kewlrunningz

OK.
I will be upgrading soon from a 25 lb Shimano Sora bike with a rear wheel weighing in at around 5lbs front-3lbs Tomasso Capri. I will be upgrading to a Cannondale Caad 5 with full Ultegra and Mavic Ksyrium Wheels. Also the shoes and look pedals I have will be upgraded and another 2 lbs lost there. So. What kind of mph average improvement am I looking at here? Not only is the bike lighter but the wheels have made a substantial drop in weight and so have the shoes/pedals. Also it will be more efficient with the better components and the frame/fork will be stiffer. Any ideas? Thanks-

TimB

can't say for sure becasue Idon't know what you're capable of on a bike but when I made the same upgrades some 13yrs ago, I dropped my time on a 100km course from 03h02 to 02h47. and that wasjust the bike. Same course ridden over consecutive weekends, similar weather conditions

kewlrunningz

I'm capable of 20mph over 30 miles over hilly terrain. i.e. lots of short but steep hills. And this is not drafting either. I plan on losing about 5lbs from my gut and haven't been doing more than 20 miles for some reason. I've just recently started doing intervals.....pyramids and tempo's totalling about 2-2.5 hours a day. This should help.

TimB

Ok, you sound reasonably fit. I reckon you'd increase you average by around 3-4mph over the current distance you'r riding.

kewlrunningz

Really?! SWEEET!

yikes

Don't forget to tell us how it works out though!

tie

Ahem..

ultra-g

It would make sense to get a bike that is right for your needs, don't just pump a ton of money into getting a light bike.

Imagine spending $1,500 on a 20lbs. bike or spending $4,000 on a 15lbs bike.

If you got the $1,500 bike and lost 20 - 30lbs of body fat riding it you'll have $2,500 for your next bike.

JavaMan

The "New Bike Effect" is good for a 1 or 2 mph increase all by itself!
Tom

collegeskier

Over flat riding without stop and go a heavy bike really does not slow you down. Once the road turns up or you start to accelerate dropping weight is a big help. Lighter wheels will help for starting up a lot, as will the drop in weight of shoes and pedals. I believe people also think that you legs will get less tired with the less weight on their feet. Hills will probable be the big difference. And it will be more fun.

53-11 alltheway

weight is only part of the equation...Cutting 5lbs off the weight of the bike might seem like a lot.....but in reality it is only a small percentage of the total bike/rider combo.

Steelrider

There are places that might help you figure this out yourself more analytically than opinion.

Analytic Cycling

Good luck

alanbikehouston

If everything else is precisely equal (and it never is) small differences in the weight of a bike's frame and fork do not have a measurable impact on someone's average speed or top speed on a level course.

So, when riders set out to break the "one hour" record for a bike, or the "top speed" record for bike, they sometimes make changes to the bike that ADD weight, but improve stability, aero effects, and safety.

In "stop and go" riding, such as in the inner city, reducing the weight of the rims and tires has a noticeable effect. It takes more effort to get a heavy rim and tire moving, and more effort to get it stopped.

The one place where cutting frame weight may save significant time is when climbing a steep, long slope. A rider who weighs (with his bike) 225 pounds buys a bike that weighs five pounds less. Now he is only pushing 220 pounds up the hill. That is a 2 % reduction in load. Leaving wind factors out, during a thirty minute climb, the rider might save about 20 seconds or 30 seconds.

Is saving 20 seconds worth selling a $500 bike and buying a $3,000 bike? Not if you use your bike for riding to Krogers. But the guys who are PAID to race up mountains think 20 seconds is well worth their sponsor's money.

Berodesign

Push harder instead, after doing that over a certain amount of time, you will have increased both stamina and strength so you will be able to go faster just because of that. My experience is that you push and push in the beginning until you reach a speed you find decent, then you stop pushing and just keeping that speed. So, when you start thinking about dropping weight of the bike to go faster, think instead exercise. Should do the same difference. Unless we are talking extremes like 30 minute climb, save 20 seconds.

53-11 alltheway

LOL.....Problem is not bike....rider needs to exercise more!

mrballistic

what with the lighting system, fenders, and layer upon layer of winter gear on me, i'm hoping that my now heavier bike will enable me to get a harder workout in less time

brr, it's cold today.