Hey folks, when you guys talk team weight, do you include the bike? When someone askes me about tires/wheels and askes about the weight of our team I include the bike for what's now 390 lbs. We're trying hard to diet and get the team down to 370, it's our goal for the Hotter'n hell '04 anyway. (Man, it sure would be easier to do it through lighter bike parts, eh).

I've noticed that go-fast teams tend to use "Team Weight" to refer to their combined body weight; whereas, touring teams tend not to use the term "Team Weight" and, instead, talk about the total weight of their loaded tandem.

Personally, and for general conversations, I always assume "Team Weight" is just the weight of the folks on the tandem and use a fudge factor of 45lbs for the average tandem, ready to ride.

When in doubt always ask.

Want to get lighter? Ride long distances all winter, including the FWBA 100-miler this weekend, 08:30 from the Peach Pedal start in Weatherford, and all of the Lone Star Randonneur events next year, starting January 1, and you can fill in some of the dates with the occasional Texas Wheels Cycling Club century.

Team weight 374 including arbitrary number for tandem, due solely to indiscretions by the captain....sumo wrestlers are real athletes, aren't they?

At the moment, I'm on a single this weekend out of Weatherford. Working on it...

SDS, thanks for the reply/suggestions. By the way are you a member of the D.a.t.e.s.'s tandem club?

No, I'm not a member of DATES. Rides with TX Wheels and LSR and FWBA and long training rides with smaller groups leave no time for other affiliations.