How Much Faster Have Bikes Got In Just 10 Years?

Were you watching 10 years ago at the start of GCN? 👀 And what do you make of the progression of bikes over the last decade? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

The main issue of this video is that he had to go to his attic to get it. Sell it, give it away or ride it.That poor neglected bicycle.

There are wireless electronic shifters for bikes now..? Wtf

The difference in time could be down to fatigue as you did one run before the other. For a fair test, you would need to do the tests on separate days with the same weather.

If bikekes improved so much in only 10 years, imagine how strong were the cyclists 50 years ago ,todays champions wouldn't stand a chance riding those heavy bikes with small gears for hills,no aero no tubeless,no many gears options ,no advance medication ,suplements and undetectable steroids GH ,no that much recovery science,no advance trainings etc

only if i could afford that dream bike

My best bike is a 2000 Tommasini Sintisi Columbus Neuron lugged steel Campanolo Chorus 10 speed. So I've had it for 23 years. Works for me.

An SL3 isn't 10 years old, as the SL4 was established in 2012. Plus thats not an s-works. Do the comparision with an SL4 S-Works and i think, the difference wouldn't be that big.

For me, 2013 Specialized is a very pretty machine. The 2023 Canyon looks brutal.

Needs some life laundry.

About weight diference, someone know? Is the most important thing in climb

Build some deep carbon wheels on the old bike and do this test again...

For a time difference of 24 seconds to be equivalent to 3 km/h, he had to average speeds of 49.96 km/h and 46.89 km/h...

Ride your bike, still there are factors which made the results look the way they did, and one among them is that you are not riding it regularly(your old bike) like your new bike.
Yeah, the new one(s) look grate and feels good but I think we are going somewhere were human physical effort will be very less in cycling because of the e-technology!! Which for me is not cool 🤔
That is part of my perspective.

I am new to cycling, are the rim brakes better than discs? Why would they be lusting for that bike with rim brakes?

Just found this. And…….EXACTLY! I was riding a very good 2012 bike, very similar tech to yours, until this past winter. I’d had a bad accident, and to reward myself for everything I went thru, how hard I worked to come back, and to give me the motivation to keep at it (although I never seriously thought of giving it up), I bought a 2022 super bike. Much more bike than I “deserve,” but probably my last chance to experience a true dream bike, given the amount of grey hairs on my head. And what you’ve described here is spot on. Every aspect of the new bike is just that much more pleasurable, just enough to affect the riding experience and put it in the WOW zone. It’s definitely a little faster and “easier, “ and the climbs are that much more doable. My old bike is still terrific and quite enjoyable, and I will keep it and ride it occasionally. I’ll be keeping it mostly tho, to have as a back up when the new high tech wonder-bike is inevitably in the shop for a while for something beyond my very limited abilities. I must say, however, based on experience at this point now, I’m not sure I wouldn’t go back to rim brakes - if it were even possible. My old Campy Record rim brakes were fabulous, but I’m finding that the discs chatter a bit. Mine don’t screech, but they buzz and click and are not silent. And when I’m descending a peaceful, lovely, quiet stretch, I appreciate the silence of my rim brakes. And their stopping power was just fine. But all in all, Si, I’d agree with you 100%, and love your knife analogy. Yep!

10? Children!! My components are 20yo and frame (steel butted) is at 12yo.

Still my fitness and weight holding me back, lol!

I still race masters criteriums on my Columbus SLX Chromo frame with full Suntour Superbe Pro groupset with indexed down tube shifters and six speed block, and singles (tubulars). I love it and when I feel like it am still competitive on it. I am very curious as to the difference in performance and feel from mine to the latest carbon offerings. I have never ridden carbon , Aluminium or Titanium so I don't know any different. My other bike is Ishiwata 019 tube set and again Full Suntour Superbe Pro group set, and owned it since1983 when I purchased it new ( was friction shifters then and upgraded to indexed shifting around 10 years ago) and six speed block same as the other bike. I can feel differences in the frames and like anything, "horses for courses". So both of my bikes are older than some of the fellows I race against! Just to declare I am not too far stuck in the dim dark ages of cycling, I do have Look Carbon Ti clipless pedals on both bikes. Very curious about the differences between current and yesteryear though!

I don't know, I think you can easily enjoy the older bike as much as the newer one if you're used to it. Unless you're racing, who cares? Going faster is relative, if you need tech to go faster buy an e-bike.

Wait what? 13sp? When did this happen?

the biggest change - Si isn't using WD40 on the chain now. Or is he on his aeroad? ;)

not fair at all. you should test the rim brake using 50mm wall at least....

