Does weight weenism annoy people?

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sin77
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:39 am

by sin77

When was your last encounter that anyone get pissed about the mentioning of shaving / saving weight on bike? It may or may not be a situation directed at you but another person.

Do you feel any injustice, a dent in ego or you simply cannot understand their logic/rationale of the unfounded bashing? Do you retaliate or explain to them about weight weenism and ask them to leave us alone?

Do you feel that these people have a bigger ego and insecurity issues when they rant at people for being weight weenie and they start talking about aerodynamics, watts and training? Maybe because they somehow do not have the resources or knowledge to do so.

How do you survive as a weight weenie so as not to offend people unnecessarily at times?

by Weenie


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PoorInRichfield
Posts: 203
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 9:38 pm

by PoorInRichfield

The most common negative response I've gotten to my weight weenie addiction is that "It doesn't make any sense to buy XYZ just to save a few grams." As a WW, I already full-well know it doesn't make any sense... that's part of the illness! :(

Most of the annoyances caused by my WW are actually internal to myself. There are becoming more and more reasons to buy bikes and bike parts that aren't the lightest but in the end are the fastest... and knowing that hurts the WW in me. For example, if an aero bike is much faster than a super light bike for the riding I do, it would only make sense to get the aero bike... but I want the light weight bike anyway! :?

sin77
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:39 am

by sin77

PoorInRichfield wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:14 pm
The most common negative response I've gotten to my weight weenie addiction is that "It doesn't make any sense to buy XYZ just to save a few grams." As a WW, I already full-well know it doesn't make any sense... that's part of the illness! :(

Most of the annoyances caused by my WW are actually internal to myself. There are becoming more and more reasons to buy bikes and bike parts that aren't the lightest but in the end are the fastest... and knowing that hurts the WW in me. For example, if an aero bike is much faster than a super light bike for the riding I do, it would only make sense to get the aero bike... but I want the light weight bike anyway! :?
How many bikes do you own? Do a couple of projects if you can to balance things up. For example build a very aero bike for racing, a lightweight climbing bike for ww and another normal bike for commuting.

maxim809
Administrator
Posts: 852
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 6:28 am

by maxim809

I think it comes down to how the weight weenier carries himself/herself. If they come across pompous or holier-than-thou, then that will surely prick people. Especially if there is a tone of flaunting or showing off how much money you sunk into .

Otherwise, amongst a healthy group of individuals I haven't seen anyone upset. I mean just looking at two simple groups...

1. Cycling Enthusiasts - Everyone who is in the sport long enough will get it. Again, if the individuals in the group are healthy then everyone will respect each other even if one way of doing something isn't for them. This extends beyond weenieism.

2. Non-cyclists, or people who only know "normal" bikes- Have them pick up your weenie bike and they are always amazed. Genuinely curious, surprised, in awe and smile on their face. They think road bike technology is awesome and has come a long way compared to their 30lbs bike.

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Klaster_1
Posts: 1390
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2016 10:25 am
Location: Paphos, Cyprus

by Klaster_1

The worst I encountered was mellow stuff like "just take a shit before the ride" and "that's not a real road bike because...", to me misunderstanding and poor communication seem a more likely cause than annoyance. As a rule, I never mention any WW-related stuff unless appropriate (like telling about the build), try to keep myself humble and neutral if people express opinions I don't agree with and only answer in detail if I perceive questions as genuinely interested. Same goes the other way, I try not to sound like know-it-all and judge others publicly. For example, I find certain people on this board somewhat disagreeable, but would never say that to them. Fellow cyclists have more in common than not, there are always other topics we can discuss in a civilized manner.

Wingnut
Posts: 2196
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

I've never really had any isues with it myself, I can see the point people make about cutting a few grams here and there and the silliness of potential risks going too far to cut weight. I used to be a Weight Weenie back in the early 90's when I had more money and I was single, I was also hooked following greg LeMond who was so adventurous and innovative.

What I do find very interesting is comparing the people on here to say The Paceline or Velocipede sites. I find the crew here more critical of those who question or do not follow the pack attitude with subjects such as with "slam that stem" or going "tubeless" for example. I also notice on here that disc brakes rule and there's less acceptence of those who still prefer rim brakes too. With the Paceline or Velocipede members there seems to be a more easy going attitude, appreciative of older bikes, equipment as well as the latest, there seems to be less millenials and more maturity there from what I can tell.

