Weight! Does it really matter?

[jimboalee]

Are they biodegradable? I think your experiments sound irresponsible!

But how can 2% of the total package make such a difference? That's what I was asking. And I think the OP was heading that way as well.

OK, hand them to your suddenly disgruntled friend.

 

[jimboalee]

Or, ride up the hill before the experiment and place a card box on the side of the road half way up the hill.

When you do your experiment, toss the bottles into the card box.

On the way down the hill, quickly grab the card box containing the bottles and go home.

 

[jimboalee]

Or, simply drop the bottle for them to roll down the hill.

It will be an easy task to pick them up when you return to the base of the hill.

 

[jimboalee]

Or, when you are ready to shed the weight of the bottles, hang them on a 'sky hook' to keep them safe until you come back for them.

 

[jimboalee]

Or, find a hill with a pillar box half way up it. Have the bottles in a Stamped, Addressed envelope and post them back to yourself, thus transfering the work to the Royal Mail, if they are at work.

 

[jimboalee]

And the ultimate strategy. Empty the water from the bottles on the road, keeping the bottles but losing the 2 kg of water.

 

[tyred]

You could use two litre bottles of mercury to make the difference more obvious...

 

[knapdog]

Boys and Girls, I appreciate all of your comments and I'm pleased that it has started a debate! Jimboalee normally gives a lot of thought to our posts and I can fully understand that the lighter the bike, the easier ride. I can't help it if I've started to question whether shedding a few grams off the weight of the bike really makes any difference to average riders like myself if there are always going to be many different weights on top of that very bike, in other words, us, adding to the problem of going forwards.

 

[Cubist]

I carried the water in balloons, burst them halfway up and swallowed the evidence. My conclusions? I should have worn my waterproof socks.....

Right. Another question. If we are determined to lose 2kg from the total package, is it more efficient to shed 2kg from the rider or from the bike? Can I afford to eat more christmas pudding if Santa brings me a lighter bike?

 

[knapdog]

Right. Another question. If we are determined to lose 2kg from the total package, is it more efficient to shed 2kg from the rider or from the bike?

At last, we are getting back on to the point again, after a little frivolity! Good question, Cubist!!!!!!!

 

[jimboalee]

I carried the water in balloons, burst them halfway up and swallowed the evidence. My conclusions? I should have worn my waterproof socks.....

Right. Another question. If we are determined to lose 2kg from the total package, is it more efficient to shed 2kg from the rider or from the bike? Can I afford to eat more christmas pudding if Santa brings me a lighter bike?

Nah, what you should have done is carried the water in condoms, emptied them half way up, and re-cycled the condoms later that evening.

 

[jimboalee]

At last, we are getting back on to the point again, after a little frivolity! Good question, Cubist!!!!!!!

Try to shed mass that DOES NOT contribute toward forward ( or upward ) propulsion.
Try to increase mass that can be used to transfer chemical energy in your blood to mechanical energy at the B/B shaft.

 

[jimboalee]

Try to shed mass that DOES NOT contribute toward forward ( or upward ) propulsion.
Try to increase mass that can be used to transfer chemical energy in your blood to mechanical energy at the B/B shaft.

During the work to achieve the latter, you will be successful at the prior.

 

[tyred]

But how big does the weight difference need to be before the normal non-racing orientated cyclist would notice? You would certainly notice if you lost a few KGs of water half way up a steep hill. I can certainly notice the difference between my 23lb Carlton and my 45lb Rudge roadster. But would you notice a difference between a Brooks saddle and a lightweight saddle for example?

And if the bike is noticeably heavier, doesn't it just mean it needs to be geared lower for hill climbing? I can happily climb hill in my one 70" gear on my Carlton but that would be much too high for the Rudge.

 

[jimboalee]

Sometimes I wish I'd bought the 9kg sports bike instead of the 10kg sports bike.
The extra cost of the 9 kg bike was £200...

£200 for 2 lb lighter bike......

I can get that much off my waistline in a week if a train hard and eat correct.

Only when I'm down to my target weight will I deserve a lighter bike, or is it that neccessary? I've got to know this bike now so why drop it for no reason except 'self congratulatory egotism'?