Aero road bikes are some of the most futuristic, cutting edge bicycles available. Their wind cheating properties and mind bending shapes leave little to be desired for those after the fastest road bikes. However, that isn't to say they don't come with a cost. Sam Gupta explains exactly what the reality is of owning an hyper bike in todays world both good and bad.
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00:00The Tour de France always brings out the best road bikes, and quite often, the most spangly
00:05and bling bikes in the peloton tend to be the aero bikes.
00:09They look incredibly striking with their otherworldly tube shapes and wind-slicing profiles.
00:15They hold a great deal of intrigue over the casual observer, and they often seduce many
00:20into wanting one themselves.
00:22However, they do not come without warning, so I'm going to lay it bare for you and
00:27explain what the grim reality of owning an aero bike is really like.
00:38First off, you need to get your hands on one, and of course, this means going through the
00:42painful process of removing money from pocket.
00:47There is no doubt that these bikes are expensive.
00:50Even if you get yourself an aero bike which sits at the better value end of the spectrum,
00:54you're still going to be shelling out thousands.
00:57And then, of course, it will be no surprise that aero bikes make up the vast majority
01:03of the most expensive bikes on the market.
01:05There's no way around it, these bikes carry a premium that you have to be willing to stomach.
01:11Sadly, it's not just the purchase of the bikes that can pinch, but maintaining them
01:17can also be a bit of a drain.
01:19Of course, many jobs are as simple as they would be on any other bike, so changing your
01:25chain and cassette and swapping in some new brake pads are the same as they would be anywhere
01:30else.
01:31And these are all things that we can learn to do with some pretty basic tools.
01:35However, it's when you get into the realms of setting up and bleeding brakes, trying
01:40to diagnose electronic gearing issues, or just adjusting your position that the headaches
01:45really start to materialise.
01:48When things of this genre go wrong, you want to ensure that you have a really good relationship
01:52with the mechanic in your local bike shop.
01:55Perhaps you might be able to fix the issue yourself, but I'm sure it will be those of
01:59you who already have some mechanical know-how that will be the ones that actually have some
02:04success.
02:05I'm sure for the majority, some pretty hefty service bills could end up being swallowed.
02:17The very point of aerobikes is that they are built to be fast.
02:21And it's this quest for speed that often means that sacrifices need to be made in other
02:26areas.
02:27And generally, that's comfort.
02:30Despite everything you hear from bike brands when they hark on about compliance, the fact
02:35is a bicycle is made up of two triangles, which is famously the strongest shape.
02:41So, aerobikes are built to be incredibly stiff, and this results in a really large
02:47bottom bracket shell, and a frame which doesn't really have much give at all.
02:52And it's all these factors which create a fairly hard ride.
02:55So, if you are susceptible to back pain, or you just don't want all of that feedback coming
03:00up through the road, then perhaps a slightly softer endurance bike is the way to go.
03:12As is pretty well known, the rider makes up the largest proportion of aerodynamic drag.
03:17So any good modern aerobike will feature a more extreme position to help you cut through
03:22the air as cleanly as possible.
03:25And this is done by usually adopting a low front end.
03:28And you may be a little more stretched out, and the steering itself can be quite direct.
03:34For some, this won't be an issue, and if you have good flexibility, then contorting
03:39yourself into a more racy position will actually come quite naturally.
03:44The flip side to this though, is that if you don't possess the flexibility needed, and
03:48you aren't riding in fast paced scenarios, then an aerobike will likely make for a pretty
03:53dismal riding experience.
03:56Your back will probably ache, because there are some things that not even a bike fit can
04:01save, and the fast steering could just leave you feeling a little bit out of control.
04:12If you're a smaller and lighter weight rider, like myself, then there is one unique problem
04:18that can crop up.
04:19In the same way that deep section wheels are susceptible to crosswinds, the flat, aerodynamically
04:24optimised tube shapes of an aerobike are as well.
04:28And since aerobikes are generally paired with deep section wheels, this can lead to a pretty
04:34sketchy set-up.
04:35I've lost count of the number of times that I've been blown across the road when riding
04:40aerobikes with deep wheels.
04:43Even aerobikes with shallow wheels.
