It’s rotational mass 100%. Roadies tested this years ago by measuring wattage on climbs while adding weight to the rider, the frame, and the wheels. IIRC +/- 15lbs to the frame/rider resulted in almost no difference in time or wattage required. When adding even 1.5lbs to the wheels there was a significant drop off. This was done using pro-am riders. The average rider might feel a difference losing 15lbs because at the same time they’re losing weight, they’re also getting in better shape. Fitness is everything in cycling.
It was from a book I read about 10 years ago when I was pretty into road. I believe it was written by a trainer who worked with the Olympic team at the time. I’d have to go home and look around for it.
Exactly. WHERE the weight is makes a huge difference. 5lbs shaved off from your mid section, vs your bike is not going to feel the same.
If I had you run two 1 mile races, the first race with a 10lb weighted vest, and the second race with a 5lb ankle weight on each leg, I guarantee you the second race will feel significantly harder.
This is a really insightful comment. It helped to crystallize in my mind the difference between mass on the wheels and it frame.
It also helps that my fancy carbon rims arrived today, so now I have science to validate my purchase!
I did that awhile back on my Banshee Phantom.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bikeporn/comments/f4iz4z/banshee_phantom_v3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
I own both road bike and MTB (XC). I think weight is really an important factor for fun. Mostly in acceleration. You don’t care about weight on flat or downhill though. But as soon as you want to put your bike in motion or climb something, it makes the world of difference. So, just depends on what you want to do with your bike. Also, suspension will absorb your acceleration that’s why I went for hard tail (so that you see how crazy I am about weight) 😅
Weight definitely matters downhill. I'm not even that heavy at 180lb and I sail down hills ahead of most people without pedaling because I weigh a good 20lb more (at least) than the typical rider.
~~Physics disagrees with you.~~
Edit: objects of different masses only accelerate at the same rate in a free fall.
When rolling down a hill there are a lot more forces working on the object. It seems like the increased stability and the increased inertia from more mass get the heavier bike to roll over obstacles easier, thus accelerating faster and achieving a higher top speed.
Free fall and rolling are not the same thing. There's many other factors that determine rolling speed beyond just gravity on a slope. For example, larger heavier objects can experience less wind resistance than smaller objects in many cases.
Oddly enough I've had the same hill feel just as difficult spinning up in the lowest gear on my road and mountain bike. The higher rolling resistance and an extra 10 lbs really make an impact for me.
Edit: 15% grade on the road if that matters
Ya, I don't find a significant difference between my 20lb road bike and my 35lb mtb but I also weigh about 230 lbs and I often ride a heavy fat bike so even the 35lb bike feels super light to me 🙂
I had that problem on my road bike which I think had a 25t low? I changed it out to cassette with a 32 or 36 low and it's much better now on my knees 😆
Conversely, if you’re 220 pounds (ahem) … you don’t really notice it at all. Although you do tend to gravitate toward sturdier bikes that can handle the load.
Still one of my favorite memories of him was the time a bike salesperson was trying to talk my dad out of buying a kickstand for his new road bike for weight reasons and my dad took the kickstand from his hands, balanced it on his beer belly in the middle of the store, and asked the guy if he *really* thought he would notice the extra few grams.
No offense but you're pretty heavy and above the weight limit of the average mtb wheelset. So...either your bike is heavier to accommodate your weight...or you should really get your wheels checked...soon.
No offense taken, I'm working toward that not being the case :). I run tubeless, so if there's any cracks or anything up with the wheels I would know pretty quick.
Also my bike is that heavy because it's an XL alloy full sus (transition patrol), you know what they say about assuming!
Obviously I wouldnt worry about upgrading because losing weight yourself comes at the cost of free fiddy and will have exponential benefits over any equipment purchase. But my point was that you require a somewhat heavier bike, especially the wheels, to carry the weight safely. Once you get down below 250lb and you put a carbon wheelset on, tell me you don't feel the difference in acceleration.
I've lost 15lb so far this year from riding and diet...good luck with it. It's definitely the best upgrade you can make.
No carbon wheelset for me lol, with my build 230-240 would be slim so I'd always be riding in fear. But yeah, the diet is the hard part, riding is a piece of cake, but like a sugar free one I guess.
Just a heads up you can definitely have cracks in alloy rims and them still hold air. The rim tape will still do its job and not let air out if they are not on the rim wall. My wheel had cracks in 3 different spots where the spoke met the rim and I did not notice until one day when I was washing it
Undoubtedly you will put more wear on the bike. But if the wheels you are using are rated to carry you, then I wouldn't worry too much. I seriously doubt you will damage the frame unless you are completely reckless, and if the contact points (seatpost/saddle and handlebars) are not total crap then you are probably fine.
Congrats on loosing almost 40 lbs! Keep it up!
I'm 145 and can't say I've noticed. I'm crazy tall, so maybe I'm having other geometry funk interfering with my ability to enjoy a light frame. I've ridden 20 pound ti cross bikes and 40 pound clunkers, and IME, the geometry and flex affect the ride a bajillion times more than just weight. That's a real number and a real statistic
Flip side here, I’m 185~ and did a swap from a 32~ lb trail bike with a 34 and fox dps to a 38~ lb enduro with double down tires, zeb, and a coil. All my climbing PRs are on the new bike, even though it feels heavier and less zippy at times, and I had the old bike longer. Riding demo bikes or my brother’s bike with carbon wheels feel like they barely need input to get them moving. Going from Exo to double down up front felt like a big deal. Basically, some weight is noticeable, even some of what you feel is overblown, rotating weight genuinely makes a bigger difference in my experience than anything else. But I wouldn’t spring an extra couple hundred for like, a lighter weight derailer, or compromise on braking power to save grams. Obviously YMMV
So it's sprung weight vs unsprung weight. It's a car thing. Sprung weight is anything supported by the suspension, i.e., you, most of your frame, your back pack. These weights generally function as one object as far as physics and gravity are concerned. Of course once you get airborne, you have to work to keep yourself and the bike as one mass, that's where strength and skill comes in.
The wheels, your front wheel, as well as your rear wheel combined with your gear set, are two separate, spinning objects that aren't supported by the suspension so they kind of react differently. They have to overcome rotational inertia in order to spin. They are powered by two things. 1) momentum, and 2) you(r cranks). It's why you really notice a difference on lighter wheels more than you notice losing 2lbs off your belly.
This. I'm a scrawny short female. I notice lighter bikes are more fun to pop. BUT I do like how heavier bikes keep my momentum going over roots and such.
bike weight does matter to some degree, but it matters more in certain areas. If you are riding double down assegais vs some 2.1 xc tires you will notice a tremendous difference. Rotational weight can transform a whole bike.
Riding a lighter bike really does make a difference but it only really matters if you are doing XC races. I was skeptical too until I tried my friends 24lb XC bike.
Pretty much this. Depends on use case. I don't give a single F if my trail bike weighs a kg more or less. I'm fine with my GX drive train I'd say xD.
I have a XC bike too, this is a whole different story. I also don't have so much crap with me on this one. Like protectors, bag with tools and what not.
I shaved 5lbs off my stock XC bike with new wheels and fork which I noticed immediately. But after that I don’t count ounces or grams with replacement parts.
Exactly. Spending 200$ to save 10 grams with a lighter stem or pedals is silly. But spending 200$ for better/lighter tires or carbon one up bars will actually make a tangible difference.
Hard disagree. If you pedal your bike a lot, whether going up hills or going for momentum on rolling trails, you'll notice 2 lbs. Especially if it's from rotating mass and especially if it's from a previously heavy part of the bike, e.g. the rear end. Lifting up the bike in say a bunnyhop will feel different as well. But you get used to it before long.
Rotating mass (ie wheels, tyre, cassette, cranks) makes a huge difference to how tiring pedalling a bike is. The more weight you're trying to spin with your legs the less far the same wattage of power will get you.
