Weight of commuting bikes

newbikeorupgrade
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Weight of commuting bikes

Postby newbikeorupgrade » Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:55 pm

My current bike weighs 15 kg and is 8-10 years old with a bearing bb I'm worried if I get a new bike/lighter better bottom bracket faster wheels ect I wont get as much of a work out? I don't want to put on weight with a new bike???? Any advice?

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Mulger bill » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:08 am

Ride further or aim to reduce your times for the same distance. Find some hills. Eat less.

Something there should do it for you.
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby gretaboy » Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:46 am

Can have a heavy bike and still put the weight on and not have a hard workout. Regardless of bike, it is up to you to decide the intensity of your ride. I found going from a heavier bike to a lighter bike, I actually enjoyed my riding much more, tended to push myself a bit more too as it was more enjoyable. As a result I started losing the k's.
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Ozkaban » Mon Nov 28, 2011 10:55 am

gretaboy wrote:Can have a heavy bike and still put the weight on and not have a hard workout. Regardless of bike, it is up to you to decide the intensity of your ride. I found going from a heavier bike to a lighter bike, I actually enjoyed my riding much more, tended to push myself a bit more too as it was more enjoyable.
+1

I went from a Trek hybrid (~15-16kg) to an alu Oppy (~10kg), and I find I enjoy it more and push myself harder

gretaboy wrote: As a result I started losing the k's.
Well, I haven't got there yet. Something to do with eating too much crap :roll:

The calorie expenditure difference between a lighter bike and a heavier one would be stuff all. You're still carting your mass and whatever you're carrying. For me it's 85kg or me and about 5kg of backpack. Plus the 10kg of bike makes roughly 100kg, or ~105kg for the hybrid. That's only 5%-odd difference. Not going to gain a whole lotta weight based on that.

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the grid
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby the grid » Mon Nov 28, 2011 10:02 pm

Mulger bill wrote:Ride further or aim to reduce your times for the same distance. Find some hills. Eat less.

Something there should do it for you.
Oh eat less its that easy ...thx

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby kiso » Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:55 am

"It doesn't get easier; you just get faster” - Greg Lemond

You'll have more fun on the lighter bike, and you'll ride more. Win-win!
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nayfen
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby nayfen » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:01 am

get the new bike and ride the long way. it will take the same amount of time!

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Xplora » Sun Dec 04, 2011 3:59 pm

kiso wrote:"It doesn't get easier; you just get faster” - Greg Lemond

You'll have more fun on the lighter bike, and you'll ride more. Win-win!
Can't disagree with this at all. Your efficiency is greater on a lower weight bike, but the nature of gears is that you control the effort in the ride. You can start aiming for more big ring riding on hills, faster times or faster speeds. I personally feel that more efficient bikes are much more enjoyable to ride at the END of the ride, rather than the middle. The more efficient the bike, the easier it is to ride when you're absolutely knackered (bad nutrition, bad sleep, or hard day at work can do it). That keeps you in the saddle and wanting to continue riding, which is way more important. 8)

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby jules21 » Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:21 pm

i ride a 15kg MTB on my commutes. the "you'll ride more" thing doesn't work on a fixed commute - actually, i already lengthen mine to get more riding in.

as i use a lot of shared paths, i consider a slower bike to be a safety feature.

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Comedian » Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:46 pm

My commute bike is 15kg dry. By the time I add a water bottle and panniers it is usually somewhere between 20 and 27kg. :shock:

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Johndec » Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:28 pm

For what it's worth, the Trek 7.3 Hybrid I bought 6 months ago and already relegated to "ride down the shops" duty due to upgradeitis, weighs in at 11.73kg with pedals, bike computer, metal bottle cage and a "comfort" saddle that is at least 100-150g heavier than the one that came with the bike. I'm guessing it weighed in at ~ 11.5kg when it left the factory. BTW, it didn't take me long to realise that comfort saddles are anything but after a couple of hours... I broke in a Specialized Toupe on this bike and moved it to my roadie when I upgraded. 198g of comfort!!

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Cruiserman » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:20 pm

Johndec wrote: I broke in a Specialized Toupe on this bike and moved it to my roadie when I upgraded. 198g of comfort!!
I just broke a Toupe (the carbon reinforced (yeah right) plastic chassis) luckily there was a large choice of saddles in the marketplace and I now have the comfort of riding on an SMP.
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Phil » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:09 am

Lynskey Dry weight 7.9kg.
Rack and panniers today 21.4kgs.

And without exagerating 2kg of that are the locks and cables.
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Comedian » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:14 am

Running light panniers today... 7kg so all up 22kg today. :)

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Comedian » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:14 am

Running light panniers today... 7kg so all up 22kg today. :)

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby newbikeorupgrade » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:29 pm

jules21 wrote:i ride a 15kg MTB on my commutes. the "you'll ride more" thing doesn't work on a fixed commute - actually, i already lengthen mine to get more riding in.

as i use a lot of shared paths, i consider a slower bike to be a safety feature.
I would agree but the temptation is for a new bike...
Do you use disc brakes? Never had them before...
Wondering how important they are...
I commute in all weather including thunder storms.

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:56 pm

I went from commuting on a slickshod hardtail MTB with discs to a roadie. My first decently wet ride had me checking out disc equipped dropbar bikes as soon as I got to work.

Your first wet ride on disc brakes will convince you that they are the best commuter item you can get. No waiting for the pads to scrape the rims dry enough to provide retardation in a Jesus moment while your eyes and rectum expand to dinner plate size...

