00:00Recently I put out a video talking about the bike that I have sworn to never ever sell and I stand
00:06by that. I genuinely never will. But once that video went out it did get me thinking if I didn't
00:12have such a deep affiliation with that bike what are the things that I might otherwise be ignoring
00:17and are actually some pretty blatant signs that I should in actual fact change my bike.
00:23So here are eight signs that you should probably replace your bike.
00:30Much like cars bikes need maintaining and also like cars sometimes the cost of maintenance is
00:40higher than the value of the bike itself. It's at the point at which the repair costs more than the
00:46cost of maintenance that it doesn't really make too much sense to keep plowing money into something
00:51that is only going to keep costing you more money. The caveat to this is that if the cost of repair
00:57does exceed the value of the bike but the cost of maintenance means that you will get a decent
01:02number of extra years then it could potentially be worth it. Just be prepared for a similar service
01:08cost further down the line. Now how far down the line purely depends on how well you look after your
01:14bike and how much you use it. Depending on what is actually wrong with it especially if it's something
01:20pretty fundamental buying a new bike will mean that you rid yourself of any pesky gremlins and
01:26you'll start with a blank canvas. This is also important to consider when buying a second hand
01:31bike. It may be new to you but it's not brand new so do be careful and when in doubt get some advice
01:38from someone in the know. In my early years of taking cycling seriously I absolutely loved racing.
01:50As such an aggressive geometry is all that I wanted. A slam stem with turned in hoods or narrow bars
01:56was the order of the day. However since I've now hung up my racing wheels and I've turned my attention
02:01to taking on longer rides and a fresh set of challenges a race bike is no longer the correct
02:07tool for the job. Instead something which is a bit more suited to my new style of riding
02:12is absolutely needed. A slightly longer wheelbase with wider ties and a bit more stack suited my
02:19needs perfectly. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that since road bikes have been created to
02:24be perfect for every style of riding out there then it's worth considering that you may be missing out
02:30on using the right tool for the job. For example you don't really want to be using an endurance bike
02:35for racing or vice versa. You'll get your most out of the time on the road when you're riding the right
02:41bike. Sometimes it's not your style of riding that changes but instead it's your body that does.
02:53It's no secret that as we get older we lose some of our flexibility. Of course if you stay on top of
02:58your stretching then you will be able to maintain most of it. However if you don't then try to stick
03:05your bike that no longer caters for your new set of bodily limitations will just make cycling painful.
03:10Changes can be made to your bike fit. For example stems can be shortened. Depending on your bike
03:16spaces can be added to the steerer tube underneath the stem and you could possibly always roll the
03:22bars back. All of these things help reduce the reach of the bike. However do be prepared for all of
03:28these changes to result in your bike not feeling the same as 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 lots of
03:40changes to try and get your bike to fit you maybe that's the ultimate sign that your bike just isn't
03:46right for you anymore. In this instance I would fully recommend getting a bike fit and learning the
03:51full extent of what your limiting factors are and then finding a bike which is perfectly matched to them.
03:57Plus when you go through that process alongside a bike fitter if changes do need to be made they'll
04:02be able to make them in a way that doesn't compromise what the bike is actually like to ride itself.
04:13N plus one is a pretty well-known rule in cycling. The N of course stands for the number of bikes you
04:19currently own and the plus one means that you always need another. However we might not always need
04:25another bike quite frankly sometimes we just want another bike and in my book that is a totally
04:32justifiable sign that you should get a new one. Perhaps a new model of your current bike has been
04:37released and you just want it that's okay go and get it it's your money and if you want to go and get
04:44yourself that new bike then do it. Nothing beats new bike day and if there's something out there that you
04:50just can't take your eyes off then do it. Treat yourself and go and enjoy it.
05:00There's no doubt that following a training plan is one of the biggest contributing factors
05:05to getting faster. However if you've been training away on your budget-friendly road bike and you're
05:11now hitting a plateau in your speed and not really making any considerable steps forwards perhaps it's now
05:18time to consider what you're riding. A new bike can make you faster in a number of ways this could be
05:24down to less weight improved aerodynamics increased efficiency or even just the lowering of your rolling
05:30resistance. Without knowing what your individual starting point is there could potentially be a rather
05:36large gain to be had. Of course it's not just the speed that may increase but better brakes will allow
05:42to stop later and improve gearing will mean that you can refine your cadence. Moreover if you find
05:49yourself climbing off a bike which wasn't really designed with speed in mind and then jumping on a
05:53bike that was it's very likely that you're going to be put into a much more aerodynamic position and
05:59that will make a huge difference to how much faster you can go. To reference some of my other points
06:05in this video though just be sure you're not putting yourself in a position that simply isn't right and if
06:10you're not sure what that is well then go and see a bike fitter you 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. Basically 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 their bike.
06:39Perhaps you first fell in love with mountain biking but now you want to partake in the best discipline
06:45in 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 may not want
06:55to ride your mountain bike for example on the road or maybe ever again so that means only one thing a new
07:03bike is in order. Don't get me wrong though you can ride any bike you like wherever you like and it's of
07:09course possible to make changes to your steed to help it perform better wherever you decide to ride it.
07:14But using the right tool for the job is always best.
07:23If your bike has been reduced to a pile of snap tubes and scuffed up components
07:28then this is probably the most visible sign that you need a new bike. That goes without saying.
07:34Sometimes though in the unfortunate times when we do crash our bikes don't always just explode into a
07:39number of different pieces. They may dent, they may crack or they may just bend depending on what
07:45material they're made of. If your frame is made out of metal there's a better chance that it won't
07:50crack and any damage could potentially be repairable. This is obviously entirely case by case dependent.
07:56However with carbon you have to be a little bit more careful. Cracks can sometimes be harder to spot
08:03and hairline fractures can develop into something a little bit more sinister if they're not dealt with
08:08very quickly. If 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. This is why I'm personally a pretty
08:21big fan of metal frames. You know where you stand with them. My advice here really is not to take
08:27any risks. If you're unsure about the road worthiness of your bike then go and get it checked out by a
08:33professional.
08:40It's not uncommon for cyclists to own their bikes for a really long time. In fact I know for sure that a lot
08:46of you will have owned your bikes for around 10 years. Potentially even 20 plus. And in that time
08:52there will have been countless innovations and upgrades to group sets, frames, wheels and tires.
08:58The list really is endless. This results in one thing. The tech does become outdated.
09:05Now I'm not here to say whether or not newer tech is better than what it's replacing but if you
09:11subscribe to the idea that cycling tech is getting better then you'll also agree that tech
09:16does get outdated. If you find yourself looking at your bike and wondering what the current crop of
09:21bikes really do offer people then head down to your local bike shop and give a bike a test ride. You
09:28might find that you like what you ride and you could be in for a surprise with how much things have
09:33changed. Perhaps those disc brakes that you've been complaining about but have never tried might not
09:39be that bad after all. This video really is just a bit of fun and it's totally up to you on when you
09:46want to buy a new bike. It's your money and you don't need me or anyone else telling you how to
09:51spend it. These are just a few reasons that are worth paying attention to that may indicate that
09:57it's time to consider your options. Let me know down below what was it that made you decide to buy your
10:03last bike. If 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.
Comments