vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
Weight of bike getting me down
- Thread starter GoldDust
- Start date
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
When I try that, I seem to end up wanting to stop somewhere with counter service
I think I've known it happen once. Right in the back of beyond
A small chain tool and quick links are worth it to me. Multi tools with chain tools seem to weigh a lot.I do record them, but the phone does it. I doubt the computer weighs much unless it's a glitzy one.
Similarly about batteries for lights - if they're AA or AAA, you don't save much weight by leaving them out.
I had a basket on one of the bikes I hired on holiday, pootling along the coast and I really enjoyed being able to see my stuff and easily check it's not falling off and rummage while riding along a straight. I've got a bar bag at home and yes, it is possible to rummage in it a bit, but it's nothing like as easy as a basket and I have to be a bit careful to keep the weight in it balanced. Most of the time I use a rack bag which is bigger, easier to switch between bikes and easier to carry off the bike than the bar bag, but it's a bit of a nuisance having to stop and dismount to get things out of it/into it. If I could, I'd probably put small lightweight baskets on my bikes - if only anyone sold decent ones. My few attempts at buying small baskets have been dismal failures - they seem inclined to flop into the front mudguard or head tube, or look like they'll rub the head tube. Only larger baskets seem to come with bar-only QR brackets.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
@mjray. +1 on baskets, I often use Mrs Dutch bike (more than she does) wicker basket and all and apart from it being set too high to see properly over to the immediate road ahead (pot holes, even spotted ahead can still be a bit of surprise once they disappear from view a few feet ahead. i do like it for the sort of occasional use you suggest as holiday hire or a quick errand but to live with it as routine long term carrying solution, it is a bit logistically awkward. It is cumbersome and either disorganised or a right PITA to stack in just the right order for what is likely to be needed and when and for so many small items as with the shipping list in the OP, which then negates the grab and go nature of a few holiday items and makes it no better than the bar bag or pannier for stuff on the move. (I have a couple of the same style narrow Dirt Monkey bar bag that i'm gutted Halfords discontinued because it is just right for a commute or day pack and can be rummaged into on the move)
A day to day basket as main luggage porter would need multiple bagging of different OP bits such as tools and tubes together so e.g. they can be removed from the top and the underwear and sanitary items can be got at more readily as and when needed without having pants and pads on show for all the world to see.
They are useful as you suggest as an infrequent or impromptu hop and go trip but rather an impractical answer for commute, utility, purposeful travelling
A day to day basket as main luggage porter would need multiple bagging of different OP bits such as tools and tubes together so e.g. they can be removed from the top and the underwear and sanitary items can be got at more readily as and when needed without having pants and pads on show for all the world to see.
They are useful as you suggest as an infrequent or impromptu hop and go trip but rather an impractical answer for commute, utility, purposeful travelling
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Jayaly
Senior Member
- Location
- Hertfordshire
A basket works well for me on my dutch bike, and seems to counterbalance the weight of the toddler on the back. I manage to pack in:
Spare tube, pump, multitool, puncture repair kit, spare batteries for lights, lights, keys, purse, cafe lock, child seat rain cover, toddler rain poncho, toddler scarf and gloves, my gloves, my scarf, packaway raincoat, mini first aid kit, reflective wrist bands, water bottle, bungee for strapping bigger coats and toddler's nursery bag onto the basket if needed.
In my experience it's the weight of stuff on your back that feels horrible. I used to wear his nursery backpack home and hated it. That's why I bungee extra stuff on the front if I have to now. The combined weight of bike, basket and boy is around 40kg, but it isn't a big deal most of the time. I know about the long 3% hill by the time we get to the top, but that's about it, and I can keep up on a 15 mile social ride at the weekend. It's just a different kind of cycling to the fast, unencumbered variety.
I'd lose the backpack.
Spare tube, pump, multitool, puncture repair kit, spare batteries for lights, lights, keys, purse, cafe lock, child seat rain cover, toddler rain poncho, toddler scarf and gloves, my gloves, my scarf, packaway raincoat, mini first aid kit, reflective wrist bands, water bottle, bungee for strapping bigger coats and toddler's nursery bag onto the basket if needed.
