The bike does make a difference

Fursty Ferret

keef66 wrote:

Made me smile at the Cycle Show; a rather stoutly built gentleman was sitting on one of the Camapag EPS turbo bikes, and asking the sales chappie about the weight savings to be had in moving from Record to Super Record...

Don't you just love the fundamental lack of self awareness that some people exhibit?

suzyb

Fursty Ferret wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Made me smile at the Cycle Show; a rather stoutly built gentleman was sitting on one of the Camapag EPS turbo bikes, and asking the sales chappie about the weight savings to be had in moving from Record to Super Record...

Don't you just love the fundamental lack of self awareness that some people exhibit?

Or maybe he was completely aware and wanted as light a bike as possible because he had so much weight on himself.

simon_masterson

There's an easier way to go about that: Buy a unicycle. To the average fat knacker the performance diminution would likely be minimal, and who needs that other wheel anyway?

chrisaonabike

Of course it's about the bike, people.

When my non-cycling friends come over, I can go "lift this - you'll only need one hand", and they go "Wow!!"

Job done.

drlodge

Its always only about the bike. And yes, the bike does make a difference. Not night and day but definately a difference.

junglist_matty

Of course the bike makes a difference! ....Only an idiot would say it doesn't

Two key factors:
1. Weight
2. Rider fit

You could go out on a super lightweight road bike (say sub 7kg), but if its a bad fit you won't find yourself going any faster than if you were on a perfect fitting heavier road bike (10kg).

junglist_matty

suzyb wrote:

Fursty Ferret wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Made me smile at the Cycle Show; a rather stoutly built gentleman was sitting on one of the Camapag EPS turbo bikes, and asking the sales chappie about the weight savings to be had in moving from Record to Super Record...

Don't you just love the fundamental lack of self awareness that some people exhibit?

Or maybe he was completely aware and wanted as light a bike as possible because he had so much weight on himself.

I ride about 150 miles a week, and in those miles I never ever see fat people riding in the winter months, never have done, never will do....

However, during June/July/August, they are out in swarms on their shiny £5000+ carbon bikes that get used twice a year.

They drive round in Audi's thinking their king of the world, then come to cycling world and think they are the next Bradley Wiggins.... turns out you actually need to ride in every condition for that to become a reality! So next time someone digs a fat man asking such a silly question, you may think to yourself, ah, I know why!

And By the way, for a fat unfit man, a 500gram difference in ANY bike component is going to make f**k all difference.

Fursty Ferret

suzyb wrote:

Fursty Ferret wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Made me smile at the Cycle Show; a rather stoutly built gentleman was sitting on one of the Camapag EPS turbo bikes, and asking the sales chappie about the weight savings to be had in moving from Record to Super Record...

Don't you just love the fundamental lack of self awareness that some people exhibit?

Or maybe he was completely aware and wanted as light a bike as possible because he had so much weight on himself.

Yeah, that's right. He was so fundamentally self aware of his bodyweight and the impact that it might have on his cycling performance that he decided to save weight on the bike, instead of himself. In fact his levels of self awareness were so extraordinary that he understood that the weight difference between Record and Super Record would, at a couple of hundred grammes, be so significant that it would have a tremendous effect on his cycling performance, whereas losing 20 kilos of his own bodyfat would obviously make no difference whatsoever.

simon_masterson

junglist_matty wrote:

Of course the bike makes a difference! ....Only an idiot would say it doesn't

Two key factors:
1. Weight
2. Rider fit

You could go out on a super lightweight road bike (say sub 7kg), but if its a bad fit you won't find yourself going any faster than if you were on a perfect fitting heavier road bike (10kg).

You single out two factors and include weight but not aerodynamics!?

Weight just is not that important (presupposing that you do not have any major weight to lose yourself) unless you are predominantly climbing very steep hills, whereas aerodynamics are of paramount significance. As I said before, Coppi and Gaul climbed mountains on heavier bikes than even most amateur road cyclists with money own.

My favourite bike weighs about 12kg at the moment. With some new wheels and lighter tyres (27x1 1/4" wire bead Gatorskins are not the lightest!) I could probably get it down to 10kg or so. Still I'm not worried about that, because I know that my fitness and performance at the time and the weather, have a far greater bearing on my performance; that and if I could go significantly faster (beyond a couple of minutes off my normal times), I would be going rather faster than I think I'm capable of without a dose of Lance's finest.

worcester19

Great advert for cycling guys!!

I suppose you are the same guys that say good morning to me when I am on my shiny bike wearing my cycling gear and when I am on my old peugeot wearing shorts and T-shirt you turn away in embarassment!!!!

Oh and I drive an Audi - still weigh 13 stone and average 17mph on a 28 mile ride

Mikey23

i will invest in a shiny new go faster bike when when my level of fitness and riding skill can justify it. for now i will stick with my defy 4

stronginthesun

i was getting into " the more expensive , lighter ect the bike the faster you will be marketing " and was looking into getting a bike i couldnt really afford . suddenly woke up sold the trek 4.5 for a good price on ebay , and bought a boardman team hybrid instead , now iam slightly slower , but still go as far and dont have to worry about gearing up in silly lycra and clipless shoes and have a use all year bike . ps halfords set it up perfectly