Should I add extra weight to my bike whilst training?

TheBullet

Hi,

I am trying to build up my strength for time trialling and climbing long hills and was wondering if adding extra weight to my bike whilst training, say 1-2kgs, is a good idea - are their any pros or cons?

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

phil s

Why not just push harder on the pedals?

Slow1972

Search for previous threads on this

But no, as previous poster says, just pedal/work harder and get used to riding faster

holmeboy

Did'nt Robert Miller used to train with weights on his legs? :oops: :roll: 8) :x

ednino

ankle weights like the ones used in the gym are the only type i'd ever use on the bike

Bhima

It will decrease your accelleration (and increase decelleration) meaning that it would be harder to stay at a constant speed once you got up to 24mph+ This could help focus you if you're training for time trialing and make keeping a constant power output more challenging but, of course, it means that the decreased accelleration makes it harder to get to 24mph+ in the first place, so you lose more energy trying to get there. The weights will make a bigger difference on the hills.

nasahapley

Bhima wrote:

It will decrease your accelleration (and increase decelleration) meaning that it would be harder to stay at a constant speed once you got up to 24mph+ This could help focus you if you're training for time trialing and make keeping a constant power output more challenging but, of course, it means that the decreased accelleration makes it harder to get to 24mph+ in the first place, so you lose more energy trying to get there. The weights will make a bigger difference on the hills.

[/Pedantic physicist mode ON] Hmmmm. Having to shift a greater mass will certainly hinder acceleration, but once up to a given speed on the flat weight doesn't really matter (and increased mass would decrease decelleration). In fact, it would actually be marginally easier to keep a heavier mass moving at a given speed than a lighter one, but the difference is absolutely tiny. In the real world any sort of hill or corner which required you to slow down and re-accelerate would mean the overall effect of greater mass would count against you.[/Pedantic physicist mode off]

But as others have said, you may as well just ride in a gear higher than you normally would and try to keep cadence the same.

cougie

Dont think weights is a good idea to be honest. A lot of people use heavier bikes in winter - but mainly cos they are the cheaper bike. I've been on my heavy fixie all winter - rode my carbon bike last weekend, and seemed just the same as it always was !

ColinJ

I use a heavier me in the winter and gradually reduce me in weight as I get fitter. If it was good enough for Jan Ullrich, it is good enough for me!

cougie

holmeboy

I think every cyclist should put weights on their bikes to bring their weight upto the same as mine, ie if your 10 stone add 20 X 2lb bags of sugar. see if you can get up them hills faster than me then! Ha Ha! :evil: :twisted: :P :shock:

Bhima

nasahapley wrote:

once up to a given speed on the flat weight doesn't really matter (and increased mass would decrease decelleration).

Actually, I asked my old UNI physics tutor about this a month ago. He said that the weight would massively increase rolling resistance (because it's pushing the bike down) and, even if you could get the tyres to touch the road with the same surface area as they would normally, they would still be creating more friction on the road per mm squared or whatever. You'd just wear your tyres out quicker.

deal

A little bit of weight is going to make a fairly negligible difference in terms of rolling resistance, especially with the high tire pressures typically used on the road.

Edit: http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/tech/JL.htm this data seems to suggest 15lbs extra weight results in an extra 5watts being required to maintain 30mph

The only scenario where weight could be a useful training tool would be a lack of long hills in the local area. Load up the bike and suddenly the same hill takes twice as long - but could be slightly embarrassing when you get overtaken by a kid on his BMX as you crawl up a hill

Nelson Longflap

Bhima wrote:

Actually, I asked my old UNI physics tutor about this a month ago. He said that the weight would massively increase rolling resistance (because it's pushing the bike down) and, even if you could get the tyres to touch the road with the same surface area as they would normally, they would still be creating more friction on the road per mm squared or whatever. You'd just wear your tyres out quicker.

Not difficult - you just stick more air in 'em.* Why heavier riders use slightly higher pressures than skinny climbers.

*Pressure = Force/Area (where F is the weight of the bike and the rider - all acting downwards). So to maintain the contact patch of the tyre (area) with an increased force (heavier rider), you increase pressure. Simple, no?