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New challenge for 2019. I will start: Mod Update: The New Me's The Bike Hub Challenge for 2019 Spreadsheet. See Post #4 for more details

Hey guys, just a bit of background. I'm the cyclist in your group ride that guys look at and say things like "no wonder you're fast on the climbs, you weigh nothing" or "I wish I weighed that little, you're so lucky" and to a degree they're right. They miss hard work and the 10 hours a week I spend riding but that's besides the point. My dilemma is that while I'm pretty light, 55-56kg, it's not entirely by choice, I genuinely struggle to pick up weight. I look at the weight of the pros that are my height and I can put on another 6-7kg. I've very recently started supplementing with whey protein in an attempt to gain weight but my primary concern is cycling performance and not hitting weight numbers. I'm not doing races through the alps so I don't really need to be a feather weight for SA's terrain. Basically I'm asking how I can put muscle where it matters and not just pick up weight for weight's sake. Any advice?

Hi all, what are some of the lightest mtb rims available locally that are not carbon? looking at upgrading my current rims only but don't want to go carbon. 29er, modern widths for XC / stage races. Currently have the std rims that come with a 2018 scott spark 940. Not sure what they are or weigh because if i google the code on the rims it doesn't appear to match anything so I don't know the current weight Thanks D edit: photo attached

So, my scale says I am pushing 123...that's kilograms...clearly the blerrie thing is broken. But then on Saturday while trying to pedal the Bottelary red route I realized that Karoo to Coast is a very distant pipe dream, and not even close to becoming a reality in 2017 if I keep on going north according to the scale. So herewith my pledge. I will drop at least 10kg (hopefully more) by end of August, and I will be able to finish that dastardly ride in a respectable time, and NOT push up Simola (I have nothing good to say about Simola) I start training in the Gym come 03 June, as I then return from a business trip to the north of our borders. My question is thus twofold: A) - Who is taking me up on the challenge aspect, so that I do not have to suffer in solitude, and B) - What other gym training is adept at getting me less fat, and more fit - I am thinking like cross-training, bootcamp etc? As for beer, pasta, sugar, bread and all the good things in life, adieu until then.

Hi Guys So let me start off with this, I have a HUGE thing for wheels, I can't go through a day looking at new wheels for my bike, Even though I bought some new ones about 2 months ago. I generally buy wheels for the look. Nothing like a wheel with some nice Big decals and a loud sound if you freewheel. So my question to you. Why do you buy new wheels?

Hi everybody, I'd like to introduce myself and offer my services to you. I'm a Sports Certified Dietitian in private practice who has a passion for mountain biking. I see clients/patients on a daily basis who need and want to improve their eating for all sorts of reasons - health and sports being two of those. Because nutrition plays a major role in promoting sports performance, recovery, injury prevention and general health and well-being, what you eat and drink before, during and after exercising/racing is vital if you want to get the most out of your hard training/competing. What I'm happy to do is answer some questions on a weekly topic that you may have concerning optimum eating and nutrition. As my time is obviously limited, there is a limit to my input, but I shall try my best to answer questions that you may have. Please base your questions on the weekly topic ONLY so that we can manage the whole thing effectively. I do not profess to know it all, but what I can offer is an educated opinion based on someone that is in the nutrition field on a daily basis. As I am a registered Dietitian, with a competitive background, I understand the mind set of an athlete and what it takes to train hard and do well in one's sport. I also have access to substantial resources, and can ensure that any input I give is for the most part, evidence-based and as current as possible. What I shall do on a weekly basis is write about and upload graphics on something that is pertinent to mountain biking/cycling in general. There are many topics that can be addressed as you can well imagine, but my first topic that I shall look at is... body weight.

I'm currently riding with a pretty haggard set of MTB shoes. Most of the sole is gone, etc. A few months back I bought a cheapie set of MTB shoes at Mr Priced, their "Maxed" brand. The cheapies weight about 100g less per shoe than my buggered "brand" name shoes. I bought the cheapies purely because they were on special for R300, and you can't really go wrong to pick up a set of skoens for that amount. So, the technical mystery. Do cycling shoes carry the same theory as wheels, in terms of rotational weight? Or with these shoes being lighter am I just saving static weight? When one "heavy" shoe is pushing down on the cranks it is being counter weighted on the upstroke... Long question short, do light shoes carry any advantage over and above less static weight? Hmmm.