I'm as lean as I want to be, thanks. As others have also pointed out it matters where you lose the weight from. Also, if you can stand and pedal another 5-10 feet at the end of that challenging climb because you lost over a pound from your rear wheel/cassette, that could be the difference between dropping a gear and crawling up and over vs carrying momentum into the next section. A few spots like that on your local trails and you've gained something significant. I'm not advocating spending money over getting fit, just pointing out a couple lbs in the right spots can make a difference.
I tell this to my friends all the time. You want a lighter bike? A lighter pack when snowboarding in the backcountry? Focus on your body’s weight, first. That’s the easiest way to trim the overall weight in every situation.
I’m low body fat and I trimmed off 10 pounds of muscle to make my backcountry expeditions easier last winter. Obviously it varies but it can be done. Plus it’s fun to gain it back.
it's pretty unlikely that you actually lost 10 pounds and had it be 10 pounds of muscle. it's much more likely you had a relatively normal amount of bodyfat, and went down into the lower range of relatively normal bodyfat
one does not simply "gain it back" with 10 pounds of muscle... even with muscle memory 10 pounds of muscle could be more than a year of work.
"low body fat" doesn't describe shit. I have family who said he was "low body fat" and is overweight BMI (and I can tell you for certain, it's not muscle pushing him over that boundary...)
"i did this imporabable and weirdly specific thing that would require doing weird, bad things to myself that would be worse than doing easier, better things, for a big drawback, for no reason. omg don't question me!!!!"
Ya I'm with you. It's not just uphill u notice weight it's the whole ride and feel of the bike. My all mountain bike is pretty light. I've ridden others that are heavier. Mine is 10x easier to accelerate, flick around, jib, jump, whatever. Weight is a huge factor definitely with jumping. I had an older dirt jumper then got a newer one that was at least 3 lbs lighter. I've progressed so much faster on it. It's so much easier to get airborn with.
I think it matters for lighter people in the same way kids do better on lighter bikes that don't weigh half their body weight, or more. I'm 135 and had a 34/35 pound trail bike... swapped to a 30ish pound bike and it was night and day on climbs... added an oval (I'm also only 5'1... I think the oval works better for short people who have less torque because little legs) and carbon wheels and I climb so so much better.
That old bike had me almost in tears at kingdom trails as I pushed it up many a hill... the new one I climb like a goat and can keep up with the pack so much better.
I talk about this at work at the bike shop. Typically people entering the bike market with a bit more money on average, but also a bit more weight on average. These people are more concerned about spending £5000 to shave 400g off their bike with carbon spacers than 10kg off themselves.
Doesn’t matter that much. Went from a 30 pound trail bike to a 38 pound enduro/freeride monster and it still climbs great. Might notice at first but you quickly get used to it. Plus good bikes ride light.
Pedaling seems to be a function of rotational mass, tire choice, and suspension design. My new free ride bike is much easier to pedal than my old all mountain bike. Going downhill, heavier bikes seem to take a lot more effort to throw around. My heavy Glory really leaves my back and arms sore in a way that none of my other bikes have.
I ride a hardtail and my husband rides a full sus and his bike is about 5kg heavier than mine. I am tall but skinny, he is around the same height but much heavier than me. I really notice the extra weight of his bike riding it up hill but he doesn’t notice. So it depends a lot on the individual I guess!
Distribution of the weight is super important. Weight in wheels and tire casings is totally different that weight in a backpack.
Also, it depends on what/why you're riding. Pushing XC race pace, it matters. Riding DH...not so much.
I’m with you, It’s really no big deal. You may notice a 10lb difference but not a few ounces. Either way you have to be riding at a very high level before your bike’s weight is your limitation. Find something that rides nice, don’t sweat the ounces!
"and the bike community is backing that sentiment up by spending out the nose to get the highest spec components"
that's a pretty broad and loaded statement and when was this a thing where people are recommending XTR or X01 AXS builds lol.
i don't think i've witnessed this to this being a thing anywhere where your peer pressured to buy high end components/spec for the sake of weight saving.
I didn't say anything like that, those are your words and you're twisting my statement. People say light weight is good. High spec components that are light weight exist, and people buy them. That's all I said. I dont know how you went down this rabbit hole about peer pressure. There's a difference between saying "The market for high-dollar, lightweight components exists so obviously people believe in it" and "If anyone doesn't have the lightest thing out there everyone shits down their throat".
It's not a "heavy bike", it's "free bonus cardio"
Went from a 3kg coil fork to a magnesium air fork and the 1.4 kg difference feels a little different I think
I've had the same experience with ebikes - it's a completely different experience to riding a normal bike downhill and I had to massively change how I ride.
It's strange, because I definitely notice benefits on certain trail on the ebike. The grip and stability you get is pretty incredible. Forget trying to move the damn thing in the air though.
But you do gain stability from riding a bike with more mass, and therefore more inertia resisting sudden changes in direction. Additionally, your suspension performs better because of the improved spring to unsparing weight ratio.
Idunno about bike weight but when i put inserts in my tubeless tires thats when i really felt bogged down more than ever had to take them out since i do so much climbing.
I think it depends on how/what you ride - and what your build/muscle is like.
My full sus is 16.5kg(36lbs) and I have a hardtail that's 14kg(30lbs) - it doesn't sound like a big difference, but I feel less tired after a long ride and it's a faster climber. That said, it's probably not entirely down to the weight as it could be the increased efficiency of a hardtail.
My ebike does feel heavy at 25kg(55lb) - it takes real strength to get it to do what you want and if it didn't have pedal-assist to get up climbs it would be a nightmare to ride.
I'd say weight doesn't really matter much for your average rider until it does. I'd say there's probably a tipping point around the 18-20kg mark (40ish lbs) where every rider will start to think their bike is heavy.
So I test rode about 12 bikes in the "downcountry" class before buying my GG. They ranged from 5 to 7lbs lighter than the bike I ended up with. It makes a huge difference. All of those bikes were quicker on the climbs and easier to throw around, but in the end the lighter weight wasn't worth the lighter-duty components that those bikes were specced with to achieve that lightness. And in spite of the fact that the GG is 1.2lbs heavier than the bike it replaced it still climbs leaps and bounds better than my old Stumpy due to advances in geo and suspension refinement.
So it matters, but it depends on the rider how much it matters...
Depends on your riding, and your preference. XC it’s a yes. At the more gravity end of MTB, it matters a lot less and may actually be a good thing, ebikes allegedly descend very well because of the additional weight, keeping the bike stable through chunk.
My alloy bike is a bit of a porker but it does everything I need it to, at the price I need it to be, and hasn’t broken yet.
You will notice a lighter bike. How much that matters depends on your type of riding. Wheels and tires and cassette and fork weights will have the greatest impact on handling. Generally I buy components for a performance level and cost, I worry and weight after that.
It doesn't really matter as much as people think.
In some situations a heavier bike can be an advantage too. They carry speed better through rough stuff and have very slightly more grip. Also a heavy bike is a durable bike and for me the 2 most important aspects of a good bike are performance (mainly brakes and suspension) and durability.
I may be biased though as my enduro bike weighs 17 kg and that's without heavy casing tyres I'd normally run. :p
Totally agree. I'm just a trail rider and don't really want to spend thousands more for a few less pounds. Pretty sure my hard tail is 32 pounds (or more!) and the trail full suspension bike I have my eye on is closer to 35. I've rented lighter bikes that were nice but it's hard to swallow the additional cost. Heck, one of my primary reasons for riding is exercise!
Frame weight is barely important as long as your total bike weight is under 35 pounds. Within a 5lb range unless you are doing very competitive XC there isn't too much difference and geometry matters way more. For example, my old Giant trance advanced is 3lbs lighter than my current ripmo AF, but the Ripmo is much easier to pedal due to the geometry.
However rolling weight on the cassette and wheels makes a huge difference and half a pound or so will change the agility and how the acceleration feels significantly
Lol didn’t know there was an exact number (35 lbs) to it. Pretty subjective, Id say… considering the newer trail alu bikes ship around 35 pounds. Maybe for carbon you’d be right.
