Do you really like riding a lighter bike?
 

First of all, this is not a slam or an attempt to start a war of the weight-weenies. :innocent:
But I've been wondering - I test rode a BMC Team Machine a few days ago. It was nice, and noticeably lighter than my Felt Z85 - which I expected.
But I'm not sure I really like the feel of a lighter bike.
Do any of you like a little more heft on your bike?

Don't get me wrong - it seems whenever I go into a bike shop and find a bike I think I might like (as if I really need another bike), one of the first things I do is lift it up to check the weight. Something in me seems to want a lighter bike.
But when riding a lighter bike...I don't know - It doesn't "feel" right. I don't want to say if feels "cheap" (obviously, it's pretty nice bike). But I guess I like the feel of having something a little more substantial under me.

I'm a relative lightweight at about 150 lbs (and I'll likely be well under that when we get into the summer). So I doubt that has anything to do with it. Perhaps I just got used riding a relatively "heavy" bike.

We're only talking about a difference of about 5-7 lbs between the bikes...which I understand is a lot for racing, climbing, etc.

But do any of you prefer a little more weight/substance under you?

You are not Normal..

For racing, yes. Whilst training, I prefer a heavier bike.

C'mon, I'm not talking about hauling around a 40 pound bike. It's probably the difference between a 16 lb bike and a 22 lb bike.
Still, I might not be normal. :twitchy:

Actually, that's a great point.
When I ride now, whether alone or with a group, I consider it "training"...or getting better shape.
If I entered a race and had a racing mentality, I'm sure I'd want a lighter bike. Hmmmm...

So I guess the question would be - If just out on a group ride and not in a particularly competitive mood...would you still opt for a lighter bike?

Currently on a 22lbers. Would like to test ride the ole 16 to see if she's worth it.

Lighter than what?

If they are both near 20 lbs and the weight difference is less than say 3 lbs, we are talking about the difference of a full water bottle, and I personally feel that it is negligible. I'm a big guy (about 200lbs) and I have ridden some very lightweight bikes that, while seemingly sturdy, make me feel like I'm gonna break them in half. While this probably isn't true, I get what you mean about a 13lb bike feeling a little "too" light for my piece of mind, especially when riding around in traffic on our pothole ridden excuse for roads.

Then again, I can't afford a 13lb bike, so maybe I'm just making excuses for myself so I don't get butthurt every time I see a carbon masterpiece whiz by :p

I know it's tough, but try to follow: A 16 lb bike vs. a 22 lb bike. :bang:

I've never ridden a 16 lb. bike so I cannot answer your question.

Every ride I do starts with me carrying my bike down a flight of stairs and ends with me carrying it up those same stairs on my shoulder. Doesn't matter if I was training, racing, solo or with a group, I still have to pick the bike up and carry it up the stairs.

I have a 14# bike and just picked up a XC bike that's 20#. One feels like a trig and the other a branch. The 20# has a nice substantial feel while the 14# bike feels light and agile. Each has it's place... the right tool for the job.

I much prefer a lighter bike than a heavier bike. I don't race. I don't climb. Lighter bikes are more fun to ride than heavier bikes. Lighter bike to me means 13.5 lb or less ready to ride. Heavier bike means 18 lb or more ready to ride.

A thought I had on yesterday's ride as I crossed county lines back in to home county: I wondered if heavier bikes were inherently more comfortable on wavy chip seal. I had just come off miles of excellent rolled asphalt and knew I would be seeing this chip seal for just as long. In past Cycle Oregons, when this happened, there would be a near universal refrain of despair, with the calls coming from riders of carbon fiber and aluminum bikes. For me yesterday, the ride of the bike was different. I had to get used to feeling all this input. But 5 miles later I thought about it again, and you know, this input wasn't bad; it was just there. Doing another 10 miles? No big deal.

Obviously frame material choices have a lot to do with comfort. Titanium was famous for being more comfortable than steel or aluminum on rough roads. Carbon fiber allows the designer a lot of latitude to do almost anything. But on rides, I hear complaints of road surfaces far more from riders of light bikes that heavy. My engineering mind says that as CF bikes get lighter, they out to flex more. Granted it is not a linear function as the materials typically change to higher modulus fabrics, better aligned fibers and probably a higher fabric to resin ratio. Still, less ought to flex at least as much vertically, esp if that was considered in the design. Yet, judging from the complaints or lack of, those of us on 20+ pound steel or ti bikes seem to be riding in more comfort. (And I am doing this with steel forks that don't damp anything on all of my bikes.)

So: I wonder if weight by itself could be measured as a comfort aid. And if so, might a heavier bike be a better match for a rider on flat, less than perfect roads, even for high speed or competition?

Ben

I currently have 2 bikes .... a heavy steel Surly Long Haul Trucker and a cheap lighter aluminium road bike

The Surly is a pleasure to ride has 26 inch wheels with wider tyres and is for long distance with loaded panniers

My cheap road bike is faster and I use this to commute with (approx 150 miles per week)

I'm looking at doing some Audex rides (200km, 400km and 600km ) and I am closely looking at building up a light carbon bike for this purpose ... with Shimano 105 and with an alloy seat stem so that I can add a large saddle bag and a back rack if needed ....

any longer rides, and I will most probably use the Surly

I had the pleasure of riding a friends Boardman carbon bike for a while and it was an absolute pleasure to ride.... especially up steep hills ... it is 2 sizes bigger than what I would normally use, but a huge difference in acceleration and speed with the same normal effort

The Ti bike I got to replace my asploded carbon (F-150 did it) is an absolute joy... but it's 0.5 lbs heavier. I guess I do really like riding a heavier bike.

lighter bikes, younger women, older whiskey...

Don't forget, "more money".

Buy me one of each and will test each of them exhaustively and write up my conclusions in great detail.

...or you can just go to your lbs and test ride 2 bikes and write your report. Who knows...you may end up buying one of them. :thumb:

with what he said he wanted, lighter bikes, younger women and older whiskey... he is not going to have more money.

Heavy bikes are good for bombing hills. I recently took my vintage Stumpjumper drop bar conversion on a road group ride. Down the steeper descents were trying to out-coast each other, and I was just destroying everyone, despite the 2" gravel tires.

The weight was less helpful going up the hills, though.

I dropped 5 pounds going to my new bike from a steel bike....and I like riding it better. It's quicker feeling and responds better...and climbs much nicer. No contest, IMHO.

Yeah, I'm thinking that frame material likely has something to do with this topic. I really didn't want to get into that (for obvious reasons). Also, the frame geometry could be a factor, too.

I also dropped 5lbs last year going from a really cheap 28 lb Aluminum bike to a better 23lb. Steel bike.

It is Much better for climbing.