I definitely agree re handling without luggage being important.pwa wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 4:12pmHow many of us have a bike reserved for loaded touring and nothing else? I have a proper "tourer", designed for that purpose, but most of its miles have been lightly laden recreational miles, for which it is also perfectly suited. I knew that was how I was going to use that bike before I put it together. Mostly day rides, but with the capacity for four pannier touring once in a while. So for me, and I suspect for most purchasers of a "tourer", how the bike rides with minimal baggage is just as important as how it behaves with four panniers. Possibly more important. For that reason I avoid riding an unnecessarily heavy lump. It just wouldn't be fun.roubaixtuesday wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 8:13amAbsolutely, and the physics helps this; rather than a vague "probably insignificant" or somesuch we can quantify it as you just have.531colin wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 7:52am It’s also important to hold on to some idea of the magnitude of the effect of extra weight at the rim.
An extra half kilo at the rim of both of your wheels might make 1% difference but only when accelerating; at least that’s what we said on the previous page.
…accelerating bike and rider, not just spinning the wheels in air.
A kg extra probably does make a difference to "feel" of a lightweight bike, though of course such a bike will almost certainly already have lightweight rims and tyres. If you have such a bike and are considering eg carbon saddle and pedals, or even lighter rims and tyres, it helps understand where to get best bang for buck.
It probably would make a significant difference in a track sprint.
But for touring, where IMO hills when laden are the hard part, it makes no more difference at all compared to weight on the frame.
I have a nice light "Sunday best" bike which isn't capable of taking racks or guards, and on which I'd regard light, relatively flimsy rims and tyres as worthwhile.
I've also a commuter/ light tourer where I have relatively heavy, puncture resistant tyres.
Both are, though, I think, at 25 and 28mm considerably lighter than the tyres many seem to favour for touring, 40mm plus.