MoAlpha

Iron-shod wood was good enough for millennia.

wolfchild

Here is another dumb thing I've heard way too too many times from cyclists on Bikeforums.... "Lifting weights will make you too big and slow you down".

livedarklions

In the real world, I am completely free to increase or decrease the size of that "pre-determined loop" to match the demands of the workout. You're assuming that a person is going to ride the same distance no matter which bike is used. That's an absurd assumption. I also find the quick acceleration on a lighter bike fun, so it motivates me to ride more.

Your first line is a false premise about the "real world". Consequentially, you reach a false conclusion. Basic logic, and you failed.

Eric F 

This doesn't match up with the conclusion you insist is correct... https://www.renehersecycles.com/12-m...es-are-slower/

Or this one... https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/8...ke-you-faster/

If fatter rims are always heavier than narrow ones, why are my Enve 3.4 700C road wheels heavier than my Stan's Podium 29" MTB wheels? The wind resistance difference between a 23mm tire and 28mm tire is pretty insignificant compared to the body of the rider until speeds start getting really high.

It's time to recalibrate your thinking on this. I know it's hard. I struggled with it, too.

3alarmer 

njkayaker

You mean his idea that a heavier bike produces a better workout? Nothing wrong with that except that it's wrong.

At a given output for a given amount of time, you'll just go father on the lighter bike. The "workout" is exactly the same.

No one is arguing that "bike weight means nothing". That's just a strawman.

Clyde1820

"Get out of my way!" -- as if the other person's way goes through people who have every right to be there as well.

Badger6

In fact, 30mm tubeless seem to work best…don't ask me, just look at the pro teams and who’s on the podium recently.

Trakhak

I use my heavy-ish hybrid (38 pounds) with triple crank exclusively for errands and for low-effort recovery rides. I use my light bikes (19 pounds and under) for all my high-effort rides.

Horses for courses.

3alarmer 

rsbob 

Eat to ride. Ride to eat.

Camilo

That it's too dangerous to ride without a helmet (if, for instance, one forgot his).

Camilo

No, in real life we ride for a pre-determined length of time at whatever effort we choose to put out that day, let's say "full effort". In that time, the same amount of effort will let you go farther and have more fun on the lightweight good quality bike than the heavy bike. Same effort. Not harder or easier on either, just the distance and fun factor varies.

Even if you limit yourself to a certain specific route, for the same effort (not less) you'll simply do it faster on the lighter or better bike especially if there's any elevation gain or stopping and starting.

It's just silly to think that one has to work harder - for example, going up hill - on a heavier bike. If you were going the same speed, yes. But the lighter bike would go faster or further with exactly the same level of effort.

3alarmer 

"Anybody can work on that high end Campagnolo and Shimano stuff. It takes a real mechanic to get a Walmart bicycle to work."

base2 

Ain't that the truth.

terrymorse 

Having worked on many, I’d go further than that. It takes a wizard to make a department store bike work.

ClydeClydeson

Sorry to keep the low-info argument going, but I have heard a lot of people claim they get a better workout on a heavier bike than on a lighter bike... and they weren't talking about a19 lb racing bike vs a 25lb touring bike, they were talking about a 19lb racing bike vs a 40 lb beach cruiser.

The point made above that if riding the same loop the heavier bike will give a better workout is correct on paper, but in the real world (a) the vast majority of us don't ride the same loop all the time - we have the freedom to choose where we ride as we are riding, and riding a lighter/faster bike makes you feel like you can ride further (because you can) and so you will often choose a longer or more challenging route, and (ii) a heavier/slower bike is less rewarding so you are simply less likely to want to ride it - this is my experience and observation of many people, both friends and customers, over the years: heavy bikes can be great for certain things like 'boardwalk cruising' and possibly short errands and grocery store runs, but are less likely to be calling you out of bed at 7AM on Sunday to go out and do 100 miles through the mountains than a light bike would. I like to put it in terms of a 'reward:effort' ratio - a lighter/faster bike pays you back with more exhilarating speed for every added watt of output than does a heavy bike, and this conditions most people to feel like they are enjoying the riding more and makes it more likely that they will go out on more rides. Heavy/slow bikes have a way of subtly discouraging longer rides and making most people ride less over time.

Again, this is the difference between, say, a road bike vs a beach cruiser or a fat bike with its winter studded tires left on, or DH mountain bike with stiff sidewall 3" tires.
The difference between a 19 lb road bike and a 21 lb road bike, or even a 22 lb gravel bike or 25 lb touring bike is much more subtle, and when cruising on flat ground, once you are accelerated up to your cruising speed, there is very little difference in effort between different types of 'fast' bikes.

Once up to speed on flat ground, weight, even rotating weight, makes virtually zero difference. On hills, rotating weight makes exactly the same difference to effort as the same amount of static weight, like a tool kit or extra water bottle.

livedarklions

I think there's also an obvious fact that if you do the ride faster on the lighter bike, you're increasing air resistance and that will at least partially offset any difference in effort even if you're just doing the same ride faster. Overcoming air resistance to go faster is more fun than overcoming gravity to propel a heavier bike, so I don't doubt that the speed reward might inspire me to put out more effort more than adding a few pounds to the bike would. Hence, I may actually get a better workout in a shorter time on the same distance on the lighter bike. Please notice the word "may",

Eric F 

Fo' sho'. A racy bike (light, etc.) inspires me to attempt to ride in a racy manner, which typically includes pushing my effort to the point of extended suffering. I'm much likely to have that mental approach if I'm pedaling an iron pig.

timsch

you can't wear yellow

genejockey 

I've determined, using the solid common sense of this argument, that I was a fool to lose 30 lbs back in 2020, because I'd be getting much better workout if I were fatter.

rydabent

With a "proper fit" you can ride DF bikes pain free.

rydabent

And in years past the stiff necked "traditionalist" have told me that click shifting is a fad that wont last, and dont work very well any way. About the same time clipless pedals came out, and they too had the " real cyclist turning their noses up at them again telling me they were a fad. And 5 years ago, give or take, the same thing was said about disc brakes.

Kapusta

“Mountain Biking is too dangerous for me. I’ll stick to Road Riding”.

Darth Lefty 

Road biking is too dangerous, I'm switching to gravel!