Bicycle weight vs your weight?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bicycle weight vs your weight?
I assume every one wants well built low weight bike to gain better performance.
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
Last edited by sam12; 07-08-11 at 07:55 AM.
#3
Gaming Guru
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Overpelt, Belgium
Posts: 121
Bikes: 2011 Ridley Orion Ultegra
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You wouldn't gain performance necessarily. Someone could go get liposuction and lose 20+ pounds, doesn't make them any more fit than before.
It's also much easier on the wallet to buy a 20-25lb titaniam/aluminum bike than some carbon-fiber 15 lb road bike if you have more than 10 pounds to lose. Let's face it, most of us could afford to lose some weight
It's also much easier on the wallet to buy a 20-25lb titaniam/aluminum bike than some carbon-fiber 15 lb road bike if you have more than 10 pounds to lose. Let's face it, most of us could afford to lose some weight
#9
Descends like a rock
When you buy a lighter bike you lose weight and you dont have to worry about your bike having too many cheeseburgers and gaining it back.
#10
CAT4
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Posts: 1,681
Bikes: 2009 Cervélo S1, 2009 Felt F75, 2010 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5, 2011 Cannondale CAADx, 2011 Specialized Transition Elite
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I assume every one wants well built low weight bike to gain better performance.
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
#12
Godfather of Soul
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,517
Bikes: 2002 Litespeed Vortex, 2010 Specialized Tricross Expert,2008 Gary Fischer Hi Fi Carbon, 2002 Specialized S-Works hard tail, 1990 Kestrel KM 40
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Perhaps not, but if you're lighter, you're going to be able to sprint and climb faster and therefore be able to ride more aggressively and that helps you get into even better shape. Also, weight DOES matter on flat roads, so let's be clear about that. I get that a few pounds aren't going to be noticeable, but a rider IS moving all the weight and it takes more work to move more weight.
#13
moth -----> flame
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 5,916
Bikes: 11 CAAD 10-4, 07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, 98 Peugeot Horizon
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Yes. I lost an extra 5-6lbs from my usual riding weight over the last two months by ramping up my riding ahead of the death ride tomorrow, and climbing hills has become noticeably easier. Speed on the flats is no different.
__________________
BF, in a nutshell
BF, in a nutshell
#15
I know it's hard to believe, but there are people on this planet that are NOT fat. In fact, they are slim and they can't afford to lose body weight.
#17
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,575
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Liked 2,368 Times
in
1,574 Posts
#19
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,475
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Liked 894 Times
in
458 Posts
I assume every one wants well built low weight bike to gain better performance.
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
Lets say if you loose 10% of your weight (assume weight loss is pure fat and no muscle loss), would you gain performance (like climbing, speed etc) from the same bike as overall weight is less?
So until you get to the point where you are too light and starting to lose power, cutting body weight will have a greater effect than cutting bike weight.
More importantly, cutting body weight reduces aerodynamic drag as set forth above and will make you faster on the flats. Again, not as significant as in climbing, but 10% reduction in body weight will increase your speeds on the flat, even with no change in power.
Add in that unless your already at your ideal weight a decrease in weight will likely make you more fit, your ability to sustain putting out power will increase.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
#20
well hello there
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,435
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Liked 343 Times
in
211 Posts
I'm just not willing to substitute fruit or cottage cheese for fries.
__________________
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You wouldn't know it by walking around Disney World. Seriously, at what point will "scootering" surpass walking as the preferred means of getting around?
#22
CAT4
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Posts: 1,681
Bikes: 2009 Cervélo S1, 2009 Felt F75, 2010 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5, 2011 Cannondale CAADx, 2011 Specialized Transition Elite
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You gain more performance loosing the weight from your body for several reasons: 1) your body doesn't have to support the extra body weight (that extra 10% of weight has to be oxygenated etc.) 2) you'll be more aerodynamic 10% lighter, with less frontal area, and it will also likely be easier to get in a more aero position.
So until you get to the point where you are too light and starting to lose power, cutting body weight will have a greater effect than cutting bike weight.
Incorrect. Cutting any weight, bike or body, will make you faster on the flats. For one thing all that weight has to be accelerated, and no one rides at a perfectly constant pace. The difference is not as great as climbing, but there will be an effect.
More importantly, cutting body weight reduces aerodynamic drag as set forth above and will make you faster on the flats. Again, not as significant as in climbing, but 10% reduction in body weight will increase your speeds on the flat, even with no change in power.
Add in that unless your already at your ideal weight a decrease in weight will likely make you more fit, your ability to sustain putting out power will increase.
So until you get to the point where you are too light and starting to lose power, cutting body weight will have a greater effect than cutting bike weight.
Incorrect. Cutting any weight, bike or body, will make you faster on the flats. For one thing all that weight has to be accelerated, and no one rides at a perfectly constant pace. The difference is not as great as climbing, but there will be an effect.
More importantly, cutting body weight reduces aerodynamic drag as set forth above and will make you faster on the flats. Again, not as significant as in climbing, but 10% reduction in body weight will increase your speeds on the flat, even with no change in power.
Add in that unless your already at your ideal weight a decrease in weight will likely make you more fit, your ability to sustain putting out power will increase.
#23
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,475
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Liked 894 Times
in
458 Posts
Interesting... All you hear on here (OVER AND OVER AGAIN) is that weight does not matter in the flats. I can tell you that I have not become more aero as a result of going from 185 to 155 lbs. Are you serious???!!! I can understand if you go from Mabel King or Nell Carter size down to a svelte road rider.
The 185 lb rider does 23.7mph on flat ground. The 155 lb rider does 24.5mph on flat ground. Not an order of magnitude difference but measurable.
https://www.noping.net/english/
And as a matter of simple logic, aerodynamic drag is a function of frontal area, and the drag coefficient. If your height remains the same, and your weight decreases, your frontal area will decrease, without even considering the likelyhood that less gut will make it easier to hold a lower position.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
Last edited by merlinextraligh; 07-08-11 at 09:10 AM.
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Interesting... All you hear on here (OVER AND OVER AGAIN) is that weight does not matter in the flats. I can tell you that I have not become more aero as a result of going from 185 to 155 lbs. Are you serious???!!! I can understand if you go from Mabel King or Nell Carter size down to a svelte road rider.
I think Merlin put it pretty clearly: loosing fat (not muscle) will make you faster on the flats, but not nearly the difference it will make on hills.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 82
Bikes: Fuji SL1, GT Team Carbon, Mrazek BOH FX Mountain bike and Giant TCR1
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts