Reducing weight on your non-bike gear.

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BikeAnon
Posts: 399
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:36 pm
Location: NY USA

by BikeAnon

There's been lamenting on the site that weenies are buying their weight-loss, instead of creating it with Dremels and drills.

What have you done to the gear you carry, to reduce the weight? We've seen lots of threads on the bike weight, but there are things you bring along on your ride... what do you do to lighten those things?

My contribution to this thread, my multitool. It started life as a Specialized Road Pro tool, at 65.9 grams (top pic).

I removed the Torx bit (that I have no need for) and belt-sanded the side plates, bringing it down to 56 grams (the bit weighed 6.4 grams).

Feeling I could do more, I shortened the side-plates, and drilled new holes. Finished product: 49.3 grams. 16.6 grams reduced, $0 spent.

Image

by Weenie


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jpanspac
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:21 pm

by jpanspac

Very nice.
My favorite components are the ones I never have to think about.

Camilo
Posts: 355
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:31 pm

by Camilo

Being that being a WW around here is an accepted bicycling goal, thanks for bringing up the topic! I might actually go after my multi tool. I do know that I carry extra small inner tubes for three reasons - one of which is that they're lighter (and smaller, and easier to install).

Think of how many parts decisions and how much money we've all spent to save 15-30 grams (for us Americans, 1/2 to one ounce). Almost every single part from frame to stem. Certainly saving an ounce on something like bottle cages is a no-brainer.

I bet we could all drop several ounces, maybe pushing 1/2 pound, if we were as obsessive about the extras that most of carry (whether in your pockets pro-style or on your frame or in a saddle bag). Multi tool, tire levers, mini pump or CO2, spare tube, water bottles.

So.... water bottles, just one thing I have handy. Most of us carry two of them. I just found a 15 gram difference between the two typical types of 24 oz bottles I use, Camelback "Jet Valve" (75 gm) vs. a typical logo water bottle (Salsa) with a typical pop up valve (90 gm).

The insulated bottle I use (Polar) was about a full ounce heavier yet (125 gm).

So we have a potential weight savings of over 3 ounces (100 gm) between my two heaviest and lightest water bottles. Isn't that almost a quarter of a pound right there?

My theory - nobody really cares because when we compare bike weights, it's a very strictly restricted weight, not including any of the typical stuff most of us carry, even the cleats without which we can't even us the super light Speedplay pedals we all like (not me, but you get the picture). The potential 1/2 pound saved on the extras won't add to our bragging rights (or call them personal weight weenie hobby goals which I do). Since even weight weenies such as myself will admit a few ounces here and there don't really matter, we really don't care about the stuff we don't get bragging rights from.

It never crosses my mind to choose the water bottles based on weight, even though the lighter ones actually work as well as the other.

BikeAnon
Posts: 399
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:36 pm
Location: NY USA

by BikeAnon

I'm looking at the whole picture. I realized that, as an adult, I've never ridden a single ride where the total weight (rider, gear, clothing, bike) is under 200 lbs.

I expect to get down to 180 lbs again this year, which doesn't leave a lot of room for gear/clothing (with my bike getting down to 16 lbs when it's finished). In fact, once I fill my water bottles, 200 lbs becomes an impossible goal.

stevec1975
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:37 pm
Location: London

by stevec1975

I changed my cycling shoes recently (Have been using Shimano M160 Mountain bike ones across my bikes) to Scott Road Pro's, the shoe weight with cleats is now 220 grams lighter than before! That's a saving

MNX1024
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:21 am

by MNX1024

I reduce my off season body weight of 160lbs to 145-147lbs by dropping my body fat percentage down to 4% and some muscle mass. Does that count?

Though I am looking at lighter shoes now too.

Zigmeister
Posts: 938
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:09 pm

by Zigmeister

How about you just stop carrying 3lbs of water with you? Easy weight savings.

by Weenie


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