# What makes a bike fast??



## Robster lobster (Sep 4, 2008)

Hi guys,

this may be a stupid question but what makes one bike faster than another? I've been riding now for around 5 months. I was persuaded to do the London to Brighton ride and my lbs suggested I go for a Scott P45 hybrid. I love this bike but more recently I have started riding with a couple of fitter guys who have 'proper' racing bikes. I couldn't keep up!!! So I thought about getting a racer too but I wasn't sure about changing to a drop handlebar and instead bought a second hand Saracen Helix which is about half the weight of the Scott but with the flat bars. But I keep seeing adverts for bikes that are really fast, but what makes them fast? Obviously the weight but am I missing out on anything else? Or should I just concentrate on getting fitter and lighter and wait for the speed to come??

Rob


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

All things on the bike being equal the rider makes the bike go faster. Even with things being somewhat not equal, the rider makes the bike fast. Then there is of course experience, attitude, and equipment. I fast rider on a very light bike will be still pretty fast on a heavy bike. The top Pro's could kick my butt on a scooter probably. "Proper" equipment is important but not the biggest factor.


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Robster,

The reason you could not keep up is because the racers are just faster than you are.

The speed which a cyclist can go on any bike is 99% the engine and 1% bike,tires, position, weight etc...


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

+1. Just like a car, it is mostly the engine that allows greater speed. More horsepower=faster. Yes, gearing and other things matter, but your bike isn't the problem. It is mostly experience, training, and practice.


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## Robster lobster (Sep 4, 2008)

*Thanks...*

Thanks guys, well the plan of action is to lose 15 lbs, train a bit more and pedal faster...oh and to stop being seduced by very expensive bikes claiming that I will whizz past everybody else...or maybe reward myself when the 15lbs come off!


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

Robster lobster said:


> Thanks guys, well the plan of action is to lose 15 lbs, train a bit more and pedal faster...oh and to stop being seduced by very expensive bikes claiming that I will whizz past everybody else...or maybe reward myself when the 15lbs come off!


Good plan.

Get yer engine tuned up right and it won't matter what you're riding!


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Robster lobster said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> this may be a stupid question but what makes one bike faster than another? I've been riding now for around 5 months. I was persuaded to do the London to Brighton ride and my lbs suggested I go for a Scott P45 hybrid. I love this bike but more recently I have started riding with a couple of fitter guys who have 'proper' racing bikes. I couldn't keep up!!! So I thought about getting a racer too but I wasn't sure about changing to a drop handlebar and instead bought a second hand Saracen Helix which is about half the weight of the Scott but with the flat bars. But I keep seeing adverts for bikes that are really fast, but what makes them fast? Obviously the weight but am I missing out on anything else? Or should I just concentrate on getting fitter and lighter and wait for the speed to come??
> 
> Rob


Okay, lets read what the OP said a little closer. I read that he is riding hybrid (http://scottusa.com/gb_en/product/195/694/sportster_p45) and not a road bike (racing bike). Riders being equal, a road bike will be faster than a hybrid. The tires (or tyres for our British friends) on the hybrid are far larger 37mm vs 23 or 25mm. The rolling resistance difference is huge. I imagine the riding position of those on "proper" road bikes is more aerodynamic and perhaps better for power transfer to the pedals. The hybrid looks to have platform pedals and not clipless pedals. The weight of the hybrid certainly would play a factor especially with the heavier tire and wheel combo.

The hybid may be a fine bike and is designed to be versitile. It is not designed to go fast on the road. I fear that the only way the OP will be as fast, or faster on that bike is to convince his buddies to ride on dirt bike paths.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

As others have said, the rider is the primary factor, but other things are-

1) aerodynamics- lets the bike move through the air easier- important as air speeds reach around 20 MPH. And it's not just the bike's aerodynamics that are important- positioning the rider lower with drop bars also improves aerodynamics.

2) frame stiffness- not wasting energy bending the frame back and forth with each pedal stroke.

3) weight- very important going uphills, not so important on the flats.

edit: and

4) rolling resistance, of course. Narrow high pressure tires roll easier than big soft shock absorbers.


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## smartypants (Jul 22, 2008)

I did a sprint duathlon (my first) with a mountain bike with full front/back suspension  During the downhill sections, I was entirely outclassed...my top speed wasn't any where near the top speed of the other racers on their road bike, the bike just didn't have the gears for it.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

smartypants said:


> I did a sprint duathlon (my first) with a mountain bike with full front/back suspension  During the downhill sections, I was entirely outclassed...my top speed wasn't any where near the top speed of the other racers on their road bike, the bike just didn't have the gears for it.


Recently a couple of guys have decided jump on their mountain bikes (with slicks) and ride in our morning rides instead of using their road bikes. Anything over 21 mph was a real hard effort for them when normally they can cruise along at 24 with less effort on a road bike. Yesterday's ride had a nice gradual straight descent where we can crank it up to 33-36mph for a couple miles. The guy on the MTB was toast. (We did slow down and wait and wait and wait at the bottom)


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Not really*



brianmcg said:


> The speed which a cyclist can go on any bike is 99% the engine and 1% bike,tires, position, weight etc...


That's just plain wrong. Switching to an MTB from a standard road bike will cost you 3 mph or so. That's mostly due to aerodynamics and tire rolling resistance. Replacing tires with slicks may get half of that back, but the more upright and wider body stance of a hybrid is going to cost at least a mile per hour in speed. That is a WHOLE lot more than a 1% difference (per your "example").


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

Aero is huge in the flats, weight is huge in the hills.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Kerry Irons said:


> That's just plain wrong. Switching to an MTB from a standard road bike will cost you 3 mph or so. That's mostly due to aerodynamics and tire rolling resistance. Replacing tires with slicks may get half of that back, but the more upright and wider body stance of a hybrid is going to cost at least a mile per hour in speed. That is a WHOLE lot more than a 1% difference (per your "example").


True, the percentage might be wrong, but the principle is sound. The bike industry wants to convince us that a newer or different bike will make us go faster when, in reality, the rider is the most significant factor. That said, you can't really compare a guy on a bar cruiser with a guy on a TT bike.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

*The Rider makes a bike fast, yes, but...*

You need the proper 'tool' for each job in order to perform that job properly. You can't drive a nail with a ballpeen hammer as well as you can with an air nailer. You don't do well riding a comfort bike in a road race. Not the right 'tool' for that job.

Obviously, if you put two riders on identical bikes, the stronger rider will go faster. But bikes are built for different 'jobs' and a hybrid bike is not built for speed, but rather for versatility and comfort. If you were to go shopping on your bike in an urban setting..A race bike would suck, while the hybrid would be wonderful. If you go to a race on your hybrid, you can expect equal 'suck-age'.

What makes a bike fast? At the highest levels and all being equal..the rider for sure. But as has been said, manufacturers would have you believe that only "Their" bike is "The fastest" when in reality, probably any of 100 (+/-) brands could perform equally under the same riders.
Don Hanson


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