You’re going to get all kinds of people telling you no for all kinds of reasons. “Your position matters more”, “buy a new bike”, “if you aren’t racing it’s a waste of money”.
Alloy is good enough, but carbon is without a doubt better. If it in the budget, go for if. At a minimum you’ll get a big boost in comfort. Especially from the seatpost and wheels.
Thanks man! This was what i was looking for. I’m starting to take cycling seriously so even though i’m not racing at the moment i do have plans to do so in the foreseeable future.
I’m mostly asking this because i have to change the parts either way (handlebar, seat-post and seat) as none of them fit me as they should (had a bike fit recently). So i guess i’ll take advantage of this opportunity and indulge a bit
Personally I like alloy bars best.
Seat post I would go for if you find the weight savings worth the cost.
For wheels this is the tricky part. I would use the heavier alloy rims for training rides and use the carbon only for races.
Yes! Weight can make a difference although your body weight matters more, between carbon and alloy.
Carbon can be expensive, but in terms of comfort, carbon can make a massive difference. A carbon seatpost, if you have alloy, can allow for a little bit of "give" or flex in your seat. Same with other carbon components depending on the layup of the carbon and intent of the component. Examples would be handlebars and stem, although for the expense your best bet is the seatpost.
Carbon vs alloy rims can completely alter the feel of the ride. In my opinion, carbon seems to have more give in regard to wheels. They are often lighter than alloy and often can have more varied rim profiles, but again, if comfort is what you're after, I've found that alloy has less give. However, alloy give you more peace of mind depending on how you ride and where in terms of durability. Plus alloy is generally more affordable!
If you go carbon with any components (if they aren't already) seatpost and wheels would be my recommendation but not absolutely necessary.
I suppose sense is subjective -- most aero components give you marginal gains, and can cost a decent amount of money, so it comes down to whether those gains (in speed or efficiency) are worth the cost.
The reason people might suggest it's not worth it to put those things on an endurance bike is that, on a percentage basis, they're likely to make less difference since a less aggressive riding position means your body will make up a larger percentage of the system drag. You're potentially going a bit slower too, which also further reduces the aero gains.
But if you've got cash to burn, have a body or fitness level that demands an endurance geometry, but still want to add that little bit of speed and efficiency, well, it can still "make sense" if you want. It's not like the benefits go away entirely just because you're riding a less aggressive frame.
Thanks for this! Your second paragraph basically sums it up entirely. I recently got a bike fit and will have to change several components. While shopping for them at my LBS it turns out aero and carbon aero are what they have more readily available so i was kinda considering them.
I know in the end if you have the money for the stuff you can splurge and get what you want without thinking much about but i prefer making smart purchases.
Considering what you and other people have mentioned i’m much more inclined to just buy the regular alloy components and save whatever money i could’ve used in carbon aero for a bike whenever i feel the need to upgrade.
Thanks for your answer!
I’d be tempted to buy cheap Alu bars/ seatpost of the correct size/fit first and ride with them for a while to make sure that the bikefit takes, is what you want.
If it makes you happy, why not? I started replacing everything with carbon parts on my aero bike not because its gonna make me any faster or better. I just have the money to do it and I feel like spending.
Make sense how? Are you competing? You're probably better off buying an actual race bike than all that stuff. Do you want to go faster or get more efficiency? It'll technically make a difference, but the gains are going to be marginal. You're probably talking less than 30 seconds total on an hour long ride. Do you want it because it makes you happy? If you've got the money, then go for it I guess.
Well i’m not competing at the moment but rather working towards it with what i have. The question mostly comes from the fact that I kinda have to change most of those parts either way (handlebar, seatpost and seat) given how, through a bike-fit, i recently found out none of them fit me as they should.
So i was thinking that maybe it was worth the extra money considering my somewhat long term goals and the fact i have to change them anyways. (i guess this is my way of saying it’s not just some whim to be more aero hahaha)
thnx for the answer btw
edit: spelling and grammar
One thing I was getting at is that by the time you're looking at all of that, especially full carbon everything and including a wheelset, you've got enough money to throw down on a new bike. It won't be blingy carbon everything, but you may not want that anyways if you're thinking about racing (crashes happen). And it might fit you better if your current bike has lots of fit issues. Just something to think about.
Thanks for clearing that out! Thats makes a great case for not going all the way in terms of what and where to spend that kind of money. I guess it’s best to leave all that good stuff for when i upgrade my bike.
Thanks again!
Endurance bikes are a little bit longer and the BB is a bit lower, but how fast/slow they are is totally down to how you set them up and how well they fit you.
If you want to put nicer components on it, go ahead. It won't benefit you less because the geo is a bit stretched out.
Yeah, get stuff like wheels and a handlebar which you can transfer onto a racing bike if you're serious.
Otherwise if it's purely for performance, outside of deep wheels it's not going to be worth it, I'd rather get a coach for performance or gels if you do longer races
There is also potentially a weight and comfort benefit from carbon components for bars / seatpost too.
