00:00Recently, I put out a video talking about the bike that I have sworn to never ever sell
00:05and I stand by that, I genuinely never will.
00:09But once that video went out, it did get me thinking, if I didn't have such a deep affiliation
00:14with that bike, what are the things that I might otherwise be ignoring and are actually
00:18some pretty blatant signs that I should in actual fact change my bike.
00:23So here are 8 signs that you should probably replace your bike.
00:34Much like cars, bikes need maintaining and also like cars, sometimes the cost of maintenance
00:40is higher than the value of the bike itself.
00:43It's at the point at which the repair costs more than the cost of maintenance that it
00:47doesn't really make too much sense to keep ploughing money into something that is only
00:52going to keep costing you more money.
00:54The caveat to this is that if the cost of repair does exceed the value of the bike,
00:59but the cost of maintenance means that you will get a decent number of extra years, then
01:04it could potentially be worth it.
01:06Just be prepared for a similar service cost further down the line.
01:10Now how far down the line purely depends on how well you look after your bike and how
01:15much you use it.
01:17Depending on what is actually wrong with it, especially if it's something pretty fundamental,
01:22buying a new bike will mean that you rid yourself of any pesky gremlins and you'll start with
01:27a blank canvas.
01:28This is also important to consider when buying a second hand bike.
01:32It may be new to you, but it's not brand new.
01:35So do be careful and when in doubt, get some advice from someone in the know.
01:45In my early years of taking cycling seriously, I absolutely loved racing.
01:50As such, an aggressive geometry is all that I wanted.
01:53A slam stem with turned in hoods on narrow bars was the order of the day.
01:58However, since I've now hung up my racing wheels and I've turned my attention to taking
02:02on longer rides and a fresh set of challenges, a race bike is no longer the correct tool
02:07for the job.
02:09Instead, something which is a bit more suited to my new style of riding is absolutely needed.
02:15A slightly longer wheelbase with wider tires and a bit more stack suited my needs perfectly.
02:21I guess what I'm trying to say here is that since road bikes have been created to be perfect
02:25for every style of riding out there, then it's worth considering that you may be missing
02:29out on using the right tool for the job.
02:32For example, you don't really want to be using an endurance bike for racing or vice
02:37versa.
02:38You want to get your most out of the time on the road when you're riding the right
02:41bike.
02:48Sometimes it's not your style of riding that changes, but instead, it's your body
02:52that does.
02:53It's no secret that as we get older, we lose some of our flexibility.
02:57Of course, if you stay on top of your stretching, then you will be able to maintain most of
03:01it.
03:02However, if you don't, then trying to stick with a bike that no longer caters for your
03:06new set of bodily limitations will just make cycling painful.
03:11Changes can be made to your bike fit.
03:13For example, stems can be shortened.
03:15Depending on your bike, spacers can be added to the steerer tube underneath the stem, and
03:20you could possibly always roll the bars back.
03:23All of these things help reduce the reach of the bike.
03:26However, do be prepared for all of these changes to result in your bike not feeling the same
03:32as it used to, and maybe not for the better.
03:36Much like my last point, if you can no longer ride comfortably and you're having to make
03:40lots of changes to try and get your bike to fit you, maybe that's the ultimate sign
03:45that your bike just isn't right for you anymore.
03:47In this instance, I would fully recommend getting a bike fit and learning the full extent
03:52of what your limiting factors are, and then finding a bike which is perfectly matched
03:56to them.
03:57Plus, when you go through that process alongside a bike fitter, if changes do need to be made,
04:02they'll be able to make them in a way that doesn't compromise what the bike is actually
04:06like to ride itself.
04:13N plus one is a pretty well-known rule in cycling.
04:17The N, of course, stands for the number of bikes you currently own, and the plus one
04:21means that you always need another.
04:23However, we might not always need another bike.
04:26Quite frankly, sometimes we just want another bike.
04:30In my book, that is a totally justifiable sign that you should get a new one.
04:36Perhaps a new model of your current bike has been released and you just want it.
04:40That's okay.
04:41Go and get it.
04:42It's your money, and if you want to go and get yourself that new bike, then do it.
04:47Nothing beats new bike day, and if there's something out there that you just can't take
04:50your eyes off, then do it.
04:53Treat yourself and go and enjoy it.
05:01There's no doubt that following a training plan is one of the biggest contributing factors
05:05to getting faster.
