Over the past few years we've seen some bike makers step backwards in the technology that they're building into their bikes. However, we think that it could be taken another step further. We don't think anyone would ever complain about having a threaded bottom bracket, a 27.2 seatpost and a bar and stem which is easily adjustable and interchangeable should the desire strike them. In theory, the things listed in this video should actually be seen as upgrades as current bike tech can be slightly temperamental.
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00:00As the next wave of road bikes gets released, we've seen some brands step backwards with the
00:04technology that they're offering. We've seen this on the Cannondale Synapse, the Specialized
00:09Athos, and a few others. Now, this can come in the form of a 27.2 seat post or more reliable
00:16bottom bracket fittings. So, here are six things which I've identified which I think
00:21should be on the majority of new bikes.
00:23Now, this one is one that I hope is a current trend and will soon fade away, and that is
00:32the use of matte paint. Now, I can imagine this is going to polarize quite a few people. However,
00:38I, for one, would love to see the mass return of the gloss finish. One of the key reasons why a lot
00:45of bike makers opt for matte paint, especially on their performance road bikes, is because it's
00:50actually a lot lighter than a gloss finish, so it does provide a very easy way for them to knock
00:56some weight off the bike. However, frames with gloss paint are much easier to clean. Grease marks are
01:02easier to wipe off, and you can polish them to a high shine over and over again. Matte paint tends
01:08to get shiny once you've washed it a number of times, and you can never get it to be as crisp and
01:13as fresh as it was when it was brand new out the box. So, let's hope the timeless gloss finish returns
01:18in force, and we can all have bikes which gleam and glisten in the sunshine for as long as they're on the road.
01:28I'm a massive fan of a normal stem with a normal faceplate with a normal set of bars. The ability
01:34to adjust handlebar angle, switch between different handlebar widths, change stem length with ease,
01:40and to experiment with different handlebar shapes is too much of a benefit to miss out on for the
01:45aesthetic benefit of an integrated setup. A conventional stem also allows for a more affordable
01:52and convenient way to adjust your position as it changes over the years. If you're heading out for
01:58a fast chain gang ride and you want to take advantage of the negative drop on your stem, then you can.
02:03However, if you've got a sportive the next day and you want to flip the stem for a more relaxed position,
02:09then you can also do that as well. And that is something you would not be able to do with an
02:14integrated setup. On top-end bikes, I wouldn't feel short-changed if they'd been fitted with a
02:19lightweight carbon stem and lightweight carbon bars. And if I could choose the sizes of those components
02:25at the point of purchase, then I'd know that it'd be dialled in for my position from the get-go.
02:30Surely that's more valuable than offering a lump of carbon, which only caters for the pros.
02:39Continuing in the same vein, integrated cables, but to an extent. Now that Shimano have joined the
02:45wireless party on many new bikes, we're only left with the brake hoses to find a home for.
02:51Now, I am happy to see hoses routed through the frame and I'm not even opposed to seeing them being
02:56routed through the bars. The place where I draw the line is at the stem. If the cables were to pop
03:02out at the centre of the bars and then promptly slide into the top of the frame at the head tube
03:07and at the top of the forks, then I only see that as a benefit. You're not going to have to deal with
03:12that three hour brake bleed just to make a small adjustment to stem height. It's understandable that
03:17on aero bikes, they do go fully integrated. And of course, for the pros, it also makes a lot of sense.
03:23However, for us mere mortals, having them exposed really isn't an issue and it only serves to save you
03:30both time and money when servicing or you need to make a small adjustment.
03:37As I've already mentioned, I think we'd all love to see the mass return of the 27.2 seat post. However,
03:44I do have a caveat and that is that I think it should be reserved for endurance and climbing bikes.
03:50When we look at aero race bikes, I think they should stick with their annoying proprietary seat
03:55posts. They offer a valid gain for the intended style of riding and you can't argue against their
04:01aesthetic credentials. However, on climbing and endurance bikes, those aero advantages
04:06aren't as important. So using something that's a bit more universal does make a lot of sense,
04:11especially when you need a post that actually builds in a bit more comfort and isn't directly
04:16honed in for those aero gains. Now, as an extra bolt onto this, I would actually like to include
04:22seat post clamps as well. I think the bike makers have had their opportunity to play around with
04:27some pretty weird and wacky designs, but actually the standard seat post collar is definitely the best
04:33one out there. The worst possible failure you could encounter with a seat post collar
04:38is the bolt snapping. Now, this is usually down to salt corrosion or just a lack of bike washing.
04:43Now, this will be unlikely, but potential failure is actually a whole lot better than the potential
04:49with the internal seat post clamps that we're seeing on modern bikes. And that's because I would much
04:55rather have a bolt snap than have a seat post that slides down, that creaks or risks over tightening
05:02and then potentially damaging not only the seat post, but the frame itself as well. I think the simple
05:07matter of fact is that your standard seat clamp actually works perfectly and usually ends up being
05:12lighter weight than the usual bungs found in modern frames.
05:20Yep, that's right. I know you saw this one coming, so I'll keep it brief. Threaded bottom brackets.
05:26They just work. Even though the bearing is still technically pushed inside of the threaded cup,
05:31you aren't interfering with the frame itself. You won't work the frame out of tolerance. You fit one,
05:38you ride a few thousand creek free kilometres, you take it out and then you replace it with a fresh unit
05:43which fits in exactly the same way as the old one did. It's simple, it's effective and really,
05:49they should just be standard across all performance bikes.
05:55I'm really tired of tiny allen key bottle cage bolts. I'm seeing more and more bikes coming out
06:00with three millimetres or even two and a half millimetre heads. These bolts are ones that tend to end up
06:05in a really awkward position, meaning it's really hard to get a clean swing of them.
06:09This tricky angle can often result in mashing up the head and eventually stripping the bolt.
06:15They're small and fiddly and I want all new bikes to have a minimum of a four millimetre head.
06:20When bolts have a four millimetre head, you have a greater ability to latch onto a purchase
06:25and more successfully turn the bolt without stripping the head. I'll admit it's a very niche
06:31problem to have, but the solution is so, so simple. Well, there we have it. There's six things which
06:38I think should be included on the majority of new bikes. Let me know what you think about them and if
06:44you think I missed any. If you enjoyed the video, drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more
06:48content and I'll see you again very soon.