Calling all weight weenies, read and cry.....all that money for minute gains....suckers!!

[DieVlieg]

The time issue for gain or loss over long distance has more effect in a time trial or long sprint or uphill. Usually in a race not everyone is going flat out all the time and the "two guys" with different weights will more or less ride alongside one another for a long distance of the race. You might then argue if both are doing the same pace that the one guy might be more fatigued than the other. Road races especially are more concentrated around tactics and teamwork than pushing the limits of man and machine.

 

The next question is if the top finisher in an MTB race finishes in 3.5 hours and you in 5 or 6 hours is spending 20 to 50K more on a bike worth saving 5 minutes or so. Also there is a difference between 1 kg and 100g.

 

Your first option for weight saving is your body. Do that first and sort your bike out after that.

[andydude]

Interesting.

 

Wasn't there a recent test by Specialized that shows shaving your legs saves a minute in a 40km TT?

 

All things being equal, I like riding my bike!

[rouxtjie]

excuse my ignorance, is 200w, 200w? would the lighter bike not cause less fatigue? in other words, is it harder to do 200w on a heavier bike?

Nope 200w is 200w....its the measure of power your legs produce...gots fakol to do with the bike....weight will influence the speed that the 200w can drive forward though.

 

Its like saying is 1 ton of lead heavier than 1 ton of feathers....

Edited August 8, 2014 by rouxtjie

[Scott2luvit]

Nope 200w is 200w....its the measure of power your legs produce...gots fakol to do with the bike....weight will influence the speed that the 200w can drive forward though.

 

Its like saying is 1 ton of lead heavier than 1 ton of feathers....

aaah thanks

[shawnvan]

Wasn't there a recent test by Specialized that shows shaving your legs saves a minute in a 40km TT?

 

Yes, but this relates to aerodynamics, not weight. In time trialling / triathlon, aero is a much bigger factor than weight in terms of watts/time saved.

 

e.g over an Ironman bike course (180km) losing 500g would gain me approximately 20s, shaving my legs (according to specialized) would save 4.5 minutes!

[BarHugger]

 

[ChUkKy]

All this sounds very clever, Im not going for a podium - Im going for a beer afterwards with my buddies

Ill have a castle light draught, thats my weight weenie beer

[blondeonabike]

Losing weight off my body has made more of a difference than if I were to lose the same weight off the bike. 10 kg heavier and it was alot of hard work to platform, lean back, platform some more, lean to the side, jump etc etc. "Working" the bike was hard work. The more I've lost the more agile I've become. And THAT has made the difference for me.

[BarHugger]

All this sounds very clever, Im not going for a podium - Im going for a beer afterwards with my buddies

Ill have a castle light draught, thats my weight weenie beer

 

My question........what if you make the frame airtight and fill it and the tires with helium.......will you laugh all the way to the finish line?

 

http://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=112289

Edited August 8, 2014 by BarHugger

[RossW]

Losing weight off my body has made more of a difference than if I were to lose the same weight off the bike. 10 kg heavier and it was alot of hard work to platform, lean back, platform some more, lean to the side, jump etc etc. "Working" the bike was hard work. The more I've lost the more agile I've become. And THAT has made the difference for me.

 

Certainly a place to start. I simply don't have any "reserves" to lose.

[rouxtjie]

Certainly a place to start. I simply don't have any "reserves" to lose.

yea, you can shave your head for another 10g but that is about it for you

[Guest Karma]

.

[dirtrider]

Well if you haven't done it yet circumcision could also take a few kilo's away.

[ChUkKy]

Well if you haven't done it yet circumcision could also take a few kilo's away.

 

That was a tough time in my life, they gave me 40% off

[rouxtjie]

Well if you haven't done it yet circumcision could also take a few kilo's away.

 

if only....myne is klein maar stink soos n grote

[Pure Savage]

I think that even if you gain 7 seconds on the climb this can be make or break in many races.

 

Like at the all important Argus, if you lose 10 seconds and fall off the back of the bunch a the top of smits, you are going to either suffer in a very dark place to get back on and be cooked for later or never see that group again.

 

In the Argus a riding partner rode with me to Smits, he just fell off the back and lost close to 9 minutes, this was the difference between 2:52 and 3:01. So you may only lose 10 seconds on a climb but may lose more because you lost the group.