The cycling world loves to tell you what you need: the latest carbon fiber wonder bike, electronic shifting, tubeless tires, and a power meter that costs more than most people's first car. But what if most of this advice is wrong, expensive, or designed more to sell products than actually help you ride better? As someone who's been swept up in cycling's marketing machine and gear obsession, I've learned that the industry often prioritizes profit over practicality, creating barriers that make this wonderful sport feel intimidating and financially out of reach for everyday riders. The truth is, cycling can be simpler, cheaper, and more enjoyable than the experts want you to believe. These 25 opinions might ruffle some lycra-clad feathers, but they're designed to help you cut through the noise, save money, and focus on what actually matters: getting out there and riding your bike, whatever bike that happens to be.
1. Most people are riding a bike that's too big for them
Bike shop fitting practices often prioritize inventory over optimal fit. Studies show many recreational cyclists ride frames 1-2 sizes too large. The reality is most people need the higher stack height of an endurance bike, but they're on a race bike that's sized up to compensate so they're on a bike that's too big.
2. Lighter bikes aren't necessarily faster
Aerodynamics matter far more than weight for most riding. Weight only significantly impacts climbing; on flats, aero trumps weight, so much so that modern pro teams increasingly choose aero frames even for mountain stages. A comfortable, well-fitting bike will delay the onset of fatigue and will keep you producing more power longer, effectively making you faster.
3. Gravel bikes are mostly marketing
A good road bike with wider tire clearance does the same thing. While gravel-specific geometry (longer chainstays, slacker head angles) and tire clearances offer real functional benefits, marketing has inflated the "need" for specialized equipment. A quality road bike with 32mm+ tire clearance can handle most gravel applications.
4. Fancy hubs don't make you faster
Deeper rims do, but brand matters very little. While the bearing quality minimally affects rolling resistance, the depth of the rim provides measurable aerodynamic benefits.
Aerodynamic testing consistently shows deeper rims provide measurable drag reduction benefits. Wind tunnel data supports that rim depth matters far more than hub brand or bearing material for speed gains.
5. A bike can not be both compliant and fast
It's impossible to make a bike both compliant and fast. If it's flexy, it's sapping up energy every time you push down on the pedal, and basic materials science confirms this trade-off. Modern bike design attempts to optimize compliance in specific directions but any engineer will tell you that “vertical compliance, lateral stiffness" is nothing but marketing that grossly overstates achievability.
6. The optimal tire pressure is more important than the tire width
While wider tires have shown to be marginally faster on pavement than narrower tires, the key is that wider tires allow lower pressures for better rolling resistance while maintaining adequate support. An over- or underinflated wider tire will always be slower than a narrow tire with optimal pressure.
7. Newer groupsets are not more efficient than old
The overwhelming benefit to performance of newer groupsets is closer-spaced gearing, which helps you hit your optimal cadence. The real benefits are improved gear ratios, ergonomics, and shift quality rather than power transmission efficiency. When it comes to their ability to transfer your power to the rear hub, new groupsets are no more efficient than old ones.
8. Your saddle and shoes are more important to comfort than the bike you are riding
Contact points (saddle, shoes, handlebars) have disproportionate impact on comfort compared to frame characteristics. Biomechanics research supports that interface comfort dominates the riding experience. The caveat is ultra-stiff shoes or ultralight saddles do not make you any faster.
9. Head units like the Garmin Edge are not better than a cell phone
Smartphones have superior processors, displays, and software ecosystems. Apps like Cyclemeter, Jepster and Strava turn any phone into a top-notch cycling computer. The only thing that you have to do is get a mount to affix your phone to your bike. The only real reason to chose a high-priced bike computer is if you need an extended life battery or have cycling devices such as a power meter that speaks the now-retired ANT+ protocol.
10. Longer cranks don't give you more power
Most amateur cyclists have limited hip mobility compared to professionals. The standard 172.5mm crank length may create excessive knee flexion at the top of the pedal stroke for many recreational riders, particularly those with desk jobs who have tight hip flexors. A shorter crank length reduces range of motion at the knee (extension and flexion), hips, and low back, reducing restriction through the top of the pedal stroke by opening up an impinged hip angle.
11. The popularity of gravel is a result of failure in bicycle infrastructure and traffic laws
Given a choice, most cyclists would prefer riding on smooth pavement rather than rattling their teeth on washboard gravel roads. The fact that so many cyclists are choosing the discomfort of rough surfaces over smooth roads suggests that safety concerns and poor cycling infrastructure are indeed driving people away from road cycling toward gravel alternatives, despite the inferior riding surface.
12. Tubeless tires are overrated for road cycling
Puncture protection and rolling resistance benefits exist but are incremental for road use. Setup complexity and maintenance requirements are legitimate concerns.
The higher pressures used in road cycling (typically 80-120+ psi) do make sealing more challenging compared to the lower pressures common in mountain biking (20-35 psi). At higher pressures, punctures create more forceful air loss, and the sealant has less time to coagulate and plug holes before significant pressure is lost. Small punctures from thorns or glass shards can still seal effectively, but larger holes or cuts may not seal as reliably.
Testing shows latex tubes come very close to tubeless rolling resistance performance.
13. Electronic shifting is solving a problem that didn't exist
While electronic shifting does improve on consistency and precision of shifts, it comes at a tremendous price and complexity while offering marginal improvements over a well-tuned mechanical derailleur, which can be fixed on the side of the road or trail and requires no batteries.
