Aero or light weight - are they mutually exclusive?

Aero or light weight - are they mutually exclusive?

Author
Discussion

Steve vRS

Original Poster:

4,836 posts

240 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Are more aero bikes heavier?

I'm starting the research for my next bike purchase, likely to be next year. I am being drawn to aero bikes as I am dabbling in time trials but not seriously (or good) enough to buy a TT bike. However, I do like to take to the hills so want something as light as possible.

Am I asking the impossible or is there an nice light aero bike that will suit?

Budget £2500 ish and Di2 would be nice wink

Steve

upsidedownmark

2,120 posts

134 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Aero, light, affordable, pick 2?

Seriously, the difference between (say) a cervelo R3 (light) and S3 (aero) is 200g or thereabouts. How much difference do you think that makes, even if you spend all day grunting up an alp? The rest of the time, forget it..

Usget

5,426 posts

210 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
With that set of requirements I'd be knocking firmly and repeatedly on Canyon's door.

Janosh

1,735 posts

166 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
If you want light aero and Di2, I suspect you'll have to spend over 3k.

Something like the Canyon Aeroad is just over 7kg but you'll have to raise the budget a little!

whatleytom

1,272 posts

182 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Exactly, I think more often than not it comes down to component choices as well.

If you were really bothered about weight:

SRAM Red: 1741g
Ultegra Di2: 2680g

There's almost a kilogram right there.

Steve vRS

Original Poster:

4,836 posts

240 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
upsidedownmark said:
Aero, light, affordable, pick 2?

Seriously, the difference between (say) a cervelo R3 (light) and S3 (aero) is 200g or thereabouts. How much difference do you think that makes, even if you spend all day grunting up an alp? The rest of the time, forget it..
So same as cars then - cheap, fast, reliable - pick any 2!

If it is such a small difference, I agree it is negligible for mortals like me. The difficulty is getting weights of bikes, the Giant website being a good example! Maybe I should take a set of baggage scales around the local shops!

Steve

Steve vRS

Original Poster:

4,836 posts

240 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Example here - no detail of weight on the sebsite but the want is very strong!

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/pr...

Of course no Di2, only 105 groupset wink.

Steve

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Worth having a read of this Steve, a back to back review of the Cervelo R3 and S3, its a good review with an interesting conclusion.

http://redkiteprayer.com/2014/07/the-cervelo-r3-an...

Looking at it from a different perspective, reducing your frontal area rather than buying an aero bike might be an option. You could opt for something like a Supersix with the short headtube to get you lower and your chest out of the wind? that way you get the benefits of a light weight bike and some aero gains?



Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 29th June 15:23

z4RRSchris

11,219 posts

178 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
wait till the wireless sram thingy comes out.


Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Just weighed my Propel (advanced SL3 ISP 2014) out of curiosity. Size M/L with mechanical ultegra, garmin, stages, bottle cage and pedals fitted it came in at exactly 8kg. Not exactly a fatty, but not super light. It would be pretty easy to get that down to 7.5kg with a swap to non-aero wheels for weekends/hills if that's what you want.

Edited by Birdthom on Monday 29th June 23:18

upsidedownmark

2,120 posts

134 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Steve vRS said:
So same as cars then - cheap, fast, reliable - pick any 2!

If it is such a small difference, I agree it is negligible for mortals like me. The difficulty is getting weights of bikes, the Giant website being a good example! Maybe I should take a set of baggage scales around the local shops!

Steve
That is frame on frame, rather than built, but when you're looking at frames being in the 1kg range, then there's only so much extra weight of carbon you can stick in there - 200g is a large percentage of the frame weight, but a small factor in the all up bike weight, therefore not something I'd concern myself with much - I'd be more concerned with comfort and suchlike. But that's just a personal viewpoint.

madzo14

159 posts

121 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Even the lightest of bikes are becoming more aero, for example, Canyon's new Ultimate CF SLX comes with the aerocockpit and has a very aero profile about it. That would be a bike to consider if you can wait until September/October when they come out.

Schmy

162 posts

105 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
upsidedownmark said:
when you're looking at frames being in the 1kg range, then there's only so much extra weight of carbon you can stick in there - 200g is a large percentage of the frame weight, but a small factor in the all up bike weight, therefore not something I'd concern myself with much - I'd be more concerned with comfort and suchlike. But that's just a personal viewpoint.
It's a personal viewpoint but imo an absolutely correct one. This thread shows why bikes have become a marketing guy's wet dream. Those 200g are nothing in the bike weight, let alone the rider, bidon, toolkit etc. weight.

Comfortable is quick.

IroningMan

10,154 posts

245 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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S3 seems to have a lot going for it - I must speak to Santa.

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
IMO I wouldn't worry, I find once the bike gets under 18 pounds then not so noticeable IMO . Im good at short sharp climbs and pretty light, there is minimal difference in times between my bikes. My steel bike with a brooks is a bit down time wise on the carbon bike. Ironically I can beat my light carbon times on my cheap ALU bike as the wider handlebars open my lungs more!

I've ridden with some blokes that are endlessly anal about weight of bikes and parts, yet carry 2 stone extra on their waist !! That's 12kgs about another bike in total!

If it was me, I'd choose something that fitted well, gear ratios/drivetrain that suited terrain, I liked the look of and was aero orientated , that's my hierarchy behind choices

I think weight is important to an extent if you are really at the top of your game, otherwise it is driven by marketing and pub talk bullst. In that most decent bikes are light enough

upsidedownmark

2,120 posts

134 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
I've ridden with some blokes that are endlessly anal about weight of bikes and parts, yet carry 2 stone extra on their waist !! That's 12kgs about another bike in total!
Precisely.

Steve vRS

Original Poster:

4,836 posts

240 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Well I've done as much as I can in the personal weight loss - shedding 16kg in the last 3 years. My body seems to have settled at a round the 75-77kg mark.

Steve

scubadude

2,618 posts

196 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Ditch the Di2 requirement and buy a better bike that'll be lighter and more reliable/roadside fixable. Cable gearing is so good I have no idea (for recreational cycling) why an alternative exists.

Roger Irrelevant

2,898 posts

112 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
scubadude said:
Ditch the Di2 requirement and buy a better bike that'll be lighter and more reliable/roadside fixable. Cable gearing is so good I have no idea (for recreational cycling) why an alternative exists.
No! Get Di2 and don't worry so much about a few hundred grams here or there! I hope this is helping Steve smile

Magic919

14,126 posts

200 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
I've got a couple of Ultegra bikes, one aero and one Di2. I like the aero bike but miss the Di2. Maybe you can get both by next year.