At 120 pounds on a 56" frame, do I really need high-end wheels. Will it make much of a difference? Should I just keep the stock tires on my Caad9.

First off, nobody NEEDS high-end wheels and they don't make a huge difference (you make the biggest difference). However, if I was 120 lb and looking to build a sweet wheelset for myself, I'd build up a super light set since all manufacturered wheels are overbuilt for you anyway. Unless you're young and still growing, I'd look into getting some low spoke count hubs (16-20 front, 24 rear) and lacing them to some nice and light rims (Niobium 30 for aero, Velocity Aerohead for weight) with light spokes (Aerolites if you can afford them).

As for tires, ride them until they wear out, then get a nice set. Good tires will make a more noticeable difference than wheels, though.

diet

Any lighter and the OP could just attach a pillow case to the handlebars and blow on it like a sail!

Dude, if you got a pair of 202's.... at your weight, you could dominate climbing races.

I weighed 120 lb at age 16. I lived and trained in the Santa Monica Mountains. I climbed like crap!

Yeah, same...

56" is a monster huge frame for someone of only 120 lb

i've got long legs so my lbs told me i am more of a 56 than a 54. Im 5'9", i think thats avg 54" height.

When I weighed 120, I was 5'10" and rode a 56cm frame. I am now 1 inch taller and 30 pounds heavier

wow 0.o, I thought I was skinny lol. Hope that happens to me to. I need more meat on me. But how did that happen did u start eating more? or did your metabolism slow down?

Probably a combination of metabolism slowing down and reduced exercise. I stopped riding and eventually couldn't find much time for exercise while going to college. I'm sure my metabolism slowed down a bit as well, but 150 is a healthy weight for my height and 120 wasn't. I actually got up to 170 after graduating college before I decided I needed to start exercising again. 20 pounds came off in a couple months. The rest is here to stay.

When I was 14, I grew 3" in a year without gaining a pound and my parents got worried. They made me drink a weight gainer shake at every meal and encouraged milk shakes whenever we went out. Nothing worked. I eventually reached 125 at the end of high school. College did the rest. Part of that was my upper body muscle "filling out" (though not much) and the rest is on my belly and butt.

hah yeah me to i grew 2-3" at 14 years old, started to make fun of my friends who made fun of me when I was shorter than them xD. Was considering weight gainer myself. It didn't help at all?

5' 9" and 120 lbs?!?! You guys are crazy light.

I'm 5'5 and 120 lbs and most people would call me pretty skinny.

Nope, not a bit, unless you think that plus my added off season weight training was responsible for the 5 lb I gained at 17.

Yeah, those were the days.


I still think I'm on the skinny side.

dam, I guess I should stop biking for awhile.

Blasphemy!!!

lolol, yup but I got no other choice I need to gain weight.

Just do a heck of a lot of climbing. You'll gain weight in your quads and nowhere else.