Are Aerobikes worth it?
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Are Aerobikes worth it?
I have 4 road bikes.They are all pretty light and I love each of them for their unique qualities. But recently I've been quite taken by a Canyon Aeroad. I love the paint scheme and aesthetics are important to me. It's something I can easily afford. Disc brakes and 11 sp Ultegra mechanical with a nice set of wheels that are tubeless ready,. So, it ticks all those boxes. Now, I am a 77 yr old recreational rider (obviously) who is challenged by elevation but can still motor on the flats. My question: is an aerobike really going to feel better or at least different, than a good road bike? Wondering if there are aerobike riders here who can comment?
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I love the paint scheme and aesthetics are important to me. It's something I can easily afford. Disc brakes and 11 sp Ultegra mechanical with a nice set of wheels that are tubeless ready. So, it ticks all those boxes. [...] My question: is an aerobike really going to feel better or at least different, than a good road bike? Wondering if there are aerobike riders here who can comment?
That said, if the bike ticks all the boxes, why are you asking us?
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I have two aeros and two steel racing bikes.
You only live once (or twice, if you are James Bond) so go for it since it checks all the boxes. You can’t quantify the pleasure aesthetics can provide, but you will gain a bit in speed, especially if you add aero rims. What’s wrong with going farther or faster or both and feeling good while you do it? Answer: Nothing. Go for it
You only live once (or twice, if you are James Bond) so go for it since it checks all the boxes. You can’t quantify the pleasure aesthetics can provide, but you will gain a bit in speed, especially if you add aero rims. What’s wrong with going farther or faster or both and feeling good while you do it? Answer: Nothing. Go for it
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#4
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If you like the bike, buy the bike!
I have a Canyon Aeroad (rim brake, 60mm wheels) and a non-aero road bike (round tubes, 35mm wheels). The Aeroad is faster, that's a fact. Is it a MASSIVE difference? No, but it's a difference nonetheless.
That said, when I put 60mm wheels on my non-aero bike, the difference becomes a lot less.
I have a Canyon Aeroad (rim brake, 60mm wheels) and a non-aero road bike (round tubes, 35mm wheels). The Aeroad is faster, that's a fact. Is it a MASSIVE difference? No, but it's a difference nonetheless.
That said, when I put 60mm wheels on my non-aero bike, the difference becomes a lot less.
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Intuition tells me that speed gains from being more aero can be objectively measured and confirmed by your bike computer, but not easily "felt" (ie, subjectively perceived).
When I went to 60/88 wheels, I guess my straight line speed was marginally faster but what I felt was the heavier wheels being less responsive to sudden accelerations.
When I went to 60/88 wheels, I guess my straight line speed was marginally faster but what I felt was the heavier wheels being less responsive to sudden accelerations.
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I have 4 road bikes.They are all pretty light and I love each of them for their unique qualities. But recently I've been quite taken by a Canyon Aeroad. I love the paint scheme and aesthetics are important to me. It's something I can easily afford. Disc brakes and 11 sp Ultegra mechanical with a nice set of wheels that are tubeless ready,. So, it ticks all those boxes. Now, I am a 77 yr old recreational rider (obviously) who is challenged by elevation but can still motor on the flats. My question: is an aerobike really going to feel better or at least different, than a good road bike? Wondering if there are aerobike riders here who can comment?
#7
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Most of the drag comes from your body, not the bike....so if you want more aero/faster see if you can optimize your position.
I expect the difference with an aero road bike is very modest.
That said, life is short and YOLO so if it's your call....don't forget to post pics of the new bike if/when you get it!!
I expect the difference with an aero road bike is very modest.
That said, life is short and YOLO so if it's your call....don't forget to post pics of the new bike if/when you get it!!
#8
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BTW if you really want to MOTOR on the flats, you could consider a TT/Tri bike that will definitely give you a real improvement, but the fit is a hassle and it's going to give you a sore back/neck (at 77 I am sure you have plenty of arthritis there) and you should avoid riding this in group rides and/or technical roads....
So forget that one.
So forget that one.
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It will save some watts. But that fairly small watt saving won't be much of a speed increase, I think.
Using this bike speed calculator, taking the defaults, but in the drops instead of hoods:
180 watts = 20.46 mph
200 watts = 21.30 mph.
Would an aero frame save 20 watts at these speeds? maybe.
saving 40 watts = 22.09 mph. There's no way the frame saves this many watts. (Maybe it does at 40 mph in a race finish line sprint!)
~~~~~
The bike appeals to you? It's worth it anyway.
Using this bike speed calculator, taking the defaults, but in the drops instead of hoods:
180 watts = 20.46 mph
200 watts = 21.30 mph.
Would an aero frame save 20 watts at these speeds? maybe.
saving 40 watts = 22.09 mph. There's no way the frame saves this many watts. (Maybe it does at 40 mph in a race finish line sprint!)
~~~~~
The bike appeals to you? It's worth it anyway.
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bruce19 : Seems like you want a new bike, and perhaps nothing else will scratch that itch. However, I will ask this Q: what sorts of jerseys do you wear? If they are club fit, or anything less than aero, then you will get a hugely larger 'bang for buck' by buying a very snug aero jersey, perhaps also an aero helmet. Additional benefit is that those items can be worn with any of your present bikes.
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BTW if you really want to MOTOR on the flats, you could consider a TT/Tri bike that will definitely give you a real improvement, but the fit is a hassle and it's going to give you a sore back/neck (at 77 I am sure you have plenty of arthritis there) and you should avoid riding this in group rides and/or technical roads....
So forget that one.
So forget that one.
