The best authority on this is analytic cycling
http://www.analyticcycling.com/Force...ight_Page.html
Less weight going up a slope means faster times. How much faster?
Suppose one is considering buying a new, light-weight frame or going on a diet. What is the benefit from having less weight? How much time would be saved over a given distance on a specified slope? How much more distance would be covered in a given time?
Two riders, identical except that one has less weight than the other, ride a given distance up a hill. The the calculation gives the distance and time between the riders as the lightest rider reaches the given distance.
The plot shows the benefit from less weight when riding up a hill. The range of the plot is from -10% to +10% grade and from 0 to 5 kg less weight. The table gives specific values for the given speed.
Note that large changes may produce mathematical results, but may not have real-world meaning. Keep changes small.
"Negative values for improvements" show that weight is an advantage going down a hill. The plot shows that weight is more of a penalty going up hill than an advantage going down.
Last edited by DnvrFox; 07-09-03 at 08:33 PM.