How much do you spend on repairs because your bike does'nt weigh enough?
- Thread starter DesertRider
- Start date
he means how many people have wheels designed for weenies when they're really chubbies that ought to be on 36 spoke 3x and broke em etc
I spend money on maintenance because the bits on my bike aren't all high quality but they weigh a fair bit
the relationship between the two is not that simple, my old wheels were heavy and they broke, my new wheels are lots lighter and heaps stronger
its an issue of quality
the relationship between the two is not that simple, my old wheels were heavy and they broke, my new wheels are lots lighter and heaps stronger
its an issue of quality
I lightened my Specialized S-works bike from 18lbs to 15lbs without compomising performance. Yes it cost a bit of money but equating lightness with a lack of performance or durability is not true if one doesn't do crazy things. Here are a few examples of inexpensive "weight loss" that does nor compromise performance"
BTP cages 15g each versus 50g total savings 70g cost $50
Continental Supersonic tires 50g versus 100g savings 100g cost $20
Veloflex Pave tires 180g each versus 240g savings 120g cost $70
Megawire cables and housing 125g total versus 180g savings 55g cost $50
Selle Italia SLR sattle 135g versus 270g savings 135g cost $70
These are just the cheap parts totalling a little over 1lbs all of which have improved performance without compromising safety or longevity for a total cost of $260. Now some of these items may needed to be replaced anyway like tires and tubes...
I could give you details on the remaining 2 lbs which cost a bit more
BTP cages 15g each versus 50g total savings 70g cost $50
Continental Supersonic tires 50g versus 100g savings 100g cost $20
Veloflex Pave tires 180g each versus 240g savings 120g cost $70
Megawire cables and housing 125g total versus 180g savings 55g cost $50
Selle Italia SLR sattle 135g versus 270g savings 135g cost $70
These are just the cheap parts totalling a little over 1lbs all of which have improved performance without compromising safety or longevity for a total cost of $260. Now some of these items may needed to be replaced anyway like tires and tubes...
I could give you details on the remaining 2 lbs which cost a bit more
I use the Speedplay Zeros (163g) of course the cleats add another 110gs. As for shoes, I use Specialized Pro. I don't quite know their weight. I guess they are around 700g/pair. However, they are coming out with a nice carbon models any day now which is 580g/pair. I will get them as soon as they are out.
I know, I know.....just stirring things up! Seems like the riders that spend more of the morning at the coffee house than riding are the ones that are the most obsessed with the weight thing. I'm not a retro grouch!!!
I might say that there's a bit of arrogance here. I have logged over 3000 miles in the past 12 weeks while having fun improving my bike. Have you been out every morning at 6:30 doing at least 30 miles in the hills? I have all while lightened my bike by 3 pounds enjoying every minute of it.
Well said. That's some tough riding and a lot of mileage! I've seen fast riders on heavy bikes, but also plenty of fast riders on light bikes. I don't spend the money to retrofit to lighter components, but I did consider weight as part of the buying decision when picking my build kit for a new frame.
Of course, we all know the major improvement comes from a lighter, stronger motor, since we generally outweigh our bikes by a factor of 8-10. But, nothing wrong with saving the last couple % on hills either. You're obviously devoted....and I bet it's still cheaper than golf.
Dan
Of course, we all know the major improvement comes from a lighter, stronger motor, since we generally outweigh our bikes by a factor of 8-10. But, nothing wrong with saving the last couple % on hills either. You're obviously devoted....and I bet it's still cheaper than golf.
Dan
No offense intended to anyone on this site. Just an observation of the situation locally. I do live on the fringes of Latte'-Land in So Cal, maybe thats the problem, huh?
I thought it was the rotation weight that counted, my bike
is heavier now then when i bought it, added pedals, 2
full water bottles and a under seat bag, and a rear
tire thats 64gr heavier, do you know how huch that
rear tire will slow me down? is it worth changing to a
lighter tire for a race?
