Bike/rider total weight and its influence on road riding
Discussion
Afternoon all, I am a new recruit to cycling to give me another option for keeping fit along with running/ hockey (had a fantastic ride last weekend around the St Albans area)
When it comes to cars, i have always been really interested in weight and the effect this has on performance (i currently own a 106 rallye)
Being new to all the bike kit, there seems to be a massive emphasis on weight, the more expensive the kit, the lower the weight.
How much of an influence does this make to road cycling? I have recently purchased a hybrid bike ( a Charge grater 2) and my total weight including the bike is 72Kg (5ft 9 inches tall if this is relevant). Presumably this is a relatively low total weight, will this help me on the climbs and hinder me on the descents on the road?
Would be interested in your thoughts
When it comes to cars, i have always been really interested in weight and the effect this has on performance (i currently own a 106 rallye)
Being new to all the bike kit, there seems to be a massive emphasis on weight, the more expensive the kit, the lower the weight.
How much of an influence does this make to road cycling? I have recently purchased a hybrid bike ( a Charge grater 2) and my total weight including the bike is 72Kg (5ft 9 inches tall if this is relevant). Presumably this is a relatively low total weight, will this help me on the climbs and hinder me on the descents on the road?
Would be interested in your thoughts
Edited by Itsallicanafford on Friday 12th May 16:25
Massive difference. I'm now about 112kg, was 127! And my strava times show. Was mid range now regularly hitting top 100's and top 10's.
From the numbers sounds like you're not carrying too much timber. You'd be best investing in lighter wheels. Expensive but makes a phenomenal difference.
From the numbers sounds like you're not carrying too much timber. You'd be best investing in lighter wheels. Expensive but makes a phenomenal difference.
Weight will make a lot of difference, just like a car. You'll gain far more uphill than you'll lose downhill.
Aero, low position, tight non flapping clothing all causes drag. You'll need less watts to go up, or maintain speed on the flat than me or the previous poster.
All up with my croix de Fer we come in at around 120kg, I'm built like a no8 rugby player.
http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/906/which-is-fas...
Aero, low position, tight non flapping clothing all causes drag. You'll need less watts to go up, or maintain speed on the flat than me or the previous poster.
All up with my croix de Fer we come in at around 120kg, I'm built like a no8 rugby player.
http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/906/which-is-fas...
You can have a play with weights in this calculator & see how they influence speed or required power output on a gradient: http://bikecalculator.com/
Lots of misleading advice here.
On the flat weight makes next to no difference once you're up to speed. If you lose a ton of weight then your frontal area will reduce, making you more aerodynamic and thus faster. You will also be able to 'pick up' speed more quickly (rather than actually go faster when you're up to speed).
The reason big guys see gains when they lose weight is a combination of the above, and improved fitness. To your average 70kg guy losing a few kilos won't improve the speed you can hold on the flat very much at all.
What it will do is allow you to accelerate more quickly and go up hills faster. even so, unless you're going up a very steep climb, you'd be surprised at how marginal the gains are.
Weight makes a big difference with cars because you judge a car's performance mainly by acceleration, not top speed. Your 106 would likely embarrass many more powerful cars from a standing start, but if you took the same cars and raced again from a 120mph rolling start, the results would be very different.
Same principle with cycling. I'm much quicker than guys I ride with who are a good 15kg lighter than me, but up steep hills or accelerating out of sharp corners they often get the better of me.
On the flat weight makes next to no difference once you're up to speed. If you lose a ton of weight then your frontal area will reduce, making you more aerodynamic and thus faster. You will also be able to 'pick up' speed more quickly (rather than actually go faster when you're up to speed).
The reason big guys see gains when they lose weight is a combination of the above, and improved fitness. To your average 70kg guy losing a few kilos won't improve the speed you can hold on the flat very much at all.
What it will do is allow you to accelerate more quickly and go up hills faster. even so, unless you're going up a very steep climb, you'd be surprised at how marginal the gains are.
Weight makes a big difference with cars because you judge a car's performance mainly by acceleration, not top speed. Your 106 would likely embarrass many more powerful cars from a standing start, but if you took the same cars and raced again from a 120mph rolling start, the results would be very different.
Same principle with cycling. I'm much quicker than guys I ride with who are a good 15kg lighter than me, but up steep hills or accelerating out of sharp corners they often get the better of me.
NatAsp said:
Lots of misleading advice here.
On the flat weight makes next to no difference once you're up to speed. If you lose a ton of weight then your frontal area will reduce, making you more aerodynamic and thus faster. You will also be able to 'pick up' speed more quickly (rather than actually go faster when you're up to speed).
