Why do people want lighter bikes?

[Markymark]

Mixture. The hills are hard! but that's the point... you don't get fitter unless you get in the red zone. I'm willing to bet I am fitter and stronger than someone doing the same commute on a light bike.

Nope. It’s all about the effort you put in. People on lighter bikes will not put less effort in, they’ll just go faster. They’ll also possibly do more miles. 10,000milrs over 5 years is small fry compared to people in clubs on lighter bikes. They’ll cycle further abs faster and be fitter than you.

If you’re not sure, borrow a lighter bike and go on a 50 miler with a club and keep up else go solo on 50-60 miles and keep a 17mph+ average speed.

 

[DCBassman]

Let's also at least put some ball park figures on light and heavy. My lightest is 23lb, my other two are both around 32lb. The heavier ones are way more fun for me, and MUCH more comfortable to ride.

 

[Kempstonian]

Some people will always prefer a heavier bike, just as some like to push their highest gear all the time. Others prefer a lighter bike and spinning a lower gear. Its all horses for courses.

The lighter the better for me...

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Easier to carry home when you can’t fix the puncture

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Mixture. The hills are hard! but that's the point... you don't get fitter unless you get in the red zone. I'm willing to bet I am fitter and stronger than someone doing the same commute on a light bike.

When you get fit you will find the hills not so hard or you will go faster for same effort.

 

[Racing roadkill]

It’s because they want to be ‘well pro’ you can’t be ‘well pro’ without a super light bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Positives of a heavier bike

• Makes you stronger than a lighter bike - possibly, especially if you have to heave it over anti-motorcycle barriers or carry it up stairs.
• Makes you fitter than a lighter bike - will depend on factors like effort and gearing
• Burns more calories than a lighter bike (more cake for me) - yes, for a given mileage
• Slightly slower therefore more time riding. - my speed riding in traffic is limited by safety considerations; i.e. keeping speed down to be able to react to hazards and stop in time instead of crash. I wouldn't ride a light bike any faster in traffic.
• Cheaper than a lighter bike. - massive difference in cost, especially the further up the low weight scale you intend to go.
• Higher heart rate uphill than on a lighter bike. - yes for the same gearing
• Often more robust than a lighter bike. - generally true. I put a steel hack bike rim into a big pothole the other day and had to hammer the resulting bulge out of it. A lightweight rim would not have even survived.
• Less likely to be stolen than a lighter bike. - depends a lot on how scruffy or tidy the bike looks as well. I deliberately run tatty looking bikes as hacks as they are virtually worthless secondhand. Mine also look distinctive and recognisable.
  Really the list goes on.

 

[Drago]

To answer the title question, because they dont have the gumption to put effort into losing weight off themselves.

 

[Alwaysbroken]

My slightly confused two penneth.

I’m from a motocross & mountain biking background & have spent the last couple of years in a fairly uneducated turmoil buying nice used road bikes that look pretty finding my way.

I still have a 2012 defy but have sold my Madone for £500 & built the old pig iron path racer weighing 33lb. I think I’m a quick on it but don’t do big miles and our roads are shite.

So I think the riding position suits me better, I feel more secure, I believe I’m more confident with the higher volume tyres over our poor quality roads and it gives me more confidence cornering and throwing it into corners, it’s worthless so I’m more aggressive as I couldn’t care if I ditch it. The weight feels more planted and less sketchy.

Maybe it fits me better? But I feel equally fast and strong up familiar hills as I did on the Madone.

So yes in town riding I believe I’m as fast and I’m enjoying riding so much more.

I’m now on the prowl for an early 70’s Eddy Merckx

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@beany_bot how much does your bike weight, approx?
Who is telling you to get a lighter bike and have they said why you should?
Your question needs more contest!
I ride heavy bikes compared to club riders, but much lighter ones than, say, EBikes.
Still, I have been faster than an Ebike rider or a full sus bike rider.
Than again I have been left behind by riders of heavier bikes than mine.
It's all relative.
If you're feeling a bit pressurized to upgrade your bike by riding companions, only do it because you want to, not because you feel you need to keep up in speed.
There are many cycling styles and speed averages, join a group that you fit in.
You can still socialize in the pub with the faster ones

 

[tyred]

I don't worry too much about weight personally. If you are fit and at the peak of possible human performance then perhaps you may find a small advantage, for most of us, then probably not. Besides not everyone is chasing performance.

If you want to get faster or fitter, ride your existing bike more! If you want another bike because you simply want another bike and have the money to buy it, then go for it but don't tell other people what they should ride.

 

[screenman]

I have 6 bikes of different styles and weights, I like the fact I can ride the one I fancy that day. Anyway, what else do you spend your pocket money on.

 

[mudsticks]

Easier to carry home when you can’t fix the puncture

Or to lift over gates to access nifty camping spots..

 

[DCBassman]

To answer the title question, because they dont have the gumption to put effort into losing weight off themselves.

Exactly. My overall system weight will be the same riding the 32lb Trek as the 22lb Scott, when I've lost 10lb. When...

 

[sleuthey]

Ok, so some good points have been made about how bike weight affects performances such as calorie burn, fitness, journey time etc.......but, aren't we forgetting something? Which is that the weight of the rider/bike combined has a higher influence over these performances than the weight of the bike alone?

The average man in the UK weighs 84kg. My hybrid weighs 16kg. So the combined weight totals 100kg. So if you bought a £2000 bike weighing only 8kg, although the bike weight would reduce by 50%, the combined weight would only reduce by 8%. So would I pay an extra 500% in price for an 8% reduction in weight - no.

If I want to increase my heart rate without having to go faster then I'll eat a load of pizza and put on 5kg. If I want to get to work quicker without peddling harder then I'll go on slimming world for a month. I don't buy a different bike.