Does bike weight matter?

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TurboKoo
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:55 pm

by TurboKoo

What I've understood is that 1kg equals ~4,5w in the WT level on long climbs.
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mikedkelly
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 2:17 pm

by mikedkelly

I lightened my bike by 18 kg and climbing is so much easier now - oh wait, that was rider weight. :)

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nycebo
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: New York, NY

by nycebo

Honestly, weight matters. Period. I think everyone on WW would agree that a 50lb bike would be harder to drag up a hill than a 15lb bike. I think what the OP might be asking is as what point does the increase in price or possible decrease in reliability/safety of dropping 1lb (or 1 oz for you fanatics) outweigh the benefits? And that, my friends, is a very personal question. To the former, if you're rich; have at it! To the latter, one would hope that manufacturers are concerned about rider safety and product liability. Witness Pinarella and the max weight for their ultra-light F8.

For my part, I don't know if I can feel an ounce, but I could definitely feel 3 lbs when I swapped into my carbon frame from a 20 year old bike. Did it lead to better PRs? Well, I've also been riding more. As an earlier post in this thread mentioned, RACING is the only true measure.

jlok
Posts: 2395
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:30 am

by jlok

Weight affecting average climbing speed is objective and measurable.

How people value the weight loss / speed gained is subjective.

Since it is WW forum, the value must be high.
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stockae92
Posts: 295
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:13 pm

by stockae92

that really depends. in reality, if you are not racing, weight doesn't matter. Just get a compact crank and 11-28(32) in the back, you can get over almost any hill (with enough time).

but i do enjoy having a lighter bike. i went from a 19 lb bike to 16.75 lb. Is the weight noticeable? yes. but not really matter when i am deep into the suffering of climbs, the pain is the same. LOL

a lighter bike won't make a difference if you will finish that climb or not, but it will make a difference on how fast you will get there (if the only variable is the bike weight)

Is it worth it? that's different by people. its worth it to me to a certain extend.

bremerradkurier
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 4:18 pm

by bremerradkurier

My 20 year old self at 67kg on my then 21lb bike would kick my 49 year old ass at 84kg on an 18lb bike.

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