Is 19.2 pounds too heavy to race.

Hi all -

As some may know from my previous posts, I have been/am struggling with the decision to (1) get a new bike, (2) upgrade and lighten parts on my current bike, or (3) just keep my current bike. My purpose is mainly racing...lots of flat crits and road races here in Florida, with occasional races with a few inclines/roller type hills. Cat 4 / Masters 35+ racer. My bike fits right and components are in fine working order (though could use an overhaul).

Finally weighed my race set up the other day, and the bike I am racing on (2005 LeMond Zurich with Ultegra 6600) came out of 19.2 pounds!! This is with Bontrager Race Lite wheels and Race X Lite tires. A little heavier than I thought. Definitely heavier than the 15-16 pounds machines many are racing on. I could probably shave another 300-400 grams with another set of wheels, getting it down to 18.5 pounds or so.

So, is this too much of a handicap in our races where hills aren't as important, but speed, power, and that elusive "snap" for the final sprint at 32+ MPH is? Should I plunk down the $3000 for a new bike to save 2+ pounds? Or, any more ways to shave a few grams off inexpensively?

Thanks to all

Off you is the best way to take weigt off your riding 'package'. Look, a bike that weighs 3 pounds less than you have now and you weigh, lets say, 170 pounds, that's' a teeny percentage and being 3 pounds lighter isn't going to make that much faster. Fitness, bike fit, fat on you, training and racing smart are the keys to cycling performance. The bike is there to get you there, that's about all. IF you drop $3000 on a 16 pound bike, don't be surprised your results are the same.

You already said it, "speed, power, 'snap' for the final sprint'"..that's about you, not the bike. If I haven't said it before, spend your $ on making sure the bicycle wrks, spend it on a coach or a power measuring system(with coach), or a massage therapist or a nutritionalist or a psychologist(not kidding entirely)..but I think the bike is fine. Bugno won many races on a 23 pound bicycle, you can win on a 19 pound one.

Thanks for the feedback...yeah, I need to lose about 5-6 more pounds. This offseason am working with a personal trainer in our club to strengthen my core. Funny you mention Bugno...my favorite racer from that era.

As far as upgrades I would spend, time training and any money on making sure the bike is set up to meet your fit spec.
A well fitted bike can make a big difference whereas a pound or so off a bike makes only a fraction of a difference even in mountains.

__________________
Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

There probably aren't as many 15lb bikes at the races as you may think. I brought my digital scale once to a club ride and found that a lot of the "lightweight" bikes our club guys rode were 19,20, 21 and even one of 22 lbs (the guy's jaw dropped since he thought he had a weight weenie special). Even the ones (like mine) that are built to be light were barely under 17lbs. All were weighed without bottles and saddlebags but with computers/hrm's. This isn't a bunch of old guys on retro steelies either (sorry Peter).

And for anything other than very hilly races, I doubt the weight penalty is costing you any time whatsoever.

No, those 2 pounds are not holding you back. Spend the money if you want a new bike, but don't expect any race day miracles for a 2 pound savings.

What is that 2 pounds as a percentage of your total: bike + kit + water bottles + rider weight? Maybe something like 2 pounds out of say 180 or roughly 1 percent? Even on a pure hillclimb you'd only expect a very small benefit from that weight savings which could be important if you're missing the podium on hillclimbs by less than that 1% margin but for flatter races where tactics and fitness rule the difference is in the noise.

You want to save a lot more than 1% in a flatter race, ride more tactically, pay very close attention to the wind direction and your drafting, stay off your brakes and carry more speed through the corners, look up the road and anticipate attacks and surges so you don't have to make huge out of the saddle efforts to cover gaps, the list goes on... Any one of those things will do more for your racing on flat and rolling courses than a couple of pounds of bike weight.

Keep training to improve fitness, keep racing to improve your tactics and don't imagine that those 2 pounds are holding you back.

It's not about the bike...

Good luck,
-Dave

Teeto, I can't give you better advice than you've already gotten on this thread....

so....just go for it!

i think that weight is ok

Geez. Clearly, you are waiting for someone to tell you that it is "okay" for you to either buy a new bike OR frame OR components so you can tell your signficant-other that you were told that you need a different bike/whatever so you can be competitive.

Okay, what size frame do you ride?

I'll sell you my CF frame/fork/seatpost for the $3000 that you want to spend (yes, it cost much more than that when it was new) -- it will make you super fast!

OR, you can go onto eBay and buy a new (made in China) CF frame for under $500.

Sorry for the dual post/dual thread guys...not sure how that happened.

Based on others' comments in this and the other thread, I have decided to keep my current bike and work on the engine with a coach instead...sorry dude, won't be buying your bike.

Mods please delete this thread if possible.

Both my bicycles(a steel Waterford and steel Merckx MXLeader) weigh right at 20 pounds...a SDW(Standard Bike Weight). If I lose a SDW(which I should), my bike would weigh..NOTHING!

I have a 1990 Schwinn Paramount, handmade in Waterford with Columbus SLX, lugged steel frame, just hanging in the garage...I should really upgrade the components on that and ride it during the winter for base training. Perhaps if it comes out about 22 pounds, then when I get back on the Lemond in the spring I'll get the psychological benefit of racing a "lighter" bike. LOL

Thanks for the input guys...I'm just going to keep the Lemond.

You could do like one of my cycling friends (elite level mt bike competitor) who rides a rusted out Lemond that currently weighs (he says) about 22 pounds.

If he waits long enough for the frame to continue to rust through it will be a few grams less

Seriously though he is by far the strongest cyclist that rides in our group. He rides that 22 pound bike with much better ability that I can on my sub 15 pound bike.
(I think the tires he has on that bike are the original tires )

__________________
My Blog

Shee-it, if I lived where the roads were as flat as they are in Florida, I'd race on my 25lb Bridgestone! Seriously.

__________________
Originally Posted by Don Quijote
You have an attitude that rubs me very bad, I do not like you, and I also wish you to banish from my thread.

a funny fact: those 19 pounds are the weight of the painting alone (different layers) on a BMW car !