Do you really like riding a lighter bike?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 702
Bikes: 2015 CAAD 10; 2016 Felt Z85
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 156 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
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. 
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?

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?
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 702
Bikes: 2015 CAAD 10; 2016 Felt Z85
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 156 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
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?
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?
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 37,539
Mentioned: 208 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17420 Post(s)
Liked 13,499 Times
in
6,412 Posts
Lighter than what?
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1,109
Bikes: s-1
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 221 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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
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

#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 37,539
Mentioned: 208 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17420 Post(s)
Liked 13,499 Times
in
6,412 Posts
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18881 Post(s)
Liked 10,643 Times
in
6,053 Posts
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.
#12
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,432 Times
in
1,186 Posts
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.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 28,682
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
Mentioned: 107 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 58 Times
in
36 Posts
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.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,193
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 121 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4343 Post(s)
Liked 3,410 Times
in
2,208 Posts
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
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
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Cambridge UK
Posts: 1,703
Bikes: Trek Emonda SL6 .... Miyata One Thousand
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 63 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 29 Times
in
22 Posts
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 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
Last edited by dim; 05-09-16 at 01:19 PM.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 1,445
Bikes: Lynskey R240, 2013 CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 50 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
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.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,007
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 143 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7376 Post(s)
Liked 2,996 Times
in
1,602 Posts
Buy me one of each and will test each of them exhaustively and write up my conclusions in great detail.
#22
Senior Member
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.
The weight was less helpful going up the hills, though.
#23
I'm doing it wrong.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,875
Bikes: Rivendell Appaloosa, Rivendell Frank Jones Sr., Trek Fuel EX9, Kona Jake the Snake CR, Niner Sir9
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9704 Post(s)
Liked 2,807 Times
in
1,659 Posts
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.
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 702
Bikes: 2015 CAAD 10; 2016 Felt Z85
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 156 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
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.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Madison, IN
Posts: 1,351
Bikes: 2015 Jamis Quest Comp
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 270 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
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.
It is Much better for climbing.