We get a lot of requests from fans of the channel about doing more content featuring affordable bikes. So, we gave Si, Alex and Ollie £500 each and asked them to buy the best budget bikes they could find, then entered them into an elite road race. Do you need to spend thousands of £/€/$ to go racing? Let’s find out how they got on!
Watch Alex upgrade the Pinarello 👉 https://youtu.be/zoKcAtdcD7k
Useful Links:
Adventure Documentaries, Exclusive Shows & Live Racing on GCN+: https://gcn.eu/plus
Download the GCN App for free: https://gcn.eu/app
Join us at the Global Bike Festival: https://gcn.eu/global-bike-festival
Visit the GCN Shop: https://gcn.eu/NewGCNKit
Join the GCN Club: https://www.gcnclub.com/
Were you impressed by the budget bikes? What other challenges would you like to see us do? Let us know in the comments below! 💬
If you liked this video, be sure to give it a thumbs up 👍 and share it with your friends!
Watch more on GCN…
📹 Can The Cheapest New Bike On Amazon Survive An Epic Ride? 👉 https://youtu.be/Z82T24Tpzno
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures
🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Why Did You Come – Lucas Pittman
We Are Giants – Silver Maple
Voyces – Myysk
Up All Night – Vanity Street
Trippin Round the Sun – Will Harrison
Suffer City Blues (Instrumental Version) – Suffer City
Saada Simmo (Instrumental Version) – Ebo Krdum
Rain Downpour 2 – SFX Producer
Outbreak – Fasion
On and On (Instrumental Version) – Lars Eriksson
My Head Is under Water (Instrumental Version) – DAJANA
monday – bomull
Hold Up – Fasion
#gcn #cycling #roadbike #roadcycling #bike #challenge #race #bikerace #cheap #budget
Photos: © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/
The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.
Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.
Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans – everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.
Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling
Thanks to our sponsors:
Castelli Clothing: https://gcn.eu/Castelli
Giro Helmets: https://gcn.eu/Giro
Pinarello Bikes: https://gcn.eu/Pinarello
Zipp Wheels: https://gcn.eu/Zipp
Topeak Tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon Bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
Pirelli Tyres: https://gcn.eu/Pirelli
Orbea Bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Vision Wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Elite Bottles: https://gcn.eu/EliteBottles
Whoop Fitness: https://gcn.eu/Whoop
Komoot: https://gcn.eu/komoot
Selle Italia: https://gcn.eu/SelleItalia
SIS: https://gcn.eu/ScienceInSport
Zwift: https://gcn.eu/Zwift
Shimano Wheels: https://gcn.eu/Shimano
Shadow Stand: https://gcn.eu/ShadowStand
DMT Shoes: https://gcn.eu/DMT
Muc-Off: https://gcn.eu/MucOff
Watch our sister channels:
GCN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/gcntech
GCN Racing – https://www.youtube.com/gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network – https://www.youtube.com/gtn
GCN Italia – https://www.youtube.com/gcnitalia
GCN en Espanol – https://www.youtube.com/gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch – https://www.youtube.com/gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Francais – https://www.youtube.com/gcnenfrancais
GCN Japan – https://www.youtube.com/gcnjapan
GCN Training – https://www.youtube.com/gcntraining
Global Mountain Bike Network – https://youtube.com/gmbn
GMBN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network – https://www.youtube.com/embn
38 Comments
Were you impressed with the budget bikes? What other challenges would you like to see us do with them?
Just because someone owns an expensive bike doesn't mean they have got lots of money. its usually there passion so they put there life and sole into that one thing. Carn't blame them for that.
The earo bit lmfao
All 3 of them are nicer than my 2010 Trek 1000c. Of course, my idea of success at 64 years old is to persist on a regular schedule and watch the data, which helps to keep me interested and engaged. My peripheral goal is better fitness, but getting stronger, faster, and smarter is my main goal. This was an interesting video, and my main takeaway is the importance of bike maintenance. To date, I have never dropped a chain, but my bike is maintained well. Thanks for this video!!