I still ride a 2007 Litespeed Tuscany and a 2013 Pinarello ROKH. and love them both. An upgrade would be nice, if it was free. I'll use my spare cash to get a gravel bike instead.

an interesting test would be to ride both at 20mph avg for 4hrs and then ride a max effort 10K after... theory being that for a fixed pace the energy savings of the newer bike would allow you to average a higher wattage on the nicer bike and the differential would be even bigger.

1986 Schwinn waterford, Been my ride.

I think a more accurate car analogy is that an older car is slower, but the experience is more engaging, while a modern bike is faster and more clinical?

This is cobblers. The aero frame makes hardly any difference because the frame makes little difference to the overall drag which is about, the wheels 12% + frame 8% + rider 80%. Only the internal cabling frame shape can not be changed and these could make at most 10 or 20% more aero which would make 1.5 % of difference. In addition to the wheels, the differences is mainly the rider position which could easily be achieved with a longer or more negatively angled stem but GCN is using pole-axe this to justify the purchase of a £5,519 bike. Factor in the maintenance difficulty and the technology is utterly pointless, unless you are sponsored to say otherwise.

A heavy bike climbing faster than a lighter bike, only on paid channel GCN 😂

I have the same red sl3 you have, if you swap the carbon wheels, it'll feel much more stiffer

Press fit 🤮 utter money saving profit making no nonsense for the brand . Threaded BB on the other hand ❤

Unrelated but can we have a reunion show of the original lineup? I really miss the candid, approachable attitude of the Si, Matt, and Dan. No shame to the others and GCN as a whole; I simply love the first few years

When I started watching 10 years ago, I went from riding an old Peugeot PX10 that was Frankensteined to get me to work and school. I upgraded to a 1999 Raleigh R600 with 8sp 105 and it was it was like a spaceship in comparison! I recently got a 2010s era Scattante R670 with 10sp Ultegra and it’s another huge leap forward in tech! I’m constantly reminding myself that my bike is perfectly good, especially for my current skill level.

I’ll NEVER stop wanting a carbon frame, electronic gear, hydraulic brake bike and a power meter. I just have to wait 10 years maybe :-)

Brilliant

yep, the electronic shifting and the disk brakes bring the speed

Lets see you on that skateboard hiding next to your bike in the attic soon!

I've compared my old bike (Cannondale Supersix Evo2 HM Dura-ACE 2016) with some new bikes. Like Scott and Trek. On flat roads, I really loved the discs bikes. Comfortable, easy, etc... But when I had to climb, the old thing is much better than anything new. I just want to try the Canyon Aeroad and see....

Really to me what makes my 2008 era bike so cool is: it runs 100 percent on pancakes, strawberries and and a pinch of cream. No batteries required. It has simple repair/maintenance problems that you can easily see with your eyes. There's no little green boards to corrode and electronics to mess up with ghostly intentions.

0 servis

Bro ur old bike is amazing to me😂😂😂

Great review and summary! For the average man or woman you don’t need all the tech. But if you can afford it, it does keep you at younger speeds as you get older. Ha!

I like the knife analogy... and I'm sure it's bang on. But I'd take the ability to access all the components on my 10 year old Merckx as per Si's Specialized, over that 0.5% more satisfying riding experience that he gets with the Canyon, any day. Long live exposed cables 😁

WD40 on a chain is criminal

Ha, well being an old far* I've been riding a Bianchi XR2 from 2013 for 10 years, and I love it. Yet I've just ordered a Bianchi Oltre Pro - why, well because I can afford it and because in 10 years from now I'm turning 70 and I don't think my current bike should be my last bike.... sad but that's life, and who knows if I still can cycle in 10 years, so I won't settle with just dreams.

I would love to see a modern rider on a modern bike compete virtually with early (100 years ago say) riders and bikes of the TdF. Could they win using modern technology?
Make it happen GCN! (Or, if it has happened, point me in the right direction!)

press fit BB isnt a positive lol

There are a lot of variables. What do you attribute the majority of the time savings to? (gearing, frame, wheels, tires, position, bar width)

Still rocking my 2004 Bianchi Giro with upgraded seat, seat post, aero bars, stem and Kysrium Helium wheel set coming in at 17.8 lbs. Though I am a bit heavier than I used to be when I bought it. 😅

So I still ride my 20 year old bike… 9 speed D-A… Maybe i need to upgrade…

“These hills ain’t loyal” no truer words sir! Lol. Congrats on finishing.

I prefer the old one