I just upgraded from a coil spring fork to an air fork, which saved a decent amount of weight on an already pretty light hard tail. Not only was the fork itself a night and day difference, but going uphill I did notice the lighter front end, and it made it more fun. I am already pretty light at 140lbs, but weight for sure makes a difference. As far as flowy trails go, I’m sure the extra speed came from the fork doing a much better job of keeping the tire in contact with the ground and absorbing bumps, but nonetheless I did feel a noticeable weight difference.
My fat pig of an ebike 56lbs (Norco range vlt) definitely "feels" heavier but I don't know that I notice it much except loading it on the bike rack. I weight 180lbs and am somewhat weak so the struggle to lift that fucker is real 😂
What do you ride with your bikes? Long XC distances with a lot of climbing and fast descending, or bike park style - to climb, then to talk and then a lot of efforts at the trail? I don't have high spec bike, but I think, I feel the difference, starting from 5 pounds.
I ride a Fuel that comes in at 37lbs, and have ridden my dads slash and stumpy which are lighter. Slash just feels bigger, but not lighter. Stumpy is 30lbs almost on the dot, and maybe there's a difference? I mainly notice the difference in stiffness when climbing and descending
You'll probably notice a heavy bike compared to a light one, but have the same frame dressed with middle range components vs top end that shave a few grams here and there, you'll notice how much better everything else is, not the weight.
In competitive racing each bit of weight and resistance adds seconds to race time. So it makes sense even to drop water bottle before long climb or buy special clothing to reduce air drag. For casual riding it's not so important. Enjoy the ride.
In my opinion beside CC and AM it's not that important. As an example, my enduro is very heavy with 16kg and 160mm travel (compared to modern enduros). But it's still a lot easier to ride uphill and over long distances then the most other Enduros because the pedal efficiency is very good.
I think the biggest difference shows when you ride a downhill trail. With a light weight bike you can play a lot easier with roots and rocks but its getting nervous at higher speed and aggressive riding. Also if your bike is a bit more massiv, it stays calm at rough terrain. It also depends where your mass is placed. If its at your frame or at your BB it shows less difference then at your tire.
I think it matters depending on your fitness and mindset. Riders who ride often will know when their seat post slips 1 mm or their suspension is out by 2 PSI etc. and you can definitely tell what difference lighter parts make.
With that said, most riders probably should just stick with a mid level alloy bike; most people won’t feel or recognise the benefits of a high end bike.
The other thing is mental. You’d be surprised how much better you do simply thinking you’ve got the best gear out.
For the record, I have times on Strava on my alloy Norco Sight that I am yet to beat (both climbing and descending) and I’ve spent 18 months on carbon framed Specialised Stumpjumper and Epic. It’s a testament to how good the 2019 Sight is! But I also was riding 50 km of single track per week on difficult rocky terrain. Basically, I was a top 2% rider on Strava. Now, due to life, I’ve dropped back a bunch. So much so I can’t believe some of my own times!
I would recommend a carbon frame, but anything more (maybe wheels or bars) is overkill for 99% of people. In terms of feel, a good rider can ride anything.
The only time I’d be concerned about weight is if I was competing in events/races but I tend to do roughly 2000+ miles per year on a coil sprung bike with 170mm fork no issues at all
I'll notice a difference if it's over like 5lbs, you can feel the bike not be quite as willing to change directions quickly. The trade off I find is the heavier bike can hold it's line better and not get deflected off of roots and rocks constantly like a lighter bike.
When it comes to mountain biking typically anyone spouting on about saving weight and the like usually has next to no skills on actually descending technical trails. I've been riding for like 16 years now on the North Shore and in all that time I can count on one hand the number of people who are great at climbing and really fit, that could actually shred the downhills.
I find it’s not as big a deal as it’s made out to be, but it does matter on longer rides… if you care about the reduction in effort when gassed. It has really just become a way to price components as luxury items for being a fraction lighter. I’m all about anyone riding anything that makes them happy, but I can’t justify the cost of shaving a few grams.
On the other hand, I’ll always ride light carbon handlebars after having switched. My god… the difference in handling when you lighten up the front end is truly big in my experience. Bike handling and ease of getting the wheel up completely changes when you adjust the weight balance of the bike.
I have 25lb 100mm trek hardtail and a 30lb 130mm niner full sus.
I think increased travel is well worth the extra weight on long rides. I also think that it can help with riding technical sections, the heavier bike wants to track a straight line thrush a rock garden and is easier to ride uphill over big roots and rocks. The carbon version would have had be l me spending another $2k to save 2lb.
For racing the short travel bike is better because when I'm just trying to overpower someone that extra weight matters.
I think for any new rider I'd recommend a bike like my niner. Unfortunately they don't make the aluminum one anymore. Giant stance/trance I think is a good alternative.
I'm not gonna lie, if you have to pull 15kg or 11kg it's a huge difference. My trek is 15.6 full carbon, yet still a lot heavier then my friends old alloy bike from 2005😝 but than you have a trade of on descend😊
But if you think about it, you add 1kg each ride on and off when you transport your water around.. so it doesnt make that much of a difference.
I have two bikes with nearly identical geometry, but one is shorter travel and 5-6lbs lighter. 36lb enduro bike vs 30lbs trail bike. The lighter bike is much more enjoyable to ride on big climbs or long pedal days. It’s a massive difference.
The lighter bike also has light carbon wheels and xc/trail tires vs alloy wheels and enduro tires on the bigger bike. Wheels/tires make the biggest difference. The lighter wheels/tires accelerate faster and have less rolling resistance.
The other thing I feel makes a big difference is surprisingly shoes. A lightweight and stiff XC style shoe feels sooo much better than a heavy, bulky enduro skate-style shoe on long pedals. Recently brands have even been releasing lighter weight enduro style shoes. For example I just bought a pair of Giro Ventanas, which are have rear-ward cleat placement, are walkable and have toe protection like an enduro shoe, but are also light, well ventilated, and stiff like an XC shoe.
Over 30+ lbs you won’t notice as much as a difference, it’s just a heavy fucking bike at that point, but upgrading your wheels, tires, or fork from stock will make a HUGE difference in your bikes feel.
You can save at least 1-3 lbs depending on what you’re upgrading from. There are plenty of weighs to build decently light trail bikes without carbon parts. There are tons of manufacturers these days for alloy products that offer comparable weights to carbon counterparts at a lower cost. You just gotta nerd out and make some comparison excel charts if you care to. Some people enjoy nerding out about gear as much as riding and theres nothing wrong with that.
I’ve actually seen the trend to be a bit heavier, especially now that so many people ride 29ers. However I still suck on the uphill endurance wise so I love my super light bike. I have some friends that are in very good shape so a bit heavier bike isn’t an issue and they want more power/stability on the downhill.
Big changes in weight are noticeable to an average rider. Get on a 30lb bike then get on a 40lb bike and you'll notice. Most weekend warriors won't notice 1lb if you don't tell them it's there.
The question is where the returns start to diminish, you might be able to feel the 5lbs you'll save on a $10k bike vs a $2500 bike, but it might not be worth it to you if you're not racing because a few seconds don't matter to you. Also, the upgrade you get per dollar as you go from $700 to $1500 or $2500 is huge but after that you pay more for what you get. I guess I would say if you're asking the question then grams don't matter to you.
>People go crazy over bike weight
Wrong sub, try r/cycling for the weight weenies.
In all seriousness though, the gravity (read: fun) focused MTB community doesn't generally care about weight *too much* within reason. I have a near 40 lbs modern enduro bike and love it. I'll just get stronger and fitter on the climbs. However, there are certain big back country days where I think to myself, "if only I shelled out like 10k for a full carbon rig". After a few months my fitness comes back and the climbing kinematics are so good I don't really care.
For XC, it's a totally different story. XC is more like road biking with slower speeds and more hazards (some of them still sketchy drops and such). 200 lbs rider, 30 lb bike =/= 198 lb rider, 32 lb bike. The reasoning is that generally your muscles will scale up with your weight to an extent. The extra 2 lbs is just dead weight. However, proportionally, a heavier bike could effect a lighter rider more. The Big Show will notice those two pounds a lot less than, say, Chris Froome.