In my experience it's the weight of stuff on your back that feels horrible. I used to wear his nursery backpack home and hated it. That's why I bungee extra stuff on the front if I have to now. The combined weight of bike, basket and boy is around 40kg, but it isn't a big deal most of the time. I know about the long 3% hill by the time we get to the top, but that's about it, and I can keep up on a 15 mile social ride at the weekend. It's just a different kind of cycling to the fast, unencumbered variety.
I'd lose the backpack.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
If its for commuting and running about, don't worry.
I have a lovely fixed gear road bike that weighs under 8kg with mudguards fitted. Add in machined alloy lights, commute kit, clothing and sometimes locks, that bike soon triples in weight.
I have a lovely fixed gear road bike that weighs under 8kg with mudguards fitted. Add in machined alloy lights, commute kit, clothing and sometimes locks, that bike soon triples in weight.
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
If you're riding on mainly flat terrain the weight of the bike and stuff is largely inconsequential so forget about it and take whatever you like.
Up hill and down dale it helps to pare it down a bit. FWIW, all I take is
house keys
phone (with cr card and a tenner)
pump
1 x inntertube (if I puncture I would probably abort the ride and get home by shortest route)
1 x tyre lever (the multi tool has somewhat crappy tyre levers if push comes to shove too)
multi tool with chain breaker
food if out for more than a couple of hours
water bottles (by far the greatest weight addition on my bike. Long ride is 2 litres = 2kg)
Up hill and down dale it helps to pare it down a bit. FWIW, all I take is
house keys
phone (with cr card and a tenner)
pump
1 x inntertube (if I puncture I would probably abort the ride and get home by shortest route)
1 x tyre lever (the multi tool has somewhat crappy tyre levers if push comes to shove too)
multi tool with chain breaker
food if out for more than a couple of hours
water bottles (by far the greatest weight addition on my bike. Long ride is 2 litres = 2kg)
- Location
- Manchester
I take a lot of similar stuff to you @GoldDust. If I want to reduce weight for a particular ride then I'll take everything off and start again, only taking what I'm most likely to need for that day. Most things aren't that heavy and it's usually the heaviest stuffy like water bottles and locks that are important. Keeps me fit!
Thanks everyone for the replies. Got some really good feedback and advice.
I use my bike for everything really I only commute 2x Per week due to only working part time. I take 3 u-locks one for the frame and one for each wheel. U locks are all the yellow kryptonite ones. Not sure how to reduce these. If I'm with family then I end up taking about 8 U-Locks on my bike. 2 for everyone including the child trailer.
I have asked them to help with U-Locks but they say a carbon frame can't take the weight of a U-Lock and is too fragile. Which leads me on to ask your advice about a really good cargo bike I saw. I could fit all the tools and even a floor pump but I'm wondering if this is a really heavy bike or will it be easier.
The reason I ask is because I fell off my bike the other day everyone had whizzed ahead and so didn't see me the only problem was I couldn't pick the bike up, in the end it took me and a two passer bys just to lift it off the ground so I could get started again.
I do struggle on hills even speed bumps make me breathless. I tend to be out of breath before I even reach a hill let alone half way up. I average to travel at 6mph but down hill I'm like a bird at 12mph. If I can't reach at least this on a cargo bike then it's not a good option for me.
I think this has all stemed from when I got my first puncture it freaked me out so much I packed for every eventuality. My family and friends wiz out the door no saddle bag nothing so I pack two tubes and extract patches, links, water etc for everyone. I'm finding the weight is really making me depressed. I know certain things don't weigh much like ladies bits but all together after I weighed all my stuff and myself my bike comes in at a whooping 16 stone. Which doesn't sound too bad but considering I'm only 7st 10 lbs it means I'm carrying an extra person in weight.
I'm worried my bike will break down with all this weight. Although mentally I'm breaking down everytime I see a hill. This is not even the worst problem I have. I've noticed my thighs are rock hard and I'm worried my cycling shorts will split or something and burst forth with muscle. Which wouldn't be so bad if I was a male but when your a female this is the last place you want bulking up. I spoke to a friend about the weight of my bike and my bulging muscles and she said I should cut down on protein and avoid the Atkinson diet and stick to the fruit juice diet so I don't bulk up.
I'm wondering if anyone else has manged to keep their thighs from bulking up and looking masculine by cutting out protein. It's a shame because I love nandos.
