Silvio vs Tica

[bikette]

I have been riding my new Silvio for some quite a number of kilometers now , 40 km first ,then 60 km , 80 and my latest ride two days ago was 93km.

And I have ridden on the routes I usually did on my Tica ,i.e a mixture of flat ground and hills(in the vineyards around Geneva , Switzerland ,since I live on the French-Swiss border)
The winner is my Tica low-racer when I compare my average speeds : when I was between 28 and 30km/h on my Tica I am now between 25 and 26km/h on my Silvio.
But I have had the silvio only for a very short time .And I need more hours'riding.
It took some time too on my Tica before I reached those average speeds.

I must say that on the Silvio I have the impression of feeling the pressure of the air more than on the Tica which is much lower .But when I look at my computer I can't see that much difference : the same places where I got to 40km/h on the Tica I can get too on the Silvio.
So why is my average speed lower then since aerodynamics doesn't seem to explain the difference or does it ...in the end ?

As for the handling of the two bikes, the Silvio is easier to ride . It turns very easily at sharp angles as compared to my Tica and I have got used to pulling away from stops now . So that should mean a gain instead of a loss .
Is it because it feels easier to ride that I am perhaps putting less energy in my riding and so get slower in the end ?Or is it just a question of handling the Silvio still better with still more practice on the bike?

Whatever the answer which I hope to have as I ride more miles , I am very happy with the Silvio , slower or faster than a low-racer.

 

[Mark B]

I think you answered your own question. As you spend more time and fine tune your techinque, I believe you will see your averages go up. You're on the right track, you just need to be patient and give it time. In fact, I suggest you stop looking at your computer for awhile and just enjoy the ride. I know, I know.... Easier said than done.

Mark

 

[bikette]

So there it is : my Silvio has done better than my Tica .I think I could ride from 2 to 4 or 5kmh faster on the Silvio on the same routes.
I rode my Silvio quite a lot during the two weeks' holidays I just had . In a hilly region and sometimes in windy conditions .I rode from 40 to 60km almost everyday.
I rode there last year on my Tica so I could compare the two bikes .
Uphill , with practice coming it now feels like climbing on an upright bike . You can find the right positions on the bike and ride faster with less effort than on the Tica.
And I was surprised at how stable it is when going downhill.I could get as fast as 60kmh in windy conditions with no trouble at all. You can easily get balance and stability using the upper part of your body.
So the more I ride ,the more I appreciate the qualities of the Silvio . It is becoming THE bike for me.