Help with making a bike lighter

simon_masterson

Flasher wrote:

The OP may well be a newb at cycling but a sub 3 hour marathon runner who weighs 9 stone, so surely it's best to answer the question asked rather than answering a question that hasn't been asked!

Even so, in that case it merely changes subtly to 'if it weighs less than 12kg or so the weight of your bike doesn't matter all that much unless you are a professional racing in the alps'.

Flasher wrote:

All this lose weight stuff is so dull, we all know that exercise, a healthy diet and moderation is good for us. I could probably do with losing half a stone, but where's the enjoyment in that, I'm not ever going to be a pro cyclist, so why do I have to eat (or not eat) like one?

In that case, you don't need a bike like one either. Go forth and buy yourself a nice Pashley 3 speed, and be happy.

But in all seriousness, whatever bike makes you happy, any fool can waste his money as he pleases; no assistance needed. If someone comes in here asking for sensible advice, he should receive it; I.e. not throwing money down the drain on reducing bike weight which will make no meaningful difference at all and potentially distract from the factors that will.

hipshot

Flasher wrote:

All this lose weight stuff is so dull, we all know that exercise, a healthy diet and moderation is good for us. I could probably do with losing half a stone, but where's the enjoyment in that, I'm not ever going to be a pro cyclist, so why do I have to eat (or not eat) like one?

A beginner coming into the sport will be confronted with an avalanche of marketing designed to convince them to part with money for upgrades, carbon, lighter this, titanium that.

What they might not know is that it wont help them improve their performance much - only technique, fitness and weight loss will. It is therefore blatant misinformation and the only antidote to it is advice from other cyclists; forums are a lifesaver in this regard.

I'm really suprised by the amount of people who on here who still claim 'massive differences' for certain wheels etc. Its not about whether you feel there is a difference, you have to back it up with science and if the science isnt there you've been suckered in.

flasher

hipshot wrote:

Flasher wrote:

All this lose weight stuff is so dull, we all know that exercise, a healthy diet and moderation is good for us. I could probably do with losing half a stone, but where's the enjoyment in that, I'm not ever going to be a pro cyclist, so why do I have to eat (or not eat) like one?

A beginner coming into the sport will be confronted with an avalanche of marketing designed to convince them to part with money for upgrades, carbon, lighter this, titanium that.

What they might not know is that it wont help them improve their performance much - only technique, fitness and weight loss will. It is therefore blatant misinformation and the only antidote to it is advice from other cyclists; forums are a lifesaver in this regard.

I'm really suprised by the amount of people who on here who still claim 'massive differences' for certain wheels etc. Its not about whether you feel there is a difference, you have to back it up with science and if the science isnt there you've been suckered in.

So at what point should bicycle evolution have stopped?

Maybe I should just fit some clipless pedals to my mum's Raleigh Shopper!

hipshot

Bike improvements make a small difference.

Physical improvements make all the difference.

Thats why Tom Boonen riding your mum's shopper would whip your a*rse.

Clipless or not.

flasher

hipshot wrote:

Bike improvements make a small difference.

Physical improvements make all the difference.

Thats why Tom Boonen riding your mum's shopper would whip your a*rse.

Clipless or not.

You didn't answer my question, so I'll ask again, at what point should bicycle evolution have stopped?

As for those improvements, just ask Dave Brailsford how important they are.

What do you ride?

flasher

double post

flasher

double post

keef66

Triple post.

I don't think anyone's arguing that bicycle evolution should stop. Well nobody outside the UCI anyway. Just that new entrants to cycling shouldn't be parting with substantial amounts of money in order to improve their performance on the bike, when a bit of structured training and some weight loss would produce much better gains.

flasher

keef66 wrote:

Triple post.

I don't think anyone's arguing that bicycle evolution should stop. Well nobody outside the UCI anyway. Just that new entrants to cycling shouldn't be parting with substantial amounts of money in order to improve their performance on the bike, when a bit of structured training and some weight loss would produce much better gains.

Doesn't that depend on the individual, and how deep their wallet is?

I just don't get this, train harder, otherwise you don't deserve nice things argument. If having a 5k bike helps motivate you to go out more often than on a Halfords cheapie, then that's the individual persons choice.

Going back to the OP's question he asked "Help with making a bike lighter", not how to make me/my wallet lighter.

rolf_f

Flasher wrote:

As for those improvements, just ask Dave Brailsford how important they are.