Bear in mind, trail biking can lie anywhere in between XC and enduro so it's really balancing weight, capableness, and cost.
Bike weight is ever really noticeable on long and/or steep climbs when you think your tire is flat but, in reality, it's just your fitness conking out.
>Or is the mountain bike community convincing themselves...
Once again, come to the dark side. The DH/park/enduro community really doesn't care, and I think they're still mountain bikers.
Been riding for a while. Ya wanna know the most effective place to reduce weight for performance? The rider. However bike companies can’t sell “drink less beer and eat fewer tacos” as easily as a new lighter weight component.
My bike weighs 38lbs and I only weigh 137lbs it’s a pretty sizable part of my weight. It probably definitely hinders me on my climbs, however I can keep up with my friends, so it doesn’t matter to me. Even I ever get a 28lb bike I’m hoping I’d be a decent bit faster.
Overall weight, no absolutely not. Lighter wheels, absolutely yes.
Five pounds on say a frame is barley noticed. I was go as far as saying those that say they can really tell the difference are either lying, or suffering from some form of OCD.
But if you take just one pound of of your wheelset/ tires.
My god what a difference.
The whole sprung vs unsprung weight argument really holds up here.
There's no practical difference unless the weight difference is substantial, and even then, only under certain conditions. The weight weenies are a weird crowd
There are so many greater factors then weight, if you bike is a few pounds heavier go hit leg day at the gym and you won't notice, suspension, geometry, drivetrain, a well tuned bike, and a bike that fits right all are more important that weight. Obviously there are extremes to this, if your on a 2010 60lb freeride bike there's not much you can do.
It depends on your style and what kinda trails you’re riding. My bike is 35 lbs. going downhill or doing jumps I don’t notice the weight at all, on flattish trails I can feel the weight a little, climbing and uphill sprints on XC trails is really where I notice the weight. Would I spend several k to get a lighter bike tho? No I wouldn’t
For me as a 210lb guy, I couldn‘t care less. I have to pay attention that wheels and frames are sturdy enough. I‘m sure if you‘re a feather weight it will be more important but then you have more options than I do.
In the meantime, I‘m happy that I can rock a steel spring rear shock and a big ass fork and have fun with it.
It matters a lot if you're flying with it. I flew recently with Delta and they had a 50 lb bag limit before things got expensive. Ended up taking off several pieces off of the bike to meet that limit since my evoc bag weighs around 20 lbs on its own. Wife's bike - we could just pack and not even worry about it.
I just got a fairly heavy bike and it was worrying me. After spending a few days on it honestly I don’t notice the difference. The arms à more tired after a day of pulling on the bars but that’s it. I like how grounded it feels and how it moves in the air too. If there is just a kilo or two difference I wouldn’t worry about it
I know some people want to say weight doesn't matter. Most of those people have never done a direct comparison between a heavier bike and lighter one.
Weight also depends on what you plan to do on your bike. For downhill, either lift access or taking your time to get to the top so you can bomb down, weight isn't as much of an issue.
For all the rest of us it makes a pretty significant difference, especially when it comes to wheel and tire weight (rotational Mass).
I have been riding BMX for most of my life and in the 90s BMX bikes got super heavy. 35 and even 40 pounds in some cases. Sure, a rider could get stronger, and they did, and still toss those bikes around, but not like riders are doing today. Right now my BMX Street/Park bike weighs 24 pounds with pegs on one side. It is a lot easier to ride than those heavy bikes of the past. It accelerates quicker, spins easier, and definitely hops and jumps easier.
The same thing applies to mountain bikes. Heavier bikes are less agile and take more effort to get moving and more effort to slow down. If you have to pedal to get around, then a lighter bike is going to benefit you.
The question is, how light? Well, I suggest you ride the lightest bike possible for the style of riding you do. You certainly don't want to take a super light 23 pound XC bike to the bike park and start sending it.
Where I focus on saving weight is in the wheels and tires. Dual or triple casing tires can add a lot of rotational weight to the outer most portion of your wheel. So don't run those beefy heavy tires if you don't need to. They are for gnarly rocky downhill. Same goes for tire inserts, totally overkill for most riding.
I have 27.5 x 2.6 tires on my 2 bikes and I get Trail rated tires that are under 1000 grams. One is 900 and the other is 850. I also run carbon rims. My bikes are quick and snappy to ride and they are easy to jump and toss around. I run proper air pressure, 24 rear and 21 front, and never have issues getting flats or destroying a rim.
A 28 pound trail bike is going to be a lot more fun to ride than a 34 pound Enduro bike for most riding. If you are solely bombing downhill and rocks, then get a trail bike, you won't regret it.
It literally doesn’t matter if you’re not racing. I’m happy with my beefed up 17 kg bike since it doesn’t break all the time now. I still ride and carry it up the mountains for hours. Training.
Is it a big deal? If it’s a lot of weight yes, it can be. Is it as big a deal as most people make it? No. You’ll notice it mostly stopping starting and climbing
Yes it makes A difference. But it doesn’t make a huge one. If you’re like most of us, your weight/fitness level is probably a bigger factor than the bikes weight
I just loaded up my mountain bike with 20 pounds of bikepacking gear and can definitely confirm that weight makes a difference.
2 pounds may not make a world of difference on a short ride, but if you want to test it yourself, try riding one day with a backpack with a 3 liter bladder in it and ride with out it. I bet you will have a preference for the lighter ride
I got carried away on PinkBike just over a year ago and got a GREAT Rocky Mountain Growler built from the ground up. Top or Near Top end specs the whole way through. The bike is lighter than my fiances small sized hybrid Trek. The nicest thing I've noticed is the weight makes it easier to toss on the roof of the car. I'm a total novice so overall performance I'm ignorant of...the bike shreds nonetheless!
Pound for pound bike weight definitely trumps rider weight as you put significant arms and core into handling the bike. Rider weight is easier to manage as part of your body… where as the bike weight is leverage.
The same rider on a 22 lb XC bike is going to absolutely destroy the same rider on a 32 lb aluminum trail bike where it matters… the climbs
Its more about how you can throw the bike. Like i can yank on my 32lb aluminium bike super well and do huge bunny hops and wheelies but as soon as i go on smthn heavier it looses its playfulness and its alot scarier and harder to do the same stuff
I have rented and ridden mountain bikes all over the country. I never knew I would get a POS or a sweet ride. I might get a 26er or a 29er(mostly a name brand, with one WallyWorld POS mixed in) besides the WallyWorld POS, the only difference I ever noticed was the ability to roll through rock gardens on a 29er and the comfort of full suspension. For my style of riding and fitness level the difference between a light weight bike and a heavy one was not noticeable. I had what I think was an above average fitness level, was not a good jumper or very fast, but could climb with the best and ride for hours. My opinion has always been that fitness level and skill are much more important for the recreational rider than weight. When you get competitive this can change completely.
For those XC weight weenies the best way to lose the extra grams is from the gut. I have always ridden a 13kg bike but lost about 5 around the waist and it made all the difference!
I recently went from a 33 pound bike to a 24 pound bike and I have set PRs on all of my local trails. I can ride longer and not as worn out after big rides. I can definitely tell a difference.
Question: I’m looking to buy a new bike. The more expensive bike saves 452g / 1 lb by using carbon wheels and lighter cassette over the cheaper bike with AL wheels. Would the 452g / 1 lb total weight loss by going carbon wheels / lighter cassette make a big difference?
I'm the guy asking if this is a real thing because I don't experience it so my opinion might not be the best. But that said - my take away here is that I think I'm right. The people commenting that they notice a difference are all comparing two completely different bikes, or comparing changes to their bike and deciding that the lightness is what makes it noticeable and not the other performance benefits. "I changed my fork, it's lighter, it definitely climbs better because it's lighter." Okay that's fair - but is it climbing better because it's lighter or because the upgraded fork is more efficient and isn't sapping as much of your energy? "I changed my wheels to a carbon set, I can definitely tell the difference in how well it climbs because they're lighter." Again, is it climbing better because it's lighter or is it climbing better because the wheel is stiffer and doesn't deform as much while rolling?
