What does a very light bike feel like?

[nahtnoj]

Light bikes? Meh.

But I've never ridden any of my standard rim braked road bikes that wasn't improved dramatically by a sub-1200g set of carbon tubulars.

[CAAD]

I like the feel of my Supersix Evo HM, it comes in at 12.8 lbs with a Garmin 1030 attached. Climbs great and descends just fine. Composed around corners at speed and confidence inspiring The stiffness in the frame is great and just jumps when I need it to. I beat the heck out of this bike with no issues at all. All parts are durable and fully intact. No plastic screws and no holes drilled in anything. Running super stiff Bontrager Aeolus 5 tubulars, R4 tires. I ride tubs full time except when I travel.

My English V3 with the Garmin 1030 is 13.8 lbs and change. Not as stiff as the Cdale but its oh so comfortable even at its low weight. Feels secure and planted even at 27+ mph. I do like the way it feels going up hills though, out of the saddle climbs are fantastic. Running not so stiff but still nice, Bontrager Aeolus 3 tubulars, R4 tires.


Sure I could do it on a 16+lbs bike but why? I like the feel of a light bike. They are so eager to jump and accelerate. Can be done with pretty standard parts without sacrificing durability. I roll my eyes when I see guys drilling out parts and break out the Dremel. Lots of weight weenie haters in the forum and vsalon, and I'm not sure why.

[mktng]

those are some impressive weight numbers.
dont think any bike i own is under 17#.

not that i care much for the weight of the bike.

im still struggling to lose some weight on myself :P and thats free!

[LouDeeter]

This is the best I can describe it, particularly if climbing a very long steep hill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-KlzijeUTU

[Hilltopperny]

I am a heavy rider. Even in top shape I’m at least 185-190lbs and it’s been years since I’ve been south of 200lbs.

My preference is for a 17-20lb bike. I’ve had a couple built much lighter 14.5 being the lightest and they were great for climbing and I didn’t feel unsafe descending. Light bikes feel very snappy at first, but with continued use the benefits dont seem as noticeable.

I like a more solid feel underneath me and have an affinity for titanium and fat tires which ends up being 18lbs for my road bike and 19ish for my disc gravel bike.




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[wallymann]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

But driving it on anything other than glass-smooth pavement is awful. It skips around like crazy hunting for traction and can't hold a line.

isnt that more a function of the i3's narrow, high-pressure, stiff carcass MPG enhancing tyres than anything else? put some reasonably sticky rubber on wider rims, it'd drive more pleasingly!

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by LouDeeter

This is the best I can describe it, particularly if climbing a very long steep hill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-KlzijeUTU

Lou, real late to the party on this thread and your post....but this made me laugh out loud big time. As a light rider who regularly has a chance to ride some rough chip and seal roads....I can relate.

[robertbb]

The thing about light bikes and climbing is you gotta remember that the total weight of what's going up comprises both the bike AND the rider.

Dropping 500g-750g off an "average" 7kg bike is a ~10% improvement which may look like something worth doing (whether it's detectable or not is another story).

Factoring in the rider, assuming an average weight of 73kg, dropping that same 500g off the full system weight of 80kg is an 0.63% improvement. Stuff all really, and often at the expense of reliability, convenience and of course significant cost.

Agree that riding 1100g tubulars feels nice, but when you factor in the higher RR of tubulars, the loss of pressure over the course of a ride (latex tubes) and of course the lack of practicality... I don't see the gains as being all that as advantageous.

[fogrider]

I've been running tubulars for years, carry sealant and a spare...decent tubulars tend not to get flats until they are well worn. its true that your brain gets used to the feel a lightweight bike, but going back to a heavier bike, it feels sluggish. During the week, I ride bikes that are right around 18 pounds, great for "training". That's fine for shorter rides but on long climbs/rides, I just gotta be on my best bike.

[Blue Jays]

Ernesto Colnago once said, and I am paraphrasing:
"...Everyone wants an extremely lightweight bicycle for going uphill, yet they never want it for coming back downhill..."

[Duende]

When I was growing up, a sub 21lb bike was a LIGHT bicycle with drilled out cranks and all. These days it’s 13lbs and under.

Times have changed and perhaps we’ve reached a point of diminishing returns.

With that said, I still dig the whole weight weenie fascination. Some pretty cool creative engineering going on there.

For me, at my weight, I’m happy with my 16lb S3 steel road bike. It’s an awesome weight weenie for me. I worked really hard getting it down to that weight with parts and components that were safe for my body weight. Nothing scary about it going down hill. My gravel bike weighs in at 18lb’s. Same strength and confidence going over rocks and ruts.

I think it’s fine to be a weight weenie, but at the end of the day, common sense and being realistic about your own body weight’s limitations has to come into play.

[martl]

i'm really fed up with that "want a light bike? lose some weight youself first" nonsense. For the record: before i start riding heavy bikes, i'd rather put on some kilos myself

Given the same geometry and stiffness (within reason), a lighter bike is more pleasant to ride, period.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by martl

i'm really fed up with that "want a light bike? lose some weight youself first" nonsense. For the record: before i start riding heavy bikes, i'd rather put on some kilos myself

Given the same geometry and stiffness (within reason), a lighter bike is more pleasant to ride, period.

What’s wrong about it? From a physics standpoint it actually makes a lot of sense.

I really have no dog in the fight because I’ve never ridden one these ultra light bikes that’s mentioned but I don’t see how the physics is unsound.

What about the statement is wrong?

[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

I should add that my experience is mirrored in the car world. I'm coming up to the end of my lease on a decked-out BMW i3. The car is very light, perfectly balanced, and goes 0-45mph faster than anything I've experienced. But driving it on anything other than glass-smooth pavement is awful. It skips around like crazy hunting for traction and can't hold a line. That's exactly my experience with light bikes..

Give me a row-your-own five-series any day over this (except can you please buy the gas?).

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Are you sure this is down to the car beeing light? It does not match my experience (tho i have none with the i3). Perhaps its more a question of the i3 beeing a short and high car vs beeing light and nimble?

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

In my experience they feel really great the first time you pick them up or when you have not ridden it for a while. After a couple rides they feel the same. They always feel awesome when carrying them up the stairs.

So much ^^^this.

A few years ago I left my 2006 all carbon Cannondale Synapse down at my parents house in Arizona, where I go to ride maybe twice a year. I'd never thought of my Synapse as a particularly light bike ...but I guess compared to the two steel road bikes and one aluminum gravel grinder I have it home, it is.

Because every single time I go to visit mom & dad, that first moment when I pull the Synapse off the ceiling hook in the garage there's this cognitive dissonance of "holy crap, this bike is so freakin' light!!!"

Every. Single. Time.

And then 20 minutes later when I'm riding down the road that sensation is gone, and it's just a bike, and I wish it rode as nicely as the heavier bikes I have at home.