Who’s riding road bikes these days?

[Splatter Paint]

I rode a sportive on Saturday. The riders on the 100 & 50 mile routes were predominantly over 40s men. There were plenty of riders in their 50s and about a quarter of the field were women, but I only saw two people under 30.

What’s happening? Is the sport too expensive to get into (at face value)? A sportive is now £40 ish, plus £20 of fuel to get there, lunch etc. it is an expensive day out.

Most of the field were on mid-upper end bikes with a good mix of Ti and carbon, with Ultegra probably the most popular groupset. There were lots of low-range, 32t cassettes and a lot of disc-braked bikes. I’d say virtually everyone was riding sub-30kph. The sector of road cycling I saw probably would see no benefit at all with the latest aero bikes the industry is focusing on.

It is quite sad really not seeing younger riders at these events. So where are the young’uns? Not interested? Racing instead? Can’t afford it? All of the above?
SP

 

[pigman]

A couple of theories from me
1. Lots of online"swift" type cycling. As with lots of things these days (friends, dating, shopping eg's), doing it online is the real deal, no need to actually get out there and do it. I personally know 2 work colleagues who will do 6 hours on an internet turbo with all their bottles and gels but have never taken their carbon bikes onto the road
2. The younger generation aren't prepared to bust a gut and work for it. So they get a bike and are either talent spotted or sell up.
3. Back in the day there was a club scene. Most of us never won trophies but we belonged to a band of brothers with whom we rode, went clubbing, holidays and have remained lifelong friends and this has kept us in the sport. Youngsters don't have this club network. There are sponsored teams or 30 mile chaingang bashers. The full days out with the club have disappeared.
3. People have become less selfish to their families. BITD, cyclist's wives were essentially single parents, these days people want more family participation
4. Sportive organisers continually make (in my opinion) the mistake of making the route as hard as possible, throwing in as many monster hills as possible, rather than offering a challenging, but manageable ride

 

[novocaine]

when a tyre costs a days wage and you have to pick riding in an organised event or having the heating on I guess it's an easy choice to make.
what have described is the afluent generation, of which I fall between the gaps of.

a tyre always cost a days wage, but heating and bills didn't take up quite so much of it. welcome to the new age folks, we are all fucked unless we have a bit pot of cash.

oh and the club scene still exists, it's just between old folks now because "oh these youngsters, they don't remember when......."

 

[Russell]

"A sportive is now £40"

There you go!

 

[M_Chavez]

Was on an organised ride recently. Wouldn't call it a sportive.

Yes, most people are guys 40+ and 50+.
A quarter women sounds about right. If there were any more, I'd have to ride with blinkers so as not to get distracted by all the tight lycra

Lots of pizza-cutters on lower end bikes. All squealing like hell. Must be coming stock on all cheap frames these days.
Lots of horrible clunks when people are changing gears. If my bike made those noises I'd be scared that it was about to sh.t out the gears and the hub bearings all over the road.
Almost everyone riding plastic. A couple guys on ti (including me) and some cheap or old alloys. Saw one steel bike - it was a modern-ish kona.

Some gravel riders trying to prove to themselves (at least for the first half a mile) that their bikes with 45mm tyres are just as good as a road bike.

Had a good chat with a fella riding a ti frame about bikes, steel, ti, plastic, alloy, disks, rim brakes while we were pedalling along.
The rest of the crowd is either not up for chatting or give you a blank hundred mile stare once you start talking bikes.

I was averaging 30kph for the first hour or so and was hanging at the end of the leading group. Weren't many of us left by the first feed station - almost everyone dropped off.

There was a family-friendly short ride at the same time where I saw plenty of kids. Mine love cycling, but nowhere near the level of the "club" kids who take cycling seriously.

So it looks like for kids you're either really "into" bikes, or you ain't at all.

Don't think cost has much to do with it. I've tried several times to get local parents and their kids cycling (locally, for free). Close to 0% success rate. Usually parents just being lazy tbh. Easier to give the wean an ipad and watch some sh.te on facebook.

I personally know 2 work colleagues who will do 6 hours on an internet turbo with all their bottles and gels but have never taken their carbon bikes onto the road

Yes, that as well. Are they wearing rapha jackets to work by chance?

 

[d8mok]

I ride road a fair amount and I’d never pay to ride my bike. I’d rather put that £40 in the car in fuel and ride new places.

 

[M_Chavez]

PS online cycling must be seriously inflating egos. I've had colleagues laughing at my fag-packet estimated 1.8watt per kilo on an average ride. Yet, on tarmac they couldn't climb, couldn't corner, couldn't ride into the wind, couldn't change gears in time. Looks like online 3-4w per kg does not translate into much on the road.
If your telly is telling you that you're riding at tdf level and a sportive puts you into bottom 10%, that acts like a massive discouragement to get out on your bike.

 

[vcballbat]

Stop listening to bullshit and just ride ..I find it very liberating. ,

 

[Mickeyspinn]

I don't get the idea full stop of paying to go for a bike ride? I get audax.....once you start the 300 k plus rides then that is a challenge and to have the support of others around you is great.....but £40 to ride your bike for a few hours....erm ..

 

[rwm1962]

So where are the young’uns?

Possibly mountain biking. The youth scene is certainly healthy in my area despite race fees & outlay on bikes & parts.