04:45It's something a minority of people need to be aware of, because if you aren't expecting
04:50it or are a slightly nervous rider, then you can end up in a pretty precarious situation.
04:56So to all my fellow lightweight riders, rather than an out-and-out aerobike, I'd instead
05:01consider an all-rounder road bike with mid-section wheels, somewhere between 40 and 50mm deep,
05:09and then just really optimise your position.
05:17So far, I've painted a pretty dark picture for aerobike ownership.
05:22But the fact is, they still sell incredibly well.
05:26So why do people keep on buying them?
05:31Well, for starters, just look at them.
05:37They look fantastic.
05:39The deep-sculpted tube profiles in alien shapes just scream speed.
05:45Aerobikes are mesmerising to look at.
05:47And I feel like they do carry a bit of a placebo effect, that when you're on one, you just
05:52want to push that little bit harder and really lean into their ethos.
06:01Placebo or not, one thing is for sure, they really are fast.
06:05Despite not being the most comfortable bikes in the world, the compromise is worth it if
06:10you want to go out and beat your personal records.
06:13The speed increase is genuinely very tangible.
06:17There's nothing quite like pouncing on the pedals and then feeling the power transfer
06:20between your legs and the resulting acceleration.
06:24What's more, when you tuck up and really start to push down the road, you'll find that the
06:28speeds you're able to hold will be a couple of miles an hour higher than you might otherwise
06:34be able to hold on a non-aerobike.
06:42One of the most satisfying things that you can enjoy when you're pushing down the road
06:46is the sound that the bike makes.
06:49It's this weird combination of a whooshing and whirring sound that then echoes through
06:53the frame and the wheels.
06:55If you've ever watched a race go by or had a rider whiz past you, then you'll know exactly
07:00what I'm talking about.
07:02But it's this sound that just really adds to the experience of riding one of these rocket
07:07ships.
07:14Even though I previously referenced the direct steering as a potential negative for those
07:18who may be a little bit more timid or just want a more relaxed riding experience, the
07:23effect of such fast steering is really something to behold.
07:28When accustomed to the feeling and how the bike can react underneath you, you learn to
07:32slow down your inputs and just let the bike do the work.
07:37Then when you're in scenarios when you really do need to react, you can be less frantic
07:41with your movements and just trust the bike will go where you want it to.
07:46Of course, the speed of steering is on a sliding scale, with some bikes being more aggressive
07:51than others.
07:53The feeling can also be impacted by the width of the handlebars fitted.
07:57So for example, the Trek Madone's handlebar width has actually been really well thought
08:01out, meaning that the smaller sizes do have narrower bars fitted from stock.
08:07And then this does result in much less aerodynamic drag, but it also means that the speed of
08:12the steering can be amplified compared to a bike of the same size with wider bars.
08:19It's not just the width of the bars, but the feeling tends to stem from the headtube
08:23height, length and angle.
08:25So perhaps if you do find a bike that feels too fast, then maybe try looking for an alternative
08:31with a slightly slacker head angle, and it could mean that you find your own sweet spot.
08:37It's an acquired taste, but if you do start riding bikes with fast steering, they are
08:41really hard to move away from, because the feeling is fantastic.
08:52As mentioned, one of the flagship features of any aero bike is a pretty large bottom
08:57bracket shell.
08:58The manufacturers do this to introduce stiffness around what is a pretty high stress area.
09:05This stiffness and any lack of give means that the power transfer between your legs
09:09and the wheels is second to none.
09:12Pair that with the characteristically short chainstays that most aero bikes have, and
09:17it's a recipe which results in a bike that feels really snappy and eager to respond.
09:22I believe that when you boil it down, aero bikes create a game of compromise.
09:27If you're willing to sacrifice the comfort that can be found on softer bikes, happy to
09:32absorb the cost of running such machines, and you're confident in your ability to ride
09:36in the crosswinds, then yes, go and get an aggressive aero race bike.
09:41But if you're unsure about any of the attributes that come along with going fast, then I think
09:47it's best that you steer clear and opt for something which is a little bit better suited
09:52to your riding style.
09:54Let me know down below, if you own an aero bike, how do you feel about it now?
09:59If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for
10:02more content, and I will see you again very soon.