Reducing front wheel weight

[TomAndrew91]

Hi all,

Newbie here but quick question on wheel weights.

What will the difference be reducing the weight of the front wheel only by 500g rather than say 500g overall or just at the rear? I have a single speed with unconventional sizings so hard to replace the rear wheel but the front is straightforward. The weight of the bike is 9.5kg and the current wheels are 4kg (1.8kg at the front) which is fairly heavy. Given all the drive is from the rear wheel, will changing the front be noticeable? If replacing I would be getting a more aero front wheel as I guess that will help a bit as well when chugging along but more interested in what impact the reduction in weight will have.

Thanks all,

Tom

 

[Justinslow]

Hi all,

Newbie here but quick question on wheel weights.

What will the difference be reducing the weight of the front wheel only by 500g rather than say 500g overall or just at the rear? I have a single speed with unconventional sizings so hard to replace the rear wheel but the front is straightforward. The weight of the bike is 9.5kg and the current wheels are 4kg (1.8kg at the front) which is fairly heavy. Given all the drive is from the rear wheel, will changing the front be noticeable? If replacing I would be getting a more aero front wheel as I guess that will help a bit as well when chugging along but more interested in what impact the reduction in weight will have.

Thanks all,

Tom

Easier wheelies?

Quicker more flighty steering? A little bit quicker going up hills?
@Yellow Saddle may be able to help?

 

[2IT]

Hi all,

Newbie here but quick question on wheel weights.

What will the difference be reducing the weight of the front wheel only by 500g rather than say 500g overall or just at the rear? I have a single speed with unconventional sizings so hard to replace the rear wheel but the front is straightforward. The weight of the bike is 9.5kg and the current wheels are 4kg (1.8kg at the front) which is fairly heavy. Given all the drive is from the rear wheel, will changing the front be noticeable? If replacing I would be getting a more aero front wheel as I guess that will help a bit as well when chugging along but more interested in what impact the reduction in weight will have.

Thanks all,

Tom

We can tell that you are already convincing yourself that you will notice the difference. Welcome to cycling.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Hi all,

Newbie here but quick question on wheel weights.

What will the difference be reducing the weight of the front wheel only by 500g rather than say 500g overall or just at the rear? I have a single speed with unconventional sizings so hard to replace the rear wheel but the front is straightforward. The weight of the bike is 9.5kg and the current wheels are 4kg (1.8kg at the front) which is fairly heavy. Given all the drive is from the rear wheel, will changing the front be noticeable? If replacing I would be getting a more aero front wheel as I guess that will help a bit as well when chugging along but more interested in what impact the reduction in weight will have.

Thanks all,

Tom

It will have zero impact. Stop fussing about with wheels and go for a ride. Pimping your bike wheels is about as gauche and pointless as painting your Subaru brake calipers. Go ride, take photos, drink a beer and focus on where your bike can take you rather than what you think you look like on your bike.

 

[derrick]

Will make no difference at all that's why the pro's have them heavy wheels.

 

[Justinslow]

It will have zero impact. Stop fussing about with wheels and go for a ride. Pimping your bike wheels is about as gauche and pintless as painting your Subaru brake calipers. Go ride, take photos, drink a beer and focus on where your bike can take you rather than what you think you look like on your bike.

Wasn't the balanced well informed opinion I was hoping for if I'm honest! Why don't you try to answer the question with the knowledge available to you?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Wasn't the balanced well informed opinion I was hoping for if I'm honest! Why don't you try to answer the question with the knowledge available to you?

OK, let me try again:

It will have zero impact. Stop fussing about with wheels and go for a ride. Pimping your bike wheels is about as gauche and pintless as painting your Subaru brake calipers. Go ride, take photos, drink two beers and focus on where your bike can take you rather than what you think you look like on your bike.

 

[Justinslow]

OK, let me try again:

It will have zero impact. Stop fussing about with wheels and go for a ride. Pimping your bike wheels is about as gauche and pintless as painting your Subaru brake calipers. Go ride, take photos, drink two beers and focus on where your bike can take you rather than what you think you look like on your bike.

Actually, don't ask @Yellow Saddle!

Zero impact? Really? Taking half a kilo off your front wheel will have zero impact? I'm sure some physics must come into play here at the very least.

 

[Milkfloat]

Wasn't the balanced well informed opinion I was hoping for if I'm honest! Why don't you try to answer the question with the knowledge available to you?

I bet you wished that you had not edited your post earlier, although I suspect you would have got the same reply anyway.

 

[Justinslow]

I bet you wished that you had not edited your post earlier, although I suspect you would have got the same reply anyway.

Ha ha, yes apparently @Citius is no longer of this parish?
Yellow saddle is clearly of higher knowledge than I and I'm sure knows a thing or two about these subjects, but to simply dismiss them out of hand without addressing the pros and cons, I think is a bit arrogant and helps no one.

 

[TomAndrew91]

Easier wheelies?

Quicker more flighty steering? A little bit quicker going up hills?
@Yellow Saddle may be able to help?

Thanks for the help Justinslow, that's all I really wanted to know!

Not sure why most other messages are fairly aggressive/ confrontational. Didn't realise people new to all this couldn't really ask questions without getting their head chewed off.

 

[Joffey]

Your bike will be a bit lighter so you might go up hills better, but i imagine it's not a climbing bike being a single speed. I would save your money mate.

 

[TomAndrew91]

Your bike will be a bit lighter so you might go up hills better, but i imagine it's not a climbing bike being a single speed. I would save your money mate.

Thanks, appreciate it

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Hi all,

Newbie here but quick question on wheel weights.

What will the difference be reducing the weight of the front wheel only by 500g rather than say 500g overall or just at the rear? I have a single speed with unconventional sizings so hard to replace the rear wheel but the front is straightforward. The weight of the bike is 9.5kg and the current wheels are 4kg (1.8kg at the front) which is fairly heavy. Given all the drive is from the rear wheel, will changing the front be noticeable? If replacing I would be getting a more aero front wheel as I guess that will help a bit as well when chugging along but more interested in what impact the reduction in weight will have.

Thanks all,

Tom

Couple of points....

If your front wheel really is 1.8kg then there's a very good chance to save 500g with a new wheel..... but my guess is that your wheel is 1.8kg, including tyres, tube, skewer and rim tape.

IIRC, acceleration is hard on a single speed, in which case a lighter wheel will help and also help for climbing.... just don't expect huge improvements.

 

[Justinslow]

For what it's worth I saved around 350g when i changed my front wheel tyre QR etc as spoked wheels says, you can read about it here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/superstar-elite-30-ultra-wheelset.178881/
I can certainly "feel" the difference between the two wheels, whether it makes a lot of difference at the end of the day in performance terms I don't know.
But if it makes you try a bit harder or want to ride your bike more and you have the cash then why not, it's part of the fun of bike ownership.