Bandera

Crazy talk.......

TakingMyTime

Unless you're riding the heavier bike on an almost daily basis and for long distances I don't think it's doing much for you in terms of endurance. Years ago when I was and avid runner I would try anything that I thought would improve my times. That included weighted ankle straps. The thing is that once you take them off your body and muscles return to the effort of moving you without those weights and any benefit is almost immediately lost.

To build endurance just ride a little bit further each day. Add 2 miles to your ride every other day. You'll be cranking on the miles before you know it.

Banzai

My heavier bike is only slower because of the tires on it. With fast tires I go as fast as my light bike.

Ogsarg

3 days a week I go for a short ride (14.3 miles) at 4 in the morning and take my old rigid mtb that weighs 35+ pounds. On this bike I don't have to pump up the tires every morning and they are less likely to flat. Since I have a limited amount of time before having to get ready for work, I get in few extra minutes to ride. The effort would be about the same if I was on a road bike. I'd just go faster and farther.

HTupolev

Usually only if you make it so. Just hanging on is easier with a faster bike, but you can always put in more effort.

I suppose there is the possibility that you're riding with people so much weaker than yourself that, even if you pull all day, you have to go easy for the group to stay together.

zjrog

Heavy? As a Clydesdale sort, weight has different meanings... Ok. I'm an average guy, 13 to 15 mph over 20 miles average sort of guy.

My 29er isn't ridden for endurance, at 31 pounds. I ride it with my grandkids, or finally, getting it off road.

My main ride is a 25 pound 1986 steelie, updated to 2x10 and compact crankset. It's good and comfortable on chipseal roads. And, I can hit 25 mph on it, but not for long...

Lately, I picked up a lightweight 2006 Cannondale CAAD8 R1000 frame... Currently built up from mostly used stuff, it is a bit over 18 pounds, and feels freaking fast. I haven't ridden it enough to know if it is faster than my steel bike. But I do know it accelerates much much quicker...

I spent more time this past year on the trainer and exercise bikes thanks to my cardiologist. And now having post 130 pounds, more to lose though, I feel good outside on my bikes again.

In my humble opinion, seat time, sprints and such will improve endurance more than a heavy bike... Strength might improve with a heavy bike though.

MinnMan

I am kind of the opposite. The light carbon bike wants to be ridden fast. If I go out on it for a recovery ride, my speed and effort will creep up. So I take the heavy bike when my goal is to go easy, as I won't be tempted to hammer.

WhyFi

My effort tends to creep up, regardless, if I can see effort stats (HR, power), so I just put the map screen up when I want to take it easy.

rivers

I ride my heavier bike when the weather is crap, I'm on holiday with my wife, or I'm off on some local trails or a gravel ride. Because it's a cross bike with semi-slick 35mm tyres, it is harder work than my carbon bike. But for endurance, I ride longer, throwing in some interval work once or twice a week.

redlude97

I commute/train on a heavy as **** non aero cyclocross bike with fat slicks and a PM. Not for sole purpose of weight but for functionality. I'm usually 2mph slower over 20mph at a given wattage compared to my carbon road bike. Once you start training with power you kinda start ignoring speed/avg speed.

TimothyH

Such a great idea.

I'm going to build a 75 lb bike which will inspire me to just stay at home and watch TV.

Thanks!


-Tim-

TMonk

Correct. The heavier bike will only serve to make you slower if you train by effort. All that your body understands in effort and duration. So again, if you pace by power (or heart rate), you can normalize a workout across any number of differently configured bikes. Your speed will vary of course.

popeye

You win.

terrymorse 

If you normally do fast and hilly group rides on your lightweight race bike, try it on a heavy touring bike.

Or if it’s a fast and flat ride, try riding any bike about 50 meters behind the group.

Both are killer workouts.

DrIsotope

...or just ride solo all the time. Then whenever you catch any incidental draft off of another cyclist, a car, whatever... it's like getting hooked up to a tow rope.

Homebrew01

This.

The only exception might be climbing. Going slower on a climb (at the same effort) effectively makes the climb longer, so perhaps there's a little benefit for someone wanting a few percent slightly "longer" climb" for training.

redlude97

With a PM you can just shift and keep the power down as you crest the hill as well, terrain becomes less of an issue provided you have sufficient gearing range for your terrain and training purposes

dagray

Unfortunately most of my riding is solo due partially to the size of our small town (3300). I have to drive or ride 25 miles to the next town over to get to a bike shop. And I agree if I am on the shoulder of the freeway which is two miles of 2-3% grade I really appreciate when a big rig goes by me and gives me a bit of a boost.

indyfabz

Has the opposite effect on me. Makes me want to get out and see the world.

Jax Rhapsody

A heavier bike isn't going to do anything if you're not pushing it.
This ratrod I was building has a 52 or so tooth crank on it and is a single speed. Oddly enough once moving, it takes lil effort to cruise. My buddys cruiser has a regular 42t crank and I pedal less to maintain same speed. When I put the hammer down, the bike is no slouch. I've easily powered up hills and keep up with your average fixie rider. I've even dropped one or two Lime scooters on a good day.

MinnMan

Uh, right. If I cared, I'd go back and edit my post to end with the standard YMMV caveat. But I don't.

rubiksoval

The amount of power you're able to put out has nothing to do with how heavy your bike is. So riding a heavier bike doesn't build anything other than contempt at riding heavier equipment than is necessary.

rubiksoval

Not on anything that's not a mountain.

tomato coupe

Yeah, climbing is the exception. More mechanical work (work = power x time) is required to get a heavier bike up a given climb. With the heavier bike you could, for instance, produce the same power for a longer time or you could produce more power for the same amount of time. By most measures, you will do a harder workout with a heavier bike.

AlmostTrick

Again: If you're keeping up with the group on a heavier bike, you're expending more watts (and getting a better work out) than the riders on lighter bikes.