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How much weight is worth saving?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 8th 05, 05:05 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

I have been trying to come up with some ways of saving a bit of weight
on my hybrid. I have thought of several ways which ways should I try?

(1) Seat post - currently a suspension model (stock) weights 530 grams.
New / better rigid weights about 250 grams. Easy to change.

(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport type. Weight 668 grams. New /
better between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to change.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension model (stock). Weight ?? -
heavy. New / better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams uncut. Harder to
change must change headset and stem.

What is your opinion?
Ken

--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy
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  #2  
Old December 8th 05, 05:11 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Ken M wrote:
I have been trying to come up with some ways of saving a bit of weight
on my hybrid. I have thought of several ways which ways should I try?

(1) Seat post - currently a suspension model (stock) weights 530
grams. New / better rigid weights about 250 grams. Easy to change.

(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport type. Weight 668 grams. New
/ better between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to change.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension model (stock). Weight ?? -
heavy. New / better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams uncut. Harder to
change must change headset and stem.

What is your opinion?


Keep the hybrid as a hybrid and buy a nice light road bike as a nice light
road bike.

Bill "two cents please" S.


  #3  
Old December 8th 05, 05:18 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Date: Thu, Dec 8, 2005, 11:05am From: (Ken*M)

I have been trying to come up with some
ways of saving a bit of weight on my
hybrid. I have thought of several ways
which ways should I try?


(1) Seat post - currently a suspension
model (stock) weights 530 grams. New /
better rigid weights about 250 grams.
Easy to change.


(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport
type. Weight 668 grams. New / better
between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to
change.


I would change out the suspension seatpost for the lighter riged and go
for a sprung Brooks saddle. You will still shave off around 200 grams
yet keep some semblence of suspension.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension
model (stock). Weight ?? - heavy. New /
better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams
uncut. Harder to change must change
headset and stem.


What is your opinion?
Ken


Do you do any off-roading with your rig? If all you come up against is
periodic rough pavement, I would dump the MTB forks fand grab a riged
MTB or a touring fork. You may even be able to find one of these that
will work with your present headset.
--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy

- -

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

  #4  
Old December 8th 05, 05:20 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Ken M wrote:
I have been trying to come up with some ways of saving a bit of weight
on my hybrid. I have thought of several ways which ways should I try?

(1) Seat post - currently a suspension model (stock) weights 530 grams.
New / better rigid weights about 250 grams. Easy to change.

(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport type. Weight 668 grams. New /
better between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to change.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension model (stock). Weight ?? -
heavy. New / better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams uncut. Harder to
change must change headset and stem.

What is your opinion?
Ken


Counting grams on a hybrid seems silly. If you were talking about a
racing bike and your body fat was so low that you couldn't stand to
lose any more, then counting grams would make sense. Even if your
current fork weighed 3000 grams, you are looking at a total savings of
about 2,313 grams which is about 5 pounds. You can easily lose that
much weight in water on a long, hot ride.

Spend your money on making your bike more comfortable, not lighter. You
are more likely to lose more weight over a shorter period of time from
the overall package (you and the bicycle) if the bicycle is slightly
heavier and you have to work a bit harder. Oh yeah, don't forget that
you will save a bit of money in the process as well.

Wait until you are at a performance level that demands something
besides a hybrid before you focus on issues of bicycle weight. You will
spend a lot of money, gain little in weight savings, gain even less in
overall performance, and even may lose some durability.

-Buck

  #5  
Old December 8th 05, 06:59 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?


Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" wrote:

I would change out the suspension seatpost for the lighter riged and go
for a sprung Brooks saddle. You will still shave off around 200 grams
yet keep some semblence of suspension.


As an owner of a Brooks flyer, I'll disagree. The springs are mainly
ornamental, and the saddle's not really more comfy than a leather
covered plastic saddle of good design. Now, it does look awesome, and
takes the edge off a few nastier bumps, but not enough to warrant the
weight. Makes the bike feel nasty and top heavy when climbing as well.
Good saddles for "tootlin'" though. :P

I say, go for a rigid post and fork, but don't drop the bank on it.
Nashbar's got their steel 700c fork on sale for $50 at the moment, so
I'd grab one of those, a discount seatpost, and some (on sale) 32mm
smooth tread tires to speed up that ride. Around $100 worth of parts
isn't something to get upset about.

I'd get those things for reasons other than weight: heavy saddles/posts
feel nasty when climbing out of the saddle compared to weight on the
frame or some place more central. Same goes for suspension forks on the
road: they make the bike "feel" slower and less responsive, even though
the weight isn't the hugest issue.

Get whatever saddle's the comfiest for you, be it Brooks or Flite,
that's the last place to even think about weight savings.

