how important is shaving weight on a road bike ?
09-18-09, 11:24 PM
#2
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The same hill that you spent an hour riding up you will descend in 10 minutes. Make sense? You spend much more time climbing up to an elevation than you do descending from that elevation. Hence, it makes sense to optimize your bike to go uphill, rather than to go downhill.
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"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
09-19-09, 04:19 AM
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The same hill that you spent an hour riding up you will descend in 10 minutes. Make sense? You spend much more time climbing up to an elevation than you do descending from that elevation. Hence, it makes sense to optimize your bike to go uphill, rather than to go downhill.
09-19-09, 04:24 AM
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at the end of a century, i appreciate every gram shaved off my bike when i have to carry it up three stories to my apartment.
09-19-09, 05:16 AM
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Losing a few pounds in body weight will be easier and far less expensive than your bike losing it.
09-19-09, 05:18 AM
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Depending on your build, the best bang for your buck is skipping desert. Once your weight is optimized (little fat), then look at making your bike lighter-presuming it's of an average weight, and not a massive old steel bike.
EDIT: ^^ Beat to the punch.
EDIT: ^^ Beat to the punch.
09-19-09, 06:41 AM
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unless you are racing then it is not important at all.
if you are racing then it's still pretty low on the list.
if you are racing then it is more important to get a bike that fits you and puts you in a good position for aerodynamics and power production.
The difference between a 17lb bike and a 15lb one could be thousands of dollars, and the net gain might be 25 seconds on a climb like Whiteface or Alpe d'Huez. It is conceivable that two pounds less weight could make a difference in a sprint, but only in a photo-finish one that happened to be short enough to still be based on acceleration and not on top-end terminal velocity.
if you are not racing then comfort should be the main factor as it would allow you to put on more fun miles.
if you are racing then it's still pretty low on the list.
if you are racing then it is more important to get a bike that fits you and puts you in a good position for aerodynamics and power production.
The difference between a 17lb bike and a 15lb one could be thousands of dollars, and the net gain might be 25 seconds on a climb like Whiteface or Alpe d'Huez. It is conceivable that two pounds less weight could make a difference in a sprint, but only in a photo-finish one that happened to be short enough to still be based on acceleration and not on top-end terminal velocity.
if you are not racing then comfort should be the main factor as it would allow you to put on more fun miles.
09-19-09, 07:09 AM
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unless you are racing then it is not important at all.
if you are racing then it's still pretty low on the list.
if you are racing then it is more important to get a bike that fits you and puts you in a good position for aerodynamics and power production.
The difference between a 17lb bike and a 15lb one could be thousands of dollars, and the net gain might be 25 seconds on a climb like Whiteface or Alpe d'Huez. It is conceivable that two pounds less weight could make a difference in a sprint, but only in a photo-finish one that happened to be short enough to still be based on acceleration and not on top-end terminal velocity.
if you are not racing then comfort should be the main factor as it would allow you to put on more fun miles.
if you are racing then it's still pretty low on the list.
if you are racing then it is more important to get a bike that fits you and puts you in a good position for aerodynamics and power production.
The difference between a 17lb bike and a 15lb one could be thousands of dollars, and the net gain might be 25 seconds on a climb like Whiteface or Alpe d'Huez. It is conceivable that two pounds less weight could make a difference in a sprint, but only in a photo-finish one that happened to be short enough to still be based on acceleration and not on top-end terminal velocity.
if you are not racing then comfort should be the main factor as it would allow you to put on more fun miles.
09-19-09, 07:17 AM
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I find using a pump with a gauge and running 130+/- psi will yield great down hill speeds.
I have a very light Carbon bike and I keep passing heaver people when going down hill.
I have a very light Carbon bike and I keep passing heaver people when going down hill.
09-19-09, 07:20 AM
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The bicycle industry relies on non technical people spending $ "upgrading" their bike/components because they think they "need" to.
Think about it this way: the important weight is not the bike, its the bike + the rider. If a 180 lb man with a 20 lb bike (200 lbs total) gets a new 16 lb bike, he has improved his total weight by 2%.
Think about it this way: the important weight is not the bike, its the bike + the rider. If a 180 lb man with a 20 lb bike (200 lbs total) gets a new 16 lb bike, he has improved his total weight by 2%.
09-19-09, 07:34 AM
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losing some of my "spare tire" around the middle is the fastest, cheapest, and best way for me to decrease weight on my bike......................
09-19-09, 07:38 AM
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Well yeah, my 25 year old racing bike (SL tubes) is 21.5 lbs and a previous poster is talking about reducing the weight from 17lbs to 15lbs. Now if you are into racing and sprint finishes maybe.
09-19-09, 07:48 AM
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No question you are right, but if you make the investment in a new bike it gives you more reason to ride which yields decrease body weight. I lost over 20 pounds this year thanks to biking. I think it is one of the easiest and most effective ways to burn calories.
09-19-09, 12:56 PM
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09-19-09, 01:16 PM
#18
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Makes much more sense to lose the fat first, then "reward" your efforts with a 14.95lb TdF type bike. Once your body matches the bike...you not only FEEL fast - but you suddenly BECOME FAST.
09-19-09, 01:25 PM
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09-19-09, 01:30 PM
#21
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Try rolling the bowling ball and a ball bearing down a hill and see which one reaches the bottom faster.
With that being said... try carrying a bowling ball up a hill.
09-19-09, 01:41 PM
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09-19-09, 02:23 PM
#23
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09-19-09, 02:49 PM
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a paperclip and bowling ball are both too close in mass (compared to the Earth) to make enough of a difference to your eye's perception. Try the experiment with a bowling ball and a small moon of Jupiter and I think you would find a different outcome. The Earth's mass is 5.9742 × 10^24 kg, Amalthea should suffice.