Lightweight is the new aero!
Moderator: robbosmans
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So the market moved from lightweight to aero. Now that we are at peak aero, and bikes got a bit chunky in the process, so i predict that marketing will again move to increasing lightness (while keeping aero).
As a 60kg light rider, i came to the conclusion that at any kind of semi competitive level, i will not be winning sprints or tt courses. Watts win on flats.
So i have been focusing on what should be my strength... climbing. Being small is a good thing. Here power to weight (w/kg) is king, and all i need to do it increase my watts faster than i gain weight. So far so good.
To get to the point, my weight weenie bike justifies itself because it helps increase my power to weight ratio which is key for climbs above 4% (the approximate tipping point where aero is trumped by weight).
Moreover, it helps me more than it helps you, because at 60kg, a 3kg savings in a bike is mathmatically worth more than saving 3kg when a rider is 90kg.
So I embrace my god given physique and to the hills I go!
That is all.
As a 60kg light rider, i came to the conclusion that at any kind of semi competitive level, i will not be winning sprints or tt courses. Watts win on flats.
So i have been focusing on what should be my strength... climbing. Being small is a good thing. Here power to weight (w/kg) is king, and all i need to do it increase my watts faster than i gain weight. So far so good.
To get to the point, my weight weenie bike justifies itself because it helps increase my power to weight ratio which is key for climbs above 4% (the approximate tipping point where aero is trumped by weight).
Moreover, it helps me more than it helps you, because at 60kg, a 3kg savings in a bike is mathmatically worth more than saving 3kg when a rider is 90kg.
So I embrace my god given physique and to the hills I go!
That is all.
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Just to play devil's advocate:
You say you're light but if you're also short you could work on your position and get pretty low and aero. Little guys can be fast on flats and downhills by punching a tiny hole in the air, think Caleb Ewan.
Another alternative viewpoint is that because you have fewer watts to offer when churning along the flats and because you have a smaller frontal area than a bigger guy, the reduced drag of say an aero wheel or handlebar is a bigger percentage improvement for you than me.
I'm also a big believer in "light aero" so my advice is to pick the low hanging fruit that doesn't come with a big weight penalty. An Easton EC90 handlebar is pretty light and the wind tunnel says it's a reasonable improvement. You could find the lightest 38ish mm deep wheelset and also shed some drag while adding minimal weight.
At a pretty reasonable budget I built a bike with aero frame, fork, seapost, bars, wheels, and kinda brakes (the frame and fork sort of wrap around the Dura-ace direct mount calipers) in size 61 at 6.6kg.
You say you're light but if you're also short you could work on your position and get pretty low and aero. Little guys can be fast on flats and downhills by punching a tiny hole in the air, think Caleb Ewan.
Another alternative viewpoint is that because you have fewer watts to offer when churning along the flats and because you have a smaller frontal area than a bigger guy, the reduced drag of say an aero wheel or handlebar is a bigger percentage improvement for you than me.
I'm also a big believer in "light aero" so my advice is to pick the low hanging fruit that doesn't come with a big weight penalty. An Easton EC90 handlebar is pretty light and the wind tunnel says it's a reasonable improvement. You could find the lightest 38ish mm deep wheelset and also shed some drag while adding minimal weight.
At a pretty reasonable budget I built a bike with aero frame, fork, seapost, bars, wheels, and kinda brakes (the frame and fork sort of wrap around the Dura-ace direct mount calipers) in size 61 at 6.6kg.
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- Posts: 964
- Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 2:43 am
Hahaha. Well, what if i told you my 13.5lbs bike has 56mm wheels and aero bottles?
I completely get your point but Ewan wasn't punching many holes in the crosswind echelons at Paris-Nice yesterday!
Tarmac SL6 & Campag Record EPS https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=153968
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
I second that, as I said many times.
For example, aero frames (whilst being sexy) offer a quite slim CdA improvement / Kg ratio. Aero handlebars and deep(ish) wheels instead, offer a more sizeable improvement in CdA and usually (barring very exotic components like Obermayers) a small weight penalty vs their lightweight counterparts.
I think the "definitive" race bikes of today are the likes of the Tarmac / R5 / new Izalco. Aero-Optimised Yet Lightweight machines.
Of course one could argue that the likes of the SystemSix, Venge, Madone are "faster everywhere but the steepest ascents" (to also echo Cannondale's marketing which is by the way cherry-picking circumstantial favourable data in a very basic way), but any regular guy can achieve a good 90-99% of that performance by optimising a bike like a Tarmac/R5.
Viviani's Venge with everything equipped including pedal weights 6.92kg (GCN) while being peak aero. If you do UCI race you can't really go lower weight anyway. That, is the optimal solution. Light enough while being super aero. Of course this doesn't apply to most other disc-aero bikes since they are at least 7.4-7.5kg sans powermeter.
An all round bike that optimize for aero is probably the best combo right now. Like the post above - think Tarmac, Ultimate, R5 equipped with full on aero handle bar and clean cable lines. Deep section wheels. There is almost no performance lost vs full on aero bike. May be even better since the GC bikes are more comfortable so you are less tired in the longer race and able to produce more consistent power.
An all round bike that optimize for aero is probably the best combo right now. Like the post above - think Tarmac, Ultimate, R5 equipped with full on aero handle bar and clean cable lines. Deep section wheels. There is almost no performance lost vs full on aero bike. May be even better since the GC bikes are more comfortable so you are less tired in the longer race and able to produce more consistent power.
Why not have both?
As mentined- THe venge is not heavy.
But you could also run something like the Tarmac. Has a bit of aero. Set this up with the 56mm wheels that you mention and one of the lighter aero cross section bars- Like the Pro Vibe Superlight Aero. Clean your cables up and that is a pretty fast setup.
As mentined- THe venge is not heavy.
But you could also run something like the Tarmac. Has a bit of aero. Set this up with the 56mm wheels that you mention and one of the lighter aero cross section bars- Like the Pro Vibe Superlight Aero. Clean your cables up and that is a pretty fast setup.
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