UKC

I recently got hold of a Giant SCR 2 (2008 spec) at a very good price.

I'm doing 4-5 10s a week, and the odd 25, all alone. I am, however, a complete newbie to 'serious' cycling.

What could I look at upgrading on the bike, and in what order, to make a noticeable difference to my times (particularly the 10 miles), if anything?

The Spec is as follows:

FRAME
ALUXX aluminium, Fluid Formed, Compact Road Design
FORK
T700 carbon composite, aluminium steerer
SHOCK
N/A
HANDLEBAR
GIANT A3 aluminium
STEM
GIANT A3 aluminium ahead
SEAT POST
GIANT A5 aluminium
SADDLE
Selle Royal Viper
PEDALS
Wellgo road
SHIFTERS
Shimano Tiagra 27 speed STI
FRONT MECH
Shimano Tiagra
REAR MECH
Shimano Tiagra
BRAKES
Dual pivot long reach
BRAKE LEVER
Shimano Tiagra STI
CASSETTE
Shimano HG50 12-25
CHAIN
Shimano HG73
CRANKS
TruVativ Touro 3.2 30/39/50
BOTTOM BRACKET
Cartridge
RIMS
Alex DA22
HUBS
Formula
SPOKES
Stainless steel
TYRES
Michelin Dynamic 700x26mm

In reply to Krav Maga:

Tyres. Replace the 26mm (25c?) to 23c. Get the best tyres on the market. They usually only cost a tenner more than budget tyres anyway. You can keep the 25c ones for winter use. Training tyres will last longer and are usually more puncture resistant. Racing tyres are lighter, more grippy but some wear out quickly. I found the Continental GP4000 to be good on both sides. However others might suggest different.

The engine is crucial too. Mine is rather sluggish on my bike unfortunately I can't replace it.

In reply to Krav Maga:

Ok, i love buying bits for my bike too... when i have the money. So i'm just guna list stuff you want to replace/buy -

New saddle; your current one is a mountain bike saddle so a bit over the top for road cycling

When i search for your handle bars on google i get pictures of mountain bikes? so if they're not drops then get a good set of drops... oh wait, but why would u have Shimano Tiagra shifters? never mind!

I don't know if you're using them, but spd peddle and shoes are great.

You're Alex DA22 wheel set is not great - if you have the cash buy some really nice ones, there stronger and a load lighter.


But to be honest you have a nice set up there... there's lots of things you could tweak and upgrade, but the real difference is how much effort you put in. Unless you're looking to spend big money then you're not going to see much benefit; like changing your saddle isn't going to make you much faster... all down to your little legs

In reply to Krav Maga:

Hi, I have this bike but the 06 model. It got me up Ventoux fine and well ahead of my mate on a £2k specialized! But after Mont V I invested in a set of Askium Mavic wheels - it made a big difference to the feel of my ride and my times.

La Shamster

In reply to Krav Maga: Wheels would probably make the most difference. For the flat get some deep-section carbon fibre rims, for climbing get lightweight ones with good braking surfaces. If you're serious about riding fast 10s and 25s get a dedicated time trial bike.

In reply to Krav Maga: I'd agree wheels make by far the biggest difference (and tend to be where the "off the shelf" bikes save their money - Planet X do a very light, very good value wheelset for under £200.

In reply to andy: Another vote for wheels.

In reply to Krav Maga:

Cheers All.

I'll start with some 23mm tyres (will my existing inners fit?), and look at and discuss wheels in local bike shops.

In reply to Krav Maga:

Normally yes. Most skinny tubes are rated for 18-25c. Some lightweight ones are rated for 18-23c. There are also tubes rated for 25-28c which you might struggle to fit into 23c tyres (while the other way round is fine in my experience). You should just get some new tubes as well as you'll need to keep some spare tubes around. I'll carry my pump and a spare tube when I ride for any distance longer than I'm happy to walk home with a puncture.


I found the Shimano 105 series wheels to be good value for money. Got my WH-550 wheelset two years ago for £80 a pair. After nearly 6000 miles the wheels are still as true as the first day. They are reasonably lightweight but flexes quite a bit specially the 16 spokes front. Still I'm happy to replace mine with the new WH-5600 when my rims wear out.

In reply to jamestheyip:
I'll carry my pump and a spare tube when I ride for any distance longer than I'm happy to walk home with a puncture.

sound advice.. mind you if you've a missus at home can go with just mobile approach!

In reply to gingerdave13:

provided she can drive of course! -- I carry my pump and spare tubes at all times!

In reply to Lord of Starkness: well there is that.. but aye, i carry a pump and tube.

i've had too many punctures now not to do that.. often is the case that i'll be repairing them in the toilet at work!

In reply to Krav Maga: I am going to dissent from the consensus on wheels - the most important thing you could do is get yourself in an aerodynamic position, but that may not be possible on that frame (will depend on size of frame and your body!).

If you can get some sort of aero position then look at getting tri-bars. The point of tri bars apart from helping you get low is also to minimise your frontal area. Then wheels. IIRC Bikeradar.com has an article about what savings each components of a TT bike/set-up will save you.

In reply to MJH: I agree, a set of £50 tri bars and a good position will save more time than spending £1K on wheels and other fancy bits

In reply to Krav Maga:

Pedals (I assume the Wellgo are flat bet maybe with a plastic toe cage?); Look Keo clip in and cycling shoes with cleats. Once you get past the first hour or so you will be amazed at how much difference they make.