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I think it's a nice to have, but not a necessity. Race bikes are very good for all-around usage even on flat terrains. Aero bikes are faster on flat terrains for sure (but would YOU even notice it, that's the question), but they are usually heavier and will be slower in mountains / hills.
''Aero-Race'' is an emergent road bicycle category that's been popular for the past few years - most manufacturers are now offering such bikes (Tarmac SL7, Teammachine, new gen Propel, Soloist, etc).
I have and like both (2021 TCR & 2023 Propel). They have similar specs, but the Propel is 1lbs heavier. Not sure which one I prefer though. Will be able to tell in a year or two.
''Aero-Race'' is an emergent road bicycle category that's been popular for the past few years - most manufacturers are now offering such bikes (Tarmac SL7, Teammachine, new gen Propel, Soloist, etc).
I have and like both (2021 TCR & 2023 Propel). They have similar specs, but the Propel is 1lbs heavier. Not sure which one I prefer though. Will be able to tell in a year or two.
Last edited by eduskator; 06-12-23 at 08:25 AM.
#15
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I have 4 road bikes.They are all pretty light and I love each of them for their unique qualities. But recently I've been quite taken by a Canyon Aeroad. I love the paint scheme and aesthetics are important to me. It's something I can easily afford. Disc brakes and 11 sp Ultegra mechanical with a nice set of wheels that are tubeless ready,. So, it ticks all those boxes. Now, I am a 77 yr old recreational rider (obviously) who is challenged by elevation but can still motor on the flats. My question: is an aerobike really going to feel better or at least different, than a good road bike? Wondering if there are aerobike riders here who can comment?
I think the issue especially with entry level aero bikes is that they are quite heavy around 18lbs-19lbs+ and at that point you really have be putting out some prolonged watts to see any difference. IMO I would go for an all arounder like the Cervelo Soloist, Tarmac SL7, or the Giant Propel. Even then one of my favorite bikes of all time was a 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8.0 Disc. The aero cockpit and seatpost and the addition of some carbon aero wheels made that bike into an amazing all arounder, where at 16.3lbs the bike could climb and go fast. From a value perspective the Aeroad SLX is simply a better value for what you get though...
Last edited by Jrasero; 06-12-23 at 08:42 AM.
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bruce19 : Seems like you want a new bike, and perhaps nothing else will scratch that itch. However, I will ask this Q: what sorts of jerseys do you wear? If they are club fit, or anything less than aero, then you will get a hugely larger 'bang for buck' by buying a very snug aero jersey, perhaps also an aero helmet. Additional benefit is that those items can be worn with any of your present bikes.
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#17
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If it's the Aeroad CF SLX 8 Disc eTap at $5300 100% an amazing value. I personally think aero everything has been greatly overrated and I prefer a lightweight bike that is also aero, but there is no denying pure aero bikes can be faster, just don't expect massive gains since these gains are at higher prolonged speeds
I think the issue especially with entry level aero bikes is that they are quite heavy around 18lbs-19lbs+ and at that point you really have be putting out some prolonged watts to see any difference. IMO I would go for an all arounder like the Cervelo Soloist, Tarmac SL7, or the Giant Propel. Even then one of my favorite bikes of all time was a 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8.0 Disc. The aero cockpit and seatpost and the addition of some carbon aero wheels made that bike into an amazing all arounder, where at 16.3lbs the bike could climb and go fast. From a value perspective the Aeroad SLX is simply a better value for what you get though...
I think the issue especially with entry level aero bikes is that they are quite heavy around 18lbs-19lbs+ and at that point you really have be putting out some prolonged watts to see any difference. IMO I would go for an all arounder like the Cervelo Soloist, Tarmac SL7, or the Giant Propel. Even then one of my favorite bikes of all time was a 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8.0 Disc. The aero cockpit and seatpost and the addition of some carbon aero wheels made that bike into an amazing all arounder, where at 16.3lbs the bike could climb and go fast. From a value perspective the Aeroad SLX is simply a better value for what you get though...
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Weight is not going to matter on flat rides like the OP was intending for this bike. It won't be particularly heavy anyway with 11-speed Ultegra mechanical. Fit and ride comfort are the two potential downsides to this bike, depending on what the OP is used to riding.
#20
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I would suggest just getting the new Canyon Ultimate SLX but it's just a bad value IMO for Canyon standards. The Aeroad SLX eTap version is $2700 less. You can find a Scott Foil RC 20 (Force AXS D1) for about sometimes on sale and that would just need a wheel upgrade as an alternative to the Canyon
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FWIW the Aeroad I was thinking about is $3999. and weighs (according to Canyon) 17.2 lbs I assume w/o pedals It's 11 sp Ultegra mechanical and disc brakes. and the DT Swiss wheels are tubeless ready. I'm a tubeless advocate.
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Age 77, check
Still fit/healthy enough to ride, check
Have the money to buy any bike you want, check
Questioning what to do?! Aw hail naw. Or, as my beloved grandfather used to, "Go stand in road while I start the truck".
Still fit/healthy enough to ride, check
Have the money to buy any bike you want, check
Questioning what to do?! Aw hail naw. Or, as my beloved grandfather used to, "Go stand in road while I start the truck".
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I honestly used to think all the aero claims were nonsense. But, this year I picked up a BMC Roadmachine and upgraded to deeper wheels (Enve 3.4) and aero bars (Enve AR). I'm now an aero convert. My average speeds are up and I set Strava PRs every time I ride that bike. It weighs 16.8 lbs. I have lighter bikes but aero truly trumps weight for general riding, IMO. My vote is to go for it, but I'm also known as an enabler...
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