The reason big guys see gains when they lose weight is a combination of the above, and improved fitness. To your average 70kg guy losing a few kilos won't improve the speed you can hold on the flat very much at all.
What it will do is allow you to accelerate more quickly and go up hills faster. even so, unless you're going up a very steep climb, you'd be surprised at how marginal the gains are.
Weight makes a big difference with cars because you judge a car's performance mainly by acceleration, not top speed. Your 106 would likely embarrass many more powerful cars from a standing start, but if you took the same cars and raced again from a 120mph rolling start, the results would be very different.
Same principle with cycling. I'm much quicker than guys I ride with who are a good 15kg lighter than me, but up steep hills or accelerating out of sharp corners they often get the better of me.
Thanks for the replies, interesting stuff. On the flat weight makes next to no difference once you're up to speed. If you lose a ton of weight then your frontal area will reduce, making you more aerodynamic and thus faster. You will also be able to 'pick up' speed more quickly (rather than actually go faster when you're up to speed).
The reason big guys see gains when they lose weight is a combination of the above, and improved fitness. To your average 70kg guy losing a few kilos won't improve the speed you can hold on the flat very much at all.
What it will do is allow you to accelerate more quickly and go up hills faster. even so, unless you're going up a very steep climb, you'd be surprised at how marginal the gains are.
Weight makes a big difference with cars because you judge a car's performance mainly by acceleration, not top speed. Your 106 would likely embarrass many more powerful cars from a standing start, but if you took the same cars and raced again from a 120mph rolling start, the results would be very different.
Same principle with cycling. I'm much quicker than guys I ride with who are a good 15kg lighter than me, but up steep hills or accelerating out of sharp corners they often get the better of me.
So once upto speed, maintaining speed is more related to power and areodynamics than actual weight. But during phases where you are getting back upto speed (cornering) or working harder to maintain speed (climbing), weight starts to play a much more important role. I suppose it must also play a factor in braking.
I suppose I was interested in this as it struck me that in cycling, the weight of the rider makes up such a larger proportion of the overall total package-weight of man and machine.
The other factor of course would be what your weight was actually doing for you. If i was to (unwisely) loose 10kg, alot of the weight lost would be muscle mass and I would effectively become less powerful, to use my 106 analogy, it would be like removing my 100bhp 1.6 and replacing it with a 1.1, maybe a lighter engine but with less power.
If I was to undertake a therotical 5kg weight gain which was down to improved fitness and muscle mass in the right areas, I would be a stronger, more powerful and faster. Like dropping a heavier v8 into the 106...
A couple of interesting factors i found ref weight of yourself and bike :-
Firstly I've always cycled Road/MTB, a year ago i was about 85kg (5ft 11") & increased my training for a few upcoming events and modified my diet slightly to improve my cholesterol and lost 12kg during the year to around 73kg as a direct consequence, however, i did find i tired more easily and reduced overall strength. I added a few more kg to around 76kg and this seems ideal for endurance/stamina/weight. Point being less weight doesn't always make you faster or able to cover distance/endurance, there is a happy medium which isn't always the lightest IMO!
Secondly, people spend a lot of money reducing the weight of their bike ie titanium screws, carbon cages etc saving a few grams (we've all done it) but then take on a ride an iphone, tools, cycle computers, cake, 2 bottles etc and add considerably more, so you need to watch what you add to your mega light bike mostly inadvertantly.
Overall, it is you that adds most to total combined weight. In my case i lost the weight of a heavy bike from my own waist in a year and I wouldn't say i was large to begin with - so you are the main factor impacting performance and not losing 50g from your wheels.
Have a light bike yes - they are a dream but you will be most significant factor in the whole calculation.
Firstly I've always cycled Road/MTB, a year ago i was about 85kg (5ft 11") & increased my training for a few upcoming events and modified my diet slightly to improve my cholesterol and lost 12kg during the year to around 73kg as a direct consequence, however, i did find i tired more easily and reduced overall strength. I added a few more kg to around 76kg and this seems ideal for endurance/stamina/weight. Point being less weight doesn't always make you faster or able to cover distance/endurance, there is a happy medium which isn't always the lightest IMO!
Secondly, people spend a lot of money reducing the weight of their bike ie titanium screws, carbon cages etc saving a few grams (we've all done it) but then take on a ride an iphone, tools, cycle computers, cake, 2 bottles etc and add considerably more, so you need to watch what you add to your mega light bike mostly inadvertantly.
Overall, it is you that adds most to total combined weight. In my case i lost the weight of a heavy bike from my own waist in a year and I wouldn't say i was large to begin with - so you are the main factor impacting performance and not losing 50g from your wheels.
Have a light bike yes - they are a dream but you will be most significant factor in the whole calculation.
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