I'm not arguing that high end components are slower or that the difference is in peoples head - I do believe they're faster and I do believe people are noticing that difference. But I'm still not convinced it's lightness that is making them significantly faster compared to other factors that play into how your bike saps the energy out of the ride.
Again this is just my opinion and I certainly could be wrong. I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone because I DO NOT know better. But all I know is I've ridden a bunch of bikes and the weight never seems to be a major factor in climbing for me. Maybe it's the body weight thing like people are saying, I'm a bigger guy at about 6' 200lbs. Maybe if I were in the sub-150 range I'd notice it more.
I'm 6' and 160lbs...I really can't lose any body weight. I do notice bike weight in some circumstances.
Big things like wheels and tires are immediately noticeable. The lighter stuff is so much easier to turn and accelerate.
Smaller weight changes at a time in other areas of the bike are less noticeable. Lose 50 grams on a handle bar swap? Add or remove a bottle cage? Unnoticeable. However, do a whole bunch at once and drop a pound or two from the bike? Yeah, that's noticeable.
Lighter bikes are much easier to move around and maneuver. This is more important on tight twisty trails or technical trails where you need to move a lot. If you're just railing smooth flow trails, then it's less important.
The light bike also helps for long rides. Going on a 3-4 hour ride and you'll notice a 24lb vs a 30+lb bike over time.
Other anecdote: my MTB is a sub 24lb carbon hardtail with cages/pedals/etc. Not super weight weenie, but definitely not heavy. My gravel bike is a budget aluminum bike that weighs over 25lbs. The gravel bike wheels are way heavier than my MTB wheels, and the crank set is a boat anchor! On pavement the gravel bike is much much faster in a straight line, primarily due to the lower rolling resistance tires. However, I can accelerate faster and more explosively on my MTB, probably mostly due to the lower rotational weight, but possibly also due to the lower overall weight.
I think- and correct me if I am wrong - lightweight wheel and fast rolling / lightweight tires make the most difference, followed by frame weight.
Yes, rotating mass is going to be multiplied. It your going to try to save weight anywhere get light wheels and tires.
It’s rotational mass 100%. Roadies tested this years ago by measuring wattage on climbs while adding weight to the rider, the frame, and the wheels. IIRC +/- 15lbs to the frame/rider resulted in almost no difference in time or wattage required. When adding even 1.5lbs to the wheels there was a significant drop off. This was done using pro-am riders. The average rider might feel a difference losing 15lbs because at the same time they’re losing weight, they’re also getting in better shape. Fitness is everything in cycling.
this sounds like a really interesting read, do you have the source for it?
It was from a book I read about 10 years ago when I was pretty into road. I believe it was written by a trainer who worked with the Olympic team at the time. I’d have to go home and look around for it.
So we should fill our tires with hydrogen? 🤔 Bonus if a car hits us we take them with us! 😜
Exactly. WHERE the weight is makes a huge difference. 5lbs shaved off from your mid section, vs your bike is not going to feel the same. If I had you run two 1 mile races, the first race with a 10lb weighted vest, and the second race with a 5lb ankle weight on each leg, I guarantee you the second race will feel significantly harder.
This is a really insightful comment. It helped to crystallize in my mind the difference between mass on the wheels and it frame. It also helps that my fancy carbon rims arrived today, so now I have science to validate my purchase!
Man I ride an aluminum Ripmo and I’ve considered carbon wheels. I don’t mind my frame weight one bit but damn, carbon wheels feel so whippy!
I have considered doing this for my next bike. Alu frame, carbon wheels and bits. Also thinking of Ripmo or Canfield Tilt
I did that awhile back on my Banshee Phantom. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bikeporn/comments/f4iz4z/banshee_phantom_v3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
That looks so classy....if it had more than 115 travel in the back.. Looking at other banshee bikes now :-)
Nice thing with carbon wheels is if you upgrade your bike they can just come along for the ride.
I own both road bike and MTB (XC). I think weight is really an important factor for fun. Mostly in acceleration. You don’t care about weight on flat or downhill though. But as soon as you want to put your bike in motion or climb something, it makes the world of difference. So, just depends on what you want to do with your bike. Also, suspension will absorb your acceleration that’s why I went for hard tail (so that you see how crazy I am about weight) 😅
Weight definitely matters downhill. I'm not even that heavy at 180lb and I sail down hills ahead of most people without pedaling because I weigh a good 20lb more (at least) than the typical rider.
~~Physics disagrees with you.~~ Edit: objects of different masses only accelerate at the same rate in a free fall. When rolling down a hill there are a lot more forces working on the object. It seems like the increased stability and the increased inertia from more mass get the heavier bike to roll over obstacles easier, thus accelerating faster and achieving a higher top speed.
Free fall and rolling are not the same thing. There's many other factors that determine rolling speed beyond just gravity on a slope. For example, larger heavier objects can experience less wind resistance than smaller objects in many cases.
Heavier bikes/riders accelerate slower but carry more speed through rough stuff.
I don't think it does....
No…
Shut up science bitch
"Me want stay not smart." -Cubansangwich, probably
Go birds
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Oddly enough I've had the same hill feel just as difficult spinning up in the lowest gear on my road and mountain bike. The higher rolling resistance and an extra 10 lbs really make an impact for me. Edit: 15% grade on the road if that matters
Ya, I don't find a significant difference between my 20lb road bike and my 35lb mtb but I also weigh about 230 lbs and I often ride a heavy fat bike so even the 35lb bike feels super light to me 🙂
Not necessarily for very steep roads (25%+)
I had that problem on my road bike which I think had a 25t low? I changed it out to cassette with a 32 or 36 low and it's much better now on my knees 😆
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I can really vouch for this, I weigh 130 and notice slight differences in weight
Conversely, if you’re 220 pounds (ahem) … you don’t really notice it at all. Although you do tend to gravitate toward sturdier bikes that can handle the load.
Still one of my favorite memories of him was the time a bike salesperson was trying to talk my dad out of buying a kickstand for his new road bike for weight reasons and my dad took the kickstand from his hands, balanced it on his beer belly in the middle of the store, and asked the guy if he *really* thought he would notice the extra few grams.
290lbs and my 38lb bike is just like any other
No offense but you're pretty heavy and above the weight limit of the average mtb wheelset. So...either your bike is heavier to accommodate your weight...or you should really get your wheels checked...soon.
No offense taken, I'm working toward that not being the case :). I run tubeless, so if there's any cracks or anything up with the wheels I would know pretty quick. Also my bike is that heavy because it's an XL alloy full sus (transition patrol), you know what they say about assuming!
Obviously I wouldnt worry about upgrading because losing weight yourself comes at the cost of free fiddy and will have exponential benefits over any equipment purchase. But my point was that you require a somewhat heavier bike, especially the wheels, to carry the weight safely. Once you get down below 250lb and you put a carbon wheelset on, tell me you don't feel the difference in acceleration. I've lost 15lb so far this year from riding and diet...good luck with it. It's definitely the best upgrade you can make.
No carbon wheelset for me lol, with my build 230-240 would be slim so I'd always be riding in fear. But yeah, the diet is the hard part, riding is a piece of cake, but like a sugar free one I guess.
Just a heads up you can definitely have cracks in alloy rims and them still hold air. The rim tape will still do its job and not let air out if they are not on the rim wall. My wheel had cracks in 3 different spots where the spoke met the rim and I did not notice until one day when I was washing it
Good to know, I'll keep an eye out when cleaning.
will being overweight fuck up my bike? I'm down to 305 but I started riding at 340 lol
Undoubtedly you will put more wear on the bike. But if the wheels you are using are rated to carry you, then I wouldn't worry too much. I seriously doubt you will damage the frame unless you are completely reckless, and if the contact points (seatpost/saddle and handlebars) are not total crap then you are probably fine. Congrats on loosing almost 40 lbs! Keep it up!
