Faster Boris Bikes

[tatr]

Some Boris Bikes are being reconditioned, with new brakes and gears.

Has anyone else tried them yet? I would be willing to swear that they've slightly increased the gearing - they seem a (tiny) bit less slow.

 

[MichaelW2]

Where does the 51lbs weight of Boris Bikes come from?
I have a 26" urban utility bike, alu frame, Afine hub gears, dynohub lighting, rack, disk brakes etc and it weighs in at close to 30lbs with folding hinge and eccentric bb.

 

[mjr]

Where does the 51lbs weight of Boris Bikes come from?

They've got a seatpost and seat tube that are thicker and heavier than some scaffold, I expect the head tubes and forks are similarly chunky, the down/chainstay tube is a thick square-section, the handlebars seem to routinely survive crashes, the docking clamp seems pretty substantial, they've got chain and coat guards, a hefty kickstand to hold all that upright, and probably other stuff I've forgotten. It soon adds up.

 

[tatr]

I crashed one into a car and the only thing that got damaged was the car.

Designing the things to be vandal resistant and puncture proof must also add weight!

The weight is also good for those that want to train heavy and race light, with low gears to force high cadence. I might try talking one up Highgate cemetery hill to test my fitness now they've improved the brakes - wouldn't want to try that descent with the old ones!

 

[Tin Pot]

Ah you don't want Boris bikes to be light.

 

[Lonestar]

I would guess a lot of people who ride them would have no respect for them like they were their own bike so they have to be built like tanks.

 

[jay clock]

They have nitrogen filled tyres - that saves a few milligrams http://www.theengineer.co.uk/boris-bike-gets-the-engineer-test/