Dropping five pounds for $100 is a steal, dropping 500g for $1000
ain't. :P

  #6  
Old December 8th 05, 07:11 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Bill Sornson wrote:
Ken M wrote:

I have been trying to come up with some ways of saving a bit of weight
on my hybrid. I have thought of several ways which ways should I try?

(1) Seat post - currently a suspension model (stock) weights 530
grams. New / better rigid weights about 250 grams. Easy to change.

(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport type. Weight 668 grams. New
/ better between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to change.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension model (stock). Weight ?? -
heavy. New / better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams uncut. Harder to
change must change headset and stem.

What is your opinion?



Keep the hybrid as a hybrid and buy a nice light road bike as a nice light
road bike.

Bill "two cents please" S.


Yeah a nice light road bike is nice but I have a storage issue, I really
only room to store ONE bike. And the last time I was on a road bike I
still had issues with my back pains.

Ken


--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy
  #7  
Old December 8th 05, 07:15 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Buck wrote:



Spend your money on making your bike more comfortable, not lighter. You
are more likely to lose more weight over a shorter period of time from
the overall package (you and the bicycle) if the bicycle is slightly
heavier and you have to work a bit harder. Oh yeah, don't forget that
you will save a bit of money in the process as well.


The bike is plenty comfortable. I road it 1100+ miles on tour.

Wait until you are at a performance level that demands something
besides a hybrid before you focus on issues of bicycle weight. You will
spend a lot of money, gain little in weight savings, gain even less in
overall performance, and even may lose some durability.

I found when I bought the lighter bike my fitness rides picked up in
intensity, so I figure dropping more weight would let me pick up
intensity again.


Ken

--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy
  #8  
Old December 8th 05, 07:17 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Chris Zacho The Wheelman wrote:


Do you do any off-roading with your rig? If all you come up against is
periodic rough pavement, I would dump the MTB forks fand grab a riged
MTB or a touring fork. You may even be able to find one of these that
will work with your present headset.


No just on-road riding, around town, commuting, and fitness (training)
rides.

Ken
--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy
  #9  
Old December 8th 05, 07:25 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

maxo wrote:


I say, go for a rigid post and fork, but don't drop the bank on it.
Nashbar's got their steel 700c fork on sale for $50 at the moment, so
I'd grab one of those, a discount seatpost, and some (on sale) 32mm
smooth tread tires to speed up that ride. Around $100 worth of parts
isn't something to get upset about.

Yeah that nashbar fork was the one I was looking at, but I don't know
anything about threadless headsets and stems, thats why I am a little
hesitant about swapping the fork.

I'd get those things for reasons other than weight: heavy saddles/posts
feel nasty when climbing out of the saddle compared to weight on the
frame or some place more central. Same goes for suspension forks on the
road: they make the bike "feel" slower and less responsive, even though
the weight isn't the hugest issue.

True I don't like the way the forks feel while climbing "out of the
saddle" feels spongy.

Get whatever saddle's the comfiest for you, be it Brooks or Flite,
that's the last place to even think about weight savings.

Dropping five pounds for $100 is a steal, dropping 500g for $1000
ain't. :P

Well the seatpost and saddle can be had for under $50 to $75 and if my
calculations are correct I could save about 1&1/4 to 1&1/2 pounds.

Ken


--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy
  #10  
Old December 8th 05, 07:49 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default How much weight is worth saving?

Ken M wrote:
Bill Sornson wrote:
Ken M wrote:

I have been trying to come up with some ways of saving a bit of
weight on my hybrid. I have thought of several ways which ways
should I try? (1) Seat post - currently a suspension model (stock)
weights 530
grams. New / better rigid weights about 250 grams. Easy to change.

(2) Saddle - Currently stock Avenir sport type. Weight 668 grams.
New / better between 200 - 300 grams. Easy to change.

(3) Fork - Currently Suntour suspension model (stock). Weight ?? -
heavy. New / better steel / rigid weight - 1335 grams uncut. Harder
to change must change headset and stem.

What is your opinion?



Keep the hybrid as a hybrid and buy a nice light road bike as a nice
light road bike.

Bill "two cents please" S.


Yeah a nice light road bike is nice but I have a storage issue, I
really only room to store ONE bike. And the last time I was on a road
bike I still had issues with my back pains.


Ah. (Also read your other replies.)

Well, the changes you're considering aren't THAT expensive -- and WILL shave
off quite a bit of weight -- so either go for it (you might need an LBS's
help with the fork swap) or sell your current bike as is and buy a lighter,
nicer "comfort bike" (hybrid or whatever).

If you have back pain issues, how about KEEPING the sus seatpost but get a
rigid fork and lighter saddle? Just a thought (depending on what issues you
have).

Strangely enough, I just put a new saddle on my bike, and my back is killing
me (and I haven't even ridden it yet!). I must have bent over funny while
removing/installing. SIGH...

Bill "old age sucks raw donkey protuberances" S.


 




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