Why are some people concerned about the weight of their bike even though they are overweight?

[alienator]

I notice a difference in rolling resistance with a change of pressure in the same tires. Unless one is using scientific measurements of resistance, a human is a poor instrument to determine specific degrees of drag. Just saying.

Yes, humans are, in general, crappy sensors with lousy accuracy and **** precision that is even worse. Fortunately, there are several large databases for rolling resistance coefficients for many bike tires. While Crr can change from surface to surface, it's generally true that overall ordering of tire Crr remains about the same. It's even possible to pull out Crr and an overall aero drag coefficient by doing coast-downs from a known speed over a given distance just using a bike computer. Doing multiple coast downs will reduce uncertainty, and pulling out the coefficients is as simple as doing a curve fit (to ax^2 +bx +c) and proper averaging to get the coefficients.

 

[ambal]

Don't underestimate how important having credibility at a cafe is. It's gain not by smashing your mates up the climbs or by going down the gutter in a cross wind, but rather by the type of bike you lean against the cafe window.

 

[MickinMD]

I began cycling at 307 lbs (262 now) to lose weight. I got a Mountain Bike (32 lb) and began using some of the many county paved bike trails.

You'd be amazed at how many people ride up alongside me and point out how much lighter road bikes are!

On the other hand, I have a harder time in Winter (I rarely ride under 50F). I wear my cycling shorts under ordinary sweat pants, a flannel shirt, an ordinary winter jacket, cycling gloves and a balaclava plus regular glasses under my helmet. It's much harder for me to ride hilly courses, like the 10.6 mile BWI Airport Bike Trail (Loop) which takes me 67 minutes in the Summer and 82 minutes in the Winter. The fairly steady uphill section from the 1.2 mile point to the 4.6 mile point is a challenge but fun in the Spring/Summer/Fall but a bear for me in the Winter - hopefully I'll be lighter and stronger this coming one!

 

[vspa]

45 pounds off is quite good, going uphill has a lot to do with straight-forward gravity, i dont know your height but i guess that you need to come down closer to the 240-220 range area to see real improvements in climbing performance, the paradox is that you need flat terrain to increase distances and then drop more weight as a result,

 

[alienator]

Don't underestimate how important having credibility at a cafe is. It's gain not by smashing your mates up the climbs or by going down the gutter in a cross wind, but rather by the type of bike you lean against the cafe window.

What if you just go to the cafe to eat after a long ride and put the bikes in the back of a car? Or what if you stop by yourself after a ride just to get some caffeine and a few carbs? More importantly, what if you mostly ride by yourself or with only 1 or 2 other folks? Those situations pretty much shoot the whole poseur scenario to ****. Frankly I'm wondering where all these cafes flooded with cyclists looking to show off their bikes are. I didn't see them in Tucson or the Tucson 'burbs, and on any given Saturday or Sunday I could see 100-200 other riders over the course of a few hours riding on the road. Frankly, I think cafe posing is a myth made up by bike snobs to justify either their own jealousy, looking through their noses down at other cyclists, or both. Either way, it certainly justifies the feeling of some that roadies are dicks.

 

[vspa]

What if you just go to the cafe to eat after a long ride and put the bikes in the back of a car? Or what if you stop by yourself after a ride just to get some caffeine and a few carbs? More importantly, what if you mostly ride by yourself or with only 1 or 2 other folks? Those situations pretty much shoot the whole poseur scenario to ****. Frankly I'm wondering where all these cafes flooded with cyclists looking to show off their bikes are. I didn't see them in Tucson or the Tucson 'burbs, and on any given Saturday or Sunday I could see 100-200 other riders over the course of a few hours riding on the road. Frankly, I think cafe posing is a myth made up by bike snobs to justify either their own jealousy, looking through their noses down at other cyclists, or both. Either way, it certainly justifies the feeling of some that roadies are dicks.

it is an increasing phenomenom in my area, but in gas stations by the road with cafe facilities, half of the people really like the idea of seeing and being seen by other people, before and and after actually cycling,

 

[alienator]

it is an increasing phenomenom in my area, but in gas stations by the road with cafe facilities, half of the people really like the idea of seeing and being seen by other people, before and and after actually cycling,

I don't see the point in judging cyclists that I don't know and imposing on them my imaginings of what they're doing. I care as much about why someone sits at a cafe about as much as what bike they ride, which is to say I don't give a ****. I like the riding part and get no pleasure or satisfaction out of pretending I know why someone else rides a given bike or why they're sitting at a cafe.

 

[vspa]

yes in my days you met people riding along side you and then you team with the ones closer to your ability, the sitting-cafe in the end of the ride was all about drinking lots of sodas, recover, have a laugh and then bye bye going back home,

 

[CAMPYBOB]

"Frankly I'm wondering where all these cafes flooded with cyclists looking to show off their bikes are."

Here.

http://www.erniesbikeshop.com/blueheron/index.html

And here.

http://uncommongroundscoffeeshop.com/

And here.

http://www.maizevalleywinery.com/

And here.

http://www.zvents.com/new_philadelphia_oh/venues/show/2766185-grounded-coffee-shop

And here.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Falcon-Restaurant/128241547279571

And here.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Baltimore-Homemade-Ice-Cream/140723179685

And here.

And that's just this month's hangouts with one local club.



"I didn't see them in Tucson"

We're all down at the Green Dolphin, having a beer and hoping you don't find us.

 

[americandream]

I'm a bit overweight. Looking to lose about 15-20 pounds would be perfect..

Anyway, the only reason I've ever cared about bike weight is for carrying it up and down stairs and things like that. I've had really heavy bikes in the past. It's nice to have a real light bike that isn't a pain to lift up or carry if necessary to do so. I can't speak for anyone else but that's the only reason I care. I know people have told me that heavier bikes are harder to pedal up hills and such so I guess that could be a good reason too. For me it is mostly about carrying a light bike.