island rider

How many of you race your $5k+ bikes in crits and short races (20 mi) and how many save those bikes for the longer road races or training rides?

I.e. --the CAAD 9 or 10 with the SRAM Rival and $250 wheels for the crits and the 3 mile x laps race, -- and the Pinarello Dogma2 with Di2 and Zipp 404s for the 65 mile road race.

I ask because I like the idea of racing a bike that I'm more comfortable laying down, but there is another nagging part of me that says that I should just race the high end bike and hope for the best. After all, why have the benefits of the more expensive rig (insert flames here) if it's not under you in the race?

badhat

hold on $1K wheels are the budget wheels?

himespau 

I guess for some people.

island rider

Compared to the $3k ones sure and compared to the $5k ones certainly, but insert your preferred number for the sake of argument.

island rider

I fixed it for you, how's $250? But I never said budget, just lower priced than Zipp 404s.

That said, I'm not sure a CAAD 10 would fit as a budget bike these days either depending on who you ask.

caloso

I have only one race bike. I can race my vintage steelie as a backup (and have), but I only have one set of relatively heavy wheels for it so I'd rather not if possible.

notwist

hmmm i must lose at cycling b/c i don't even own a pair of matching wheels

island rider

Not if they are the first set of wheels over the line.

himespau 

When I build the new rims, hubs, and spokes into a wheelset, mine will match. But I've been saying that for 6 months now.

Creatre

I have a budget Neuvation that is light, sorta aero, sorta stiff, but cheap. That way I can race it in all conditions, and still enjoy it on the training rides. $300 frame replacement ftw. Wheels I run a powertap wheelset, and they can take just about anything and would be cheap to replace (assuming hub is fine). I have another bike that is worth a bit more, but it is my TT bike. Don't have to worry about ruining that unless my dumb arse wrecks it on my own.

I will say this though, bikes are meant to be ridden, and they can take some abuse. Assuming you don't get involved in a super nasty crash, bikes are usually okay in most race crashes. I had a couple bad ones last year, and minus some new bar tape, I didn't have to replace anything. My carbon wheels and frame that I had then came out perfectly fine.

island rider

Yeah, that's kind of where my thinking is headed.

gsteinb

If you think you're more likely to wreck your bike in a crit than a RR...

Homebrew01

I was racing on a $1000 used CAAD8, but now I'll be racing on a slightly used 6-13 frame with new Centaur that cost me a whopping $1200, including budget 50mm carbon tubulars ..... When someone gives me a $5000 bike, I'll let you know. ( I don't think I added anything to the discussion)

topflightpro

Several years ago, I bought a used S-Works alu. frame for $100 off craigslist and built it up with spare parts I had sitting around to serve as my race bike. I think I invested a total of $500 into building it up. I didn't want to risk my nicer bike, a System 6 with Sram Red.

I ended up breaking the S-Works in a crash and replaced it with a Caad 9. But at this point, my nicer bike isn't really any nicer than my Caad 9. Sure, the System 6 frame is half carbon and built up with better parts but I ride the System 6 a lot more, so it has much more wear and tear on it.

And both bikes have been crashed an equal number of times - the System 6 in a fast training ride when a dog ran into the street and took me out and the Caad 9 in a race.

Looking back, I wish I had not replaced the S-Works and just started riding the System 6 in races.

gsteinb

Does anyone use their spare body to race and save their good body for training rides and commuting etc.?

island rider

You don't? I figure in a crit or circuit race the field stays together a bit longer (at the lower cats) and that's where the danger comes in, where in the longer races the twitchy guys are more likely off the back.

Of course that logic may be completely off base.

...um...

echappist

Tyler Hamilton's twin does

mollusk

I race on my most expensive equipment. Why else would I buy it?

I have a had a horrible crash on a training ride resulting in an ambulance ride. I have been hit by cars while commuting by bike and knocked down, but fortunately no injuries. I have been taken out by a clueless rider on our local rail trail and have had other numerous close calls.

And I find "fred" charity rides more dangerous than racing.

mollusk

Nope.

More likely at the higher Cats

While there may be fewer crashes per mile in road races vs crits (my experience doesn't say that, btw) I'd bet that there are more really bad crashes in road races than crits. At least in crits the course is closed. In road races for us mere mortals it isn't. And in road races you can get high speed descents. It is pretty hard to get a couple of miles of steep descending in a crit.

caloso

I would make that bet too.

island rider

Good point. Probably right.

brianappleby

I have a specialized Allez ($400 aluminum frame) and a Cevelo SLC (the precursor to the S2).

I race the Allez in crits and in the rain. I won a race on it (a rainy RR). That said, I'd still rather ride the SLC and I do in "A" races and training rides on it when the weather is nice.

saratoga

The only reason I even have two road bikes is that I've been too lazy to sell the old one.

...and I'd use my spare body for racing if it was in shape.

rbart4506

Love it

I ride what I got and if I crash it I'll curse a bunch and then get another frame and move on...

BTW I've had a spare bike/bad weather bike and all they have done is sat around collecting dust. I just tend to ride the main race bike all the time. The spare bike gets most of it's use on the trainer over the winter and I actually just sold it to fund a new team bike. The bad weather bike is now reserved for trainer duty and the current race bike will eventually get hung up and collect dust just like the old spare bike.

grolby

If you're going to buy an expensive bike and not race it, do yourself a favor and don't bother buying it at all. Spend the money on a nice vacation instead. F "crit bikes." F "rain bikes." You're not more likely to wreck your bike in a crit, and it won't melt in the rain. If you're so concerned about crashing because of wet roads, you're probably better off riding the nice one - the hyper-anxiety about crashing it might make you less likely to hotdog a wet bend than you would on the cheap bike. And besides, if there's any difference in the handling, I would much rather be on the bike I ride day in and day out than one I only pull out for "sketchy" races. That's just common sense.