I dream about the day I'm older and can finally buy a light bike and just reach at least 20mph to keep up with rush hour traffic. Everytime I think of riding I feel down and out. I wrote a list of all the things I don't need. One of them was the 2 litres of water I carry. Going to swap that for 500 ml and hopefully should be okay. Got lots of ideas from all your advice a big thank you to helping me enjoy my bike again.
Just edited to add I worked out what 16stone was in kg it's 101 kg. Someone posted their bike was 8kg Fossyant just wondering if that was a typing error or you ment stones.
I use my bike for everything really I only commute 2x Per week due to only working part time. I take 3 u-locks one for the frame and one for each wheel. U locks are all the yellow kryptonite ones. Not sure how to reduce these. If I'm with family then I end up taking about 8 U-Locks on my bike. 2 for everyone including the child trailer.
I have asked them to help with U-Locks but they say a carbon frame can't take the weight of a U-Lock and is too fragile. Which leads me on to ask your advice about a really good cargo bike I saw. I could fit all the tools and even a floor pump but I'm wondering if this is a really heavy bike or will it be easier.
The reason I ask is because I fell off my bike the other day everyone had whizzed ahead and so didn't see me the only problem was I couldn't pick the bike up, in the end it took me and a two passer bys just to lift it off the ground so I could get started again.
I do struggle on hills even speed bumps make me breathless. I tend to be out of breath before I even reach a hill let alone half way up. I average to travel at 6mph but down hill I'm like a bird at 12mph. If I can't reach at least this on a cargo bike then it's not a good option for me.
I think this has all stemed from when I got my first puncture it freaked me out so much I packed for every eventuality. My family and friends wiz out the door no saddle bag nothing so I pack two tubes and extract patches, links, water etc for everyone. I'm finding the weight is really making me depressed. I know certain things don't weigh much like ladies bits but all together after I weighed all my stuff and myself my bike comes in at a whooping 16 stone. Which doesn't sound too bad but considering I'm only 7st 10 lbs it means I'm carrying an extra person in weight.
I'm worried my bike will break down with all this weight. Although mentally I'm breaking down everytime I see a hill. This is not even the worst problem I have. I've noticed my thighs are rock hard and I'm worried my cycling shorts will split or something and burst forth with muscle. Which wouldn't be so bad if I was a male but when your a female this is the last place you want bulking up. I spoke to a friend about the weight of my bike and my bulging muscles and she said I should cut down on protein and avoid the Atkinson diet and stick to the fruit juice diet so I don't bulk up.
I'm wondering if anyone else has manged to keep their thighs from bulking up and looking masculine by cutting out protein. It's a shame because I love nandos.
I dream about the day I'm older and can finally buy a light bike and just reach at least 20mph to keep up with rush hour traffic. Everytime I think of riding I feel down and out. I wrote a list of all the things I don't need. One of them was the 2 litres of water I carry. Going to swap that for 500 ml and hopefully should be okay. Got lots of ideas from all your advice a big thank you to helping me enjoy my bike again.
Just edited to add I worked out what 16stone was in kg it's 101 kg. Someone posted their bike was 8kg Fossyant just wondering if that was a typing error or you ment stones.
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Erm - something's wrong there. With all that weight you'd expect to be faster downhill; 12mph is an uphill speed for most cyclists. You'll not avoid bulking up if you're packing such weight that you're only averaging 6mph. What's the bike itself underlying this? 8kg sounds about right for a lightweight bike; 8 stone is more like what a person weighs.
You do not need three U-locks. Most people manage with one. Or one cable. Where are you leaving this bike?
Changing to a cargo bike won't make you faster. Not emptying your entire garage and home onto your bike before you set off will do.
You sure you've not got a Kawasaki 250cc with pedals added?
You do not need three U-locks. Most people manage with one. Or one cable. Where are you leaving this bike?
Changing to a cargo bike won't make you faster. Not emptying your entire garage and home onto your bike before you set off will do.
You sure you've not got a Kawasaki 250cc with pedals added?
at 7st 10 I don't think you should be on any kind of diet! and as Karlt mentioned 12mph down a hill is quite slow (obviously I don't know how steep the hill is) but my lightweight carbon easily reaches 20mph+ just rolling down a hill, no pedalling etc, imagine how fast a heavy one would be!