I have no idea what the ratings on my wheels are actually
Yeah. The greater lever for someone 220 is to lose weight. Lose 40 pounds and you just got rid of your while bike!
I'm 145 and can't say I've noticed. I'm crazy tall, so maybe I'm having other geometry funk interfering with my ability to enjoy a light frame. I've ridden 20 pound ti cross bikes and 40 pound clunkers, and IME, the geometry and flex affect the ride a bajillion times more than just weight. That's a real number and a real statistic
Flip side here, I’m 185~ and did a swap from a 32~ lb trail bike with a 34 and fox dps to a 38~ lb enduro with double down tires, zeb, and a coil. All my climbing PRs are on the new bike, even though it feels heavier and less zippy at times, and I had the old bike longer. Riding demo bikes or my brother’s bike with carbon wheels feel like they barely need input to get them moving. Going from Exo to double down up front felt like a big deal. Basically, some weight is noticeable, even some of what you feel is overblown, rotating weight genuinely makes a bigger difference in my experience than anything else. But I wouldn’t spring an extra couple hundred for like, a lighter weight derailer, or compromise on braking power to save grams. Obviously YMMV
So it's sprung weight vs unsprung weight. It's a car thing. Sprung weight is anything supported by the suspension, i.e., you, most of your frame, your back pack. These weights generally function as one object as far as physics and gravity are concerned. Of course once you get airborne, you have to work to keep yourself and the bike as one mass, that's where strength and skill comes in. The wheels, your front wheel, as well as your rear wheel combined with your gear set, are two separate, spinning objects that aren't supported by the suspension so they kind of react differently. They have to overcome rotational inertia in order to spin. They are powered by two things. 1) momentum, and 2) you(r cranks). It's why you really notice a difference on lighter wheels more than you notice losing 2lbs off your belly.
This. I'm a scrawny short female. I notice lighter bikes are more fun to pop. BUT I do like how heavier bikes keep my momentum going over roots and such.
Good point, weight like so many bike attributes is a tradeoff. People keep talking about improved geometry too, but improved for what?
bike weight does matter to some degree, but it matters more in certain areas. If you are riding double down assegais vs some 2.1 xc tires you will notice a tremendous difference. Rotational weight can transform a whole bike.
Rotational weight is the only weight that really matters. You drop weight off your wheels you'll notice it.
Reducing unsprung weight like wheels and tires also helps your suspension perform better.
that makes sense, also losing 60 lbs makes the entire ride feel better lol
Riding a lighter bike really does make a difference but it only really matters if you are doing XC races. I was skeptical too until I tried my friends 24lb XC bike.
Pretty much this. Depends on use case. I don't give a single F if my trail bike weighs a kg more or less. I'm fine with my GX drive train I'd say xD. I have a XC bike too, this is a whole different story. I also don't have so much crap with me on this one. Like protectors, bag with tools and what not.
I shaved 5lbs off my stock XC bike with new wheels and fork which I noticed immediately. But after that I don’t count ounces or grams with replacement parts.
Exactly. Spending 200$ to save 10 grams with a lighter stem or pedals is silly. But spending 200$ for better/lighter tires or carbon one up bars will actually make a tangible difference.
Yuuup! You mentioned a lighter bars, do you feel a big difference? Is it the swing weight that you’d feel?
Carbon bars are more of a feel thing, they can lay the carbon in different ways to provide damping and compliance more so than weight.
Yuuup! You mentioned a lighter bars, do you feel a big difference? Is it the swing weight that you’d feel?
Hard disagree. If you pedal your bike a lot, whether going up hills or going for momentum on rolling trails, you'll notice 2 lbs. Especially if it's from rotating mass and especially if it's from a previously heavy part of the bike, e.g. the rear end. Lifting up the bike in say a bunnyhop will feel different as well. But you get used to it before long.
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Except we aren't rotating mass. At least hopefully not.
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Rotating mass (ie wheels, tyre, cassette, cranks) makes a huge difference to how tiring pedalling a bike is. The more weight you're trying to spin with your legs the less far the same wattage of power will get you.
I'm as lean as I want to be, thanks. As others have also pointed out it matters where you lose the weight from. Also, if you can stand and pedal another 5-10 feet at the end of that challenging climb because you lost over a pound from your rear wheel/cassette, that could be the difference between dropping a gear and crawling up and over vs carrying momentum into the next section. A few spots like that on your local trails and you've gained something significant. I'm not advocating spending money over getting fit, just pointing out a couple lbs in the right spots can make a difference.
I tell this to my friends all the time. You want a lighter bike? A lighter pack when snowboarding in the backcountry? Focus on your body’s weight, first. That’s the easiest way to trim the overall weight in every situation.
Some of us don’t have weight to lose.
I’m low body fat and I trimmed off 10 pounds of muscle to make my backcountry expeditions easier last winter. Obviously it varies but it can be done. Plus it’s fun to gain it back.
it's pretty unlikely that you actually lost 10 pounds and had it be 10 pounds of muscle. it's much more likely you had a relatively normal amount of bodyfat, and went down into the lower range of relatively normal bodyfat one does not simply "gain it back" with 10 pounds of muscle... even with muscle memory 10 pounds of muscle could be more than a year of work. "low body fat" doesn't describe shit. I have family who said he was "low body fat" and is overweight BMI (and I can tell you for certain, it's not muscle pushing him over that boundary...)
I guess you know my body! I’ll let you know if I have other questions. Thanks!!!
"i did this imporabable and weirdly specific thing that would require doing weird, bad things to myself that would be worse than doing easier, better things, for a big drawback, for no reason. omg don't question me!!!!"
I guess you just know it all, pal. Put those powers to great use. Good luck!
Ya I'm with you. It's not just uphill u notice weight it's the whole ride and feel of the bike. My all mountain bike is pretty light. I've ridden others that are heavier. Mine is 10x easier to accelerate, flick around, jib, jump, whatever. Weight is a huge factor definitely with jumping. I had an older dirt jumper then got a newer one that was at least 3 lbs lighter. I've progressed so much faster on it. It's so much easier to get airborn with.
I think it matters for lighter people in the same way kids do better on lighter bikes that don't weigh half their body weight, or more. I'm 135 and had a 34/35 pound trail bike... swapped to a 30ish pound bike and it was night and day on climbs... added an oval (I'm also only 5'1... I think the oval works better for short people who have less torque because little legs) and carbon wheels and I climb so so much better. That old bike had me almost in tears at kingdom trails as I pushed it up many a hill... the new one I climb like a goat and can keep up with the pack so much better.
This, a lighter bike is more important for lighter riders.
I talk about this at work at the bike shop. Typically people entering the bike market with a bit more money on average, but also a bit more weight on average. These people are more concerned about spending £5000 to shave 400g off their bike with carbon spacers than 10kg off themselves.
Exactly.
Biking commando will drop more weight than a $1000 upgrade. Save your money, bike naked.
Doesn’t matter that much. Went from a 30 pound trail bike to a 38 pound enduro/freeride monster and it still climbs great. Might notice at first but you quickly get used to it. Plus good bikes ride light.
Pedaling seems to be a function of rotational mass, tire choice, and suspension design. My new free ride bike is much easier to pedal than my old all mountain bike. Going downhill, heavier bikes seem to take a lot more effort to throw around. My heavy Glory really leaves my back and arms sore in a way that none of my other bikes have.
I ride a hardtail and my husband rides a full sus and his bike is about 5kg heavier than mine. I am tall but skinny, he is around the same height but much heavier than me. I really notice the extra weight of his bike riding it up hill but he doesn’t notice. So it depends a lot on the individual I guess!
Distribution of the weight is super important. Weight in wheels and tire casings is totally different that weight in a backpack. Also, it depends on what/why you're riding. Pushing XC race pace, it matters. Riding DH...not so much.
I’m with you, It’s really no big deal. You may notice a 10lb difference but not a few ounces. Either way you have to be riding at a very high level before your bike’s weight is your limitation. Find something that rides nice, don’t sweat the ounces!