The other thing I notice on here too is the ridiculous money spent and shown on here just to save a few grams, now that's fine as yes it's WW's but if I was to question it I would expect to be either totally ignored or ridiculed for it...there's quite a bit of entitlement here...

maxim809
Administrator
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by maxim809

Klaster_1 wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:42 am
As a rule, I never mention any WW-related stuff unless appropriate (like telling about the build), try to keep myself humble and neutral if people express opinions I don't agree with and only answer in detail if I perceive questions as genuinely interested. Same goes the other way, I try not to sound like know-it-all and judge others publicly.
Wow, this is so good. Especially the details-only-when-interested & other way around. I struggle with this but this phrasing helps put it into perspective.

Kazyole
Posts: 236
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:45 am
Location: NYC

by Kazyole

For me, reactions to my ww RCA build tend to be:

1. In-person: Generally very positive reactions on the few occasions where people notice it's different from a normal bike. From other cyclists, it's usually along the lines of "Whoa that's cool, how much does it weigh?" followed by questions on individual component selection, "I've never seen brakes like that before," etc. I'll get the occasional "You do know aero is almost always faster right?" comment from people who seem to feel the need to justify the way they've built their bikes, but it's not really the same as being annoying. We ride for different reasons. I'm a climber. I like a bike that climbs faster and I'm addicted to the feeling of riding a light bike. Mechanics tend to fawn over it a bit. Outside of bike shops though, it a rare thing for it to get noticed.

2. Online (not here): "Just go to the bathroom before your ride" or "Seems your dental practice is going well" or "That's cool but impractical because you can't actually ride it." I tend to respond to the bathroom comment by jokingly asking if the other person ever doesn't go to the bathroom before a ride, ignore the tired old dentist joke, and actually address the impracticality comment because I went to lengths to make sure my build is practical. Being ~57kg it's plenty usable for me day to day, as I'm well below all the weight limits. I ride it nearly every day, etc. Those are outliers though. I think most people who are enthusiasts on any level still can appreciate a ww build. If not on the level of supporting or understanding weightweenism, than at least seeing someone who is passionate about what they're doing who can talk about every decision they made throughout the build.

I don't think I've ever found anyone to be annoyed by the existence of my bike, but I think it might just be all about presentation. I don't announce I'm a weightweenie or talk someone's ear off about THM products if I don't know that they're interested. If I'm just out for a ride with you, I'm not going to address my bike at all unless you bring it up. And I'm not going to go into detail unless you demonstrate that you're interested in hearing about the details. Online I think you get more negativity because of anonymity and because sharing your bike on a forum to some people can feel like you're flashing cash at them.

EM5251
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:54 pm

by EM5251

The reactions I get tend to fall into the following camps:

1. "Man, that's crazy light, is it safe to ride on rough roads?"

2. "It weighs what????Let me pick it up....Wow, that's like picking up nothing."

3. "You spent that much money to get less material and make your bike weaker."

4. "I just can't understand how that makes sense financially."

5. "That's cool, but you know you could just lose weight or empty a water bottle out and accomplish the same thing, right?"

Most of the people I come accross who are critical, just can't seem to wrap their minds around the following:

1. It's not your money, it's mine.

2. It's not your life, it's mine.

3. I'm not doing this for the performance gains, I'm doing it because I enjoy it.

RTW
in the industry
Posts: 3756
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:32 pm

by RTW

Guys, I posted about this in Cycling Chat but haven't had a response. We, at GCN, want to look into Weight Weenie culture and the culture of building light bikes. Your responses here are golden. Are any of you interested in taking part?

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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Well, I am afraid that this forum is not about wweenism anymore.
Haven't you read all those posts by riders proud of their aero 8.5kg machines and 1.6kg fat, tubeless wheelsets saying that weight does not really matter?

