Many competitive cyclists, especially those of the “weekend warrior” type, believe that the idea of buying speed, i.e. purchasing equipment to go faster, is a myth. They will tell you that the engine on the bike (your legs) determines the ultimate speed of the bike. They may concede that lighter and/or more aero may provide small increases in speed that could just as well be explained by performance variations or better training. From my personal experience, I believe they are wrong. Although relatively new to participating in timed events (four seasons), I am an older rider (over 60) whose skills are diminishing despite regular training. Last Fall I participated in a sprint distance time trial. I was happy that I tied my personal best. I rode a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 which is a comfortable but still fast road bike. I noticed that all who finished above me in my age group were riding time trial specific (or triathlon specific) bikes. I asked the winner in my group if he thought it really made a difference. In other words, I asked him if he thought speed could be purchased. He replied that he had ridden a road bike for three years in this time trial series before switching to a time trial bike. He felt that the switch gained him one to two miles an hour in average speed. I was skeptical, but still purchased a Cannondale Slice 5 which is essentially the TT equivalent of the road bike I was riding. On my very first training ride, even while adjusting to the brand new aero bar positioning, I beat my race personal best average speed. In my first event of the new season, I was over two miles an hour faster in average speed than my previous PR. This was such a dramatic increase for me that I can only conclude that I had actually purchased speed. Did I win my age group? Not even close. If all are on similar equipment, then the legs do determine who will be on the podium. However, if you are not riding a bike that was specifically designed for the events you are entering, I would suggest that purchasing one would not be a waste of hard earned money. It is possible to buy significant speed.