Artie

I was just wondering, from Pro's and amatuers, how much extra weight, if any, do you generally carry with you on a ride?

I'm thinking of anything that isn't you and your bare-minimum bike. Such as, bike computers, water bottles, heart monitors, wrist-watch, cell-phones, walkmans, etc., etc.

Thanks all, Artie

Edit: Heh - I just wanted to add - this isn't a trick question where I'm going to lambast anyone for carrying a cell-phone after spending all that money on helium-filled spokes.
I'm just curious.

gwhunt23

I usually carry 2 waterbottles, but I use CamelBacks for races. I also have my kickstand (yes I still use one), and the computer. Along with the head and tail lights.

Artie

Do you have a rough guess what that might weigh? Maybe a pound or two?

gwhunt23

Hmmm...

2 Waterbottles = 2 lbs.
Kickstand = .75 lbs.
Computer = .25 lbs
Head and tail lights = .25 lbs.

All in all, about 3.25 pounds of extra weight. I am not a big weight freak myself though.

hillyman

I wouldn't worry about weight. Just take what you want or need. On level ground worrying about weight is silly. I suggest putting tape over the mph/kph part of your computer and only pay attention to the distance you set to ride. Just ride to enjoy the ride

RonH

I carry two water bottles (and my Camelback in summer), frame pump, and a seat pack containing stuff for emergencies (spare tube, patch kit, $$$, tire levers, Topeak Alien multitool, and folding reading glasses so my old tired eyes can see small things like holes in the tube, screw threads, chain links, etc.).

I'm guessing that all these necessary items weigh <5 pounds, excluding water.

I don't count light things like cyclocomputer and PowerGel. If I counted those things I'd also have to include gloves, helmet, base layer and wind breaker on cold days, leg warmers for the ride home if it turns cool, etc.


Just take along what you feel you need and enjoy riding.

Artie

Thanks for the feedback so far folks. I'm not really concerned with weight per se, but perhaps I should explain why I'm asking.

I've been in the field of electronics and computers my whole working career, and am a bit of a techno-geek at heart. I also dabble in programming and remote sensors and all things electronics. Since I'm getting in to cycling late in life, (50 ish), I would like to carry a small laptop computer, perhaps in a backpack, with a program I wrote that will monitor and record all parameters of my initial cycle progress.

It'll be an easy matter for me to construct very light-weight sensors to monitor speed, tire and pedal RPM, front and rear gear selection, braking, and perhaps even bio-data: heart rate, etc. Plus, time, distance, date, temp, etc.

It could be fun to chart and analyze this data as I progress. It might be interesting to others who might want to do this same thing. Or not.

So anyway, I mainly wanted to see how far off kilter a 6 or 7 pound computer would skew my "data conditions" from the "norm".

ARtie

Jean Beetham Smith 

If you are talking to the pure "roadies", that is a lot of weight. If you are talking to the commuters, that is lunch and a change of clothes. If you are talking to the touring folk, that is nothing. If it warms the cockles of your techie heart, go for it. It isn't going to mean anything to anyone but you unless you plan on publishing your results. Have fun on your bike and computers.

Mtn Mike

On my rides, I carry about 30 lbs of extra body weight. I'm 6'2'' and 220 lbs, but my ideal cycling weight would be about 190 lbs, so I consider it training weight. Sure my computers and bottle weigh something, but not nearly as much in comparison.

Xtrmyorick

Just get something like the Polar S720i or the Ciclosport HAC4. Both monitor basically everything you want, except gear selection and braking. They both also have an altimeter and various other features (each has over 50 different functions I believe).

They also both allow you to intterface with a computer to download and analyze all your data.

DnvrFox

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

Since I'm getting in to cycling late in life, (50 ish),

Naw, you are getting into cycling EARLY in life.

By the way, why do you feel that your age is a reason for monitoring your body? I don't see the relationship? Seems to me if you want to monitor your body, it makes no difference what age you are???

Started young at 58, and now younger at 64!

Ed Holland

If I am just riding, a spare tube, pump, 'phone, multi tool, banana and water bottle do not add a great deal. The backpack that carries goods for commuting can get heavy. At the start of this week I had all the bike sundries, plus the week's working clothes and a new pair of football boots for the game after work. The bag weighed in at 6.7 kilos! (a shade under 15 pounds). I weighed the bike, an old "frankenbike" road machine and that tipped the scales at 11.4 Kg (circa 25 lbs). It helps to think of this "ballast" as a training aid....

Cheers,

Ed

Al.canoe

I use a rear rack with a rack bag in addition to a hydration pack. I carry tools, tube, pump, lights, 1st aid kit, cell phone, a shell (jacket) and possibly another shirt to layer if conditions warrant. I generally ride 35+ miles and I don't worry about weight even in hilly areas. I just use lower gears: our road bikes have ATB gearing. I manage to cruise about 16 mph on level ground & no wind with 38 mm tires. I'm about to switch to narrower rims and 25 mm tires to get a little more speed. I'm also 64 and started mountain biking at about 58, road biking at 61.

Al

MichaelW

I think I carry about 4lbs of extras on a ride.
A laptop might be a bit heavy, fragile, and battery hungry compared to something smaller. Can you find yourself a psion mini-computer or one of those dinky palm things.

Artie

Those were both interesting devices, but one of them cost more than my whole Trek bike. (Albeit, at 1982 prices.)

Part of the reason I want to try this is for purely "hobbiest" reasons, kinda like the model train guy who would spend weeks hand building a locomotive when he can just buy one at the hobby store. I already own the laptop, and I can build all the sensors for around $20.

Also, I can write my own software, which means the program will do exactly what I want it to do. If this project gets off the ground, I'll post the "code" and results.

Regardless, I want to thank all of you for posting your info. There was some interesting stuff in there.

Oh yeah . . . and thanks to some of you for making me feel like a young 'un.

Artie