Why We Should STOP Our Obsession With Bike Weight
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06-28-21, 03:50 AM
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I have no such obsession, so THERE!
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06-28-21, 05:33 AM
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Who’s this “we” you’re speaking of?
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06-28-21, 05:35 AM
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Bicycle Weight Matters
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06-28-21, 05:54 AM
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06-28-21, 06:26 AM
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I have steel frames on my road bikes, gravel bike, and touring/commute bike. There is no weight obsession happening.
...even still, I do enjoy trying to hit an arbitrary weight for some builds. That arbitrary goal has been 20# and 22# on my most recent two bikes. I was over by 4 or 5 oz for each...oh well.
...even still, I do enjoy trying to hit an arbitrary weight for some builds. That arbitrary goal has been 20# and 22# on my most recent two bikes. I was over by 4 or 5 oz for each...oh well.
06-28-21, 06:29 AM
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06-28-21, 06:29 AM
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06-28-21, 06:36 AM
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I'm not obsessed with what other people are obsessed with.
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06-28-21, 06:41 AM
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certain lubes weigh less than others.
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06-28-21, 06:43 AM
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I ride old bikes. 21-23 lbs for an old racing bike isn't bad and that's heavy by today's standards.
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06-28-21, 06:44 AM
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06-28-21, 06:45 AM
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I have steel frames on my road bikes, gravel bike, and touring/commute bike. There is no weight obsession happening.
...even still, I do enjoy trying to hit an arbitrary weight for some builds. That arbitrary goal has been 20# and 22# on my most recent two bikes. I was over by 4 or 5 oz for each...oh well.
...even still, I do enjoy trying to hit an arbitrary weight for some builds. That arbitrary goal has been 20# and 22# on my most recent two bikes. I was over by 4 or 5 oz for each...oh well.
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06-28-21, 07:03 AM
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Marketing departments love to focus on weight, despite its dubious real-world significance, because it is such an easily quantifiable and easily compared metric.
06-28-21, 07:12 AM
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I like all my bikes regardless of weight. Personality is what matters.
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06-28-21, 09:15 AM
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If all the bikes I'm considering for purchase are for the most part equal in every other way, then I'm picking the lighter bike. Assuming of course that I like the color.
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06-28-21, 09:22 AM
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Agreed, I think that's a "well, duh" kind of calculation. The real questions come in on what you're willing to trade off for what size differences in weight.
I think these discussions are really about whether or not anyone should care that there's a few people out there who will spend many thousands of dollars to lower their bike weight from 17 pounds to 16. I wouldn't spend that way, but I really don't care if anyone else does.
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06-28-21, 09:32 AM
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It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
It's not an obsession.
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06-28-21, 09:38 AM
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I agree that differences in bike weight make very little difference in speed in the real world, that the difference in speed objectively matters not at all to non-racers, and very little to non-pro racers. I agree that other factors (esp. rider position and other aero considerations, and rider weight) have a much greater effect on speed than bike weight over the course of a real ride.
However, a lighter bike can feel faster, even if it isn't really faster, or only marginally faster. That can have some value, the magnitude of which is defined by the buyer/user (and can even be a negative value - some people prefer a "solid/slow" feel to a "racy/twitchy" feel).
However, a lighter bike can feel faster, even if it isn't really faster, or only marginally faster. That can have some value, the magnitude of which is defined by the buyer/user (and can even be a negative value - some people prefer a "solid/slow" feel to a "racy/twitchy" feel).
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06-28-21, 09:44 AM
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That video is stupid.
Pedaling a 20 lb bike up hill takes less effort and physical exertion than a 28 lb bike. When going on a long distance ride this is the difference between burning out earlier or later in the day.
Pedaling a 20 lb bike up hill takes less effort and physical exertion than a 28 lb bike. When going on a long distance ride this is the difference between burning out earlier or later in the day.
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06-28-21, 09:53 AM
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It wouldn't be for me, it's just not a big enough difference in exertion to exhaust me much faster. I'm just going to take a little longer to cover the same distance with the heavier bike. Since I'm not racing, I really don't care about that.
And yes, this is actually something I've done. A lot. Ask me about my 90 mile ride on a Walmart Huffy beach cruiser.
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