How Heavy is too Heavy?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
fluffybunnyuk
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by fluffybunnyuk »

I have a Dawes too... I can keep up on the flat no problem(weight isnt an issue here). I learnt the hard way that trying to chase a carbon roadie up a hill only leads to needing an intravenous supply of caffeine, and sugar. Now i go at my own pace. I even learnt that i have lower gears than a road bike, and was crawling up a hill near bromley in jeans n jumper while the lycra wallies were pushing their double chainring bikes up :mrgreen:
Then on the way down the weight of my bike meant i didnt have to pedal much, and left them in my wake.
My bike repair kit is 1 inner tube.1 pump.2 tire levers.1 p.r. kit.My lock is sold secure gold weighs under 2kg ,and i know it works cos i watched a thief try to jemmy it.My bike (just the bike) weight is close to 20kg ...steel front/rear racks.dynamo hub...heavy tires...and i've overtaken a team out training in a peloton on it.

Dont buy into the weight-weenie nonsense. Get fitter using your heavy bike. If your seriously masochistic do hill-climb repeats on it...That'll help with going up hills although i still wouldnt advise chasing said carbon roadie up one.
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Si
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Si »

If they moan about the weight of your bike and the fact that you may not go so fast up hills, just tell them that you are hyper-gravity training. This is a real thing dreamed up by a certain well known magazine which suggested that readers should spend £1000s on the lightest bike possible and then load it up with as much weight as possible. You are just cutting out the middle man of wasting £1000s on a carbon bling bike!
Tonyf33
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Tonyf33 »

Vantage wrote:I wouldn't stake my right leg on it, but the scales seem fairly accurate. I just tested this as best I can. A quoted 25.5g Fudge bar came in at 26g and a quoted 57g Cadburys Nutrigrain bar came in at 59g.
Reason for the heavy lock as above^^^
But here's the kit list as weighed earlier today...

11lb right there and oddly enough I see valid reasons for everything in that list. Maybe I'm just a drama queen :shock:

I'm impressed with your 'weighweenieesque' weighing :wink:
Yup, that's certainly a lot of kit for a day ride 8) , well compared to myself, kudos to you for lugging it all, I wouldn't want to. That said you could easily lose the 22g tissues though & just use the wiping hands cloth..lmao :lol:
Dunno about drama queen some people are just more cautious than others or have a need to carry more stuff.
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Vantage
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Vantage »

Funnily enough fluffybunny, as I was merely coasting on the downhills, the others were in fact pedalling. I was having to brake to avoid overtaking them :mrgreen:

Si, you're more right than you know. From the after ride report...

We maintained a decent pace for the first few miles but soon Bill's cunning training strategy of riding the world's heaviest bike began to take it's toll.


:lol:
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
If you in to training then 50 Ibs is good.
But your a bit weedy, and the fast boys probably have lighter bikes :)
Do your self a favour and train with the sack of coal but trim down for your club rides.
My trainer tips the scales at 50 Ibs but I am 25 Ibs heavier so a bike nearer 40 Ibs would be equivilant.
I cycle alone so no one to keep up or is that to keep up with :P
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
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mercalia
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by mercalia »

well given your health issues your cycling buddies need to realise you are no super man and they should not expect you to do stuff that some one with healthy legs can do? If they cant then change the cycling buddies. Seems like the weight of the bike not the main issue but their expectations too much?
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ArMoRothair
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by ArMoRothair »

fluffybunnyuk wrote:
Dont buy into the weight-weenie nonsense. Get fitter using your heavy bike. If your seriously masochistic do hill-climb repeats on it...That'll help with going up hills although i still wouldnt advise chasing said carbon roadie up one.



Yeah. I used to believe that.

Most of my cycling has been on my trusty Sunn mountain bike, which over the years I've gradually modified more and more to be a solid commuter with slick tyres, mudguards, rear carrier etc.

Last year I started doing some training rides with a bunch of mates. One 50 mile spin stays in my memory. I was pushing as hard as I could just to stay in touch, they were having to wait for me and I could see I was a dead weight in the group.

I used to subscribe to the theory that while my bike was heavy at least I was getting more exercise for less time in the saddle but that ride showed me if I ever wanted to ride in a group again the bike had to change.

I bought a (steel) '80s race frame, stuck Mavic wheels and 105 components on it, 700 x 23 tyres. It's no weight weenie weighing in at 10 kg and it's no carbon rocket but to me it is a revelation.

The proof of the pudding was doing the same route with the same bunch of mates. This time without any effort on my part I was easily the quickest in the group.

I was the same, my mates and their bikes were the same, the route was the same, all that had changed was my bike and it was like night and day.
drossall
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by drossall »

There's a law that says that all bikes weigh the same when equipped. Either you have a heavy bike that only needs a cheap, light lock, or you have a light bike that needs a lock weighing more than your bike does...
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Audax67
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Audax67 »

I wouldn't worry about heavy until you reach this level:

Image
Image

From Joe Kochanowski's Road Warrior Recumbents page.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
mercalia
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by mercalia »

Audax67 wrote:I wouldn't worry about heavy until you reach this level:

Image
Image

From Joe Kochanowski's Road Warrior Recumbents page.


what a piece of junk :?
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Vantage
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Vantage »

It's got a fairing on the front and a disc wheel. I bet it's uber fast.
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
mercalia
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by mercalia »

well he saves 5lbs on a bike lock? no one wants to steal that?
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Vantage
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Vantage »

We seriously need a "Like" button for comments like that^ hehehehe
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Vorpal
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Vorpal »

Well, if you are really pushing it, as on a training ride, wieght will make more difference than at an easy pace.

Maybe it's pace that needs adjusting. :mrgreen:

Being faster going downhill, and slower going up indactes that weight was a factor, but fitness can make up for that. I'm sure that Bradley Wiggens would still go faster up the hills even if he was riding that thing above, and I was on a super light weight carbon butterfly.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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Heltor Chasca
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Re: How Heavy is too Heavy?

Post by Heltor Chasca »

Audax67 wrote:I wouldn't worry about heavy until you reach this level:

Image
Image

From Joe Kochanowski's Road Warrior Recumbents page.


I want one! I love it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...hc
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