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 watt-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
01:29Ultimate 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
02:16you
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,
02:49these 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
03:05and 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 Di2
03:24group sets, one of my key takeaways was how good it looked. I fully believe that if you had an
03:29unmarked
03:30105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace groupset side-by-side, you'd struggle to figure out which was which.
03:36Really, 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.
04:32Again, 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.
04:55This means that whatever you end up buying will fit you and you can look for a bike which most
04:59closely
05:00matches the limits of your flexibility and body size. Ideally, you want to go as close to the
05:05position that the bike was originally designed for to get the most out of it rather than buying
05:09a bike and then trying to make it fit retrospectively which will then ultimately end up in a great bike
05:15not feeling as good. This is why endurance bikes generally have much taller head tubes with slacker
05:20angles as it reduces the need for headset spaces and stem length reductions.
05:31One thing we all know about superbikes and something you've heard me bang on about this entire video
05:36is the unrelenting desire for superbikes to be fast. It's in their very nature. However, that speed isn't
05:42exclusively down to wind sculpted carbon but instead the quest for save watts infiltrates every single
05:49part of the bike. Components can be manufactured to be lighter, stiffer, more aero and more efficient.
05:55Take the latter for example, efficiency. One option manufacturers have is to employ the use of ceramic
06:01bearings. Now, while a set of these bearings in your wheels can make them spin seemingly forever,
06:06they also don't quite have the same longevity to them. Not forgetting that these bearings are best used
06:12in the most optimal of conditions, think dry roads and warm sunshine. Another prime example of this
06:19are the tyres you find on range topping bikes. Obviously, they'll be equipped with range topping rubber,
06:24but while they may be incredibly fast, they'll be prone to punctures and of course just won't last that long.
06:30The point here is that there's a plethora of products out there to help you save as many watts as
06:34possible,
06:35but it's always worth considering 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 expensive
06:58to purchase. There's no escaping that, but never forget or overlook the cost involved with servicing.
07:05While it shouldn't be a surprise that replacing parts like for like will be expensive, the labour cost
07:11involved can be a fair bit higher than a normal bike too. For example, superbikes can have more
07:17intricate routing for hosing, which can take time to navigate. However, once a bike is set up and
07:22rolling on the road, you just want to be careful not to damage any of the bike's more delicate parts.
07:29In the instance that you damaged and needed to replace your Dura-Ace rear derailleur, which isn't uncommon,
07:35then one of those will set you back £700 here in the UK. And even if you are careful with
07:41the components,
07:42the wearable parts also aren't cheap. For example, a new Dura-Ace chain and cassette could cost you near
07:48£400. Sure, you could replace it with a cheaper alternative like Ultegra, but doesn't that slightly
07:55defeat the point of having a superbike in the first place? If you'd be happy to replace it with Ultegra,
08:00why not just have it from the get-go and save yourself from that initial cost?
08:05While I'm not trying to tell anyone how to spend their own money, everyone of course has their own
08:10view on what constitutes good value. Just be aware of the environment in which that bike will be
08:15operating. If you're looking for speed, ask yourself, have you nailed your kit choice, your nutrition,
08:21your training plan? There are a lot of things that you can control via good consistency
08:25and discipline which will reap greater rewards than what a superbike can deliver. Perhaps a
08:31superbike should be seen as a last ditch secret weapon which helps unlock any potential remaining
08:35speed. The options available to us for half the price or even less are still going to propel you
08:41down the road at a rate of knots. What do you think about this though? Do you think that superbikes
08:47are at
08:48risk of rendering themselves pointless when there's so many great options out there which don't sacrifice
08:53real world speed and still maintain a good level of longevity? Let me know down in the comments below.
08:59If you enjoyed the video then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content
09:03and I'll see you again very soon.
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