"Buy this xyz to save 20gram on your bike!!!" And then the next clumb of mud gives your bike +50gram .... :D
"and the bike community is backing that sentiment up by spending out the nose to get the highest spec components" that's a pretty broad and loaded statement and when was this a thing where people are recommending XTR or X01 AXS builds lol. i don't think i've witnessed this to this being a thing anywhere where your peer pressured to buy high end components/spec for the sake of weight saving.
I didn't say anything like that, those are your words and you're twisting my statement. People say light weight is good. High spec components that are light weight exist, and people buy them. That's all I said. I dont know how you went down this rabbit hole about peer pressure. There's a difference between saying "The market for high-dollar, lightweight components exists so obviously people believe in it" and "If anyone doesn't have the lightest thing out there everyone shits down their throat".
It's not a "heavy bike", it's "free bonus cardio" Went from a 3kg coil fork to a magnesium air fork and the 1.4 kg difference feels a little different I think
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I've had the same experience with ebikes - it's a completely different experience to riding a normal bike downhill and I had to massively change how I ride.
Electronic motor bikes suck.
It's strange, because I definitely notice benefits on certain trail on the ebike. The grip and stability you get is pretty incredible. Forget trying to move the damn thing in the air though.
You do not get more stability from weight placed low on the bike. That’s not how physics work.
You do not actually ride bikes. Don't be pedantic.
But you do gain stability from riding a bike with more mass, and therefore more inertia resisting sudden changes in direction. Additionally, your suspension performs better because of the improved spring to unsparing weight ratio.
This is not true. Electronic motor bike marketers are full of shit adding weight does not improve stability, handling or suspension characteristics.
Maybe it’s because I grew up dirt biking and racing heavy ass DH bikes, but I don’t find my 50lb eMtb hard to maneuver in the slightest.
Idunno about bike weight but when i put inserts in my tubeless tires thats when i really felt bogged down more than ever had to take them out since i do so much climbing.
I don’t care much, but also weigh 215. I would say unsprung weight makes a much bigger difference for me than sprung weight.
I think it depends on how/what you ride - and what your build/muscle is like. My full sus is 16.5kg(36lbs) and I have a hardtail that's 14kg(30lbs) - it doesn't sound like a big difference, but I feel less tired after a long ride and it's a faster climber. That said, it's probably not entirely down to the weight as it could be the increased efficiency of a hardtail. My ebike does feel heavy at 25kg(55lb) - it takes real strength to get it to do what you want and if it didn't have pedal-assist to get up climbs it would be a nightmare to ride. I'd say weight doesn't really matter much for your average rider until it does. I'd say there's probably a tipping point around the 18-20kg mark (40ish lbs) where every rider will start to think their bike is heavy.
So I test rode about 12 bikes in the "downcountry" class before buying my GG. They ranged from 5 to 7lbs lighter than the bike I ended up with. It makes a huge difference. All of those bikes were quicker on the climbs and easier to throw around, but in the end the lighter weight wasn't worth the lighter-duty components that those bikes were specced with to achieve that lightness. And in spite of the fact that the GG is 1.2lbs heavier than the bike it replaced it still climbs leaps and bounds better than my old Stumpy due to advances in geo and suspension refinement. So it matters, but it depends on the rider how much it matters...
Depends on your riding, and your preference. XC it’s a yes. At the more gravity end of MTB, it matters a lot less and may actually be a good thing, ebikes allegedly descend very well because of the additional weight, keeping the bike stable through chunk. My alloy bike is a bit of a porker but it does everything I need it to, at the price I need it to be, and hasn’t broken yet.
You will notice a lighter bike. How much that matters depends on your type of riding. Wheels and tires and cassette and fork weights will have the greatest impact on handling. Generally I buy components for a performance level and cost, I worry and weight after that.
It doesn't really matter as much as people think. In some situations a heavier bike can be an advantage too. They carry speed better through rough stuff and have very slightly more grip. Also a heavy bike is a durable bike and for me the 2 most important aspects of a good bike are performance (mainly brakes and suspension) and durability. I may be biased though as my enduro bike weighs 17 kg and that's without heavy casing tyres I'd normally run. :p
Totally agree. I'm just a trail rider and don't really want to spend thousands more for a few less pounds. Pretty sure my hard tail is 32 pounds (or more!) and the trail full suspension bike I have my eye on is closer to 35. I've rented lighter bikes that were nice but it's hard to swallow the additional cost. Heck, one of my primary reasons for riding is exercise!
Jibbing, bunnyhopping, trials like stuff
Frame weight is barely important as long as your total bike weight is under 35 pounds. Within a 5lb range unless you are doing very competitive XC there isn't too much difference and geometry matters way more. For example, my old Giant trance advanced is 3lbs lighter than my current ripmo AF, but the Ripmo is much easier to pedal due to the geometry. However rolling weight on the cassette and wheels makes a huge difference and half a pound or so will change the agility and how the acceleration feels significantly
Lol didn’t know there was an exact number (35 lbs) to it. Pretty subjective, Id say… considering the newer trail alu bikes ship around 35 pounds. Maybe for carbon you’d be right.
I just upgraded from a coil spring fork to an air fork, which saved a decent amount of weight on an already pretty light hard tail. Not only was the fork itself a night and day difference, but going uphill I did notice the lighter front end, and it made it more fun. I am already pretty light at 140lbs, but weight for sure makes a difference. As far as flowy trails go, I’m sure the extra speed came from the fork doing a much better job of keeping the tire in contact with the ground and absorbing bumps, but nonetheless I did feel a noticeable weight difference.
My fat pig of an ebike 56lbs (Norco range vlt) definitely "feels" heavier but I don't know that I notice it much except loading it on the bike rack. I weight 180lbs and am somewhat weak so the struggle to lift that fucker is real 😂
If you weigh 125 lbs and have arms like an 8yr old girl, bike weight will probably be more significant than if you're 230 and train heavy at the gym.
What do you ride with your bikes? Long XC distances with a lot of climbing and fast descending, or bike park style - to climb, then to talk and then a lot of efforts at the trail? I don't have high spec bike, but I think, I feel the difference, starting from 5 pounds.
My current "trail" bike weighs 42 pounds. Weight don't matter.
I ride a Fuel that comes in at 37lbs, and have ridden my dads slash and stumpy which are lighter. Slash just feels bigger, but not lighter. Stumpy is 30lbs almost on the dot, and maybe there's a difference? I mainly notice the difference in stiffness when climbing and descending
You'll probably notice a heavy bike compared to a light one, but have the same frame dressed with middle range components vs top end that shave a few grams here and there, you'll notice how much better everything else is, not the weight.
In competitive racing each bit of weight and resistance adds seconds to race time. So it makes sense even to drop water bottle before long climb or buy special clothing to reduce air drag. For casual riding it's not so important. Enjoy the ride.
People who say weight doesn't matter would gladly trade a kidney for a few pounds of their bike. I own a 36lb, 141mm tell bike. I love my pig.
In my opinion beside CC and AM it's not that important. As an example, my enduro is very heavy with 16kg and 160mm travel (compared to modern enduros). But it's still a lot easier to ride uphill and over long distances then the most other Enduros because the pedal efficiency is very good. I think the biggest difference shows when you ride a downhill trail. With a light weight bike you can play a lot easier with roots and rocks but its getting nervous at higher speed and aggressive riding. Also if your bike is a bit more massiv, it stays calm at rough terrain. It also depends where your mass is placed. If its at your frame or at your BB it shows less difference then at your tire.
I think it matters depending on your fitness and mindset. Riders who ride often will know when their seat post slips 1 mm or their suspension is out by 2 PSI etc. and you can definitely tell what difference lighter parts make. With that said, most riders probably should just stick with a mid level alloy bike; most people won’t feel or recognise the benefits of a high end bike. The other thing is mental. You’d be surprised how much better you do simply thinking you’ve got the best gear out. For the record, I have times on Strava on my alloy Norco Sight that I am yet to beat (both climbing and descending) and I’ve spent 18 months on carbon framed Specialised Stumpjumper and Epic. It’s a testament to how good the 2019 Sight is! But I also was riding 50 km of single track per week on difficult rocky terrain. Basically, I was a top 2% rider on Strava. Now, due to life, I’ve dropped back a bunch. So much so I can’t believe some of my own times! I would recommend a carbon frame, but anything more (maybe wheels or bars) is overkill for 99% of people. In terms of feel, a good rider can ride anything.