I know what its like having to take extra stuff for kids, but other adults - no chance, let them learn their own lesson when they have an incident and are woefully unprepared, don't let them make you do all the donkey work!
Sounds to me like your 'friends' have got the smallest person doing all the work - massively unfair!
I know what its like having to take extra stuff for kids, but other adults - no chance, let them learn their own lesson when they have an incident and are woefully unprepared, don't let them make you do all the donkey work!
Sounds to me like your 'friends' have got the smallest person doing all the work - massively unfair!
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Instead of carrying all those D locks for wheels, why not get some locking wheel skewers? I only ever carry the one D lock and if I know I won't need to lock it up as I can bring it inside (couple of nice friends), or its secure then I don't bother.
Edit if you do go down that route then you need to add the key to the list of things to always carry but it's light in comparison to D locks!
Edit if you do go down that route then you need to add the key to the list of things to always carry but it's light in comparison to D locks!
He def means 8kg, 8stone would be a motorbike!
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
You weigh 50kg
Your fully laden bike weighs 101kg so everything, bike, gubbins, clothes etc weigh 51kg
Let's assume your bike weighs in at a hefty 15kg (that would be a heavy bike), you've got 36kg to go at. Clothes you can't do much about but even with shoes, helmet etc. It's probably no more than 6kg so we've still got 30kg to go
The obvious ones are the locks and the water. As others have said, investigate alternative lock arrangement. And your idea to reduce water to 0.5l is a good one. I take 2l on a hard 50 mile mountain ride. I bet you can get at least 5kg off the weight with those
You can definitely reduce other bits and bobs like the tape, first aid kit (never needed one of those) and backpack
Still struggling to see where the other weight is but that 's a start. I reckon you could lose 10kg without compromising your cycling
Your fully laden bike weighs 101kg so everything, bike, gubbins, clothes etc weigh 51kg
Let's assume your bike weighs in at a hefty 15kg (that would be a heavy bike), you've got 36kg to go at. Clothes you can't do much about but even with shoes, helmet etc. It's probably no more than 6kg so we've still got 30kg to go
The obvious ones are the locks and the water. As others have said, investigate alternative lock arrangement. And your idea to reduce water to 0.5l is a good one. I take 2l on a hard 50 mile mountain ride. I bet you can get at least 5kg off the weight with those
You can definitely reduce other bits and bobs like the tape, first aid kit (never needed one of those) and backpack
Still struggling to see where the other weight is but that 's a start. I reckon you could lose 10kg without compromising your cycling
Rather than removing stuff, I'd start again at nothing and work up. You need:
Nothing.
Punctures happen though, so you might want:
Spare tube
Tyre levers
Spanner if you have axle nuts.
If you're going on a longer ride, you might need water. 500ml should be enough for most rides. If you're going to be out longer than that'll last, in most weather, you're llikely to have a cafe stop where you can refill.
If you're going to leave it unattended at some point, you need a lock.
Apart from that, a few quid, bank card, couple of snacks, keys, and you should be done.
Nothing.
Punctures happen though, so you might want:
Spare tube
Tyre levers
Spanner if you have axle nuts.
If you're going on a longer ride, you might need water. 500ml should be enough for most rides. If you're going to be out longer than that'll last, in most weather, you're llikely to have a cafe stop where you can refill.
If you're going to leave it unattended at some point, you need a lock.
Apart from that, a few quid, bank card, couple of snacks, keys, and you should be done.
LocalLad
Senior Member
You seriously carry 8 d locks!? They weigh a ton!
If out with the family, and you stop at a cafe etc, leave one person watching the unlocked bikes.
If you're on your own, use your 1 d lock to go through your frame and rear wheel, and the cable lock from your first post through your front wheel and frame.
I'm not sure if you're pulling our legs now...if you were actually carrying 8 d locks, I don't think you would have asked here how to make your bike weigh less...I think you'd have asked how to avoid carrying 8 heavy locks.
If out with the family, and you stop at a cafe etc, leave one person watching the unlocked bikes.
If you're on your own, use your 1 d lock to go through your frame and rear wheel, and the cable lock from your first post through your front wheel and frame.
I'm not sure if you're pulling our legs now...if you were actually carrying 8 d locks, I don't think you would have asked here how to make your bike weigh less...I think you'd have asked how to avoid carrying 8 heavy locks.