And no doubt if you did, Dave would respond by saying "marginal gains" with the emphasis on marginal. ie the gains are tiny but tiny is enough if you are measuring to the hundredth of a second. I suspect that most of us aren't that bothered about 100ths.

flasher

Rolf F wrote:

Flasher wrote:

As for those improvements, just ask Dave Brailsford how important they are.

And no doubt if you did, Dave would respond by saying "marginal gains" with the emphasis on marginal. ie the gains are tiny but tiny is enough if you are measuring to the hundredth of a second. I suspect that most of us aren't that bothered about 100ths.

Sure marginal gains, and those gains add up, lighter wheels, lighter body, smarter training, power meter, better bike.............at which point are they not worth bothering with?

For me the enjoyment is had with both riding as often as possible and also having nice things, that are probably way better than my ability deserves, but should that mean I'm not allowed to have them?

jane90

All the advice about weight, per se, not making all that much difference in the real world is good advice and should be obvious to most. However, there's a slightly more subtle point that hasn't been mentioned yet.

I've swapped my Triban 3 for a Colnago and seen my times tumble dramatically (really dramatically) over my local loops. Is this due to the weight of the bike? Hardly. Is it because I love the experience of riding my new bike, exaggerating its "lightness" in my mind amongst its other qualities, so riding harder for longer? Quite possibly. I'm also back down to my weight when I was running competitively at uni (despite my weekend vodka consumption), so it's a virtuous circle - more love for activity, more exercise, better fitness, go quicker, more fun, rinse and repeat.

rolf_f

Flasher wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Flasher wrote:

As for those improvements, just ask Dave Brailsford how important they are.

And no doubt if you did, Dave would respond by saying "marginal gains" with the emphasis on marginal. ie the gains are tiny but tiny is enough if you are measuring to the hundredth of a second. I suspect that most of us aren't that bothered about 100ths.

Sure marginal gains, and those gains add up, lighter wheels, lighter body, smarter training, power meter, better bike.............at which point are they not worth bothering with?

For me the enjoyment is had with both riding as often as possible and also having nice things, that are probably way better than my ability deserves, but should that mean I'm not allowed to have them?

I totally agree with you. But the point is that any one small change will not produce a significant impact in, for example, your time over a Sportive. How much does it matter if you did the ride in 5:25 rather than 5:26? Unless it means the difference between getting a gold or silver time, not much and even that is forgotten the day after.

However, I would say that the process of cutting weight everywhere you can will make a little difference (still marginal but at least measurable) if not one that is financially sane. Personally, I want to get my Look to sub 7kg - more for the principle than the effect! I want new bars anyway so that will save a bit, I've already saved a bit with a new saddle. Some new wheels will get me a bit further and an irrational desire to go full Record on the bike might make a bit more. Of that, I'd expect only the wheels to provide a genuinely noticeable benefit on their own and that not by much.

goonz

This may have already been mentioned in the previous posts, but how about just removing the wheels?

Strith

Flasher wrote:

Sure marginal gains, and those gains add up, lighter wheels, lighter body, smarter training, power meter, better bike.............at which point are they not worth bothering with?

For me the enjoyment is had with both riding as often as possible and also having nice things, that are probably way better than my ability deserves, but should that mean I'm not allowed to have them?

Dude you are wasting your time this bike radar and you will only see the same old comments.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that making your bike lighter isn’t going to make you much quicker up hills, and there are rarely people asking about this specifically.

Unfortunately there’s a few people, not many, on here seem to love implying that you must be stupid if you like spending lots of money on your hobby (whether making your bike lighter or buying Rapha or whatever.) I don’t know what motivates people to be like this.

This is the only forum where I see so much of this “I’m fitter than you and can get up hills quicker on (insert cheap bike) so you’re a fool if you want to buy nice things”.

Just tell people to go to weight weenies or LFGSS or somewhere people answer the questions you ask.

hipshot

Flasher wrote:

What do you ride?

A Cervelo S1.

Strith wrote:

Dude you are wasting your time this bike radar and you will only see the same old comments.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that making your bike lighter isn’t going to make you much quicker up hills, and there are rarely people asking about this specifically.

Unfortunately there’s a few people, not many, on here seem to love implying that you must be stupid if you like spending lots of money on your hobby (whether making your bike lighter or buying Rapha or whatever.) I don’t know what motivates people to be like this.

This is the only forum where I see so much of this “I’m fitter than you and can get up hills quicker on (insert cheap bike) so you’re a fool if you want to buy nice things”.

