Big difference. I’ve just built a 26″ Five with Stans Arch EX and tubeless Rubber Queens on new Hope hubs, with an XT cassette and small rotors. A million miles from my other bike’s wheels, and it really shows. Acceleration is amazing, and this new bike carries speed like nothing I’ve ever ridden. Climbs great too. 19 hours of hard riding with no problems at all from the rims or tubeless. Very happy indeed.

Emperor’s new clothes, wl.

I saved 400g on a wheelset inc tyres and felt a huge difference~ not only did the bike accelerate better, but it was more nimble everywhere, most noticeable in tight turns. Believe it or not, the lighter wheels were also stronger

Yes, this is a wheel size thing 😀

And that’s why 26″ is not dead yet!!

chiefgrooveguru – Member

That isn’t ‘feeling’ though is it? It’s making a much more scientific style judgement.

Yup, it just supports the feeling. I’m usually pretty happy with placebos etc, I don’t really care if my bike is fast, I care if it feels fast. But sometimes there’s a noticable difference and sometimes there isn’t.

Could be anything, weight/momentum of rider, picking better line down the hill, less resistance from better bearings, loads of variables.
Maybe heavier tyres means you feel more confident and so take a more direct line and build up more speed while the lightweight-racing types are mincing around the pointy rocks?

No, I mean those annoying moments when you’re losing hard won height going down a dull smooth bridleway or fireroad. Could be bearings but I’m on Hope hubs and they’re not uncommon and I’m fairly middling weight-wise.

OOh I just got back to this.

aracer – Member
Do you need medical attention for that gunshot wound in your foot?
Why – do you think that when you’re picking a bike up and heaving it around it’s weight doesn’t have a far more significant effect than when you’re sitting on it pedaling?

It may feel more significant, but the work you do in carrying it is governed by the same laws you otherwise rely on in this discussion. Why the exception here? Because you feel it more when shouldering?

Why the exception here? Because you feel it more when shouldering?

Yes, partly that – and it is a significant difference in terms of the fatigue levels (I’m not talking about just shouldering for 5 minutes). I do also mention heaving it around – ie lifting over gates, styles and cliffs!

I’m sure the difference is still less than what most people seem to think losing a few hundred grams from their bike makes, but slightly more than just riding it. I am also willing to agree that a lighter bike might handle noticeably better on twisty stuff, and that you can tell when throwing a bike around side to side – but then as in this thread, people suggest you can tell the difference in acceleration, which is where just about the least difference is.

It may feel more significant, but the work you do in carrying it is governed by the same laws you otherwise rely on in this discussion. Why the exception here? Because you feel it more when shouldering?

Baffled by this! The exception is because you’re lifting it up and moving it, rather than moving it, with the weight supported by the ground. ???????

I can’t lift up my car, but I can push it along. put another 75kgs in it, would I notice that it was slightly more chuffing hard to get moving? Probably not.

Edit: ignore any or all of that, depending. Lost here. quotes only quoting half quotes, half new but looking the same doesn’t help.

If you want it, buy it. You’ll probably like it.

Reminds me of a test some university did around how expectation affects enjoyment. Enjoyment of wine, as per levels of activity in pre-identified wine enjoyment areas of the brain, measured by CAT Scan.

Control group was given average red, told it was average red.

Test group was given same average red, told it was Chateau Inchuffingcroyable, 1954. They enjoyed it a whole load more.