Is there such a thing as a fast bike?

I've got a 'nice' Look with Sram Red, nice wheels, the lot.

I bought a CAAD 10 frame off here, along with Sram Force 22 gruppo, Ultegra brakes - complete parts bin build, and it flies! Set a PB on my usual circuit while I was still dialing in position/stem etc.

no, its all fitness

New bike = faster

CAADs are sick, that's why

Must admit - I am loving this frankenbike.
7.5 kg with pedals and cages and it's joyous.

no - the pros could ride Arkose on gatorskins and it they'd be just as fast - but BIG CYYCLING needs to sell bikes

gatorskins

Fast, until they slide out on every damp corner

I remember that I could never do an 'easy' ride on my Caad10, I'd always feel like smashing every hill, sprinting from every traffic night. Maybe its the stiff alloy feeling.

Also the CAAD 10 has a pretty short headtube, so you might be longer and lower on it, so some aero gains?

That may be it - it does seem to demands being pushed.

gruppo

Stop it.

I can run faster in the dark.

grupbro?

Every bike can be fast if you believe enough.

I've you had a power meter, you could do a more accurate comparison, but the real answer will be that you pedalled faster, or were lucky with traffic lights or something, or more favourable wind.

Caads do feel fast though.

There's marginal gains. If you pile all together it does make a difference. Generally having a suitable fast riding position, skinny tires with little rolling resistance and optimal gearing does it. Still, legs trump everything.

the pros could ride Arkose on gatorskins and it they'd be just as fast

I'm a sizeable amount slower in my gravelboi bike with 36c slicks compared to my race bike. Let's assume whatever the losses going there are exponential, a slower cyclist may not notice as much, but a pro would lose a big chunk of speed.

I thought the reference to gatorskins and BIG CYYCLING would convey I was not being serious :)

My Purple CAAD12 was faster than my Black CAAD12.

So guess a lot of this is based on color?

This.

None of my bikes are fast, must need a purple one.

All my bikes are fast. Must be just me. 😁

the secret is to look at what bikes your mates are riding. Whoever rides the fastest, buy the same bike as them...

That means I would have to buy a Ribble....

if the cap fits

That means I'd have to get mates...