How much difference does a light bike make?

[Bikerjon]

I'm not a serious rider, just leisure and fitness, but I'd like to do a bit more distance than my current hybrid allows. I've owned plenty of bikes over the years but I don't think I've ever had a particularly lightweight bike. I'm thinking about trying a more road orientated bike but something with a fairly relaxed geometry - endurance/sportive style I think. My question is how light does a bike need to be before it really makes a difference to how much distance you can do?

[BoRED S2upid]

All depends how much the bike is carrying to start with if it’s carrying 15 stone of powerfully built director a bike that weighs 2kg less isn’t really going to make much difference. I went from a 10kg bike to 8.something and noticed a 1-2kph difference on average it also has Ultegra v Sora which is a lot different much smoother and nicer to use so you notice a difference there rather than the weight. A hybrid to a lightweight road bike will feel noticeably different your likely to be clipped onto the road bike for a start.

[Bikerjon]

Of course it's 15st of powerfully built director, is there any other type of rider on here?!!

I suppose even if I am a little on the heavier side, given the option it surely must be easier to have a lightweight bike? For reference my current hybrid I suspect is around 13kg's, so even going to a 10kg bike would be a notable decrease.

[BoRED S2upid]

And 10kg is a heavy road bike so your likely to be a bit lighter than that.

[Herman Toothrot]

Weight makes a big difference. Strava users for an experiment alter your bike weight, say 9kg to 14kg and watch your estimated power jump.

[IroningMan]

Drop bars, narrower wheels and tyres and a more aerodynamic riding position will make more of a difference; you might notice the weight if the gearing was the same.

If a shiny new bike motivates you to ride more often, further and harder, though, then it's more than justified itself.

[otherman]

Also depends what sort of terrain and riding you do. If you ride a constant speed on the flat, bike weight would make no difference apart from the initial get up to speed. If you're a hill climber, different story.

[neil-1323bolts]

I bought a lightweight road bike this year ,it definitely feels nicer to ride , accelerates faster and require less effort up hills , on the flat though not much difference to my other road bikes . On windy days it sometimes feels like you get blown about a bit more , if you can afford it go buy one

[SixPotBelly]

Bikerjon said:

My question is how light does a bike need to be before it really makes a difference to how much distance you can do?

A very light bike definitely would feel more sprightly. It'll accelerate more quickly and climb more easily. But, outside the mountains, it won't make such a big difference to how far you can go.

[Mannginger]

I went from a hybrid to my first road bike this year, probably saved 6 KGs overall, whilst that was noticeable the biggest difference came from comfort and position on the bike (lower down so less resistance).

So there really was a big difference in speed but a much larger difference in feel and handling. I was genuinely surprised and dead pleased, it made cycling so much more fun!

My bike was only a little over a grand so not hyper expensive (Aluminium frame with carbon forks, and I deliberately chose one with a relaxed geometry but it was well worth it

[hilly10]

I went from. 13 kg Hybrid to a Road bike that’s a tad under 8 kg, along with the gearing thinner tyres etc I can tell you I am miles faster. Instance when riding a soft incline say 3 miles I find it so much easier and a lot faster.

Edited by hilly10 on Monday 4th December 07:32

[lufbramatt]

Listened to a podcast the other day with the guy who runs best bike split (bike route modelling/simulation tool) and he basically said weight Doesnt make a huge difference unless you are doing alpine passes. It’s all about minimising rolling resistance and aero losses. It kind of goes hand in hand though that a lighter bike will have better wheels etc though.

[The jiffle king]

An unscientific view of this question on climbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le_LSWfGJUo

[Bikerjon]

Thanks for the replies. I wonder what bikes the people who say weight doesn't make that much difference ride? I bet they're not over 10KG's!

My riding is varied but I try to pick routes away from the traffic. Mostly hilly semi-rural lanes in Surrey dodging the many pot-holes. Anything that makes climbing hills easier or just carrying a bit more momentum and speed is going to see me doing a few more miles. I can do 25 miles on the hybrid, but I'm fairly shattered afterwards!

This could be heading towards another what bike thread!

[yellowjack]

Bikerjon said:

I'm not a serious rider, just leisure and fitness, but I'd like to do a bit more distance than my current hybrid allows. I've owned plenty of bikes over the years but I don't think I've ever had a particularly lightweight bike. I'm thinking about trying a more road orientated bike but something with a fairly relaxed geometry - endurance/sportive style I think. My question is how light does a bike need to be before it really makes a difference to how much distance you can do?

Not much science in my answer, but for what it's worth...

I don't think weight makes a whole lot of difference really. I have a lightweight (7 kg) Trek Emonda. I also have (had - and will have again when I fix it) a 1996 cheap Cr-Moly framed steel bike still on 7 speed downtube shifters.

I've ridden both over hundreds of miles. A few centuries too. All told, the average speeds I achieve on the different bikes are sufficiently similar to suggest that my Emonda puts me right into the "over-biked" bracket.

The biggest difference, in a practical sense, between the two bikes is gearing. The older, heavier bike is running a 53/39 front crankset. The Emonda runs a 'compact' 50/34. The old, heavy steel bike was transformed when i went up from a 13t-23t rear cassette to an 11t-28t cassette. A lighter set of wheels, and modern 10-speed groupset would transform it further (and no doubt trim some of it's considerable weight). There's little I can do to drop weight from the Emonda without throwing a LOT of money at it.

Again, non-scientific, but I reckon that if you're capable of riding 100 miles on any bike at all, you're capable of doing the same up to around a 15 kg bike without real detriment. Above that sort of weight, though, and you're getting away from a frame geometry that will be forgiving enough to ride comfortably over that sort of distance. Then it becomes less about the headline weight figure, and more about the shape (and comfort) of the bike and it's components.

[lufbramatt]

You just need to get fitter OP ;-)

[Mr Bishi]

What actually is considered a light bike anyway? I was lucky enough to be given a Colnago Concept to test ride over the weekend and was surprised that even with a set of full carbon wheels it still tipped the scales at 8.4kg. I thought it would be lighter than that, however I believe that aero bikes will usually be a bit heavier due to the frame shape needing extra material on an aero frame set and it's more about how they ride.

[Dannbodge]

Any weight that begins with 7 is a light bike
Any sub 7kg are superlight

8kg is about normal for a decent bike

My Tarmac weighs just over 8kg and my Allez weighs just over 9kg. I don't notice a difference in weight, but I do notice the difference in wheels, tyres and they way the ride (even though the geometries are pretty much identical)

Edited by Dannbodge on Monday 4th December 11:39

[SixPotBelly]

Bikerjon said:

Thanks for the replies. I wonder what bikes the people who say weight doesn't make that much difference ride? I bet they're not over 10KG's!

Best bike is about 8kg. The bike I ride most for long distances is nearer 10kg.

As I say though, for climbing you want light. But you specifically asked about further. And what the heavier bike gives up in acceleration it gets back by being less tiring, and I'm able to ride it for longer.

Bikerjon said:

I can do 25 miles on the hybrid, but I'm fairly shattered afterwards!

I realise now that your "further" isn't quite the same as mine though. So, yeah, get something lighter for an hour or two round the Surrey Hills

[Barchettaman]

Your distance will be determined by a number of factors - chiefly your FITNESS and COMFORT.

A superlight bike with a dreadful position, skinny high-pressure tyres and a razor saddle might have you heading back home after a fast but uncomfortable hour.

A springy steel bike with a well broken-in Brooks B-17 saddle, slightly wider tyres and a nice position could well see you trundling happily along all day.