Topic: The Cycling Thread

[Jaeger]

Decided to weigh myself naked and then fully kitted up plus my bike with everything I'm taking which included old batteries (I'd guess 10-15 pounds worth) that I was taking in for recycling.

Naked = 183.4 pounds
Loaded = 236.5 pounds

Difference = 53.2 pounds

While I could feel the added weight when taking off or climbing it really wasn't all that bad. Of course I didn't go for any personal records. I forgot to weigh myself without the batteries to see how much they really were. This was with my commuter bike that has full fenders, rack and panniers.

Which is why I scratch my head when guys on bike forums go on ad nauseam about shaving a few grams here and there.  Heck, even if we're talking about a pound or two - how much difference can that make to the overall mass of bike plus rider plus kit (even if you're not hauling batteries)?

It all depends on what your goal is. If racing for seconds then I can fully understand it but for the guy that is 20 pound over weight, not a chance.

Do a 20km (or more) climb @ 5% (or more) and you may wish your bike was 1 (or more) pound(s) less. That little bit of energy saved is energy you will need closer to the top of the climb. Again, this is only important if you are riding competitively. I think the difference in weight between my two bikes (before I put anything in the panniers) is around 5-7 pounds. When climbing normally (IE: not trying) I'm sure my speed is nearly identical. But when I race to the top for every last second, I prefer to do that using my race bike.

Weight does make a difference. If you care or not, that is up to the rider and their wallet.

Does the "not a chance" apply to all that follows if we are talking about a rider 20lb or more overweight?  Or just a fit dude whose trim body mass is somewhere around 190 lb.?

Where I see the comment come up most frequently is not in the context of serious racers (sure, they are going to agonize over a few grams) but guys asking about which bike they should buy, and the resounding and near unanimous view being that the saving of around a pound in overall bike weight is a really big freaking deal.  Now again, not talking about racing - the guy on a forum buying his first road bike is unlikely to be about to race it.  But given that a full water bottle weighs more than a pound anyway, I still scratch my head.  Even the pros carry one of those, if not two.

Maybe when I am trying to set personal best times sprinting up steep hills I will come around to the viewpoint that 1 pound matters.    But I'll probably REALLY want my water bottle after such at attempt.

[quadzilla]

When I said 'overweight' it meant somebody that isn't fit. I have ridden with quite a few people that are a Clydesdale (>200 pounds for men) that can kick some serious ass.  At the same I've met just as many thin people who are not fit. Side note: Why do people think thin people are more fit than heavier people?

Pros have it easy as they can throw their water bottle to the crowd and get another one at the top of the climb or after the sprint. We don't have the luxury of doing that.

I will agree about the number of posts going on about saving every gram for any cyclist, its really annoying. I was on a group hike and heard some people talk about it and non of them were 'fast' or close to it.  The difference of 1 pound is so small to the regular person I don't even know if they would notice it. I doubt 5 pounds would make much of a difference. To a pro it is measurable and might the the difference between standing on the podium or not.

Training is the most important factor and bike weight is such a small factor for the regular person.

Play with this calculator to see how little of a difference it makes.

http://bikecalculator.com/

[Jaeger]

^^^ Understood and agreed.

[blotter]

124k today.....albeit with a 2.5 hour rest between 

seen that on your strava, crazy awesome!!!!

[blotter]

When I said 'overweight' it meant somebody that isn't fit. I have ridden with quite a few people that are a Clydesdale (>200 pounds for men) that can kick some serious ass.  At the same I've met just as many thin people who are not fit. Side note: Why do people think thin people are more fit than heavier people?

Pros have it easy as they can throw their water bottle to the crowd and get another one at the top of the climb or after the sprint. We don't have the luxury of doing that.

I will agree about the number of posts going on about saving every gram for any cyclist, its really annoying. I was on a group hike and heard some people talk about it and non of them were 'fast' or close to it.  The difference of 1 pound is so small to the regular person I don't even know if they would notice it. I doubt 5 pounds would make much of a difference. To a pro it is measurable and might the the difference between standing on the podium or not.

