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My tuppence worth. Its all about weight, I have an aluminum winter bike thats adorned with all sorts of gubbins that make it heavier than an anvil.
Its a struggle on a climb of say 2k or more. I also have a boutique carbon bike/carbon hoops which is a revelation, makes me feel like a climber, I am not a climber.I also have a titanium road bike which is similar in that it weighs hee haw.
Point is light bikes make things alot easier because they are lighter. However if you are 15 stone my theory is fucked:)
So yes a more expensive bike makes a difference going uphill because its lighter.
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My tuppence worth. Its all about weight, I have an aluminum winter bike thats adorned with all sorts of gubbins that make it heavier than an anvil.
Its a struggle on a climb of say 2k or more. I also have a boutique carbon bike/carbon hoops which is a revelation, makes me feel like a climber, I am not a climber.I also have a titanium road bike which is similar in that it weighs hee haw.
Point is light bikes make things alot easier because they are lighter. However if you are 15 stone my theory is fucked:)
So yes a more expensive bike makes a difference going uphill because its lighter.Yes, a lighter bike makes a difference but how much is the difference and is the difference worth the cost?
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Work it out yourself (with a little help from some nerds and me, of corks):
http://www.analyticcycling.com/ForcesLessWeight_Page.html -
My geared bike (Al, light as fuck, RRP circa £900, actually cost nearer £400) is on average a couple of minutes faster than my fixed (Steal, not that light, made from dad's old bike bought 2nd hand in the 80's for a couple of quid) on my hour long commute... on christmas eve because of no traffic I made it in slightly over 30 minutes... so amount of traffic has about 6x the effect that spending 200x the money has.
But the fact is I'd rather ride the bike that's a minute or two slower because it's much more fun. (and I'm faster on both because of riding it)
but dont want to take a backstep in comfort and average speed
2 totally different things... comfort does not go up with price... as long as you have a bike that isn't a peice of shit, it will be more dependant on personal tastes for comfort... in fact at the high end I'd say you generally trade comfort for speed...
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True:)
Yes, a lighter bike makes a difference but how much is the difference and is the difference worth the cost?
Indeed. But one thing I've wondered is whether it matters whether weight is lost on the combination of bike and rider or the bike itself. Putting aside matters such as that a person with a fair bit of fat of them will tend to have some corresponding extra muscle, is shaving a couple of pounds from a bike any better than just losing a bit of one's own weight?
I've always assumed that a pot-bellied cyclist who spends £80 on a titanium bottle cage versus a steel one or whatever would get the same benefit by shifting a teeny bit of his own weight. Is this principle correct, or is weight on the bicycle more of an issue than weight on the rider? -
Indeed. But one thing I've wondered is whether it matters whether weight is lost on the combination of bike and rider or the bike itself. Putting aside matters such as that a person with a fair bit of fat of them will tend to have some corresponding extra muscle, is shaving a couple of pounds from a bike any better than just losing a bit of one's own weight?
I've always assumed that a pot-bellied cyclist who spends £80 on a titanium bottle cage versus a steel one or whatever would get the same benefit by shifting a teeny bit of his own weight. Is this principle correct, or is weight on the bicycle more of an issue than weight on the rider?Saving 50 grams on a bottle cage would equate to the same as saving 50 grams on your jersey. Saving it on rims/tyres/pedals? will have an effect that feels greater.
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I weigh 95kg.. my bike weighs 8kg.. pretty clear where most of the weight is eh?
Prior to the S-Works I'd never bothered with light weight anything. I wanted durability and strength.
I don't mind having the lighter bike (it was a treat) but if I was going to race up hills regularly I'd want to think about what I'm eating, not what my bike weighs.
Problem is, most people, including me, find it MUCH easier to drop cash on bling bikes/parts than train or eat properly. -
Work it out yourself (with a little help from some nerds and me, of corks):
http://www.analyticcycling.com/ForcesLessWeight_Page.htmlOK, I think I have this figured right - if me (or me plus the bike) lose 11lb in weight, I stand to gain about 1min 25sec in the 20km leg of a sprint triathlon (the only racing I do). Could help make up for my lamentable swimming times...
There's probably a kicker in there in that the heart and lungs will work better with less body attached.
Clearly, for us non-elite athletes there's more potential (fatty) weight loss from the human part of the equation than the bike. But it seems worth spending on a reasonably light and efficient machine and on key areas of the bike, notably the bits that rotate - wheels/tyres and pedals.
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How much is down to the bike?
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just as well hippington and I ain't vegans then