00:00Before I explain my thinking, I think it's important to make sure that we're on the same
00:03page about what a superbike really is. For me, it has to be something at the cutting edge of
00:09technology, something that's been recently released and is possibly being raced by professionals.
00:15So, think Specialized Tarmacs, Giant Propels and Colnago V4 RSs. You get the saw. Usually,
00:22they have a pretty hefty price tag attached to them, and these days, sadly, that tends to be
00:28a five-figure number. Now, they've been created with the intention of being the fastest thing on
00:34the road to save as many watts as possible and to turn your spinning legs into KOMs.
00:39The hallmarks of a superbike will usually be deeply sculpted high-grade carbon frames with
00:45deep-section wheels and a range-topping groupset like Shimano Dura-Ace, SRAM Red or a Campagnolo
00:51Super Record. You may also spot what-saving gadgets like oversized pulley wheels, integrated cockpits
00:57and ceramic bearings. It's, of course, these things which differentiate a bike from being
01:02just a really good bike to being a superbike.
01:11There's no denying that if you really want to be as fast as possible out on the road,
01:15then a superbike will make up one part of the puzzle in getting you there. However,
01:20if you look at the entire range of bikes that's offered from a brand, you can always find models
01:24with a lower specification but with many of the same features. For example, look at my Canyon
01:30Ultimate here. You can go and buy the top-end Ultimate CFR for nearly £11,000 here in the UK
01:36or you could get this Ultimate SLX for nearly £6,500. That's 40% cheaper but the difference in real
01:44world speed won't be that large. This is because the bike enjoys exactly the same frame shape,
01:50the same handlebars and still features deep section wheels. Now, while I'm not trying to fool anyone
01:55into thinking that £6,500 is a small amount of money, it is, however, a vast reduction from the
02:02range topping offering. Sure, the carbon layup is different. The SLX is about 480 grams heavier
02:08and the wheels are a bit more standard compared to the Zip 353 NSWs found on the CFR. But when you
02:16consider you'll be enjoying all the benefits of a power meter, a second-tier electronic 12-speed
02:20groupset and the latest design cues found on the bike's bigger brother, you really have to wonder
02:25why coughing up that extra money is worth it when you consider real world speed.
02:35There's one thing that I absolutely love about superbikes and that is the way that they look.
02:40I've always been a big fan of the imaginative shapes, the constant pursuit to make them look cleaner,
02:45faster and more slippery in the wind than ever before. But much like my last point,
02:50these design cues can be found on other bikes, you just have to look lower down in the range.
02:55Sure, they may not be as uncompromising and the lack of top-end components may soften their impact
03:00a little, but the frame shapes themselves won't change. A lot of superbikes feature drop seat stays
03:06and this is because it helps improve comfort and aerodynamics. It's now not uncommon to see them
03:11on bikes costing around £1,000. This is a clear example of how design innovation really does make
03:17its way down to those lower echelons. Back in 2022, when I reviewed Shimano's third-tier 105
03:23Di2 group sets, one of my key takeaways was how good it looked. I fully believe that if you had an
03:29unmarked 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace groupset side-by-side, you'd struggle to figure out which was
03:35which really, in some instances, the more affordable tech really does hold a candle to the best.
03:48When top-end bikes are being designed and tested in the wind tunnel, they're done so in the most
03:53aerodynamic position, which is also the most aggressive position. Obviously, this is because
03:59it's the fastest. Of course, for professionals who spend a lot of time training their flexibility
04:03and core strength, this isn't a problem because they can hold that position for hour after hour.
04:10However, for us mere mortals, it's more than likely that we don't possess the same abilities
04:14as our heroes and this results in us riding in a more upright position and then you have to wonder
04:20how much of a benefit are you actually getting if you aren't riding the bike as it was originally
04:26designed? It's not just about the aerodynamic benefits, but also how the bike feels underneath you.
