Bike weight/body weight

[Easytigers]

Probably a very stupid question (I know that there are no stupid questions just stupid people btw)
I read loads of articles about bikes and they often say that lighter bikes feel much more nimble, better on climbs etc. I also read that it is cheaper to lose weight than to buy a lighter bike.
If there was someone who was 13 stone (82kg ish) got on a 8kg bike would they find it as nimble etc as someone who was 12 stone (76kg) on a 14kg bike?
For me it sounds daft...I think the heavier rider would find the lighter bike better but is that just me being thick (my wife tells me that I am btw so very open minded!)

Thanks,

Russ

 

[jarlrmai]

Bike/Rider weight is generally about climbing.

Generally losing a few kilos on your body is a good thing whatever, given you weigh more than the bike by a decent amount, trying to save the same weight on a bike as you can lose through diet/exercise means spending ALOT of money., and even if you have that money, you are still better off losing weight anyway.

Also there is the "MAMIL with a chequebook" syndrome (Overweight man on a Pinarello Dogma)

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Here is your answer

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DRQwKREgvI&list=FLwI0IscYTBedvktVpH2KhJg&index=13

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Bike/Rider weight is generally about climbing.

Generally losing a few kilos on your body is a good thing whatever, given you weigh more than the bike by a decent amount, trying to save the same weight on a bike as you can lose through diet/exercise means spending ALOT of money., and even if you have that money, you are still better off losing weight anyway.

Also there is the "MAMIL with a chequebook" syndrome (Overweight man on a Pinarello Dogma)

Ive seen more than a few fat 20,s & 30's on high spec bikes , so is not just the reserve of the 40's & 50's

 

[Jon George]

Here is your answer

Fascinating - thanks for this.

 

[Rob3rt]

LMFAO, GCN really do post some shite!

 

[winjim]

Here is your answer

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DRQwKREgvI&list=FLwI0IscYTBedvktVpH2KhJg&index=13

How does that work then? They are stationary on a treadmill, that extra mass isn't going anywhere. And how can a treadmill simulate a hill?

 

[Rob3rt]

How does that work then? They are stationary on a treadmill, that extra mass isn't going anywhere. And how can a treadmill simulate a hill?

Because the part you ride on angles upwards so you are actually riding up an incline!

One thing that was is absurd about the whole thing (beyond the fact it took an 11.5 minute video to tell you nothing more than that you need to put out more power to go uphill at the same speed, if weight is added - i.e. stating the obvious and not actually addressing the question at hand within any reasonable context) is pretty much every run should have been binned since there was a dropout between the sensors and the head unit.

 

[ColinJ]

How does that work then? They are stationary on a treadmill, that extra mass isn't going anywhere. And how can a treadmill simulate a hill?

I was trying to work that out too!

 

[cosmicbike]

How does that work then? They are stationary on a treadmill, that extra mass isn't going anywhere. And how can a treadmill simulate a hill?

In the same way that an aircraft will take off faster if the runway is a conveyor belt............This one went for a long time on my flying forum

 

[winjim]

Actually thinking about it, it does make sense if the treadmill is angled, because even to keep the extra mass stationary you have to act against the force of gravity pulling it downwards.

Still a rubbish video though, for reasons outlined by Rob3rt.

 

[ushills]

A treadmill cannot simulate a hill as there is no change in potential energy due to the inclined surface, the bike is not actually going up or down it is at the same height all the time. The resistance of the hill can only be simulated by increasing the resistance of the belt although this has nothing to do with the angle.

This is the same reason why you cannot freewheel on rollers by lifting the rear i.e. downhill, it would be great if you could though.

 

[Rob3rt]

A treadmill cannot simulate a hill as there is no change in potential energy due to the inclined surface, the bike is not actually going up or down it is at the same height all the time. The resistance of the hill can only be simulated by increasing the resistance of the belt although this has nothing to do with the angle.

This is the same reason why you cannot freewheel on rollers by lifting the rear i.e. downhill, it would be great if you could though.

Regardless of no change in height, you are still having to apply increased effort to remain in the same position as the angle is increased or weight is applied to rider or bike, hence you can still draw conclusions from the experimental procedure presented, that is if you ignore the fact that the connection between sensors and head unit dropped out more than once.

 

[winjim]

A treadmill cannot simulate a hill as there is no change in potential energy due to the inclined surface, the bike is not actually going up or down it is at the same height all the time.

And if you stop pedalling? What happens then?

 

[Flying Dodo]

You fall off.