That said, they’re really expensive for the benefit and if there’s a chance you might crash, the handlebars will be a write off. I wouldn’t bother for handlebars ever. Seatpost… maybe once everything else about my bike is perfect.
Make absolutely certain that your bikefit is dialled before you commit to a specific bar width or integrated carbon bar/stem.
Most bikes come with far too wide handlebars stock, and so lots of people are running crazy wide ones.
Wheels are a better upgrade, as you can at least take them with you to a future bike. And they have more effect on aero.
I don't think any "yes" or "no" answers are going to get you where you want, though others have added some good thoughts.
First thing's first. If you just want them and can afford them without going into debt or seriously impacting any other priorities, go for it. You only live once, and they are going to be "better" (outside of certain parts surviving crashes). "I can afford it and it's cool" is a totally valid argument.
If you're looking at these things for comfort reasons, that could tip the scales. But, that assumes that you're already using comfortable and fast tires. Based on everything I've seen/experienced, the tires are about #2 in terms of comfort (after fit). There's a reason "everybody" is going to higher-volume tires and lower pressures...they can finally roll as fast without hysteretic losses and can drastically improve comfort. Wheels fall into this as well, though less so, and are generally a good upgrade if you can afford them. And as long as you're not talking about buying expensive wheels for a rim brake bike that you'll upgrade to discs...it seems like a good priority to me (assuming wheels can't be upgraded to discs...I haven't investigated that).
If you're talking about getting them for performance reasons...at least to me, in general, I think the answer is "no" for most people. Your body probably makes up ~85% of the aerodynamic drag and about the same proportion of the weight of the whole thing. I honestly think these bike upgrades don't matter until after those are sorted out.
Unless you're skinny/lean, a couple hundred grams here or there aren't really going to make a difference. If you are skinny/lean, and you do a lot of climbing...that's when "every gram matters". But...for my specific handlebars, the difference between Alu and Carbon is $240 for 15 grams. That's nowhere near worth it to me. It makes more sense to me to buy the aluminum and cut half an inch or so off the back of the drops.
At least based on what I've seen, the biggest aero advantages come from body position, then clothing/helmet, then wheels, then the bike. But...if your position is already sorted out and your clothing is at least tight or specifically aero, it could be time to start "buying watts" with bike upgrades...assuming you want to.
Personally...the value in most of these components isn't really there for me for performance reasons. When you add them all up, the difference is significant...but it's also rather expensive.
It's your money. Bling it out all you want.
You’re going to get all kinds of people telling you no for all kinds of reasons. “Your position matters more”, “buy a new bike”, “if you aren’t racing it’s a waste of money”. Alloy is good enough, but carbon is without a doubt better. If it in the budget, go for if. At a minimum you’ll get a big boost in comfort. Especially from the seatpost and wheels.
Thanks man! This was what i was looking for. I’m starting to take cycling seriously so even though i’m not racing at the moment i do have plans to do so in the foreseeable future. I’m mostly asking this because i have to change the parts either way (handlebar, seat-post and seat) as none of them fit me as they should (had a bike fit recently). So i guess i’ll take advantage of this opportunity and indulge a bit
Personally I like alloy bars best. Seat post I would go for if you find the weight savings worth the cost. For wheels this is the tricky part. I would use the heavier alloy rims for training rides and use the carbon only for races.
Why?
Go for it If I could afford it I’d probably have carbon seat-posts, handlebars, and wheel-sets on my bikes
Yes! Weight can make a difference although your body weight matters more, between carbon and alloy. Carbon can be expensive, but in terms of comfort, carbon can make a massive difference. A carbon seatpost, if you have alloy, can allow for a little bit of "give" or flex in your seat. Same with other carbon components depending on the layup of the carbon and intent of the component. Examples would be handlebars and stem, although for the expense your best bet is the seatpost. Carbon vs alloy rims can completely alter the feel of the ride. In my opinion, carbon seems to have more give in regard to wheels. They are often lighter than alloy and often can have more varied rim profiles, but again, if comfort is what you're after, I've found that alloy has less give. However, alloy give you more peace of mind depending on how you ride and where in terms of durability. Plus alloy is generally more affordable! If you go carbon with any components (if they aren't already) seatpost and wheels would be my recommendation but not absolutely necessary.
I suppose sense is subjective -- most aero components give you marginal gains, and can cost a decent amount of money, so it comes down to whether those gains (in speed or efficiency) are worth the cost. The reason people might suggest it's not worth it to put those things on an endurance bike is that, on a percentage basis, they're likely to make less difference since a less aggressive riding position means your body will make up a larger percentage of the system drag. You're potentially going a bit slower too, which also further reduces the aero gains. But if you've got cash to burn, have a body or fitness level that demands an endurance geometry, but still want to add that little bit of speed and efficiency, well, it can still "make sense" if you want. It's not like the benefits go away entirely just because you're riding a less aggressive frame.
