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As I understand it, the major competitions all have a minimum allowable weight for the bike - 6.8 kilograms in UCI competitions - to avoid a costly arms race, o
by michaelt 3y ago
As I understand it, the major competitions all have a minimum allowable weight for the bike - 6.8 kilograms in UCI competitions - to avoid a costly arms race, or dangerously flimsy bikes.
And yes, a recreational rider doing a serious distance will often carry 1.5kg of water, so saving 150g with special lightweight paint or whatever is lost in the noise.
- bluGill 3y agoMost recreational riders should lose 10kg or more according to their doctor. However they will instead pay thousands of $$$ to save 150g.
- tiltowait 3y ago> And yes, a recreational rider doing a serious distance will often carry 1.5kg of water, so saving 150g with special lightweight paint or whatever is lost in the noise. But a lighter bike is still a lighter bike. If everyone is carrying 1.5kg of water, then a 150g lighter bike still has as much of an advantage[1] as it always had. [1] Likely unmeasurable. Yes, there's some sarcasm in my comment, but I hear this type of reasoning all the time, e.g. "people say they want thin phones, then put a case on them anyway, so what's the point?" The point is a thin phone plus a case is still thinner than a thick phone plus a case. Similarly, a light bike plus 1.5kg of water is still lighter than a heavy bike plus 1.5kg of water.
- OJFord 3y agoBut it's deep in the noise, 150g is a tiny amount of difference in how much water you drank before you left that morning. It's like when people say they 'lost half a pound', no, you just went to the loo. Or you had one less coffee today. It's not significant.
- jrockway 3y agoI made my bike as light as possible because I had to carry it up several flights of stairs to my apartment. Being lighter makes that easier and applies less friction to deciding whether or not to go out for a ride. (I live on the 1st floor now. So less of an issue.)