# Wanna Upgrade my Bike! LOoNG POST!



## manicrider (Nov 6, 2007)

I commute everywhere on my bike , i dont actually have a car..

Anyway im looking to speed up my bike ride into work, its an uphill climb for basically all of the 5 miles, when i first started cycling in april it took me 38 minites to cover the 5 miles. (229 pound fatboy)
This is on a nice hardtail 14kg moutainbike with 27cc road tires and front suspension locked out. For some reason i though my bike
seems fast! and that 14kg seemed light"

Over the next few months i improved this time to 27 mins i was 186 pounds! in september. 

I decided id get a proper roadbike 8.5kg!  My time 24 mins! the first time i tried it out. This was despite the fact i actually had to get off and push the thing up one hill  cud not turn the pedals without my mtb granny gears. I loved my new tool and got really motivated!

I'm now 178 pounds and do the same ride in 20.5 mins and love powering up the hills I think thats almost 15mph average. I also joined a cycling club and was shocked to find i was able to keep up with the fast group but was seemed less tired taking the hills that with people at 145-155 pounds, much lighter than me with triathlon and cycle racing experiance at a local level. 

I did a time trial with my club and was able to average 20 mph over the 10 miles which im really happy with. Yeah you guys wull probably think thats slow it was my first go The fastest ive ever got my bike up to on the straight was 31mph, the fastest ever downhill was 44mph! (scary). The fastest ive crashed at was 44mph (yes they are related)

Anyway i think the details are on my bike are in my profile. I'm gonna change the wheels
and tires to something more aero and light, i was wondering if I was overlooking anything else on my bike that could be limiting my speed 

If i was actually using a bike set up for time trials ( aero wheels, bars, tires and helmet) wud i gain 2-3 mph? or are the gains much less significant. 

I'm gonna lighten my wheels and tires up. Wheels are 2kg gonna change them to something like 1.5kg ones and 220 gram tires. Will i still be at much of a disadvantage?

Finally my leg muscles seem much larger than anyone else in my club? is it because im heavy and in order for me to move at speed they devloped that way? Im 5' 8 I have really thick ankles and wrists! and massive knees, but its not fat im sure, its hard as iron, but my belly is flabby.

When i look at the other riders, most seem far lighter than me with small leg muscles, but they have slighly more definition. My muscles just get bigger every few weeks... is that a problem? If they get much larger their gonna rub against the bike... I assume at some point they will stop growing i hope i look like a t-rex big legs, skinny arms. I don't take any muscle gain products. I think im retaining a lot of water though. Any thoughts of dropping water related weight?


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

Whoa, dude....check your Lithium level! Seriously, I wouldn't change anything. Wish I could say I'd lost that much weight!! Just keep doing what you've been doing.


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

Light parts are great and it seems like you are replacing the place where weight counts the most and that is the wheels. Nothing will make you climb any faster then training and training for climing. Keep up what you are are going and hit the gym. That tummy will tighten up over time. 

Congratulation!:thumbsup: 

Juan


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