Cycling News

How much faster are modern bikes? Sonny Colbrelli and Bahrain Victorious find out

How much faster are modern bikes? Sonny Colbrelli and Bahrain Victorious find out

Bikes are faster now, we all know that intuitively. The result of the constant arms race to squeeze every last watt out of the UCI regulations means we’re constantly treated to “The fastest Roubaix ever” year on year. 

Yes, the riders also have better coaching, better strength and conditioning, and better diets too, but there’s no denying that the hyperfixation on wattage at an industrial scale has left us with bikes nowadays that are markedly more speedy than what you’d see in the Colnago archives from decades past

How much faster, though? Well, Bahrain Victorious took Paris-Roubaix winner, and sadly recent retiree thanks to a heart condition, Sonny Colbrelli out onto the road armed with four bikes from different decades to see how much faster the best road bikes have become. On test were a thoroughly modern 2023 Merida Scultura, a 2013 Pinarello Dogma 65.1, a 2003 Cannondale Six13, and a Carrera Podium from 1989, all pitted against one another multiple times in controlled conditions both on the flat and uphill.

Vintage bikes aero testing

Visually, bikes have come on a long way. What has been the effect of all the changes over the years? (Image credit: Bahrain Victorious)

The bikes and the tests 

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…