Then wheels/tyres (Mavic Aksium/GP 4000)

also get some good padded bib shorts to go with a good road saddle

In reply to tragically1969:

Im not sure the OP means time trials?

Tri bars only become relavent at faster speeds say 27 min for a 10

In reply to kevin stephens:

Well he says 4-5 10s and the odd 25 per week!


Complete myth I am afraid - there are greater efficiency savings (as a percentage) the slower you are because you are out there longer. It is covered in the bikeradar article that I referred to IIRC. It is one of those myths that people like to propagate along with no point in buying anything other than a raleigh chopper unless you are beating the hour etc.

In reply to MJH:

That would be extremely inntense competing for a "complete newbie to serious cycling"


Not in my experience (having ridden 10s on my road mike and lo-pro TT bike)and according to laws of physics. Power expended in overcomming air resistance is proportional speed cubed

In reply to MJH:

They're 'home made/DIY' circuits I do on my own, not competitions! I wouldn't bother entering any races, if at all, until I can get my 10 mile time down a good bit. (Although one of the 10 circuits I do is used for local races; I just happen to live 1/2 mile from where it starts/finishes).

As for the 25s, it's a bit grandiose to really say I'm treating them as Time Trials, even if I am noting my times!

What is the bike I've bought designed for then? I assumed it was as close to an all round road bike as anything. How does a TT bike differ?

In reply to kevin stephens:

Yes.


Are they the same as 'SPDs'?

In reply to kevin stephens:


Here is the article: http://static.bikeradar.com/fitness/nutrition/article/how-aero-is-aero-1927...

A slow rider still needs to improve their aero performance otherwise they are either going slower for their power output or they are upping the power to overcome the drag (and could go faster if more aero).

In reply to Krav Maga: Fair enough, I misunderstood your OP.

Fitness will give you better time reduction than tinkering until you know a bit more.

The Giant SCRs IIRC are compact frame road bikes ie general road bike. A TT bike will (normally) be a different geometry with the aim of enabling you to get as aero as possible (see a picture from yesterday's stage of the Tour de France when they were riding in the Team Time Trial). Normally have tri-bars with bar end shifters for the gears, possibly more aero forks and seat posts and more aero wheels.

In reply to kevin stephens:


From the article Mike posted:
"You will save more time but fewer watts at slower speeds with these improvements. The constants are the percentage aero drag savings".

In reply to Krav Maga:

The same kind of thing, yes. Probably the first thing you should change if you haven't already - they make a phenomenal difference.

In reply to johnSD: not quite the same as SPDs - for road use you want road-specific pedals, shimano's ones are called SPD-SL (the SPDs are for mountain bikes) I'd say a pair of SPD-SL (or something similar like Look) pedals with cleats and cycling shoes would be a good first upgrade from what you have (look much cooler than those plastic Wellgos too)

In reply to ripper:

He did say the same 'kind of thing', not 'the same' thing.

TBH, they are something I'm a little wary of, as I've had all manner of problems with my right knee (which is so arthritic it needs replacing, but I'm too young). I'd hate to spend a large wadge buying a set and then find that because of the lack of freedom of movement in my right knee I couln't use them. I wonder if I could replicate the effect by clamping the right clip on my current pedals as tight as possible, leaving the left loose enough to get my foot out? I don't think a quick test of a set in a shop would suffice.

I'll get some thinner tyres tomorrow and give those a couple of months, then think about wheels, then possibly a clip on tri-bar.

Cheers all.

In reply to Krav Maga:

I believe that Look pedals are supposed to be kinder to problem knees than SPD-SLs. However if you have real problems with the knee, you should know that SPDs need a sort of twisting movement to release them.

In reply to Krav Maga:

I don't know if others would recommend it, but I started out using Time ATAC pedals with road shoes (non-recessed cleats), and these allow a huge amount of float. You can basically slide your foot side to side by about an inch, and wiggle your heel a long way in either direction, giving a wide range of allowed movement while clipped in.

In reply to ripper:

Not necessarily. I've used a few different SPDs, Look road pedals and various types of shoes. As long as the SPD spring tensions are set tight enough I found no difference to the efficiency or the time required for my regular 40 miles commutes. Good road shoes are lighter and stiffer then mtb shoes but still terrible for walking.

Have a look at Graham Obree's new bike he just built for world 1 hour record attempt. The pedals are a pair of basic mountain bike pedals, filed down to save weight.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/graeme-obree-bidding-for-hour-record-...

In reply to Krav Maga: just a point re: your knees, cleats for shimano spd-sl pedals come in two types - yellow with three degrees of float and red fixed, no float, so the yellow ones do allow a reasonable amount of movement. As a previous poster says tho, MTB-style spds are probably a better option if you want to walk more than a few paces in your bike shoes

In reply to Krav Maga: A nice basket on the front would make a difference to your times, but not in a good way (unless you were doing your shopping).

In reply to Krav Maga:

Set up:

Make sure you have the saddle set at the right height and the right distance fore aft other wise you are just wasting energy.

Think contact points.

So stiff soled shoes and half decent clipless pedals will allow you to transfer your power to the drive train. SPD will allow you to clip both sides and are less of a faff than pure road pedals. Pure road pedals have a bigger contact area and hence slightly better power transfer and comfoort over longer durations.

Decent tyres make a hell of a difference in terms of reduced rolling resistance but more importantly grip through the corners allowing you to hold more speed.