Are Lightweight Bikes Better Than Aero Bikes? | GCN Tech Show Ep. 292

The bike industry has been fully embracing aerodynamics for the past few years, but the love for the new lightweight Orbea Orca that Si looked at on @gcn has got us wondering: if you could only have one bike for the rest of your life, would you go lightweight or aero? Alex and Ollie discuss this and more on this week’s GCN Tech Show!

00:00 Intro
00:33 Lightweight or Aero?
07:54 Hot Tech
14:05 Comments of the Week
19:41 Bike Vault

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What would you choose: a lightweight bike or an aero bike? 🚲 Let us know in the comments below! 💬

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📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sprint Cycling Agency

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[gcntech]

What would you choose: a lightweight bike or an aero bike? 🚲

[richardmamelok]

Light weight. I’m 75 and need all the help I can get climbing. So Ollie, I’m not quite 80 but I’m with you on how you’ll think many years from now.

[WillPower]

I purchased a Ribble Titanium endurance road bike after watching the GCN video on the Ribble bikes. It's most certainly the slowest road bike I have owned in the last 20 years, it's not aero and it's not lightweight but it is so enjoyable to ride. So if I could only have one bike it would be a good quality titanium frame built for comfort and long distance just because it is so pleasant to live with.

[t-dub-W]

Love your work GCN team🙌 Small feedback suggestion, for the bike vault(could apply to Hack/bodge as well) I would really like to see the image of the bike stay up a bit longer, or even some Picture in Picture so we can see the bike while you’re commenting in more depth. I find I only get a second to take in the whole bike before it cuts to your reactions. Anyway, just a small idea that’s been on my mind for a while. Keep up the good work!

[benjii]

Thats why my dreambike is a BMC Teammachine. There are lighter bikes, there are more aero bikes but the Teammachine is just stunning and i love it

[adamweb]

If I could only have 1 bike I'd take an aero frame with 2 sets of wheels 😉Zipp 808 with 28s for the road and Zipp 303 with 42s for offroad!

[ericcoxtcu]

I just absolutely love that the bike vault rules are whatever you decide they are in a given week.

[psnSupergrobi]

Easy choice. S-Works Tarmac SL6 with rim brakes. Just weights 6, 2kg with Roval CLX50.

[pep]

A lightweight aero bike 7.2kg with everything on it.. best of both worlds

[samuelhartinpasco]

Something I recently learned is most ski shops are happy to do bike insoles for you. I couldn’t fine a bike shop near me that had the stuff to do it but I called my local ski shop and just brought in an insole. Didn’t charge me too much and got a much more comfortable shoe.

[SpecialeyesRider]

Since the “motor” is not even close to being aero, lightweight is my preference. Thus the reason I ride an Aethos. My wife is aero and she rides a Tarmac.

[maximilian]

Alex, the bar tape on that Trek is Supacaz Bling in Oil Slick. It's a beautiful iridescent shade, but gets slippy when your hands start to sweat.

[jw]

Modern aero bikes are still lighter than my current bike 2008 Fuji. Also, wouldn't a lightweight, aero gravel bike be ideal for the last bike? Endurance geometry for when you're not a flexible anymore and you can ride more places with more tire options

[ZOB]

Glad Ollie reminded everyone about Hugo Boss - "High street fashion brand" is not how I would describe that particular company.

Excellent to see Alex and Ollie back together where they belong, such a team, bike vault was a joy 🤣🤣

[npdf]

I like that orbea went back to classic frame shape 😊 well done.. I’m with Ollie lightweight bike for me 😃🚴🏻Pete

[DrLamp]

Does GCN have a video on aero vs light weight? That would be such a good follow up to this!

[PotbellyDictator]

i ride a Canyon Ultimate CF SL. my previous bike was a 1993 Specialized Epic 8 tubes carbon, full Dura Ace. needless to say I'm in heaven with my new ride

[adadinthelifeofacyclist]

Voice-activated gears could be hilarious. Envisage reaching the toughest bit of a climb, spectators have gathered there to encourage riders. "Up-up-up!" they shout, "Up-up-up-up-up-up..." 😂😂

[JeffersonPunk]

I wouldn't choose aero, but not sure if I'd go for lightweight or classic skinny tubed steel.