00:00Recently I put out a video talking about the bike that I have sworn to never ever sell and I
00:05stand
00:06by that I genuinely never will but once that video went out it did get me thinking if I didn't
00:12have
00:12such 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.
00:33Much 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 doesn't
00:48really make too much sense to keep plowing money into something that is only going to keep
00:52costing you more money.
00:54The caveat to this is that if the cost of repair does exceed the value of the bike but the
00:59cost of maintenance means that you will get a decent number of extra years then it could
01:05potentially be worth it.
01:06Just be prepared for a similar service cost further down the line.
01:10How far down the line purely depends on how well you look after your bike and how much
01:15you use it.
01:16Depending on what is actually wrong with it, especially if it's something pretty fundamental,
01:21buying 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 so do be careful and when in doubt get
01:37some
01:38advice from someone in the know.
01:44In 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 or 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 on longer
02:02rides and a fresh set of challenges, a race bike is no longer the correct tool for the job.
02:08Instead, something which is a bit more suited to my new style of riding is absolutely needed.
02:14A slightly longer wheelbase with wider ties and a bit more stack suited my needs perfectly.
02:20I 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 versa.
02:37You'll get your most out of the time on the road when you're riding the right bike.
02:48Sometimes 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.
02:57Of course, if you stay on top of your stretching, then you will be able to maintain most of it.
03:01However, 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.
03:10Changes can be made to your bike fit.
03:13For example, stems can be shortened.
03:15Depending on your bike, spaces can be added to the steerer tube underneath the stem,
03:19and you 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 as
03:32it 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
03:45isn't right for you anymore.
03:47In this instance, I would fully recommend getting a bike fit and learning the full extent of what
03:52your 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,
04:02they'll be able to make them in a way that doesn't compromise what the bike is actually like to ride
04:07itself.
04:13N plus 1 is a pretty well-known rule in cycling. The N of course stands for the number of
04:19bikes you
04:19currently own, and the plus 1 means that you always need another. However, we might not always
04:25need another bike. Quite frankly, sometimes we just want another bike, and in my book that is a
04:31totally justifiable sign that you should get a new one.
04:35Perhaps a new model of your current bike has been released, and you just want it. That's okay. Go
04:41and get it. It's your money, and if you want to go and get yourself that new bike, then do
04:46it.
04:47Nothing beats new bike day, and if there's something out there that you just can't take your eyes off,
04:51then 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 to getting
05:05faster. However, if you've been training away on your budget-friendly road bike, and you're now
05:11hitting a plateau in your speed, and not really making any considerable steps forwards, perhaps
05:17it's now time to consider what you're riding. A new bike can make you faster in a number of ways.
05:23This could be down to less weight, improved aerodynamics, increased efficiency, or even just
05:29the lowering of your rolling resistance. Without knowing what your individual starting point is,
05:34there could potentially be a rather large gain to be had. Of course, it's not just the speed that may
05:40increase, but better brakes will allow you to stop later, and improved gearing will mean that you
05:45can refine your cadence. Moreover, if you find yourself climbing off a bike which wasn't really
05:51designed with speed in mind, and then jumping on a bike that was, it's very likely that you're going
05:56to be put into a much more aerodynamic position, and that will make a huge difference to how much
06:02faster you can go. To reference some of my other points in this video though, just be sure you're not
06:07putting yourself in a position that simply isn't right. And if you're not sure what that is,
06:12well, 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 and off of it.
06:29Basically, anywhere a human can go, there's a solid chance that a bike can go there too.
06:33This 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
06:44discipline, 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 may not want
06:55to ride your mountain bike, for example, on the road, or maybe ever again. So that means only one thing,
07:02a new bike is in order. Don't get me wrong though, you can ride any bike you like wherever you
07:08like,
07:09and it's of course possible to make changes to your steed to help it perform better wherever you
07:13decide to ride it. But 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, then this is probably
07:29the
07:29most visible sign that you need a new bike. That goes without saying. Sometimes though,
07:35in the unfortunate times when we do crash, our bikes don't always just explode into a number of
07:40different pieces. They may dent, they may crack, or they may just bend depending on what material
07:46they're made of. If your frame is made out of metal, there's a better chance that it won't crack and
07:51any
07:51damage could potentially be repairable. This is obviously entirely case-by-case dependent. However,
07:56with 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
08:33a
08:33professional. It's not uncommon for cyclists to own their bikes for a really long time. In fact,
08:44I know for sure that a lot of you will have owned your bikes for around 10 years, potentially even
08:5020
08:51plus. And in that time, there will have been countless innovations and upgrades to group sets,
08:57frames, wheels, and tires. The list really is endless. This results in one thing, that tech
09:03does become outdated. Now, I'm not here to say whether or not newer tech is better than what it's
09:09replacing. But if you subscribe to the idea that cycling tech is getting better, then you'll also
09:15agree that tech does get outdated. If you find yourself looking at your bike and wondering what
09:20the current crop of bikes really do offer people, then head down to your local bike shop and give a
09:26bike a test ride. You might find that you like what you ride and you could be in for a
09:31surprise
09:31with how much things have changed. Perhaps those disc brakes that you've been complaining about but have
09:37never tried might not be that bad after all. This video really is just a bit of fun and it's
09:44totally
09:45up to you on when you want to buy a new bike. It's your money and you don't need me
09:49or anyone else
09:50telling you how to spend it. These are just a few reasons that are worth paying attention to
09:55that may indicate that it's time to consider your options. Let me know down below what was it that made
10:01you decide to buy your last bike? If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe
10:06to the
10:06channel for more content and I'll see you again very soon.
Comments