Old 07-21-08 | 10:49 PM
  #44  
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umd
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From: Santa Barbara, CA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT

Originally Posted by 531Aussie
I read somewhere last week (I think it was on the Zipp site), that the % of weight dropped off the bike+rider combination results in roughly the same % drop in time on a climb.................??/
You can't generalize all "climbs", it would depend on the grade. As it turns out, for an 8% grade the power to weight (W/kg) needed is roughly equivalent to the speed in m/s. At shallower grades, the weight has a lesser affect and aerodynamics have a greater affect. As you have it, 8% is the grade at which Cervelo recommends the reduced weight of an R3 over the aerodymanic benefit of a Soloist.

Edit: in case that wasn't clear, a % reduction in weight would result in an equivalent % increase in W/kg, and therefore speed.

Last edited by umd; 07-21-08 at 10:57 PM.
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