Just tell people to go to weight weenies or LFGSS or somewhere people answer the questions you ask.

The OP stated he wants to be better going up hills, you've just said it doesn't take a genius to work out that a lighter bike wont help much, isn't it totally reasonable to point out what might help?

Re read the thread and tell me where anyone implies you shouldn't spend money on an expensive bike or nice gear. In any case there is a multi million pound industry bursting to help you with all that. It makes me laugh that you think its difficult to find info on upgrades and the weight of components when the entire industry is based on exactly that. This isn't anything to do with luddism, I spend a lot on bikes and have nice stuff, but if I said to the OP get x stem and y wheels and he blows up on the first climb because he hasn't trained enough I'm not really helping much am I?

flasher

hipshot wrote:

I spend a lot on bikes and have nice stuff, but if I said to the OP get x stem and y wheels and he blows up on the first climb because he hasn't trained enough I'm not really helping much am I?

But he's not asking for training help, as there's a 'Training' section for that, he asked.

Specialized_Nick wrote:

I'm doing the Dartmoor demon Sportive in May and i'd like to make it a bit lighter with the ammount of climbing to be done.
I'm a complete newb and know next to nothing about the mechanics of a bike so was hoping there would be a few hints a tips to shed a bit of weight here and there.

So do you have any help to reduce weight off his bike or not?

hipshot

Whatever.

I think the OP gets the gist anyway.

Specialized_Nick wrote:

Thanks for the responses i do genuinely appreciate it, i better keep riding my nads off and hopefully by May the bike will just happen to feel lighter!

Strith

hipshot wrote:

The OP stated he wants to be better going up hills, you've just said it doesn't take a genius to work out that a lighter bike wont help much, isn't it totally reasonable to point out what might help?

It's ok to mention it yes, but as usual on here some people labour this to the point of boredom without actually answering the op, and as flasher stated thats not what the OP asked.

hipshot wrote:

Re read the thread and tell me where anyone implies you shouldn't spend money on an expensive bike or nice gear.

I wasn't refering to just this thread, it's seems to be a running theme across the forum thats why I included the reference to rapha. You not noticed this?

hipshot wrote:

It makes me laugh that you think its difficult to find info on upgrades and the weight of components when the entire industry is based on exactly that.

I've not said this anywhere, so I've no idea why you think I think that.

hipshot wrote:

This isn't anything to do with luddism, I spend a lot on bikes and have nice stuff, but if I said to the OP get x stem and y wheels and he blows up on the first climb because he hasn't trained enough I'm not really helping much am I?

I doubt the OP will come back and give you grief for not better advising him on his training regime, particularly as he didn't ask anything about training.

simon_masterson

Flasher wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Triple post.

I don't think anyone's arguing that bicycle evolution should stop. Well nobody outside the UCI anyway. Just that new entrants to cycling shouldn't be parting with substantial amounts of money in order to improve their performance on the bike, when a bit of structured training and some weight loss would produce much better gains.

Doesn't that depend on the individual, and how deep their wallet is?

I just don't get this, train harder, otherwise you don't deserve nice things argument. If having a 5k bike helps motivate you to go out more often than on a Halfords cheapie, then that's the individual persons choice.

Going back to the OP's question he asked "Help with making a bike lighter", not how to make me/my wallet lighter.

...And there's a whole lot more to a high-spec bike than how light it is, isn't there?

The OP did not ask about high performance bikes, he asked how his existing one could be made lighter for improved climbing, and he rightly received good advice that it's a waste of money that won't make any difference, and that training will.

If you want to buy a bike that's made for people who are much fitter than you, that is your choice. You're in good company. I can't recommend that a 90kg+ fatso buys wheels (or anything else) made for people much lighter, but that's another topic entirely.

hipshot

Yes, great contributions on this thread, a good range of advice and opinion; just what I would have wanted as a newbie.

As strith rightly said there is always weight weenies if you dont like the answers on here.

charlie_potatoes

hipshot wrote:

Yes, great contributions on this thread, a good range of advice and opinion

Yep I agree.

For the OP.
IMO the posts recommending tyre/tube/wheels as the initial focus are the best advice.
If you are on a budget then Planet X are selling lightweight inner tubes for £1.99. I reckon they weigh in at about 85grams.
Match these with some thing like Continental gp4000s tyres at around £55 a pair and you should see an improvement.