Viewing 20 posts - 81 through 100 (of 100 total)
  • How important is weight, really?
  • franin5
    Free Member

    Frankly it’s all a load of guff I think or that could be the wine talking. But if your a fit lad/ girl your going to hold your own.

    winterfold
    Free Member

    “MTB is the new golf”

    🙂

    So is a golf a sport for fat biffers going on about how light their clubs are?

    Do Superstar make acid green anodised clubs?

    Do On One make minging carbon clubs for tightwads who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?

    Where is my nearest course? How do I join?

    amedias
    Free Member

    I actually agree with GW for once, you can definitely feel 1lbs, let alone 5!

    My point wasn’t about noticing weight, it was about the fact most of the people were are comparing *different* bikes at different weights, not the *same* bike at different weights, and that I’m willing to bet in those cases most of the ‘feeling faster/more manoeuvrable’ was down to geometry/tyres etc. rather than one bike being simply a few pounds lighter.

    I am not suggesting that lopping 3 lbs off of a bike will not be noticeable or make not make it feel better.

    I’m just saying that comparing bike A at weight X and bike B at weight Y and saying one feels faster/more manoeuvrable cos its lighter is only looking at one factor, an not necessarily the most important one.

    go put some nice low rolling resistance racy tyres on your 34lb bike and some super tacky minions on your 27lb bike and tell me which feels faster now down a dry trail.

    weight is not everything, it has a part to play but not as much as some people seem to think unless you are talking BIG differences.

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    wwaswas
    Full Member

    I swapped all my kit bar the gears from a steel 456 to a carbon one.

    the carbon felt better under all conditions. Given that everything else had remained the same I can only assume that the weight reduction and/or frame material change were the cause.

    flow
    Free Member

    Something definitely up mboy!

    Saying it makes no difference is a bit like saying elite (or any) xc racers ride light bikes for the fun of it, and could easily go as fast on a 35lbs bike. Its not going to happen.

    power to weight ratio people. If you want to go faster, reduce weight, increase power, or both!

    amedias
    Free Member

    see that’s a pretty sensible comparison.

    same geometry, same kit.

    there you only changed 2 things as you say, weight and frame material.
    I doubt simply “by the power of carbon!” it got faster or better so obviously it was weight.

    but comparisons like “my 26lbs XC race bike is loads better than my 30lbs long travel hardtail, it must be down to the weigh” are a bit silly.

    amedias
    Free Member

    If you want to go faster, reduce weight

    I agree, but I do not agree with

    “If you want it to ride better, reduce weight”

    faster yes, maybe in 95% of circumstances, but faster does not necessarily mean feels better to ride.

    We’re back to the same old thing of comparing racers and non-racers, they have different goals. I would never try and drop 200g off my rims to save 30 seconds on my weekend ride at the expense of being able to take that rock garden I like at full pelt…

    njee20
    Free Member

    Nor would many racers! I would never choose kit that made me adapt my riding style, that’s daft.

    amedias
    Free Member

    indeed, and unless you have eleventyone million pounds to spare it is very difficult* to lose weight off components while keeping the same strength/stiffness/longevity.

    *not impossible,

    Obviously there are some areas for some riders which are easier to lose weight from, but depends on you, your bike, your trails and your riding style as to where those places are.

    The bike I ride the most is currently sitting at about 33lbs. I know there is about 2lbs that could be saved by swapping a few bits about without affecting my ride, but the cost to do it would be in excess of £300, and personally that’s not worth it to me.

    I’m actually about to add a little weight because I’m finding the rear rim (819) a bit too narrow. wont make me faster but it will make the bike ride better.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Ah good morning, I see we have a nice summary:

    a) For Sunday league riders its less important as we’re not racing against a clock, and its all about hauling the bike and ourselves around with small social competitiveness in the mix.

    Some people rather like to have “nice things” or prefer the ride of a “light” bike but the jury’s out as to whether its the weight or the Geo/frame/build which is the comfort factor.

    For Sunday league then, it remains a personal preference, or a judgement as to whats best for the rider / thier bike.

