Climbing -- Does Bike Weight Really Matter?
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What the video shows somewhat, but most cyclists on cycling forums don't really understand is the difference between fast twitch and slow twitch. The struggles of the fast twitchers in anything endurance related are really hard. If you think the sprinters in a GC tour are going hard to win at the line, it's nothing compared to them trying to make the cutoff on a mountain/climbing stage. They may look like they're goofing off, but they're doing the best they can. Just making it to the end of a stage is hard enough. Horses for courses. People can talk about what the various climbers have done through the years, but those climbing stages Thor Hushovd won in the 2011 TDF rank up with the GOATs.
Last edited by seypat; 05-07-24 at 10:27 AM.
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What the video shows somewhat, but most cyclists on cycling forums don't really understand is the difference between fast twitch and slow twitch. The struggles of the fast twitchers in anything endurance related are really hard. If you think the sprinters in a GC tour are going hard to win at the line, it's nothing compared to them trying to make the cutoff on a mountain/climbing stage. They may look like they're goofing off, but they're doing the best they can. Just making it to the end of a stage is hard enough. Horses for courses. People can talk about what the various climbers have done through the years, but those climbing stages Thor Hushovd won in the 2011 TDF rank up with the GOATs.
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The climbing challenge at the end is the truth. It shows it better than any explainations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCLvqN9kwuo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCLvqN9kwuo
BTW, that climb is Beasore Road, from Bass Lake. The bridge where they finished is about 5 miles from the start.
Beasore is a legit climb. 3800 feet in just under 12 miles.
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6 W/kg for the first 5 minutes of that climb, double ouch!
BTW, that climb is Beasore Road, from Bass Lake. The bridge where they finished is about 5 miles from the start.
Beasore is a legit climb. 3800 feet in just under 12 miles.
BTW, that climb is Beasore Road, from Bass Lake. The bridge where they finished is about 5 miles from the start.
Beasore is a legit climb. 3800 feet in just under 12 miles.
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6 W/kg for the first 5 minutes of that climb, double ouch!
BTW, that climb is Beasore Road, from Bass Lake. The bridge where they finished is about 5 miles from the start.
Beasore is a legit climb. 3800 feet in just under 12 miles.
BTW, that climb is Beasore Road, from Bass Lake. The bridge where they finished is about 5 miles from the start.
Beasore is a legit climb. 3800 feet in just under 12 miles.
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I haven't ridden around Bass Lake for 15 years or so, but back then the east side was pretty good with decent pavement. The west side was pretty rough.
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When climbing, I think less about time savings and more about power savings.
If I can do a long climb at the same pace but with 10 fewer watts, that will make a huge difference in my fatigue. Even a 5 watts difference is noticeable.
Rough Rule of Thumb: When climbing at a spirited but not outrageous 1000 meters/hr, every kilogram requires about 3 watts. Add a kg, you have to put out another 3 watts. Dump a kg, reduce effort by 3 watts.
If I can do a long climb at the same pace but with 10 fewer watts, that will make a huge difference in my fatigue. Even a 5 watts difference is noticeable.
Rough Rule of Thumb: When climbing at a spirited but not outrageous 1000 meters/hr, every kilogram requires about 3 watts. Add a kg, you have to put out another 3 watts. Dump a kg, reduce effort by 3 watts.
In the spirit of the thread, my top time on that climb happens to be on my heavyish endurance bike and not my "climbing" bike. The weight difference between the two bikes would amount to a couple of watts of difference...what I'm actually able to hold on an extended climb varies more than that, on a day to day basis.
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#59
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Gearing is more important than Weight
I am overweight and old. In 2018 I climbed Mount Greylock with my bike. It was all in the gearing. According to Strava, I put in the toughest climb in a three hour radius of where I lived. HC Beyond category. It was a 10 mile segment starting at the bottom of a valley. Ending at the top of the mountain and going up the steeper North side. It had switchbacks greater than 20%. It was in a 45 mile round trip ride. I didn't put a foot down once. Yes I trained on a indoor trainer with power but I was in horrible shape compared to my racing years when I did crit racing.
11-34 in the back, 24,38 and 52 in the front. With the 34/24 I can get up almost any hill even at 300 pounds.
Gearing is more important than weight. You can always add more gears!!!!!
11-34 in the back, 24,38 and 52 in the front. With the 34/24 I can get up almost any hill even at 300 pounds.
Gearing is more important than weight. You can always add more gears!!!!!
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I have a 35 pound bike with a 34/42 hill gear
I have another bike that is 25lb and has a 42/21 "hill" gear
I climb better on the latter. I don't know exactly how much the 10lbs plays a part in that. Just sharing a personal observation...they are very different bikes and lots of things could be coming into play here, including frame geometry, tire size and a personal preference not to "spin"
The two bikes.
I have another bike that is 25lb and has a 42/21 "hill" gear
I climb better on the latter. I don't know exactly how much the 10lbs plays a part in that. Just sharing a personal observation...they are very different bikes and lots of things could be coming into play here, including frame geometry, tire size and a personal preference not to "spin"
The two bikes.
Last edited by Strawbunyan; 05-14-24 at 12:03 PM.