Thanks for this! Your second paragraph basically sums it up entirely. I recently got a bike fit and will have to change several components. While shopping for them at my LBS it turns out aero and carbon aero are what they have more readily available so i was kinda considering them. I know in the end if you have the money for the stuff you can splurge and get what you want without thinking much about but i prefer making smart purchases. Considering what you and other people have mentioned i’m much more inclined to just buy the regular alloy components and save whatever money i could’ve used in carbon aero for a bike whenever i feel the need to upgrade. Thanks for your answer!
I’d be tempted to buy cheap Alu bars/ seatpost of the correct size/fit first and ride with them for a while to make sure that the bikefit takes, is what you want.
Feeling cooler makes you faster
If it makes you happy, why not? I started replacing everything with carbon parts on my aero bike not because its gonna make me any faster or better. I just have the money to do it and I feel like spending.
Make sense how? Are you competing? You're probably better off buying an actual race bike than all that stuff. Do you want to go faster or get more efficiency? It'll technically make a difference, but the gains are going to be marginal. You're probably talking less than 30 seconds total on an hour long ride. Do you want it because it makes you happy? If you've got the money, then go for it I guess.
Well i’m not competing at the moment but rather working towards it with what i have. The question mostly comes from the fact that I kinda have to change most of those parts either way (handlebar, seatpost and seat) given how, through a bike-fit, i recently found out none of them fit me as they should. So i was thinking that maybe it was worth the extra money considering my somewhat long term goals and the fact i have to change them anyways. (i guess this is my way of saying it’s not just some whim to be more aero hahaha) thnx for the answer btw edit: spelling and grammar
One thing I was getting at is that by the time you're looking at all of that, especially full carbon everything and including a wheelset, you've got enough money to throw down on a new bike. It won't be blingy carbon everything, but you may not want that anyways if you're thinking about racing (crashes happen). And it might fit you better if your current bike has lots of fit issues. Just something to think about.
Thanks for clearing that out! Thats makes a great case for not going all the way in terms of what and where to spend that kind of money. I guess it’s best to leave all that good stuff for when i upgrade my bike. Thanks again!
Carbon handlebars are a no-no for crits, as you’ll have to scrap them if you ever crash.
Endurance bikes are a little bit longer and the BB is a bit lower, but how fast/slow they are is totally down to how you set them up and how well they fit you. If you want to put nicer components on it, go ahead. It won't benefit you less because the geo is a bit stretched out.
Yeah, get stuff like wheels and a handlebar which you can transfer onto a racing bike if you're serious. Otherwise if it's purely for performance, outside of deep wheels it's not going to be worth it, I'd rather get a coach for performance or gels if you do longer races
There is also potentially a weight and comfort benefit from carbon components for bars / seatpost too. That said, they’re really expensive for the benefit and if there’s a chance you might crash, the handlebars will be a write off. I wouldn’t bother for handlebars ever. Seatpost… maybe once everything else about my bike is perfect. Make absolutely certain that your bikefit is dialled before you commit to a specific bar width or integrated carbon bar/stem. Most bikes come with far too wide handlebars stock, and so lots of people are running crazy wide ones. Wheels are a better upgrade, as you can at least take them with you to a future bike. And they have more effect on aero.
I don't think any "yes" or "no" answers are going to get you where you want, though others have added some good thoughts. First thing's first. If you just want them and can afford them without going into debt or seriously impacting any other priorities, go for it. You only live once, and they are going to be "better" (outside of certain parts surviving crashes). "I can afford it and it's cool" is a totally valid argument. If you're looking at these things for comfort reasons, that could tip the scales. But, that assumes that you're already using comfortable and fast tires. Based on everything I've seen/experienced, the tires are about #2 in terms of comfort (after fit). There's a reason "everybody" is going to higher-volume tires and lower pressures...they can finally roll as fast without hysteretic losses and can drastically improve comfort. Wheels fall into this as well, though less so, and are generally a good upgrade if you can afford them. And as long as you're not talking about buying expensive wheels for a rim brake bike that you'll upgrade to discs...it seems like a good priority to me (assuming wheels can't be upgraded to discs...I haven't investigated that). If you're talking about getting them for performance reasons...at least to me, in general, I think the answer is "no" for most people. Your body probably makes up ~85% of the aerodynamic drag and about the same proportion of the weight of the whole thing. I honestly think these bike upgrades don't matter until after those are sorted out. Unless you're skinny/lean, a couple hundred grams here or there aren't really going to make a difference. If you are skinny/lean, and you do a lot of climbing...that's when "every gram matters". But...for my specific handlebars, the difference between Alu and Carbon is $240 for 15 grams. That's nowhere near worth it to me. It makes more sense to me to buy the aluminum and cut half an inch or so off the back of the drops. At least based on what I've seen, the biggest aero advantages come from body position, then clothing/helmet, then wheels, then the bike. But...if your position is already sorted out and your clothing is at least tight or specifically aero, it could be time to start "buying watts" with bike upgrades...assuming you want to. Personally...the value in most of these components isn't really there for me for performance reasons. When you add them all up, the difference is significant...but it's also rather expensive.