    I.e. its actually not that important, we just like to think it is / blame an excess during falure

    amedias
    Free Member

    I concur

    🙂

    toons
    Free Member

    When I rode a 26.5lb Carbon Nomad up a hill I wasn’t any faster!

    That’s when I decided reducing weight wasn’t my biggest priority.

    vancoughcough
    Free Member

    Don’t know what my Pitch Pro weighs. Only thing original on it is the seatpost and seatpost clamp. I suspect lighter than when I bought it despite heavier rims, because everything has been replaced with higher end gear. There were some very easy places to lose a lot of weight cheaply e.g. Deore casette, Deore hub, coil fork (went on to mmmbop)..

    My recent build 18in Ragley mmmbop worked out at 29lbs with coil Pike fork (from the Pitch) and pro2/DTEX500 etc. Could probably get that down to 27 with lighter fork, tyres, and seat. But I wont, I like a comfy seat and WTB tyres. 29lb is fine.

    I weigh 15 stone so I build for my size. I know I’ll not get on with less than a 450g rim on the rear of the full suss, or less than 480g on the rear of the hardtail.

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    Face it folks; we ride what we do because we chose it, could afford it, or because it does the specific job we need it to do. What ever you ride, especially if it’s a factory spec job, its weight can be reduced and for the most part it will ride more “easily” at every weight reduction.
    My Trance is at about 28lb now compared to the 32 lb when it was bought.
    Wheels and tyres have made the biggest difference to feel. Stem / bar/ cassette changes have reduced weight too but I really dont notice any appreciable difference apart from the wheel upgrade.
    I’m still slower than lots of my mates ,but, having ridden at least twice a week since last November, it’s fitness which has made the greatest of improvement.

    barbus
    Free Member

    Firstly I am a self confessed weight weenie, Its very unusual I come in contact with someone with lighter bikes than mine. Sounds like ‘willy waving’ but I do spend a lot of money, I like nice things and can afford them (at the moment). I mostly ride normal trails so I don’t need a long travel bike. A lightweight bike suits me (I weigh less than 12 Stone wet) and suits the terrain I ride.
    So the question is, is it necessary? In my view, for me Yes. I ride faster on light bikes and as I’m a bit competitive by virtue I enjoy it more. Its always a good feeling beating your pal up a hill even though you havent been on a bike for 2 weeks and they train every day.
    Its all about FEEL GOOD factor, if you feel good on a light bike then you need one…you will be faster, that will make you feel good and on and on it goes.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Fair point Barbus – on a Wednesday trip to Cwncarn I felt sh*t on the first climb and was slow, not sure why maybe I’m fighting the cold that the rest of the family has.

    After Ham Egg and Chips in the cafe we did the ride again later on and I felt OK, climbed it faster and “better” despite having ridden once already.

    Same bike, clothes, skin etc….

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    mmmmm Ham, egg and chips ! I’m sat in the office nursing a slight hangover and feeling very hungry indeed, that’s helped me decide on lunch at least !

    By the way, when I referred to my “fitness” in my previous post, of course it’s not meant to imply that I’am perticularly fit, just fitter than a year ago ! All hail the bike for that and “finding” my mtb mojo again.

    barbus
    Free Member

    Kryton,
    That’s the ‘FEEL GOOD FACTOR’.
    For you, on that day a break and a good meal made you feel good. You then rode better, you noticed (and possibly pals too) that you was riding faster and that made you feel even better.
    We all ride better (faster) when we feel good.
    A light bike makes (some) people feel good.

    specialknees
    Free Member

    I like what Barbus said.
    Feeling good makes you ride better thats a fact.
    I suppose its what makes you feel better. For some its a light bike, for others it could be 6 inches of super plush travel or a new tyre.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    I like what I said; Ham, Egg & Chips made me feel better.

    On that note, I’m off to experiement with the new genuine amercian hotdog stand that just opened down the road as my Friday treat. I think a 99% beef ‘dog AND a Pork & apple Dazzler should be sampled….

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