A lighter bike...

[chris414]

Hey guys.  Keeping your fitness levels constant, roughly how much do you think (or know?) taking 2kg off you bike weight will do to your time for a race like the argus? 

 

Chris

[Mudsimus]

4 mins.

[TitusTi]

Not much at all, entirely dependant on your start group unless you're gonna go bliksemming of the front and ride it like a hero?

[Mudsimus]

There's to many variables that can influence your time. Wind on the day, seeding....

[fatcyclist]

TitusTi whats wrong with that??  It's great fun in any race to get bored and decide you don't want the company of the likes of Marius for the rest of the race ...I did it several times this season...and even got away with it once

[TitusTi]

Have no issues with it just saying a lighter bike isn't gonna do a damn thing for your Argus time! Training might help though.

[fatcyclist]

Oh yeah...thats the other slightly important part people fail to understand

[Mudsimus]

But then again...a new bike can do wonders for your training program..

[TitusTi]

Yeah NBS is always good (New Bike Syndrome).

[Gumpole]

I once worked this out and (for me) it was about 14 seconds saved (incorporating time lost on downhills) per 100m of ascent. So for the argus that is about 2:30 saved on hills alone.. hardly worth it??

 

There is also the saving on accelerating the bicycle which might be more depending on how smooth your pedal action is.

 

If you are trying to lose 2kg of bike parts to improve your argus rather get aero/lightweight wheels or train harder

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

Dont forget to leave the Bar-one, 2 gu's and the polar at home. You can save a x-tra 100gr on weight.

[Token]

Ok put it this way,  At the begining of the year i rode the Cape Cobra with a bike that weight under 7kg and came 4th in the elites,  a week later i rode the roller coaster with another bike that weight over 10kg and came 6th In the 'A' bunch.   Both races have lots of climbing.  So how much difference does bike weight make and how much is in the mind? 

[Spinnekop]

Ha Token.  Nail on the head....

MIND Screwing.....THAT is what it all boils down to.......

 

But in the end, if Chris is like a machine, thumping out 700watts, training 40 hours a week and eating like Lance, dropping 2kg off the bike might improve his time.....?

[Spinnekop]

That all said, would I trade my 7kg baby in for a 9kg?  NO CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mudsimus]

Now spinnekop...will you trade a 7kg giant/raleigh for a 9kg C50?

[TitusTi]

Don't the Giant's and the C50's get made in the same factory anyway?