Check out the Kona Honky Inc or Meridas CX bike and search the forum for owners. I'm 100% sure they will back me up.

Disc brakes rawk!
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby queequeg » Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:44 am

Mulger bill wrote:I went from commuting on a slickshod hardtail MTB with discs to a roadie. My first decently wet ride had me checking out disc equipped dropbar bikes as soon as I got to work.

Your first wet ride on disc brakes will convince you that they are the best commuter item you can get. No waiting for the pads to scrape the rims dry enough to provide retardation in a Jesus moment while your eyes and rectum expand to dinner plate size...

Check out the Kona Honky Inc or Meridas CX bike and search the forum for owners. I'm 100% sure they will back me up.

Disc brakes rawk!
Tell me about it. Since I got my Lynskey Cooper CX, it has rained about 50% of the time I have used it! No more brown trouser moments in the wet, but I have had a couple of close calls with "purple ice". That stuff is slippery, even with a rolling speed of 2km/h!
Yesterday was a fun ride into work. Went under the M2 at Beecroft into what I thought was only shallow surface water. Instead, I found the bike in water that was up to the bottom bracket, and i had 50m of it to ride through! My feet go a bit soggy, being underwater for half the pedal stroke!
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby teak81 » Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:31 pm

I have a mountain bike that i set up with panniers for commuting. I now hate it because it is so heavy. And i have a road bike that i also put the panniers on hate : it too. Now i have reverted to a backpack, and i am also deciding to buy a new road bike now. :? :oops: :roll:
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby jet-ski » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:02 pm

queequeg wrote: Tell me about it. Since I got my Lynskey Cooper CX, it has rained about 50% of the time I have used it! No more brown trouser moments in the wet, but I have had a couple of close calls with "purple ice". That stuff is slippery, even with a rolling speed of 2km/h!
Yesterday was a fun ride into work. Went under the M2 at Beecroft into what I thought was only shallow surface water. Instead, I found the bike in water that was up to the bottom bracket, and i had 50m of it to ride through! My feet go a bit soggy, being underwater for half the pedal stroke!
What's purple ice? You gotta go faster through the puddle and just lift your feet up as you coast through ;)
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby Baalzamon » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:18 pm

Thorn Raven Nomad base weight 19kg, add clothes, shoes and rain gear ontop. No panniers mind you, I've got carradice saddlebag. But I think it's pulled my nose of my saddle up :evil: :evil:
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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby newbikeorupgrade » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:53 pm

Mulger bill wrote:I went from commuting on a slickshod hardtail MTB with discs to a roadie. My first decently wet ride had me checking out disc equipped dropbar bikes as soon as I got to work.

Your first wet ride on disc brakes will convince you that they are the best commuter item you can get. No waiting for the pads to scrape the rims dry enough to provide retardation in a Jesus moment while your eyes and rectum expand to dinner plate size...

Check out the Kona Honky Inc or Meridas CX bike and search the forum for owners. I'm 100% sure they will back me up.

Disc brakes rawk!
Yeah you see i'm looking at the merida T3 at the moment...
But I say to myself disc brakes could save my life...
What is the price of that???
I've test rode disc brakes in the dry and was amazed.
I use a backpack and have a heavy lock.
I've gone from wanting a a road bike (to dangerous with skinny tyres/braking power/sliding in the wet) to a fast communter and now I want disc brakes with the 52/11 gear ratio... I can understand the need for panniers sometimes but avoid them if possible...

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby queequeg » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:53 pm

jet-ski wrote:
queequeg wrote: Tell me about it. Since I got my Lynskey Cooper CX, it has rained about 50% of the time I have used it! No more brown trouser moments in the wet, but I have had a couple of close calls with "purple ice". That stuff is slippery, even with a rolling speed of 2km/h!
Yesterday was a fun ride into work. Went under the M2 at Beecroft into what I thought was only shallow surface water. Instead, I found the bike in water that was up to the bottom bracket, and i had 50m of it to ride through! My feet go a bit soggy, being underwater for half the pedal stroke!
What's purple ice? You gotta go faster through the puddle and just lift your feet up as you coast through ;)
Well, tis a bit hard when the puddle is lke this:

Image

Purple Ice....otherwise known as Jacaranda Flowers dropped all over the ground. When it gets wet it turns to sludge that has zero friction. It is like trying to ride a bicycle on an ice rink.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby jasonc » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:18 am

queequeg wrote:
jet-ski wrote:
queequeg wrote: Tell me about it. Since I got my Lynskey Cooper CX, it has rained about 50% of the time I have used it! No more brown trouser moments in the wet, but I have had a couple of close calls with "purple ice". That stuff is slippery, even with a rolling speed of 2km/h!
Yesterday was a fun ride into work. Went under the M2 at Beecroft into what I thought was only shallow surface water. Instead, I found the bike in water that was up to the bottom bracket, and i had 50m of it to ride through! My feet go a bit soggy, being underwater for half the pedal stroke!
What's purple ice? You gotta go faster through the puddle and just lift your feet up as you coast through ;)
Well, tis a bit hard when the puddle is lke this:

Image

Purple Ice....otherwise known as Jacaranda Flowers dropped all over the ground. When it gets wet it turns to sludge that has zero friction. It is like trying to ride a bicycle on an ice rink.
It's ok, we in Brisbane understand. MOST of my commute path was under water in January for a few days...

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Re: Weight of commuting bikes

Postby jet-ski » Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:56 pm

good photo!! and I'm glad I don't come across much purple ice then!
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