of GCN The Tech Show continues this week with Alex Payton and Olly Bridgewood returning to the studio to discuss the latest tech news and trends. From the last episode, we built a homemade bike generator, provided some cost-saving maintenance hacks, and put one of our very average cyclists to the test to find out just how fast it really is. It’s been a busy seven days since he started researching what money could buy. As it turns out, there aren’t that many.
Alex wondered if cyclists were relying a little too much on equipment upgrades. Cycling as a sport is all about speed, so even amateur riders are always looking for ways to go faster. Upgrades naturally deserve immediate attention as they are the easiest and most achievable source of speed, but they are not particularly easy to use with bank accounts. The problem is that upgrading doesn’t actually make it much faster. Sure, shiny new wheels might help you glide a little faster on flat ground, but they won’t do much. And unless you’re racing, is all that money actually worth it?
Alex and Ollie don’t think there are several reasons for this, but I’d like to add a caveat here: presenters are the first to seize the opportunity to test new equipment; Not to satisfy tech geeks, but to increase speed.
The first problem with the upgrade concept is that the bike can only go as fast as the rider. You can get the most expensive bike with pro-level technology, but its speed will always depend on your fitness level. Therefore, increasing your fitness is the best way to run faster. In the words of the great Eddy Merckx, “Don’t buy upgrades, ride upgrades.”
Anyone familiar with industry marketing jargon will know that all new products are always better in some way, usually reducing weight or increasing aerodynamics. While these claims may be true, the difference in performance between a new product and a replacement product is usually so small that the average cyclist won’t notice the difference on the road.
Olly believes that for many cyclists, it’s better to wait until the end of a part’s useful life to upgrade, rather than jumping on new products as soon as they’re available. It shouldn’t happen too often and will be a welcome reprieve for your bank account.
Do you agree with Ollie’s opinion? Let us know what you think in the comments.
hot and spicy technology
It’s been a busy week in the world of bicycle technology, with many new products hitting the market, as well as some interesting new research. Here, we will introduce a list of recommended items.
Wearing a turban is safer than not wearing a helmet
We start with a unique study from Imperial College London. The study found that wearing a turban reduces the risk of injury compared to not wearing a helmet. Tests conducted on crash test dummies have also shown that in some cases, turbans can provide the same protection as a bicycle helmet.
Read the full report here.
Wahoo and Zwift team up to launch Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One
Wahoo and Zwift have teamed up to launch a new turbo trainer called the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One. As the name suggests, this is a new take on his Wahoo’s popular Kickr trainer, adding his Zwift virtual shifting cogs to the recipe.
A unique design that makes indoor cycling more accessible, the Zwift Cog was released last year and is compatible with groupsets of 8 speeds and above.
Vittoria launches TT tires used by Jonas Vinzigaard in the Tour de France
Vittoria has added a new Speed time trial tire to its Corsa Pro series. When we say “new”, that’s not exactly the case. These were frequently used by the 2023 World Tour peloton, including Jonas Wingegaard during the demolition of Stage 16 of the Tour de France. Add to this the Belgian time trial title for Wout van Aert, and the new tires make for an already impressive Palmares.
Hunt’s new SUB50 Limitless was built with high aspirations
Meanwhile, Hunt’s ambition to create the fastest all-round race wheel to 50mm depth has culminated with the new SUB50 Limitless. If the wind tunnel tests are any indication, the mission appears to have been a huge success.
Based on modern thinking, the wheels are specifically designed for 28mm and 30mm width tires.
bicycle storage
Before we dive into this week’s Bike Storage submissions, a quick reminder that you can enter your bike in the following ways: GCN Uploader. If you don’t know how to do this, see the article linked here that will guide you through the process.
That being said, let’s focus on the bike. This week Alex decided on an anti-disc brake special. It’s not because he doesn’t like disc brakes. Starting with his 1990s beauty in the form of a Trek 730 Multitrack, he received a number of great rim submissions for his brakes.