Mark is actually a power house. He could sustain more than 300w on tt position on a tri bike, so that's probably more if he's sitting more upright and open his chest to breath more easily. Thanks for playing as Ollie's part lol (although Ollie now transforms from dropped to dropper)
"elite road race."? By whose standards? Other than you sods, it looked to be a typical club race – where $thousands of expensive equipment is wasted on not much talent.
500? You're crazy. I'm trying to get a bike for 200$ to replace my 4 year old 200$ bike.
I would honestly love either one of those bikes. I'm new to cycling and can't afford even a 500 pound bike yet.
Brilliant this is
I love my Triban RC 120. GCN just proves they are now relatable to average blokes like me.
This is much more fun! Love to see this thanks guys!
you kind of do need a 14k bike, because no one nowadays wants to put in effort into anything, if bikes truly needed to be under 6kg then there wouldnt have been people riding heavy ass bikes 100 years ago and winning races unimaginable to us.
Finishing last but only seconds behind…..shows gear makes only marginal difference.
So sad to see road racing reduced to laps of the local dog track.
My road bike is even older than the Trek Madone, a 9-speed Scott AFD 709 and the most expensive thing I replaced were the chainrings and cassette. It was fast enough for my only KOM on Strava, even though it's only a short sprint.
more videos like this please! more races on budget bikes with the price of the bikes increasing each time
Also regarding pros hiding data, it ensures their rivals can',t base a race strategy to pick on their weaker points. If you know your rival is great at short climbs but fades on longer ones or has trouble facing change in pace often, that's how you can attack them.
I only ride mtb, but this is the best sports based youtube channel around. I love the challenges you put yourselves through. I pretty much mock roadies as a hobby because, well I ride mtb, but seriously, you guys are rthe best.
So moral of the story you can’t get a decent bike for £500 as both them bikes are probably worth more like a £1000
I would love to see a similiar challenge but in the Gravel segment!
Been throwing this comment around looking for skme help. Its hard for me to find triban in a physical store where i am to size myself for their bike. They claim xs ends at 165cm and small starts at 165. If i am 166cm (5'6) could the xs (all they have in stock right now for rc120) fit?
Can’t believe one guy went preowned and used his own tyres! Blasphemy tbh
I came here hoping to find out what budget bike i could get for amateur racing i left realizing i still need a pro level bike for amateur racing 😂
I think the point you had proven is that you can race on a really good, but second hand bike well, but a new, budget bike does not perform. All of you decided to upgrade the tires, which is another point to note. What do you think?
I have Trek Domane as my endurance and gravel bike, and Lapierre Xelius as my racing bike
lmao … £500 budget and ultegra groupsets 🤣
2:00 – That's a respectable looking bike
Spent about 500 miles on it and so far so good. https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA Pros:1. Very light2. Solid quality build3. Fast delivery: It arrived 5 weeks earlier than expected.4. Easy assemblyJust a few cons but nothing major:1. Cheap tin tubes and had flat on first day… but not a big deal. I replaced the tubes.2. Seat is a bit uncomfortable but that's pretty much the same situation with most bikes.3. Seat post is a bit long/high for a smaller size 48 bike – had to saw 2 inch off to fit properly. The lowest setting is too high. The post locking system does not seem to hold well (perhaps because I saw 2 inch off).4. wheels are not tubeless compatible (from what I can tell)
I would love to see a challenge like this, but for long distance, and with budget STOCK bikes, no fancy upgrades.
Old trek bikes are 🔥🔥🔥
When i bought my 500£ bike the shop staff kept saying it was cheap. Half a thousand pounds is a lot of money for me!
I'm impressed by 7:20 when he puts the chain back in position while riding. How?!!!
its not Le Mans its Lemons, its tour de discount.
I got a specialized allez sport compact for under $160 USD 💪💪
7:25 if it drops outside, reduce the rear, reduce the front, then instant front, then up the rear
GoCartopias fake play section is perfect for youths, and the free shipping policy is a mother or fathers finest good friend.
Surprised that Alex didn’t find a full Dura ace groupset in his parts bin for this 😉
got a Triban RC 120 yesterday, my first ever road bike (I've always had MTBs), flat bars version 'cos I prefer to be more upright compared to drops though I like both systems. It's really good to see "realistic" bikes for most people being able to at least compete