Money saver for weight weenies or too good to be true?
03-06-14, 04:11 PM
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Money saver for weight weenies or too good to be true?
I have been eyeing a bike scale for a while now to keep track of the weight reduction progress on my three bikes and just found a used Park one on ebay with a current price of $20.50 and a few days left before the auction closes. If it closed anywhere near that price, it would be a big savings over the price for new ones of around $60. So I put the item on my watch list fully intending to bid on it eventually. I kept looking on ebay and Amazon for a cheaper way to get a "bicycle scale". Besides Park there is another brand, but both are about the same price and not significantly discounted. Used ones are rare.
But then I started wondering how cheaply I could get a hanging digital balance with the right weight range and precision if it were not specifically designated for a luxury pursuit (pun intended) like bicycling. Sure enough I found hundreds of FISHING/LUGGAGE scales (this pun is not intended) listed for dirt cheap prices, products of the trickle down of technology. Apparently many (most?) of them are made in China although plenty of these Chinese ones are sold from the USA. They tend to weigh items up to 110 lb (50 kg) more or less and have better claimed precision (+/- 5-10 g) than the Park and other bicycle balances (+/- 20 g). They also have the full range of desired functions: tare, lb, oz, g.
I just sprung for one for $7.50 DELIVERED! Here is the ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/50Kg-5g-10g-...item5d49eec310
Is it as well made as the Park? Will it last as long? Is it as accurate? Is it as precise? I can't answer any of these questions, and I admit to having some doubts. But for less than $8 it is certainly worth a try. Also this item carries the "Hassle Free Returns" ebay designation, so I know I am protected for a refund if the balance isn't satisfactory and maybe even for the return shipping too if the it isn't as described. One thing not as good as the Park is the single small diameter hook for hanging the item to be weighed compared to Park's larger twin hooks. But I am pretty sure the Chinese balance will be able to be rigged to weigh just about any bike one way or another. My bikes have fairly low profile rims, so I should be able to hook them by the rear wheel the same way I hang them from the garage ceiling.
I should have it soon and will post a review of it after I have tried it out. Ain't cycling fun?
But then I started wondering how cheaply I could get a hanging digital balance with the right weight range and precision if it were not specifically designated for a luxury pursuit (pun intended) like bicycling. Sure enough I found hundreds of FISHING/LUGGAGE scales (this pun is not intended) listed for dirt cheap prices, products of the trickle down of technology. Apparently many (most?) of them are made in China although plenty of these Chinese ones are sold from the USA. They tend to weigh items up to 110 lb (50 kg) more or less and have better claimed precision (+/- 5-10 g) than the Park and other bicycle balances (+/- 20 g). They also have the full range of desired functions: tare, lb, oz, g.
I just sprung for one for $7.50 DELIVERED! Here is the ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/50Kg-5g-10g-...item5d49eec310
Is it as well made as the Park? Will it last as long? Is it as accurate? Is it as precise? I can't answer any of these questions, and I admit to having some doubts. But for less than $8 it is certainly worth a try. Also this item carries the "Hassle Free Returns" ebay designation, so I know I am protected for a refund if the balance isn't satisfactory and maybe even for the return shipping too if the it isn't as described. One thing not as good as the Park is the single small diameter hook for hanging the item to be weighed compared to Park's larger twin hooks. But I am pretty sure the Chinese balance will be able to be rigged to weigh just about any bike one way or another. My bikes have fairly low profile rims, so I should be able to hook them by the rear wheel the same way I hang them from the garage ceiling.
I should have it soon and will post a review of it after I have tried it out. Ain't cycling fun?
03-06-14, 04:28 PM
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I bought a hanging scale (under $10 shipped) for fishing off eBay to weigh my bikes. I'm not sure exactly how accurate it is, but it can definitely differentiate when I add or remove small parts on the bike.
03-06-14, 05:03 PM
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You're jacking your price up looking for a "bicycle scale". As it turns out, people without bicycles weight things...in fact, they do it quite often. There's probably a few hundred scales that'll work on the market this very minute. What you want is one that is accurate in your weight ranges.
Buy a $20 food scale off amazon, like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007GAWRS
Do the same for a hanging scale. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012TDR9E
Those are what I use. There's absolutely no reason to buy a park tool scale.
Buy a $20 food scale off amazon, like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007GAWRS
Do the same for a hanging scale. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012TDR9E
Those are what I use. There's absolutely no reason to buy a park tool scale.
03-06-14, 05:10 PM
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I just bought the scale from Amazon "American Weigh Scale H-110". I "needed" something for Airline Luggage and "wanted" something for bicycles.
03-06-14, 05:36 PM
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I prefer the ones with the strap and clip, rather than the hook, easier to fit around the top tube.
03-06-14, 05:56 PM
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You can also save a lot of money by putting weight on the scale then zeroing it with the weight on it. Saved myself $2800 from having to buy enve wheels to drop 2 lbs
03-06-14, 06:06 PM
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03-06-14, 06:57 PM
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03-06-14, 07:04 PM
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You preload the scale with weights before zeroing it in. Now that the scale reads 0, when you weigh your bike, and remove the weights that were attached. The display will read the weight of the bike, minus the weight of the masses you used as a preload.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
03-06-14, 07:16 PM
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You preload the scale with weights before zeroing it in. Now that the scale reads 0, when you weigh your bike, and remove the weights that were attached. The display will read the weight of the bike, minus the weight of the masses you used as a preload.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
03-06-14, 07:18 PM
#13
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You preload the scale with weights before zeroing it in. Now that the scale reads 0, when you weigh your bike, and remove the weights that were attached. The display will read the weight of the bike, minus the weight of the masses you used as a preload.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
(example, attach 5 lbs to scale, hit the zero button, now it reads 0lbs. throw your bike on, reads 20 lbs, remove the weight, and it reads 15lbs.
