This year, GCN turned 10 years old, which got us wondering: how much have bikes changed in the last 10 years? To find out, Si dug out his old Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3 with 11-speed Campagnolo Chorus that he rode when GCN first started back in 2013, to compare it to his current Canyon Aeroad CFR. What really is the difference? Have bikes got that much faster? Let’s find out!
00:00 Intro
00:52 Rewind 10 years
02:00 Finding Si’s old bike
03:20 2013 bike
04:10 What’s different?
05:26 Flat test – 2013 bike
08:55 Flat test – 2023 bike
11:02 Hill climb – 2023 bike
12:03 Hill climb – 2013 bike
12:54 Results & conclusions
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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! 💬
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26 Comments
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! 👇
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.
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?
1986 Schwinn waterford, Been my ride.
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.
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.
not fair at all. you should test the rim brake using 50mm wall at least….
the biggest change – Si isn't using WD40 on the chain now. Or is he on his aeroad? 😉
Wait what? 13sp? When did this happen?
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.
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!
10? Children!! My components are 20yo and frame (steel butted) is at 12yo.
Still my fitness and weight holding me back, lol!
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!
I am new to cycling, are the rim brakes better than discs? Why would they be lusting for that bike with rim brakes?
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.
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…
Build some deep carbon wheels on the old bike and do this test again…
About weight diference, someone know? Is the most important thing in climb
Needs some life laundry.
For me, 2013 Specialized is a very pretty machine. The 2023 Canyon looks brutal.
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.
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.
only if i could afford that dream bike
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
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.
There are wireless electronic shifters for bikes now..? Wtf