Will buying a new bike make me a stronger cyclist?

In the most simplest answer, no! Training effectively will make you stronger. The bike is only a vehicle for you to train on.

So why does everyone want to buy a fancy bike?

Technology has come a long way in terms of bike design. Many cyclists are continually looking for the lightest bike or with the most aero frame design and then looking to upgrade their components to make the bike lighter.

What advantages does a light bike have?

You may often see bikes advertised as ‘climbing bikes’. These bikes will generally be lighter than some other frames. The lighter the bike the easier it will feel to get up the hills as you won’t have so much gravity to bring you down.

Traditionally bikes were made of steel and they were very heavy compared with bikes you can find today. Now aluminum frames are generally the most common and found in most good quality entry level road bikes, they are much lighter than the traditional steel bikes. If you want to pay more you can invest in a carbon frame, which is used by most professional riders, due to it’s lightweight properties.

Riding a lighter bike won’t make you stronger, but it will make you go a little faster. In fact many professional cyclists will have a separate bike in which they use for training, they will be forced to put more power into the pedals to push up the hills. When they come to race they will use a lightweight bike with lightweight wheels and carbon components to feel the benefits in increased speed.

How will an aero bike help me?

If you are getting your first road bike you will probably find an aero bike a little uncomfortable. An aero frame will help you on flat rides and the geometry will protect you from the force of the wind.

At the end of the day scientifically spending you money on your bike will not make you a stronger cyclist. However, investing in a bike that you love can be a step into investing in your cycling goals. You will cherish your bike and will be more motivated to ride it. You could feel faster on the hills, more comfortable, or even that you just like the colours will encourage you to want to use it more. Which, with the right training will make you a stronger cyclist.

I am always interested in helping women get stronger at cycling on whatever bike they have. Book free discovery call to talk with me about how you want to get faster on your bike.