14. Ceramic bearings are pure marketing
Testing by Friction Facts found the difference in drag between top steel and ceramic models was just 0.03 watts. According to Cycling Aerodynamics study, effects of ceramic benefits "are not measurable at speeds associated with cycling." Performance improvement is less than 1% while costing nearly twice as much. Cleaning your chain before the ride will produce a significantly more measurable improvement in efficiency.
15. Power meters have made cycling less enjoyable
Cyclists are already prone to data addiction. Research from Duke University found that while measuring exercise via objective measures like power meters is good at making people exercise more, it also reduces how much enjoyment they get from doing it. If your eyes are on a screen, they are not focused on the experience itself, making it less rewarding and more like work.
16. Long rides don't make you stronger
While both high and low-intensity have a place in a well-stuctured training plan, for time-constrained recreational cyclists, high-intensity intervals can be more effective than long Zone 2 rides for many fitness goals.
17. Recovery rides are mostly pointless
A classic gap between theory and practice in cycling training. While research strongly supports that properly executed recovery rides (Zone 1 intensity, 30-60 minutes) clear lactate faster and maintain performance better than passive recovery, the reality is that most recreational cyclists cannot execute true recovery rides correctly - they ride too hard, too long, or add logistical stress that defeats the purpose. Given that cyclists often experience more stress organizing and executing recovery rides than taking complete rest, and most tend to ride harder than the required Zone 1 intensity, complete rest days often prove more effective for time-stressed amateur cyclists juggling work and family obligations.
18. Leg shaving is mostly about tradition, not speed
Wind tunnel testing has revealed that leg shaving provides unexpectedly significant aerodynamic benefits, with studies showing time savings of 82 seconds over 40km and power savings of 15 watts due to reduced drag, equivalent to over a minute in a 40km time trial, though results vary considerably between individuals based on hair density. However, for recreational cyclists riding at lower speeds and shorter distances, the benefits are reduced to about 5 seconds per hour at 37 km/h, making the gains practically negligible compared to the hassle.
19. The bike industry's obsession with marginal gains has made cycling unnecessarily expensive and complicated
The cycling industry's focus on fractional performance improvements has created a culture where $500 wheelsets are marketed as "entry-level" and riders are convinced they need $3,000 power meters to enjoy recreational cycling, when the actual performance benefits for amateur cyclists are often immeasurable. This marginal gains mentality has transformed cycling from an accessible form of transportation and recreation into a high-tech arms race that can intimidate newcomers and drain wallets for negligible real-world improvements.
20. The "N+1" mentality (always needing one more bike) is financially irresponsible marketing
The cycling industry has successfully promoted the idea that cyclists need specialized bikes for every conceivable scenario (road, gravel, cyclocross, endurance, aero, climbing, commuting), when a single quality bike can serve multiple purposes effectively, leading to unnecessary consumer debt and garage clutter. This marketing-driven mentality exploits cycling enthusiasm to generate sales rather than genuinely improving the riding experience, as most cyclists would be better served by one well-fitted, properly maintained bicycle and investing the savings in more riding opportunities.
21. Most cycling media is thinly veiled advertising disguised as editorial content
The cycling media landscape is heavily dependent on advertiser relationships, leading to "reviews" that rarely criticize products harshly, extensive coverage of new product launches disguised as news, and editorial calendars that suspiciously align with manufacturer release schedules rather than genuine reader interest. Independent testing and truly critical analysis are increasingly rare as media outlets rely on industry partnerships for survival, creating an echo chamber that amplifies marketing messages rather than providing objective consumer guidance.
22. Most cyclists spend more time researching gear than actually riding
The cycling community's obsession with analyzing every component, reading endless reviews, and debating equipment choices online often exceeds the time spent actually cycling. This "analysis paralysis" keeps riders indoors scrolling through forums and YouTube reviews when they could be outside getting stronger on whatever bike they already own.
23. Professional cycling's emphasis on suffering and pain culture is toxic and off-putting to newcomers
The professional cycling world's glorification of extreme suffering, with phrases like "embrace the suck" and celebration of riders continuing through injuries, creates a barrier for recreational cyclists who simply want to enjoy riding without feeling inadequate for not pushing through pain. This toxic masculinity-tinged culture suggests that cycling isn't "real" unless it involves suffering, which contradicts the health and wellness benefits that should make cycling attractive to a broader population seeking enjoyable physical activity.
24. Cycling clubs can be surprisingly unwelcoming to beginners
Despite claims of inclusivity, many cycling clubs maintain unspoken hierarchies based on equipment, speed, and experience that intimidate newcomers and reinforce cycling's elitist reputation.
25. The 'rules' of cycling fashion are gatekeeping nonsense
The obsession with matching kit, proper sock height, and specific brands creates artificial barriers that make cycling feel exclusive rather than accessible to people who just want to ride bikes. While a properly fitting kit will make your ride more enjoyable than a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt, spending hundreds of dollars to look like a Tour de France winner takes away from the actual joy of cycling.
26(bonus). Bike insurance isn't just for racers or expensive bikes
The cycling community often views bike insurance as exclusive to professional racers or individuals with $10,000 carbon fiber machines, but this narrow perspective overlooks how combining standard theft and accidental damage coverage with optional coverages creates a comprehensive umbrella that protects your entire cycling lifestyle. Beyond basic theft and crash coverage, specialty bike insurance can bundle medical gap coverage (crucial with today's high-deductible health plans), uninsured motorist coverage if you’re ever hit by a car, liability coverage for accidents you cause, and even worldwide coverage if you take your bike abroad.