So from what I can gather the best value upgrade from the manufacturers supply on a bike would be the wheels. As an entry level (Giant tcr 3) bike what would the best value wheel set be in price, weight, rolling resistance etc. be ? and does it really make that much of a difference. Thanks in advance

Morning all, So I bought a bike from the the classifieds in Dec 2015, and the bike means more to me than my car. I read a thread recently about the weight issues on bikes and how to make it lighter, if possible. I am still new to all of this, and for me to go and change whatever, might cause more problems. Yesterday I decided to put the bike on a digital scale, and I almost fainted. I know that I am a rookie, or even less, but the bike weight should surely have something to do with your ride. The weight on the scale was showing as 17.5kg Below is what I bought the bike with. Please suggest what I can possibly change to, in order for me to shed some kg's. Thanks

Hi to all. Yesterday I bought a Cannondale F29 alloy 2. I was super excited to go home and weigh the bike but was quite disappointed when the scale tipped over at 11 ish KG. So now I come to you weight weenies to help me shred a few grams. The bike is currently has : Front wheel: Stan's ZTR Crest on a lefty hub with Rubena tires. Suspension: Cannondale lefty Handlebar : Cannondale handle bar Stem: Cannondale stem Frame: F29 alloy 2 (2013) Pedals : Shimano XT Seat post : Cannondale stock post Seat : Cannondale seat Crankset :Shimano XT Brakes: Shimano XT Shifters :Shimano XT Chain: Shimano XT Cassette: Shimano XT Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT Rear Hub :Shimano Deore Rear Rim :WTB frequency race i19 with a Rubena tyre. I think that is about all the stuff that make the numbers on the scale rise. I am going to convert the bike to a 1x10 setup and plan to change the rear wheel to a ZTR Crest. is the rim change worth it, and where else can I save a few grams without having to rob a bank. I would like to keep every thing on the bike aluminium so carbon seatpost and stem is out. Any suggestions welcome.

So we have a black bikes thread, a white bike thread and a whole bunch of others... But no thread about weights. I am not sure what the rules should be, but lets do this: 1. Bike weight stated ready to race. You can leave the extras such as saddle bags, but if it screws on or squirts in, it must be added. 2. Pic of YOUR bike, not some bike. 3. It can be any bike, SS, Fixie, Road or MTB. Show us them race steeds!

Im looking for some sound advice please. Im wanting to get a MTB bike. Im 6ft1. 120kgs. Probably never going too do more than 20km to 40km. Definitly a weekend warrior. Normal 10km, 20km race riding. Nothing fancy. Ive been looking at hardtails for budgets reasons (budget around 10grand). Lots of nice specials and deals on 26" bikes. Not so much 29" (understandable). Ive been fitted on a large Titan frame so i spose im around a large x-large size. Would preferably like a 29er but dont know if i could ride a decent make 26er. For example one can get a 26 inch GT Full carbon xl frame bike with sweet components for 9500. Thats a good deal but then its 26". Dont know if it will hold me up? Currently ride a cheap large 26" Dimamondback which has served me very well. It looks like a kids bike under me and obviously takes a bit of work to keep going over a 29er which i would assume would be easier to ride. Just the deals on 26er are really really good. Can get a lot for your money. Im not looking for wheel comparisons but i am looking for decent advice on suitable bikes maybe from guys out there who own shops or were in the same boat as me at one time. Let the good ideas flow!!

Hi Hubbers! I have gotten into cycling, specifically mountain biking, over the past year. At the moment I have two bikes, a 26er hard-tail and a 29er dual-suspension. I have also spent a lot of time on a hard-tail 29er which is a friend of mines. As per the title I weigh +-100kg's, 6ft2, with not much body fat. I live in Cape Town and do most of my riding on Table Mountain with the dual-sus 29er. When I am in other provinces I use the 26er and hard-tail 29er respectively. What I notice is that my worst rides from a struggling with getting up hills point of view and just getting around in general are on the dual-sus 29er. I don't know if it is just because it is much heavier than the hard-tails or if it is just not setup correctly (although I was fitted on the bike), but I really don't enjoy my riding when I ride with the dual-sus 29er. To give you an example, while in Durban I had the pleasure of riding at Holla Trails, the yellow route (48km's) on a hard-tail 29er and it was an absolute pleasure. Back home in the Cape I often cycle to the blockhouse on Table Mountain +-20km, and I also took part in the Xterra in Grabouw which was a difficult 28km's but it felt like murder on the dual-sus 29er, and the blockhouse ride sucks until I start the descent. At the moment the thoughts going through my head are sell the dual-suspension and move to a hard-tail. Carrying 100kg's around is already difficult as it is, am I being foolish trying to do it on a heavier dual-suspension bike? The type of riding I do is recreational, table mountain, the odd off-road triathlon and I am hoping to do some stage races next year like sani2c. Having said that could it be that I need more experience on the dual-suspension, my legs need to get stronger, the setup needs to be looked at? All of which I am going to do regardless before making a decision. I find that it feels like I am riding quite low even with the suspension locked out and my pedals often make contact with objects, which when on a hard-tail, would normally not happen unless the pedals are vertical when going over an obstacle. I climb hills like a demon on a hard-tail and like a rookie on the dual-sus. I would just like some insight from experienced riders like yourself, perhaps this is a normal learning curve. The 29er is a Scott Spark 940. Thanks! milo

Hi, this has probably been posted 100's of times but have not been able to find the answer I am looking for. I have a 2013 Specialized Epic Comp, which is a great bike. My problem is that I have gone through 2 front rims in less than a year. I currently weigh 120kg and am 1.93cm tall. I don't know which way to turn, been on google, chain reaction cycles, mavic to mention a few sites. What do the guru's on thehub have to say? Thanks in advance