Training is the most important factor and bike weight is such a small factor for the regular person.

Play with this calculator to see how little of a difference it makes.

http://bikecalculator.com/

I think the weight issue does get a little crazy.   for the pros, well that's usually doesn't matter too much (in terms of costs to be as light as possible) since it's usually a free ride.  But for the avid racer, the costs can be insane.    There's a huge difference riding a 40lbs bike and say a 20lbs bike.   But I see some racers so obsessed about weight that they don't carry tools.   You usually see these folks on the trail side at races asking for a tube or tools.   I've seen people change handlebars to save 20 grams, which I think is a bit of a waste.     

The most important place to loose weight is in your wheels and tires.   Rotational weight has a much bigger impact than anything else.   Getting lighter wheels, I think is a sound investment which will usually be noticed.   


My FS bike is 24lbs.   I've beat guys which crazy feather light wonder bikes and I've had people with much less of a bike than mine kick my butt.   

[Snowman]

Crap.....6th Line is gravel now from Dundas to Burnhamthorpe. The link to the north is facked until the new surfacing. Need to find another way   

[Snowman]

Weight is important but quality and material used for the frame is key for me. The light weight high quality carbon bikes are more forgiving on rough surfaces which is the majority of my riding on the side-roads north of Dundas. That is why I prefer an endurance design vs. racing style and as usual this comes at a cost.

[Northernridge]

The weight comments above are interesting. My brother tells me that his road bikes weigh right around 15lbs. He insists that the combined benefits of high-end bikes (including weight) make a material difference for amateurs at his level and that the difference is obvious to a reasonably advanced cyclist (I wouldn't know). He rides in the A group at some club out your way and does 4-500km/week. He also doesn't look like a cyclist, he has the lean face/body look of a marathoner but weighs 190lbs and complains that he has the wrong body for cycling.

[Jaeger]

Crap.....6th Line is gravel now from Dundas to Burnhamthorpe. The link to the north is facked until the new surfacing. Need to find another way 

Say WHAT?  And I was planning to head out there early tomorrow morning.  FFS. 

Is it still paved north of Burnhamthorpe?  I could take Neyagawa north to Burnhamthorpe, then east to 6th.

[Snowman]

Crap.....6th Line is gravel now from Dundas to Burnhamthorpe. The link to the north is facked until the new surfacing. Need to find another way 

Say WHAT?  And I was planning to head out there early tomorrow morning.  FFS. 

I have a by-pass. Neyagawa to Burnhamthorpe then up 6th from there. That will get past the gravel. I took the gravel yesterday and it was challenging especially with all the motorists flying by and spraying me with gravel  One slip and it could be toast tho....

[Snowman]

Crap.....6th Line is gravel now from Dundas to Burnhamthorpe. The link to the north is facked until the new surfacing. Need to find another way 

Say WHAT?  And I was planning to head out there early tomorrow morning.  FFS. 

Is it still paved north of Burnhamthorpe?  I could take Neyagawa north to Burnhamthorpe, then east to 6th.

What time tomorrow?

[Guy]

The weight comments above are interesting. My brother tells me that his road bikes weigh right around 15lbs. He insists that the combined benefits of high-end bikes (including weight) make a material difference for amateurs at his level and that the difference is obvious to a reasonably advanced cyclist (I wouldn't know). He rides in the A group at some club out your way and does 4-500km/week. He also doesn't look like a cyclist, he has the lean face/body look of a marathoner but weighs 190lbs and complains that he has the wrong body for cycling.

I Moved from a 15 lbs bike to a 13.5 lbs one with upgraded carbon and I saw immediately the difference, mainly uphill. A local dealer insist that losing 1 pound on the bike is equivalent to loosing 10 pound on the rider. I'm not sure if true but my sampling of 1 seems to confirm it. My average KPH per ride moved up 1.5 to 2 kph with my S-Works.