05:06However, if you've been training away on your budget-friendly road bike and you're now hitting
05:11a plateau in your speed and not really making any considerable steps forwards, perhaps it's
05:17now time to consider what you're riding.
05:20A new bike can make you faster in a number of ways.
05:24This could be down to less weight, improved aerodynamics, increased efficiency, or even
05:29just the lowering of your rolling resistance.
05:32Without knowing what your individual starting point is, there could potentially be a rather
05:36large gain to be had.
05:38Of course, it's not just the speed that may increase, but better brakes will allow you
05:42to stop later, and improved gearing will mean that you can refine your cadence.
05:47Moreover, if you find yourself climbing off a bike which wasn't really designed with speed
05:52in mind and then jumping on a bike that was, it's very likely that you're going to be put
05:57into a much more aerodynamic position, and that will make a huge difference to how much
06:01faster you can go.
06:03To reference some of my other points in this video, though, just be sure you're not putting
06:07yourself in a position that simply isn't right.
06:10And if you're not sure what that is, well, then go and see a bike fitter.
06:14You will not regret it.
06:22It's a very obvious thing to say, but people ride bikes literally everywhere, on the road
06:28and off of it.
06:29Basically, anywhere a human can go, there's a solid chance that a bike can go there too.
06:34This then poses the potential situation of a rider wanting to change up where they ride
06:38their bike.
06:39Perhaps you first fell in love with mountain biking, but now you want to partake in the
06:44best discipline, in my opinion, and join the vast number of lycra-clad road cyclists.
06:51There's a chance that if you ever did decide to switch disciplines altogether, that you
06:55may not want to ride your mountain bike, for example, on the road, or maybe ever again.
07:01That means only one thing, a new bike is in order.
07:05Don't get me wrong, though.
07:06You can ride any bike you like wherever you like, and it's, of course, possible to make
07:10changes to your steed to help it perform better wherever you decide to ride it, but using
07:15the right tool for the job is always best.
07:21If your bike has been reduced to a pile of snap tubes and scuffed up components, then
07:28this is probably the most visible sign that you need a new bike.
07:33That goes without saying.
07:34Sometimes, though, in the unfortunate times when we do crash, our bikes don't always just
07:39explode into a number of different pieces.
07:42They may dent, they may crack, or they may just bend, depending on what material they're
07:46made of.
07:47If your frame is made out of metal, there's a better chance that it won't crack, and any
07:51damage could potentially be repairable.
07:54This is obviously entirely case-by-case dependent.
07:56However, with carbon, you have to be a little bit more careful.
08:01Cracks can sometimes be harder to spot, and hairline fractures can develop into something
08:06a little bit more sinister if they're not dealt with very quickly.
08:10If you have crashed a carbon bike, I always recommend making sure that you get it looked
08:14at by a carbon fiber specialist to ensure that it really is safe.
08:19This is why I'm personally a pretty big fan of metal frames.
08:23You know where you stand with them.
08:25My advice here really is not to take any risks.
08:28If you're unsure about the roadworthiness of your bike, then go and get it checked out
08:33by a professional.
08:40It's not uncommon for cyclists to own their bikes for a really long time.
08:44In fact, I know for sure that a lot of you will have owned your bikes for around 10 years,
08:49potentially even 20 plus.
08:52In that time, there will have been countless innovations and upgrades to group sets, frames,
08:57wheels, and tires.
08:59The list really is endless.
09:01This results in one thing, that tech does become outdated.
09:06I'm not here to say whether or not newer tech is better than what it's replacing, but if
09:10you subscribe to the idea that cycling tech is getting better, then you'll also agree
09:15that tech does get outdated.
09:18If you find yourself looking at your bike and wondering what the current crop of bikes
09:22really do offer people, then head down to your local bike shop and give a bike a test ride.
09:28You might find that you like what you ride and you could be in for a surprise with how
09:32much things have changed.
09:34Perhaps those disc brakes that you've been complaining about but have never tried might
09:39not be that bad after all.
09:42This video really is just a bit of fun and it's totally up to you on when you want to
09:46buy a new bike.
09:48It's your money and you don't need me or anyone else telling you how to spend it.
09:52These are just a few reasons that are worth paying attention to that may indicate that
09:57it's time to consider your options.
09:59Let me know down below, what was it that made you decide to buy your last bike?
10:04If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more
10:07content and I'll see you again very soon.
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