Categories: The BikesThe RidesTraditionUnforgettable Rides

Weight Weenies

Parting the waters on a 24 pound bike.

My bike weighs about 6 kilos. It is no waify little thing either, with it having a 61cm frame and and three stories of seatpost. It has beefy tubes, a stiff bottom bracket and steerer, and deep section wheels which are laced 3x in the back and 2x in front. This bike has never made me go faster; only going faster has made me go faster.

Gianni rode Haleakala in the 80’s on a heavy steel frame with a 42T chainring and a 23T cog in the back. He rode it wearing a cuttoff sleeveless t-shirt; an offense which, had I known when we started this site, I would have put him on probation for. Then he did it again several years later on a titanium, campa-equipped steed with a compact and wearing proper kit. He rode it in about the same time, also proving that you go as fast as you want, not as fast as your bike is.

Gianni Bugno (different Gianni but possibly the source of inspiration for Keeper Gianni’s name), won back-to-back l’Alpe d’Huez stages on a 24-pound steel Moser, beating lighter carbon TVT’s to the punch both times.

Riding light bikes is fun, but they won’t make you go any faster. Pushing harder on the pedals does.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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ErikdR says:

Jun 26 2015 at 3:31 am

@Daccordi Rider

@ErikdR

It may all have been in the mind – even back then – but I remember fondly the days immediately upon return from long cycling holidays (weeks of riding, 1000’s of km’s, mountains…)

I would almost literally be flying during the first couple of rides after returning home (and after taking the sleeping bag, tent, panniers and racks etc. off, reducing the weight of the (steel) machine from 20+ back to a feathery 11 or 12 kilo’s). What a feeling.

That’s not in your mind, it’s being fit from cycling lots. No doubt if you ride a heavy bike lots then jump on a light one you will feel unshackled so to speak. But for equal training you won’t be any fitter than the guy on the light bike who has worked himself at the same levels.

ChrisO, I didn’t take that from Fronks article, just calling bullshit on a couple of responses. I thought Frank meant it doesn’t matter what you ride, you get better by hurting yourself. That’s the fun of some of his articles, we can misinterpret them any way we like. People frequently misunderestimate Frank…

"Unshackled"! Yes, that's exactly the word I was looking for. Cheers.

I guess it added to the fun that I used to return from those long cycling holidays (France, Italy, Scotland) to, precisely, the Netherlands. I'd have the opportunity to unleash the fitness from cycling lots, combined with the benefits of having trained at altitude, on the pancake-flat tarmac of Cloggyland. Spinning out on 52 x 14 for a week or two; good times.

I'll probably spend the rest of the day wondering what it means to misunderestimate someone...
Daccordi Rider says:

Jun 26 2015 at 3:34 am

@Teocalli

@Daccordi Rider

L’Eroica Britannia figures are something like 160 Km, 2,500 m climb, 11 kg bike, 5Sp (with triple). Time about 1.5 hr longer than the same on lightweight carbon 22 Sp.
ErikdR says:

Jun 26 2015 at 3:44 am

@Teocalli

@ErikdR

Biggest difference for me is when we come back from being at altitude in Colorado. The years where we spent whole ski seasons out there and became truly acclimatised I’d be flying for about 2-3 weeks on return before the benefit wore off. Even spending 2 weeks out there has a noticeable impact on return to sea level.

Of course the converse is not so great as we have 2 flights of stairs and no lift at the condo. So carrying cases up stairs at 2,900 meters when we arrive is knackering.

Hmmm, yes, altitude will work wonders, but it can also be a bitch. I remember a trip to Norway a few winters back (to see the northern light), where we stayed in a hotel at altitude, and I experienced what you describe. Kind of humiliating, to jog up the stairs thinking I was in reasonably good shape, only to start wheezing and swaying after one flight, holding on to the handrail etc...

But upon return to lower levels? Bliss. Pity the effect wears off so quickly though, relatively speaking.
ErikdR says:

Jun 26 2015 at 3:45 am

@Daccordi Rider

All kinds of awesome going on in that picture. Great stuff.
Teocalli says:

Jun 26 2015 at 3:56 am

@Daccordi Rider

Nice one - in the Bakewell event they give you beer at the mid stop instead of the wine. Though we did have an English sparkling wine handed out at the final stop at Chatsworth House. One other thing that differentiate Eroica events from yer average sportive was being handed a face towel to freshen up at the 80 mile cream tea stop. Sooo very civilised.
sthilzy says:

Jun 26 2015 at 4:03 am

@Daccordi Rider

Looks like he's never missed a day throwing the leg over and ride to what ever the day/road brings! Chapeau and cheers!
Daccordi Rider says:

Jun 26 2015 at 4:39 am

@ErikdR

@Daccordi Rider

@ErikdR

It may all have been in the mind – even back then – but I remember fondly the days immediately upon return from long cycling holidays (weeks of riding, 1000’s of km’s, mountains…)

I would almost literally be flying during the first couple of rides after returning home (and after taking the sleeping bag, tent, panniers and racks etc. off, reducing the weight of the (steel) machine from 20+ back to a feathery 11 or 12 kilo’s). What a feeling.

That’s not in your mind, it’s being fit from cycling lots. No doubt if you ride a heavy bike lots then jump on a light one you will feel unshackled so to speak. But for equal training you won’t be any fitter than the guy on the light bike who has worked himself at the same levels.

ChrisO, I didn’t take that from Fronks article, just calling bullshit on a couple of responses. I thought Frank meant it doesn’t matter what you ride, you get better by hurting yourself. That’s the fun of some of his articles, we can misinterpret them any way we like. People frequently misunderestimate Frank…

“Unshackled”! Yes, that’s exactly the word I was looking for. Cheers.

I guess it added to the fun that I used to return from those long cycling holidays (France, Italy, Scotland) to, precisely, the Netherlands. I’d have the opportunity to unleash the fitness from cycling lots, combined with the benefits of having trained at altitude, on the pancake-flat tarmac of Cloggyland. Spinning out on 52 x 14 for a week or two; good times.

I’ll probably spend the rest of the day wondering what it means to misunderestimate someone…

It's a George W quote from whe he gave up the Presidentship. "All through my career people have misunderestimated me" only W could come up with that and say it with a straight face! God bless America.
ErikdR says:

Jun 26 2015 at 4:46 am

@Daccordi Rider

Aha! Thanks for clearing that up - and yes, that does sound like the kind of thing Dubya would come up with. Wasn't George Jr. also the one who had a hard time remembering that General Zhia Ul Hacq (or however it's spelled) was the supreme leader of Pakistan - so he went for "General General" instead?
wilburrox says:

Jun 26 2015 at 4:59 am

61cm < 6kg ? WOW. That's a lotta C.
Daccordi Rider says:

Jun 26 2015 at 5:26 am

@ErikdR

I'm surprised he didn't just call him Partner.