Its true that on the total weight scale 2 lbs don't matter much. Even if you are a trim 150lbs rider, the 2 lbs are just a bit more than 1% of the total weight. If you took this argument further you might say a 20lbs bike is only 5lbs heavier than the leagal limit and would only add 2.6% to the total weight of rider and bike and grandmas 25lbs monster would only add 5. Then again, 6% to the total. I do believe to notice the difference as I am sure you would comparing a 20 or 25lbs bike to a 15lbs bike.
More specifically to your question, I would certainly recommend shaving some weight of your wheels by using lighter tires, tubes and rimtape for as long as you do not sacrifice safety and durability. What worked for me was to use the Veloflex Pave tires (185g each; CritUsa has them for about $34) combined with the Conti's Supercontinenatal tubes (50g each/ $10) and Conti rimtape (10g/wheel; $3). I took this one step further by using a lighter tire on the front wheel which is also a Veloflex Record (130g). It does not have the durability of the Pave but on the front wheel you get much greater milage anyway. With this combination I saved 100g on tubes, 20g on rim tape, 150g on tires that is over a half a pound of rotating weight and the whole deal cost me less than $100! Of course my Topolinos are another 200g lighter than the Mavic wheels so thats over 1 pound of rotational weight. If you need tires anyway, it's a no-brainer. As to flats, you might ask, I have not had any more than I had before. In fact I have had none recently. I might add that the Veloflex tires feel great and that alone is worth getting them!
More specifically to your question, I would certainly recommend shaving some weight of your wheels by using lighter tires, tubes and rimtape for as long as you do not sacrifice safety and durability. What worked for me was to use the Veloflex Pave tires (185g each; CritUsa has them for about $34) combined with the Conti's Supercontinenatal tubes (50g each/ $10) and Conti rimtape (10g/wheel; $3). I took this one step further by using a lighter tire on the front wheel which is also a Veloflex Record (130g). It does not have the durability of the Pave but on the front wheel you get much greater milage anyway. With this combination I saved 100g on tubes, 20g on rim tape, 150g on tires that is over a half a pound of rotating weight and the whole deal cost me less than $100! Of course my Topolinos are another 200g lighter than the Mavic wheels so thats over 1 pound of rotational weight. If you need tires anyway, it's a no-brainer. As to flats, you might ask, I have not had any more than I had before. In fact I have had none recently. I might add that the Veloflex tires feel great and that alone is worth getting them!
Well, 1% isn't a lot of weight savings, but it all counts. On a 20 minute climb, that's 12 seconds. Maybe not a big deal, but maybe all the advantage you need to stay with a riding buddy who had been pulling on you at the top.
Tires, tubes and rimtape are a relatively cheap way to save rotating weight. Guess I'm too much into durability to run ultralight tires and tubes (or, I'm a cheapskate) , but I'm glad you're having good luck with them. I'm regluing my old shoes and going after that free 240 gm savings!
Dan
Tires, tubes and rimtape are a relatively cheap way to save rotating weight. Guess I'm too much into durability to run ultralight tires and tubes (or, I'm a cheapskate) , but I'm glad you're having good luck with them. I'm regluing my old shoes and going after that free 240 gm savings!
Dan
There's been a lot written about the Veloflex Pave tires. The last review actually in this months issue of Bicycling magazine. All extremely positive. As to the tubes, I personally think they do nothing at all to puncture protection. Think about it. A piece of rubber inflated to 120psi will puncture if it is confronted with a penetrating object regardless of the wall thickness of the rubber. The only protection comes from the tire itself! Hence, you can put the lightest tube under any tire and save weight. The Veloflex Pave has a tripple Kevlar puncture protection. I have ridden over glass and gravel and have not punctured.
Good question. The only problems that come to mind is broken spokes but that is when I ask my bike to do things it isn't built to do.
I prefer heavier flat resistant tires. Sure, shaving a few grams would help but I could stand to loose a few pounds too, and I figure Lance could kick my but on a unicycle anyways. I don't have anything to prove except to myself.
Tim
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