I suspect my power meter is reading a little high so I'm never going to calibrate it again. Ever.
03-06-14, 07:18 PM
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I don't do it myself, I know the weight of my bikes, and although they can be lighter, weight isn't the primary factor for my speed.
03-06-14, 08:14 PM
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03-06-14, 08:34 PM
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03-06-14, 10:01 PM
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It's good you didn't spend much for a hanging scale. I got the Park scale for Father's Day. I didn't use it all until recently and don't envision using it much anymore. There's only so much bike weighing you can do and every shop has one.
I do use my wife's old $20 food scale from Target.
I do use my wife's old $20 food scale from Target.
03-06-14, 10:04 PM
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It's good you didn't spend much for a hanging scale. I got the Park scale for Father's Day. I didn't use it all until recently and don't envision using it much anymore. There's only so much bike weighing you can do and every shop has one.
I do use my wife's old $20 food scale from Target.
I do use my wife's old $20 food scale from Target.
03-06-14, 10:06 PM
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03-06-14, 10:09 PM
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I have been eyeing a bike scale for a while now to keep track of the weight reduction progress on my three bikes and just found a used Park one on ebay with a current price of $20.50 and a few days left before the auction closes. If it closed anywhere near that price, it would be a big savings over the price for new ones of around $60. So I put the item on my watch list fully intending to bid on it eventually. I kept looking on ebay and Amazon for a cheaper way to get a "bicycle scale". Besides Park there is another brand, but both are about the same price and not significantly discounted. Used ones are rare.
But then I started wondering how cheaply I could get a hanging digital balance with the right weight range and precision if it were not specifically designated for a luxury pursuit (pun intended) like bicycling. Sure enough I found hundreds of FISHING/LUGGAGE scales (this pun is not intended) listed for dirt cheap prices, products of the trickle down of technology. Apparently many (most?) of them are made in China although plenty of these Chinese ones are sold from the USA. They tend to weigh items up to 110 lb (50 kg) more or less and have better claimed precision (+/- 5-10 g) than the Park and other bicycle balances (+/- 20 g). They also have the full range of desired functions: tare, lb, oz, g.
I just sprung for one for $7.50 DELIVERED! Here is the ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/50Kg-5g-10g-...item5d49eec310
Is it as well made as the Park? Will it last as long? Is it as accurate? Is it as precise? I can't answer any of these questions, and I admit to having some doubts. But for less than $8 it is certainly worth a try. Also this item carries the "Hassle Free Returns" ebay designation, so I know I am protected for a refund if the balance isn't satisfactory and maybe even for the return shipping too if the it isn't as described. One thing not as good as the Park is the single small diameter hook for hanging the item to be weighed compared to Park's larger twin hooks. But I am pretty sure the Chinese balance will be able to be rigged to weigh just about any bike one way or another. My bikes have fairly low profile rims, so I should be able to hook them by the rear wheel the same way I hang them from the garage ceiling.
I should have it soon and will post a review of it after I have tried it out. Ain't cycling fun?
But then I started wondering how cheaply I could get a hanging digital balance with the right weight range and precision if it were not specifically designated for a luxury pursuit (pun intended) like bicycling. Sure enough I found hundreds of FISHING/LUGGAGE scales (this pun is not intended) listed for dirt cheap prices, products of the trickle down of technology. Apparently many (most?) of them are made in China although plenty of these Chinese ones are sold from the USA. They tend to weigh items up to 110 lb (50 kg) more or less and have better claimed precision (+/- 5-10 g) than the Park and other bicycle balances (+/- 20 g). They also have the full range of desired functions: tare, lb, oz, g.
I just sprung for one for $7.50 DELIVERED! Here is the ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/50Kg-5g-10g-...item5d49eec310
Is it as well made as the Park? Will it last as long? Is it as accurate? Is it as precise? I can't answer any of these questions, and I admit to having some doubts. But for less than $8 it is certainly worth a try. Also this item carries the "Hassle Free Returns" ebay designation, so I know I am protected for a refund if the balance isn't satisfactory and maybe even for the return shipping too if the it isn't as described. One thing not as good as the Park is the single small diameter hook for hanging the item to be weighed compared to Park's larger twin hooks. But I am pretty sure the Chinese balance will be able to be rigged to weigh just about any bike one way or another. My bikes have fairly low profile rims, so I should be able to hook them by the rear wheel the same way I hang them from the garage ceiling.
I should have it soon and will post a review of it after I have tried it out. Ain't cycling fun?
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03-06-14, 10:13 PM
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Thanks for the link, I just ordered one. I had my bike weighed with a Park scale at the lbs just a couple days ago so I know what my bike weighs and I'll let you know what this scale says when it comes in. It'll be interesting to see how far off (or on) the scales are. For reference my bike on the Park was 17.37lbs.
03-06-14, 10:16 PM
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It's the same one everyone was using in the "putting my bike on a diet" thread that I've been reading for the past couple weeks (it's long!) and none of them had any issue so I'm expecting good results.
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03-06-14, 10:17 PM
#23
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I got my cheap scale here
https://dx.com/s/hanging+scale
https://dx.com/s/hanging+scale
03-06-14, 10:25 PM
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That thread fizzled after OCLV (Soloist Assassin) got banned. A shame. He was a good guy. Not scared to bust out the Dremel or buy stuff from Berk.
03-06-14, 10:25 PM
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Can you provide the link to that thread please. Thanks.
