cycle weight?

[chrisc]

Weighing 'one wheel at a time' should be pretty accurate, I would have thought, if you arrange for the wheel not being weighed to be at the same level as the scales, on a telephone directory or two. But I balance a bike as near vertical as possible on its back wheel on the bathroom scales with brake gently gripping and read off the result when it's steady. And I don't let my wife see me doing it ! My Giant (as supplied with rack, bell etc) is about 31 lbs (14 kgs). Mind you, this pales into insignificance against the weight of my own carcase of 191 lbs (87 kgs) and this is why I am far from concerned with knocking just a few ounces off bike components to get the lightest bike for the money.

[Ayesha]

Total rolling mass is the important measurement.
That's you, the bike, everything.

If it adds up to 220 lb, and you roll down a 4% gradient at 27 mph, it will require 115 Watts to ride at 15 mph along the flat.

If you put a 5 lb disk in your back pocket making it add up to 225 lb and you roll down the 4% gradient at 27.5 mph, it will require 115 Watts to ride at 15 mph along the flat.

What hasn't changed is your aerodynamic characteristic.

Climb on a purpose built TT bike and put disks in your pocket so the vehicle weight is 220 lb, don't be surprised if you roll down the hill at 34 mph.

Watts for 15 mph comes down to 80, and Cd reduces from 1.00 to 0.70...


Take the weights disk out of your pocket and win your club's 5 mile TT !!

[BigG]

Watts for 15 mph comes down to 80, and Cd reduces from 1.00 to 0.70...


Take the weights disk out of your pocket and win your club's 5 mile TT !!

The weights are almost irrelevant on the level. The important issue is the aerodynamic position that brings down the Cd from 1.00 to 0.70. Of course, climbing is different and here the weight is more important than the aerodynamics. Even the pros don't climb on the drops, let alone in a time-trialling position.

[breakwellmz]

Around these `ere parts it`s all hills,and the time going up `em is an awful lot longer than the time goin down `em

Gravity is NOT my friend MOST of the time

[Ayesha]

Who's got the advantage then,,,

The 180 lb bloke on a 20 lb bike; or the 170 lb bloke on a 30 lb bike?

[breakwellmz]

What`s heavier,a ton of steel,or a ton of feathers?

[Mick F]

Who's got the advantage then,,,

The 180 lb bloke on a 20 lb bike; or the 170 lb bloke on a 30 lb bike?

The 180lb bloke. He's probably stronger, and as his bike is lighter, it's less weight to honk back and forth under him. Also, the bike may have lighter wheels and accelerate better.

[vjosullivan]

The 180lb bloke. He's probably stronger.

Depends whether the extra 10 lbs is muscle or fat.

(I'm supposed to be working from home today so) I've been down to the shed and weighed the bike (2011 Dawes Ultra Galaxy); Over 16.5 kg (36.5 lbs)! That explains why I'm the slowest cyclist in the village.

Took off the (almost) empty cavas saddlebag and empty leather and canvas bar bag; Now under 14.5 kg (31.5 lbs). A bit of a surprise there that the bags weighed so much. It's still a kilo over the listed weight, so maybe I ought to take off the lights and battery pack, too. I'm not taking off the mudguards though.

Unladen 1982 Dawes Horizon; 15 kg (33 lbs). Also a surprise since I've always assumed that was lighter than the Galaxy. It's certainly skinnier.

[Gearoidmuar]

I have two different luggage scales (one was a present) which weigh the same.

My CF Roadbike weighs 20lb. I hate it.
My Thorn Raven Touring bike 30lb. I love it.
My previous touring bike, a modified Giant XTC1 mtb weighs 32lb. I like it.

I have other bikes in the attic, in my summer house etc.

[MockCyclist]

30lb or a mere 13.6 kilo for a Raven Tour? No weight advantage with a Sport Tour then, mine weighs just the same near as dammit.

You do mean without racks, don't you ...

[Quaker Mike]

Just got round to cleaning up the bike shed, so took the opportunity to weigh them all:

Brompton 13.64 Kg - 5-speed hub gear, dynamo, normally lives in motor caravan.
Koga Myata 13.87 Kg - Audax/day rides, triple+six speed
Revell Romany 13.92 Kg - Hybrid, triple+seven speed
Dawes Lady Galaxy 14.67 Kg - light touring, triple+six speed
CB Dalesman 15.69 Kg - Heavy touring, triple+nine speed
Longstaff trike 16.48 Kg - General duties, triple+seven speed
Raleigh Shopper 18.80 Kg - Sturmey 3-speed & Dynohub. The wife's (though she hasn't ridden it since 1974 )

All the bikes are fitted with mudguards, racks, and lights. The Brompton also had a small bag with waterproofs which I'd forgotten to take off. The Dalesman has a heavy duty rack and propstand.

The surprises were the Brompton being the lightest - I would have expected the Koga to be at the top - and the trike not being the heaviest. Oh. and the bag (with contents) I took off the trike weighed in at 4 Kg. Now I know where the missing hammer and stilson wrench went.

[horizon]

Principia with Dura Ace group, carbon cranks/bars/seatpost 7.4kg16.28lb

I have been known to carry just as luggage three times that weight - about 22 kg .

[Tigerbiten]

I don't know the exact weight of my normal rig, but its probably close to 40 Kg ............

Basic trikes is about 20 Kg, the trailer around 10 Kg, extras about 5 Kg, junk in trailer 5 Kg ......

[Ayesha]

Just got round to cleaning up the bike shed, so took the opportunity to weigh them all:

Brompton 13.64 Kg - 5-speed hub gear, dynamo, normally lives in motor caravan.
Koga Myata 13.87 Kg - Audax/day rides, triple+six speed
Revell Romany 13.92 Kg - Hybrid, triple+seven speed
Dawes Lady Galaxy 14.67 Kg - light touring, triple+six speed
CB Dalesman 15.69 Kg - Heavy touring, triple+nine speed
Longstaff trike 16.48 Kg - General duties, triple+seven speed
Raleigh Shopper 18.80 Kg - Sturmey 3-speed & Dynohub. The wife's (though she hasn't ridden it since 1974 )

All the bikes are fitted with mudguards, racks, and lights. The Brompton also had a small bag with waterproofs which I'd forgotten to take off. The Dalesman has a heavy duty rack and propstand.

The surprises were the Brompton being the lightest - I would have expected the Koga to be at the top - and the trike not being the heaviest. Oh. and the bag (with contents) I took off the trike weighed in at 4 Kg. Now I know where the missing hammer and stilson wrench went.

No you didn't. You read this thread, ran down to your shed with bathroom scales, pad of paper and a pencil.

[ersakus]

Soma speedster single speed audax, including rack & mudguards: 11kg
Condor loaded tourer with dynamo lighting and heavy duty rack/mudguard etc, excluding panniers. : 13.5kg

I don't think I can get them any lighter without compromising touring/utility/comfort/strength aspects. I am very happy with both of these bikes as they are.

PS:
I lost 4kg from body fat in the last few years and it did make a lot of difference!