Will I be wasting money?

[kgw2511]

I'm 61 and returned to cycling after a 20 year break.

I'm still riding my 1989 Orbit 531C and have a budget of £4k for a new bike for riding sportives next year.

I was thinking of buying a Ribble Endurance SLR Disc with Ultegra Di2 components.

Given my age and aspirations, is the bike too high-spec for me and if so, what alternatives should I look at?

Thanks in anticipation.

[roubaixtuesday]

From a performance perspective, certainly a waste of money.

But if you like a nice shiny thing and top end engineering, and have the money, why the hell not?

Personal rule of thumb:
<£500 performance compromises
£500-£1000 good value
£1000-£2000 Nice to have extras
>£2000 Purely for show

Just personal opinion.

[Jdsk]

Well done on restarting.

For your intended uses what benefits would you be looking for from spending £4k rather than £2k?

Jonathan

[Jamesh]

As above

Ask yourself do you want di2???

Do you want the SLR frame at 900gms as opposed to the SL at 1.15kg imho you'll hardly notice the difference and I think the heavier bike will be a bit more comfortable as well as less fragile.

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes ... an%20discs.

If you can get the ultegra for 2k I'd bite at that!

If not 105 is a very good mid range groupset.

You could also use the saving to buy a set of summer wheels which will make a big difference over stock wheels. Zipp 303 ask for a deal at point of sale....


Cheers James

[greyingbeard]

Whats "wrong" with the bike you've got ? How about a repaint and some extra gears ?
no-one can get younger, are you thinking ahead about getting old and stiff and needing a more upright position ?
How about getting something with eleccy assistance > theres some very fancy bikes out there for £4000. Or several bikes. Or a made to measure frame perhaps with a holiday as well.
I dont have an opinion on how you ought to spend your cash. Its yours, do as you please

[hamster]

What are you seeking to improve with the new bike?
Speed over longer distances is largely set by being in a comfortable position and being aerodynamic. Likewise have gearing that suits your fitness = there's no point in a lowest gear of 39/23 if you end up walking every hill.
Weight is of low effect, except on VERY hilly courses.

Most important of all is a bike that fits well. A new bike that 's uncomfortable is pointless, make sure that you can replicate your current position and then invest in your fitness and strength if you seek to be faster to get the bars lower and your back flatter. Pilates would be a good choice for starters.

Personally, I'd spend money on getting the engine serviced and in tip-top condition, then worry about the bike. Easier said than done I know.

[Mick F]

I'm 61 .................. I'm still riding my 1989 Orbit 531C and have a budget of £4k ..................

I'm 68 is a few weeks, and I'm still riding my 1986 Mercian 531c.

Excellent, fast, entertaining .................. as has been said, getting older means more gears.
My Mercian has undergone transmission surgery a few times in its life, and a few years ago I fitted an inner 28t instead of the 30t and
I'm now considering a 26t. From then on, it'll be a new groupset perhaps as the 26t is as low as it will go.

Look at what gearing you have now, and fit something that is future-proof and modify-able. Think of new wheels as well an you'll not even need to spend £1k.

Good luck, and well done for the return to cycling!
I had a lay-off for (only) eight years and it was hard enough getting back, so don't spend too much now, just see how you get on with your Orbit with some wider-range gearing.

[foxyrider]

I currently ride an Orbit Pro 531, its okay, (2x7 drivetrain) but tbh, without throwing a lot of dosh at it, it's a bit of a dead end and certainly doesn't perform as well a my CF bike with, in my case. Campag SR 2x11 groupset.

If you like and can afford the 4k bike, go for it, just because your aspirations are not the TDF doesn't mean you should compromise your ride. In fact if anything you'll benefit more than a racing whippet because you'll appreciate everything more and not just treat it as as tool.

In short, go for it, get out and enjoy riding it, hang on to the Orbit as a winter hack so you don't spoil the good bike.

[Mick F]

I currently ride an Orbit Pro 531, its okay, (2x7 drivetrain) but tbh, without throwing a lot of dosh at it ............

No you don't.

New wheels and you can have 9sp or 10sp with your double chainset. Friction shifting works well with 9sp and 10sp, so nothing to spend in that department.

[thirdcrank]

I'm 61 and returned to cycling after a 20 year break. ....

My only question would be is that return now completed? ie are you completely back into regular cycling? If the answer is "no" then I'd suggest holding on to your £££ until you are because a posh bike won't help. If the answer is "yes" then I'd be tending towards "go for it." It's a matter of Time's winged chariot and believe me it speeds up every five minutes. In absolutely no time at all you will be in what was until recently free TV licence territory. Also, hopefully you will be OK healthwise and cycling should keep it that way but you have no idea what may be ahead.

Think what you are most likely to regret in a few years: missing out on a dream bike or shelling out so much hard-earned dough.

When I was 60 and suddenly faced with heart disease, I nearly cheered myself up by buying a big motorbike to compensate. Wisdom got the better of me but approaching my 70th birthday, I treated myself to a posh (by my standards) car. I've now got that out of my system and I'm back to BOF in a Skoda Fabia.

[Navara]

If you have the money,want to spend it and won't miss it the why not?
As others have said you can get a perfectly good bike for £1-2k but it's your money!

Ask yourself do you want di2???

A question I pondered over for a while."Do I want or need Di2"?
I now have Di2 and the question has been answered.
Do I need it?
No.
Do I want it?
YES!
I can't see me ever going back.All future builds will be either Di2 or Etap

[Jamesh]

A 4k bike will depreciate like a brick where as a 1 - 2K bike will keep its value better esp in today's market where sub 2k bikes are hard to find.

Cheers James

[foxyrider]

I currently ride an Orbit Pro 531, its okay, (2x7 drivetrain) but tbh, without throwing a lot of dosh at it ............

No you don't.

New wheels and you can have 9sp or 10sp with your double chainset. Friction shifting works well with 9sp and 10sp, so nothing to spend in that department.

You haven't seen the bike! Wheels, respray, new parts - not much change out of £500 to make it worthwhile - for me that's a lot of dosh - a months income. If I was in a better financial position i'd still not want to spend that money on what is, at the end of the day, an old bike that I paid £150 for new!

If I had the money i'd be out buying a new machine tomorrow but I don't so I just carry out essential maintenance, a new tyre and bar tape this week, dropping a spare wheel in last. It is what it is, a bike that has done 8k miles this year, it is not a bike that I look forward to riding like the CF.

[peetee]

I am in my mid fifties and, after a near 10 year lay-off have been back to cycling for a year now. The improvements in my abilities have vastly outperformed any advantage I would have got from replacing my 20th Century steel framed bikes. When out on a club ride I know that when I struggle to keep up it’s my fitness that’s holding me back not my bike. For me it’s important to make this distinction, it’s a great motivator and I have a long way to go before I reach the limits of my bikes. 30 years ago when I was pushing out twice as much power as I can now they were up to the job.

Enjoy your perfectly capable older bike or buy and take pleasure in owning a shiny new one. The choice is yours to make and, deep down, I think you know which you would prefer.

[simonhill]

Quite cheap compared to a Porsche 911 or a Harley.

Of course it's a waste of money, but if you've got it and are happy to spend it, why not. If you are the sort of person who may regret it later, then probably not.

I don't know your circumstances, but inheritance tax is 40% so 4 grand could be considered as 'only' £2,400.