ace wheels about 10-years ago. There are many things holding me back from being a superb cyclist but my road bike isn't one of them. All this said, my gravel and mountain bikes are significantly newer with disk brakes, tubeless tires on carbon rims etc. and these innovations make a significant difference. They just don't seem to be as. applicable to road cycling.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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Get another bike, just in case


N+1, y'know?

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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I was riding an Argon 18 that I picked up in 2004, it had some nice Mavic rims and Ultegra components. Nothing functionally wrong other than it had a tone of miles on it. I made the upgrade to an S3 Ultegra DI2 with Enve carbon rim brake rims this summer and I personally feel that I was missing out.

The new bike is much stiffer, Much faster and everything spins with less drag. I personally feel that I was missing out on the older bike.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [H8to wrk] [ In reply to ]
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you know, they knew how to make things spin with low drag in 2004, right? That's a maintenance problem, not an old technology problem.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Just my opinion. Yes, you are missing out. But it is not a big deal. Just as there is a difference between Tiagra and Ultegra, Aluminum vs Carbon, there is a difference between old and new technology. Going from my 2004 9spd to 2017 11spd (both high end bikes) was significant. Climbing was easier, compact cranks is a big deal, heck in 2004, Triple rings were still popular. In 2020, not so much. The fact is shifting is better, gearing is better, materials are lighter, stiffer, more responsive. Oh and going from 19 (really old) or 23c tires to 28 is a huge difference. It can make riding more enjoyable. Is it necessary, no, but it does make a big difference.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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I bought a Cervelo P2K in 2002 and rode it until last year. It put me on the podium a couple times last year at small local sprint tris. I was riding it stock except for the saddle. The stock wheels can only be described as "training" wheels. It had Ultegra 9 speed components.

I upgraded to a Cervelo P3X, electronic shifting and Hed 60/90 wheels. The fit was identical with the older bike. On my first race with the new bike, I got 3rd place at a small local tri, just like I did on the old bike.

I'm probably faster "in the lab" with the new bike, but at sprint distance it just does not show up. Maybe it will be faster when I get back to 70.3 distance. At my current sprint distance, allergies and digestion make more of a difference than the new bike. Comfort is the same since the fit is identical. I do like electronic shifting, but it is not worth thousands of dollars to me.

I really only upgraded because of an unusual financial windfall but I was thinking about it anyway. I sweat extremely heavily ... no more than what you are thinking. Due to the sweat and the humidity of south Texas, I had to change housing and cables and do other corrosion related maintenance far more often than most people. After eighteen years parts just needed to be replaced due to corrosion. It does seem like electronic shifting, carbon fiber and hydraulic brakes will have less corrosion related problems.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for all the input, which is mixed but still helpful. So now my question is frame specific.

My frame has clearance for wider tires up to at least 25. I know because I've done that already. When originally built the frame was a TdF level frame. So at one point it was about as nice as you could get. We've talked about the changes in a lot of the components. Has frame technology changed enough where it's worth it to consider an all new bike or can I hang new components on what I've got (Realizing that the frame won't support disc brakes.) and enjoy the upgrades while still keeping the old frame?
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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A newer frame will be more aero (the frame itself and the ability to hide cables) and stiffer. But the frame adds very little to the overall speed attainable.

If you still like your Bianchi, I would consider the following changes:
* Wide carbon rims, GP5000s, and latex tubes, if you haven't already done this. You'll have a more comfortable ride with lower rolling resistance and more aero.
* 11 speed drive train, assuming compatibility. I think you'll like having tighter gear spacing, especially if you have any hills in your area. And the shifters now work sooooo much better than the ones from a few years ago, and I believe they have more range of adjustment.
* Ergo handlebar (traditional handlebar with oval shaped tops). Look cooler and more comfortable on the tops. Carbon if you want some bling but not necessary IMO.
* Drop your front position to make yourself more aero.
* New bar tape. I'm partial to Supacaz, including their water bottle cages. This won't make you faster, but it'll make the bike seem more "new to you."

But whatever you do, don't test ride a new bike. You'll want one.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [rruff] [ In reply to ]
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rruff wrote:
I think the big improvements since the 80s have been clipless pedals and index brake/shifters. There are a lot of little things that are pretty nice but you already have most of them.
The one other BIG improvement since my 1980's bikes has been carbon frames. Not that those bikes with toe clip pedals, down tube shifters, and steel frames were unrideable, but it sounds like the OP has already take care of the low hanging fruit.

If you've got money to spend, electronic shifting, 11-speed bikes, and disk brakes are nice to have, but they haven't seemed to be as great of an improvement as clipless pedals, STI shifters/brake levers, and carbon frames.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [go so slow] [ In reply to ]
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I rode a 2004 Trek 5200. I am upgraded to Tarmac Pro last year. It is free speed the difference on the flats with better wheels and climbing with compact crank.

Buy now instead of waiting...you know eventually you are going to buy something new so start enjoying! Hopefully like any major purchase a year from now you bank account will not miss the money and you will want something else to enjoy life!
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [Alvin Tostig] [ In reply to ]
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Alvin Tostig wrote:
The one other BIG improvement since my 1980's bikes has been carbon frames.

I thought about that; carbon is definitely good stuff, but... nah. Granted steel frames are heavy and flexy, which is not optimal for racing (fine for riding around though). I had a steel bike and switched to a Klein Quantum in the 80s and holy shit... what a difference. Some thought it was too stiff but I liked it. My wife has a 53cm aluminum Javelin Amerone that only weighs 1050g. Not as stiff as the Klein but probably not as durable either.
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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [rruff] [ In reply to ]
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rruff wrote:
Alvin Tostig wrote:
The one other BIG improvement since my 1980's bikes has been carbon frames.


I thought about that; carbon is definitely good stuff, but... nah. Granted steel frames are heavy and flexy, which is not optimal for racing (fine for riding around though). I had a steel bike and switched to a Klein Quantum in the 80s and holy shit... what a difference. Some thought it was too stiff but I liked it. My wife has a 53cm aluminum Javelin Amerone that only weighs 1050g. Not as stiff as the Klein but probably not as durable either.
I went from a steel Raleigh to an aluminum Cannondale in 1992, and I thought that was a big improvement. A couple of aluminum frames later, I finally bought a carbon frame Cannondale in 2012. Sort of like the progression from wood to metal to carbon fiber tennis rackets.

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Re: Riding an older bike - Am I missing out? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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I would also add:
* New cables (whether or not you switch to 11s)
* Depending on your gearing, going to a 50-34 compact crankset. You should be able to make the switch for not that much $$ and it should just be a minor adjustment to the front mech.
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