04:33Again, as I say, bikes are designed with the stem slammed to the head tube. This also means that
04:38the way the bike handles and responds has been fine-tuned from this position. Now, if you start
04:43sliding headset spacers onto the steerer tube and altering the geometry of the bike, then it's not
04:48going to feel as good. My recommendation is to always get a bike fit before you purchase a bike. This means
04:55that whatever you end up buying will fit you and you can look for a bike which most closely matches the limits
05:00of your flexibility and body size. Ideally, you want to go as close to the position that the bike was
05:06originally designed for to get the most out of it rather than buying a bike and then trying to make
05:11it fit retrospectively which will then ultimately end up in a great bike not feeling as good. This is
05:17why endurance bikes generally have much taller head tubes with slacker angles as it reduces the need
05:22for headset spaces and stem length reductions.
05:31One thing we all know about superbikes and something you've heard me bang on about this
05:35entire video is the unrelenting desire for superbikes to be fast. It's in their very nature. However,
05:41that speed isn't exclusively down to wind sculpted carbon but instead the quest for save watts infiltrates
05:48every single part of the bike. Components can be manufactured to be lighter, stiffer, more aero
05:54and more efficient. Take the latter for example, efficiency. One option manufacturers have is to employ
06:00the use of ceramic bearings. Now, while a set of these bearings in your wheels can make them spin
06:05seemingly forever, they also don't quite have the same longevity to them. Not forgetting that these
06:11bearings are best used in the most optimal of conditions. Think dry roads and warm sunshine.
06:17Another prime example of this are the tyres you find on range topping bikes. Obviously,
06:22they'll be equipped with range topping rubber but while they may be incredibly fast,
06:26they'll be prone to punctures and of course just won't last that long. The point here is that there's
06:31a plethora of products out there to help you save as many watts as possible but it's always worth
06:36considering what the cost of that is and it usually tends to be longevity.
06:47In a similar vein to my last point, when these components do give up the ghost and need replacing,
06:52it can be a pretty uncomfortable experience for your bank balance. Superbikes are incredibly
06:58expensive to purchase. There's no escaping that but never forget or overlook the cost involved with
07:04servicing. While it shouldn't be a surprise that replacing parts like for like will be expensive,
07:10the labour cost involved can be a fair bit higher than a normal bike too. For example,
07:16superbikes can have more intricate routing for hosing which can take time to navigate. However,
07:21once a bike is set up and rolling on the road, you just want to be careful not to damage any of the
07:27bike's more delicate parts. In the instance that you damaged and needed to replace your Dura-Ace rear
07:33derailleur, which isn't uncommon, then one of those will set you back £700 here in the UK.
07:39And even if you are careful with the components, the wearable parts also aren't cheap. For example,
07:45a new Dura-Ace chain and cassette could cost you near £400. Sure, you could replace it with a cheaper
07:51alternative like Ultegra, but doesn't that slightly defeat the point of having a superbike in the first
07:57place? If you'd be happy to replace it with Ultegra, why not just have it from the get-go
08:02and save yourself from that initial cost? While I'm not trying to tell anyone how to spend their own
08:08money, everyone of course has their own view on what constitutes good value. Just be aware of the
08:13environment in which that bike will be operating. If you're looking for speed, ask yourself, have you
08:19nailed your kit choice, your nutrition, your training plan? There are a lot of things that you can
08:23control via good consistency and discipline which will reap greater rewards than what a superbike
08:29can deliver. Perhaps a superbike should be seen as a last-ditch secret weapon which helps unlock any
08:34potential remaining speed. The options available to us for half the price or even less are still going
08:41to propel you down the road at a rate of knots. What do you think about this though? Do you think
08:47that superbikes are at risk of rendering themselves pointless when there's so many great options out there
08:52which don't sacrifice real-world speed and still maintain a good level of longevity? Let me know
08:58down in the comments below. If you enjoyed the video then please do drop it a like,
09:02subscribe to the channel for more content and I'll see you again very soon.
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