[blotter]

The weight comments above are interesting. My brother tells me that his road bikes weigh right around 15lbs. He insists that the combined benefits of high-end bikes (including weight) make a material difference for amateurs at his level and that the difference is obvious to a reasonably advanced cyclist (I wouldn't know). He rides in the A group at some club out your way and does 4-500km/week. He also doesn't look like a cyclist, he has the lean face/body look of a marathoner but weighs 190lbs and complains that he has the wrong body for cycling.

I Moved from a 15 lbs bike to a 13.5 lbs one with upgraded carbon and I saw immediately the difference, mainly uphill. A local dealer insist that losing 1 pound on the bike is equivalent to loosing 10 pound on the rider. I'm not sure if true but my sampling of 1 seems to confirm it. My average KPH per ride moved up 1.5 to 2 kph with my S-Works.

I think that's likely true with the road.   Heck even road quality differences will be felt.
But for mountain biking, it gets much harder to tell.   I've noticed the difference of 1 pound if it's lost through the wheel weight, but frame weight not really.   

I also think the guy who rides 20 to 30km 99% of the time will notice the weight change much less than someone doing marathon distances.

[huota]

Weight is important but quality and material used for the frame is key for me. The light weight high quality carbon bikes are more forgiving on rough surfaces which is the majority of my riding on the side-roads north of Dundas. That is why I prefer an endurance design vs. racing style and as usual this comes at a cost.

I've been looking at carbon bikes since many of the roads I ride are quite rough and I find that the vibration gets to me after a while. I used to get severe pain in my lower back, but now that problems seems to be gone, which is strange because otherwise my last two rides have felt pretty awful. Anyway, maybe I just needed to get used to riding, which is exactly what I was expecting, but I'll still keep looking for a carbon bike just because. 

[blotter]

Weight is important but quality and material used for the frame is key for me. The light weight high quality carbon bikes are more forgiving on rough surfaces which is the majority of my riding on the side-roads north of Dundas. That is why I prefer an endurance design vs. racing style and as usual this comes at a cost.

I've been looking at carbon bikes since many of the roads I ride are quite rough and I find that the vibration gets to me after a while. I used to get severe pain in my lower back, but now that problems seems to be gone, which is strange because otherwise my last two rides have felt pretty awful. Anyway, maybe I just needed to get used to riding, which is exactly what I was expecting, but I'll still keep looking for a carbon bike just because. 

the new touring bike I got it steel.  It's certainly not light because that's not it's purpose.
But the ride quality is quite nice.    The wider tires and weight likely mean my efforts result in average speeds of 30km/h instead of maybe 35 km/h

I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying the road bike. 

[huota]

I've been looking at carbon bikes since many of the roads I ride are quite rough and I find that the vibration gets to me after a while. I used to get severe pain in my lower back, but now that problems seems to be gone, which is strange because otherwise my last two rides have felt pretty awful. Anyway, maybe I just needed to get used to riding, which is exactly what I was expecting, but I'll still keep looking for a carbon bike just because. 

the new touring bike I got it steel.  It's certainly not light because that's not it's purpose.
But the ride quality is quite nice.    The wider tires and weight likely mean my efforts result in average speeds of 30km/h instead of maybe 35 km/h

I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying the road bike.

I used to have a steel Kona and loved the feel! I totally get it why people like steel so much.

[Patrick_D1]

When I said 'overweight' it meant somebody that isn't fit. I have ridden with quite a few people that are a Clydesdale (>200 pounds for men) that can kick some serious ass.  At the same I've met just as many thin people who are not fit. Side note: Why do people think thin people are more fit than heavier people?

Pros have it easy as they can throw their water bottle to the crowd and get another one at the top of the climb or after the sprint. We don't have the luxury of doing that.

I will agree about the number of posts going on about saving every gram for any cyclist, its really annoying. I was on a group hike and heard some people talk about it and non of them were 'fast' or close to it.  The difference of 1 pound is so small to the regular person I don't even know if they would notice it. I doubt 5 pounds would make much of a difference. To a pro it is measurable and might the the difference between standing on the podium or not.

