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Old 12-17-05 | 05:41 PM
  #5  
cyclintom
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,900
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From: San Leandro

Bikes: Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Basso Loto, Pinarello Stelvio, Redline Cyclocross

Makes no difference at all. The guy that's going to win the sprint is going to win the sprint if he has a 5 lb disadvantage.

In the first place you're starting your sprint from 28 mph or more so that the majority of the energy required to drive the bike is from wind resistance. Secondly, a lb or two difference just doesn't make enough difference when you count the 140 lbs of rider.

In engineering we generally allow as how a human can tell the difference in something like 2% of anything requiring strength. If your bike weighs 15 lbs and you weigh 140 the combined weight is 155 lbs. That means you should be able to discern about 3 lbs of weight difference if you're a really sensitive person.

I could tell the difference of 10 lbs of lights and wet cell batteries on my winter lights on my mountain bike but that was only on really steep climbs. I weighed 190 lbs and my bike in those days without the lights weighed 36.

So on steep climbs I could tell a 4% difference. But it was pretty plain since I had to go up the 40% climbs a gear lower than usual.
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