Mountain Biking - Whats up with weight of a bike? geez

I hear people talking about a bike weighing too much, or don't put that on the bike it will weigh it down. Whats up with this talk? Will 8 oz really make a bike harder to pedal? I was in a store today and I picked up a water bottle cage and the dude there says "no, no, get this one it weighs half of what that one weighs".

Maybe someone could shed some light on this subject.
Does weight really matter much?
If so, how much weight can be added before you feel the difference?

Weight makes a difference for XC riding, but no, shedding 8 ounces is not going to make an appreciable difference.

For a lot of people building light bikes is more of a hobby.

Heres a good rant from Keith Bontrager: http://www.bontrager.com/keith/rants.asp?id=25

yes, light is good!! =D
it makes a difference if it's rotating weight. grams start to add up after a while...lighter is always good (unless you weigh over 200lbs)..takes less energy to make it move.

On my second bike, I went nuts and started acting like an idiot trying to save weight everywhere. Carbon Fiber here, Ti there...it was ridiculous - AND EXPENSIVE!

For a racing MTB'er or a Roadie - weight can certainly make a big difference. But for the average Joe like 98% of the rest of us...give me a break! I just switched to a new bike...2002 Giant AC. I've never felt better on a bike and it weighs 7 lbs more than my Lightweight XC NRS-1.

The weigh (LOL), I look at it now like this...if it's heavier - it's only going to make me stronger - and it's certainly going to last longer! I was having issues breaking stuff all the time on my lightweight bike...

I heard schmoes all the time talking about losing a few grams here or a few grams there...I look at them and say to myself "lay off the morning doughnuts" and you'd save yourself a few POUNDS in a month and save yourself some serious money.

The best way to lighten up for a ride? Take a good, healthy dump! A bit of dietary fiber is a much better investment than the latest, greatest lightweight component that's going to snap in half if you hit it wrong...

You've got weight weenies and those who aren't. Almost every weight weenie I know it a xc specific. Typciall heavy means stronger in most cases and due to the fact I am clydesdale freerider heavy usually = good. :)

Being of similar size to Maelstrom I tend to agree.

Yeah i agree with both mael and raiyn. If you are tall and heavy then lightweight is crap.... plus heavy muscles on your feet will flex a lot something lightweight.....so go with something middleweight.!


Go clydes!!!!

You have to think sensibly. In the 1970s, roadies used to drill out their components to save weight. Someone then did the maths and figured that at high speed, aerodynamic efficiency counts for much more than a few g of weight.
As long as the bike is strong enough, a light bike is usually easier to ride.
You have to think about the cost/gramme saved, and the fact that weight saved on rotating parts is more significant.
You also have to consider the weight and strength of the rider, and how much of the total wight is composed of bike and how much is rider.
For smaller, weaker riders, lightweight bikes give a much greater advantage, since they dont need such strong components.

Everything adds up. It really just depends on the type of riding you do. I'm a sprinter, so the lighter my bike is the quicker I can accelerate and the less energy I use to keep myself moving. I only weigh about 140, so a heavier bike is really a big drain on me. I don't tend to break parts because I don't weigh enough, so there's really no reason for me to choose heavier parts. But if you're a big guy with an agressive style, heavier will be better.

Originally posted by MichaelW
You have to think sensibly. In the 1970s, roadies used to drill out their components to save weight.

And it was hence dubbed the most magic materials of all materials "drillium"...

being 220lbs, I'm not a huge beliver in lightweight stuff. That being said, I want to point out that many (no, not all...) freeride and dh bikes outweight most huffies these days. Ironic, isnt it?

But - Huffies fold up like warm butter when they hit a real trail. I've seen it twice. I'm always open to taking newbies on the trails with me...regardless of the bikes they bring and I caution them when they show up the the K-Mart/Walmart special. I saw a pair of handlebars fold over almost to a 45 degree angle and on another bike, a wheel taco from riding a berm too fast.

Yet my 30lb Giant AC Air Lite takes 6ft hucks like nothing...

Sure, I totally agree... yet I think its funny the first complaint 'serious riders' have with them is the weight *chuckle*

It's true that reducing rotating mass will have more significance than just dead weight. In reality even for racers, will you notice if your bike is 5 grams heavier? Be realistic. If you are so concerned with weight than you shouldn't carry any water by bottle or pak since that will weigh you down more than 5 grams. No energy bars, gels, etc, since they weigh more than a couple grams. Don't carry any tools or spare parts since they weigh more than a few grams. Maybe if I cut off a couple treads from the tires I can be faster next time I ride. Or take all the paint off the bike. For a professional racer it's a different story. For the occassional one, I'd say wheels, chain rings, and hubs being light weight may be beneficial since you are reducing rotational mass, but light weight water bottle cages, handle bars, etc. probably won't make any difference. I know I lightened my riding load by going from 266 pounds to 197 pounds.

Well titanium screws and a carbon bottle cage won't make a difference. But if you do 100 little things it adds up to a BIG thing. If you aren't seriously racing it's stupid to spend money on something that will not benifit you. When training, it would be better to ride a heavier bike like said above in that it will make you stronger. Then you could have a light racing bike on the side. Then again, if your filthy stinkin rich go and buy what you want-you poser!;)

I found it pretty entertaining... that I was climbing, and "sprinting" at the same pace as a group of 20-30 year old XC racers who were all riding Ti Deans, Litespeeds, a Moots, and a few other gram-savvy bikes. Full XTR 2003/04 this, Full XTR that. I'm riding along with them about halfway through the pack on my 03' Bighit Comp which weighs about the equivelant of almost 3 of their bikes combined. I'm climbing up one of the hills in gear 1-4, and the dude behind me yells "Wholly crap dude.. how the hell are you climbing like that with that thing!?" I yell " Ugh... pedaling?"


:beer:

Honestly. This was friday of last week.

Originally posted by BigHit-Maniac
I found it pretty entertaining... that I was climbing, and "sprinting" at the same pace as a group of 20-30 year old XC racers who were all riding Ti Deans, Litespeeds, a Moots, and a few other gram-savvy bikes. Full XTR 2003/04 this, Full XTR that. I'm riding along with them about halfway through the pack on my 03' Bighit Comp which weighs about the equivelant of almost 3 of their bikes combined. I'm climbing up one of the hills in gear 1-4, and the dude behind me yells "Wholly crap dude.. how the hell are you climbing like that with that thing!?" I yell " Ugh... pedaling?"


:beer:

Honestly. This was friday of last week.

Wow, the next Lance Armstrong is a member of bikeforums!

Seriously though...you were climbing a hill in Kansas?

Nice one schnell...I was wondering the same thing...

Seriously though...you were climbing a hill in Kansas?

LOL :D

Yes. You'd be surprised at some of the trail systems around here. Most are VERY rocky, and technical. If you ever get the chance to, go ride Landahl Park trails in Blue Springs, Missouri. That's where I go a lot. Some of the best trails I've EVER ridden.

I was riding Shawnee Mission park when I was talking about that other post. It's really short and technical. It's NOT a challenge for me anymore... maybe (and if so.. I have no idea) those other riders hadn't ridden there before. (I ride there all the time, and I know the lines). Oh well.

:beer:

The ONLY place weight matters is where it is rotating. Rims/ tires are the most noticable place, otherwise more weight in some cases is a good thing. Like at speed on a rough trail, it makes the bike more stable. I've been the light route too, give me quality weight any day...

BigHit-Maniac - We're just busting your chops...isn't there some big huge MTB festival out there somewhere (I was thinking North Eastern Kansas for some reason)...