Training is the most important factor and bike weight is such a small factor for the regular person.

Play with this calculator to see how little of a difference it makes.

http://bikecalculator.com/

I think the weight issue does get a little crazy.   for the pros, well that's usually doesn't matter too much (in terms of costs to be as light as possible) since it's usually a free ride.  But for the avid racer, the costs can be insane.    There's a huge difference riding a 40lbs bike and say a 20lbs bike.   But I see some racers so obsessed about weight that they don't carry tools.   You usually see these folks on the trail side at races asking for a tube or tools.   I've seen people change handlebars to save 20 grams, which I think is a bit of a waste.     

The most important place to loose weight is in your wheels and tires.   Rotational weight has a much bigger impact than anything else.   Getting lighter wheels, I think is a sound investment which will usually be noticed.   


My FS bike is 24lbs.   I've beat guys which crazy feather light wonder bikes and I've had people with much less of a bike than mine kick my butt.

Hell of a lot lighter than mine, which weighs close to 29 pounds. If I go for new wheels (the factory Jalcos are heavy) I might be able to shave another pound or two.

[Guy]

The weight comments above are interesting. My brother tells me that his road bikes weigh right around 15lbs. He insists that the combined benefits of high-end bikes (including weight) make a material difference for amateurs at his level and that the difference is obvious to a reasonably advanced cyclist (I wouldn't know). He rides in the A group at some club out your way and does 4-500km/week. He also doesn't look like a cyclist, he has the lean face/body look of a marathoner but weighs 190lbs and complains that he has the wrong body for cycling.

I Moved from a 15 lbs bike to a 13.5 lbs one with upgraded carbon and I saw immediately the difference, mainly uphill. A local dealer insist that losing 1 pound on the bike is equivalent to loosing 10 pound on the rider. I'm not sure if true but my sampling of 1 seems to confirm it. My average KPH per ride moved up 1.5 to 2 kph with my S-Works.

I think that's likely true with the road.   Heck even road quality differences will be felt.
But for mountain biking, it gets much harder to tell.   I've noticed the difference of 1 pound if it's lost through the wheel weight, but frame weight not really.   

I also think the guy who rides 20 to 30km 99% of the time will notice the weight change much less than someone doing marathon distances.

Low wheel weight or low rotational inertia is crucial in XC mountain bikes because we constantly slow down and re-accelerate. For a TT bike, the importance is on aerodynamics, and those wheels are quite heavy compared to a regular road bike or mtb. I agree with you that the best place to invest for low weight is wheels on a MTB.

[Jaeger]

Crap.....6th Line is gravel now from Dundas to Burnhamthorpe. The link to the north is facked until the new surfacing. Need to find another way 

Say WHAT?  And I was planning to head out there early tomorrow morning.  FFS. 

Is it still paved north of Burnhamthorpe?  I could take Neyagawa north to Burnhamthorpe, then east to 6th.

What time tomorrow?

As discussed, I will probably get out just ahead of sunrise - yes, I appreciate that this is abnormal behavior.    Let's hook up on the long weekend.

[Jaeger]

The weight comments above are interesting. My brother tells me that his road bikes weigh right around 15lbs. He insists that the combined benefits of high-end bikes (including weight) make a material difference for amateurs at his level and that the difference is obvious to a reasonably advanced cyclist (I wouldn't know). He rides in the A group at some club out your way and does 4-500km/week. He also doesn't look like a cyclist, he has the lean face/body look of a marathoner but weighs 190lbs and complains that he has the wrong body for cycling.

I Moved from a 15 lbs bike to a 13.5 lbs one with upgraded carbon and I saw immediately the difference, mainly uphill. A local dealer insist that losing 1 pound on the bike is equivalent to loosing 10 pound on the rider. I'm not sure if true but my sampling of 1 seems to confirm it. My average KPH per ride moved up 1.5 to 2 kph with my S-Works.

You think that's down to weight alone, or do the other design features of the bike not contribute to that observable increase in average speed?