Heavy bike/light bike!

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MajorMantra

Well-Known Member
Location
Edinburgh
Twenty Inch said:
Erm, if you think that weight has no effect on intensity, carry this shopping home for me, would you please?

It only has an effect if you try to sustain the same speed on the heavy bike. If you put an equal effort into riding the heavy and light bikes, you'll go slower on the heavy one.

Matthew
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
There is a story in our road club of a rider who was training hard and had decided to partly fill his frame with ball bearings to add additional weight. This gave him the necessary training load, but reportedly the bike was an absolute rock and very heavy. There was some amusement that it was stolen and that said ned is now riding a 'nice looking' but very heavy framed bike around Edinburgh.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
MajorMantra said:
It only has an effect if you try to sustain the same speed on the heavy bike. If you put an equal effort into riding the heavy and light bikes, you'll go slower on the heavy one.

Matthew

But speed is only relevant if you are time constrained or need to keep up with others. For training purposes I would say the heavier bike will improve your hill climbing more.
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
I almost regret getting rid of my old bike, as I don't think I am getting as much exercise on my new lovely light-weight version. Then I drop a couple of gears whilst braking, and remember the self-rotating seat, crap brakes, etc, and come to my senses.

I think the issue with proper cyclists is that they need to get relevant exercise. If they train on a heavy bike, then they get big powerful legs, which won't be as good mountain climbing as the smaller bloke who has improved his cardio-vascular fitness by training on a lighter bike, and is therefore both fitter in a more relevant way and lighter.

Not applicable for me or any other Joe/Jo publics around, as our income is not going to be affected by crossing the summit a few seconds ahead of someone else.
 

threebikesmcginty

Corn Fed Hick...
Location
...on the slake
MacB said:
But speed is only relevant if you are time constrained or need to keep up with others. For training purposes I would say the heavier bike will improve your hill climbing more.

I was pondering this on the weekend.

Friend of mine came out for a Sunday morning spin with me. I was on a steel frame bike, not the lightest but pretty light. He was on his Trek commuter bike, a lot heavier and all the racks, guards, etc. On the flat he could barrel along fine but as soon as it got hilly I could leave him way behind. He commutes on this every day and he has one particulaly steep hill so I was wondering how we'd get on if we swapped bikes. I think his heavy bike hill training would mean he'd leave me for dead.

Only thought about it though, didn't want to be shown up :rolleyes:

Maybe next time! :wacko:
 
OP
OP
eldudino

eldudino

Bike Fluffer
Location
Stirling
BrumJim said:
I think the issue with proper cyclists is that they need to get relevant exercise. If they train on a heavy bike, then they get big powerful legs, which won't be as good mountain climbing as the smaller bloke who has improved his cardio-vascular fitness by training on a lighter bike, and is therefore both fitter in a more relevant way and lighter.

I'm no where near a competitive level but I think my cardiovascular and hill climbing has been much improved by spinning a low gear on my heavy bike up hills for longer than I would if I had a lighter bike. Theory being that I'm going slower therefore pedalling for longer. I've still got thighs the size of hams tho!
 
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