RTW
in the industry
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by RTW

kgt wrote:
Thu Jul 23, 2020 7:30 pm
Well, I am afraid that this forum is not about wweenism anymore.
Haven't you read all those posts by riders proud of their aero 8.5kg machines and 1.6kg fat, tubeless wheelsets saying that weight does not really matter?
:D

The forum is a lot broader than it was. Knowledge now goes beyond 'lighter = better' which was the tone of the marketplace 15+ years ago. The parameters have also changed. The road forum used to be about climbing bikes the odd show bike, or where there were heavier riders, bikes which resembled really light climbers bikes, but with concessions made. Purest may shy away from discs and aero because of the weight gains. Others will see it as another category to Weenie. I don't see that as less valid.

For me, Weightweenies was always and remains a tech forum. Years ago the rarest, most exotic tech was super lightweight exotica, handmade by a professor type character in their garage. That still exists, but the market is bigger, so is the reach, the interest and the product categories. Meanwhile integration limits some modifications, but on the other hand the explosion in reach of this forum, the internet's ability to allow people to quickly research and purchase the most obscure item, means that there's a market for everything. Add 3D printing into the mix, and honestly, I believe the search for lighter weight, just as functional products is as healthy as ever.

If you've been on the forum forever, as we have, it's easy to be unimpressed by what has become normalised in some ways by membership of the forum itself.

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Alexbn921
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:39 pm

by Alexbn921

Weight Weenie culture is hard to shake, and I think a large portion of posters ride their bikes a lot. Most have gone too far for an arbitrary number and paid a consequence in comfort, reliability or function. What we want and how it effects the outcome of the experience are very different things.

I have stepped over the line a couple times and had to rationalize that at 6’4” and 185lb, there are certain things I simply can’t ride. I tear lightweight wheels apart and unforgiving bikes punish my old injuries. I want to be fast and that comes from time on the bike! The more time my body can stand on the bike, the stronger it makes my motor. This is my key to speed. No doubt that color matched titanium bolts are a must and every little thing that doesn’t reduce comfort, overall speed or reliability has been or will be done.

Also, technology is changing. Making things better, worse and more complicated all at the same time. Modern bikes are faster overall and chasing JUST weight can and does make them slower.

When did bomber 1530g 48mm deep carbon wheel become heavy? I will always nerd out to the Nth degree on every single little aspect of my bikes and that makes me a true weight weenie, regardless of the somewhat heavy weight of my bike.
Ride fast Take chances

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Leviathan
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Location: Mallorca, Spain
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by Leviathan

RTW wrote:
Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:12 pm
kgt wrote:
Thu Jul 23, 2020 7:30 pm
Well, I am afraid that this forum is not about wweenism anymore.
Haven't you read all those posts by riders proud of their aero 8.5kg machines and 1.6kg fat, tubeless wheelsets saying that weight does not really matter?
:D

For me, Weightweenies was always and remains a tech forum. Years ago the rarest, most exotic tech was super lightweight exotica, handmade by a professor type character in their garage.
If you've been on the forum forever, as we have, it's easy to be unimpressed by what has become normalised in some ways by membership of the forum itself.
The issue this forum faced is the transition from that artisan, often self-built bike lightness into "I just bought the most expensive Cannondale/Canyon/whatever and its 5.6kgs". Whilst I think there are still truffles of interesting tech, so much of it now is about why the new Trek is better than the new Specialized, or even, god forbid, why SRAM actually works, which is just boring.

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themidge
Posts: 1528
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:19 pm
Location: underneath sweet Scottish rain

by themidge

I've found that people are curious more than anything. Here in Edinburgh there aren't that many people cutting about with ten grand bikes, most that I see are very practical builds because they belong to racers or enthusiasts without massive budgets*, so the odd weight weenie part that's on my bike (I wouldn't call my whole bike 'WW' really) catches the eye. I've had questions about my Ciamillo brakes (mainly 'what are those? they look light' :twisted:), my alligator iLinks (obviously most people just have normal cables), and alloy tubular wheels look light even if they're only a couple of hundred grams lighter than most people's normal alloy clinchers.
It's nice to feel a bit unique sometimes, even if it probably makes no difference to how quickly I get dropped :D.

* there is actually one guy with Fibrelyte chainrings on a Canyon Aeroad, that looks pretty cool!

by Weenie


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