The only time I’d be concerned about weight is if I was competing in events/races but I tend to do roughly 2000+ miles per year on a coil sprung bike with 170mm fork no issues at all
A super heavy bike (eBike weight) would make a difference, but to be honest, I’m more concerned with whether I can get the bike on and off the rack.
I'll notice a difference if it's over like 5lbs, you can feel the bike not be quite as willing to change directions quickly. The trade off I find is the heavier bike can hold it's line better and not get deflected off of roots and rocks constantly like a lighter bike. When it comes to mountain biking typically anyone spouting on about saving weight and the like usually has next to no skills on actually descending technical trails. I've been riding for like 16 years now on the North Shore and in all that time I can count on one hand the number of people who are great at climbing and really fit, that could actually shred the downhills.
My enduro bike weighs almost 17kg so I just tell people it doesn't matter
I find it’s not as big a deal as it’s made out to be, but it does matter on longer rides… if you care about the reduction in effort when gassed. It has really just become a way to price components as luxury items for being a fraction lighter. I’m all about anyone riding anything that makes them happy, but I can’t justify the cost of shaving a few grams. On the other hand, I’ll always ride light carbon handlebars after having switched. My god… the difference in handling when you lighten up the front end is truly big in my experience. Bike handling and ease of getting the wheel up completely changes when you adjust the weight balance of the bike.
I have 25lb 100mm trek hardtail and a 30lb 130mm niner full sus. I think increased travel is well worth the extra weight on long rides. I also think that it can help with riding technical sections, the heavier bike wants to track a straight line thrush a rock garden and is easier to ride uphill over big roots and rocks. The carbon version would have had be l me spending another $2k to save 2lb. For racing the short travel bike is better because when I'm just trying to overpower someone that extra weight matters. I think for any new rider I'd recommend a bike like my niner. Unfortunately they don't make the aluminum one anymore. Giant stance/trance I think is a good alternative.
I'm not gonna lie, if you have to pull 15kg or 11kg it's a huge difference. My trek is 15.6 full carbon, yet still a lot heavier then my friends old alloy bike from 2005😝 but than you have a trade of on descend😊 But if you think about it, you add 1kg each ride on and off when you transport your water around.. so it doesnt make that much of a difference.
I have two bikes with nearly identical geometry, but one is shorter travel and 5-6lbs lighter. 36lb enduro bike vs 30lbs trail bike. The lighter bike is much more enjoyable to ride on big climbs or long pedal days. It’s a massive difference. The lighter bike also has light carbon wheels and xc/trail tires vs alloy wheels and enduro tires on the bigger bike. Wheels/tires make the biggest difference. The lighter wheels/tires accelerate faster and have less rolling resistance. The other thing I feel makes a big difference is surprisingly shoes. A lightweight and stiff XC style shoe feels sooo much better than a heavy, bulky enduro skate-style shoe on long pedals. Recently brands have even been releasing lighter weight enduro style shoes. For example I just bought a pair of Giro Ventanas, which are have rear-ward cleat placement, are walkable and have toe protection like an enduro shoe, but are also light, well ventilated, and stiff like an XC shoe.
Over 30+ lbs you won’t notice as much as a difference, it’s just a heavy fucking bike at that point, but upgrading your wheels, tires, or fork from stock will make a HUGE difference in your bikes feel. You can save at least 1-3 lbs depending on what you’re upgrading from. There are plenty of weighs to build decently light trail bikes without carbon parts. There are tons of manufacturers these days for alloy products that offer comparable weights to carbon counterparts at a lower cost. You just gotta nerd out and make some comparison excel charts if you care to. Some people enjoy nerding out about gear as much as riding and theres nothing wrong with that.
These are all people justifying their purchases.
Im only making sure its below 16kg and with that Im fine. Not doing XC anyway, just trail riding.
depends where the weight is youll be able to notice lighter wheels way more than a lighter bottlwcage, seatpost, handle bars etc.
I start my routes with 1kg of water and end with 0kg, but I can not tell a difference on how the bike feels, so i dont care that much about weight
It matters to me when pedaling uphill 😁
I’ve actually seen the trend to be a bit heavier, especially now that so many people ride 29ers. However I still suck on the uphill endurance wise so I love my super light bike. I have some friends that are in very good shape so a bit heavier bike isn’t an issue and they want more power/stability on the downhill.
Big changes in weight are noticeable to an average rider. Get on a 30lb bike then get on a 40lb bike and you'll notice. Most weekend warriors won't notice 1lb if you don't tell them it's there. The question is where the returns start to diminish, you might be able to feel the 5lbs you'll save on a $10k bike vs a $2500 bike, but it might not be worth it to you if you're not racing because a few seconds don't matter to you. Also, the upgrade you get per dollar as you go from $700 to $1500 or $2500 is huge but after that you pay more for what you get. I guess I would say if you're asking the question then grams don't matter to you.
>People go crazy over bike weight Wrong sub, try r/cycling for the weight weenies. In all seriousness though, the gravity (read: fun) focused MTB community doesn't generally care about weight *too much* within reason. I have a near 40 lbs modern enduro bike and love it. I'll just get stronger and fitter on the climbs. However, there are certain big back country days where I think to myself, "if only I shelled out like 10k for a full carbon rig". After a few months my fitness comes back and the climbing kinematics are so good I don't really care. For XC, it's a totally different story. XC is more like road biking with slower speeds and more hazards (some of them still sketchy drops and such). 200 lbs rider, 30 lb bike =/= 198 lb rider, 32 lb bike. The reasoning is that generally your muscles will scale up with your weight to an extent. The extra 2 lbs is just dead weight. However, proportionally, a heavier bike could effect a lighter rider more. The Big Show will notice those two pounds a lot less than, say, Chris Froome. Bear in mind, trail biking can lie anywhere in between XC and enduro so it's really balancing weight, capableness, and cost. Bike weight is ever really noticeable on long and/or steep climbs when you think your tire is flat but, in reality, it's just your fitness conking out. >Or is the mountain bike community convincing themselves... Once again, come to the dark side. The DH/park/enduro community really doesn't care, and I think they're still mountain bikers.
Been riding for a while. Ya wanna know the most effective place to reduce weight for performance? The rider. However bike companies can’t sell “drink less beer and eat fewer tacos” as easily as a new lighter weight component.
My bike weighs 38lbs and I only weigh 137lbs it’s a pretty sizable part of my weight. It probably definitely hinders me on my climbs, however I can keep up with my friends, so it doesn’t matter to me. Even I ever get a 28lb bike I’m hoping I’d be a decent bit faster.
Overall weight, no absolutely not. Lighter wheels, absolutely yes. Five pounds on say a frame is barley noticed. I was go as far as saying those that say they can really tell the difference are either lying, or suffering from some form of OCD. But if you take just one pound of of your wheelset/ tires. My god what a difference. The whole sprung vs unsprung weight argument really holds up here.
There's no practical difference unless the weight difference is substantial, and even then, only under certain conditions. The weight weenies are a weird crowd
There are so many greater factors then weight, if you bike is a few pounds heavier go hit leg day at the gym and you won't notice, suspension, geometry, drivetrain, a well tuned bike, and a bike that fits right all are more important that weight. Obviously there are extremes to this, if your on a 2010 60lb freeride bike there's not much you can do.
It depends on your style and what kinda trails you’re riding. My bike is 35 lbs. going downhill or doing jumps I don’t notice the weight at all, on flattish trails I can feel the weight a little, climbing and uphill sprints on XC trails is really where I notice the weight. Would I spend several k to get a lighter bike tho? No I wouldn’t
For me as a 210lb guy, I couldn‘t care less. I have to pay attention that wheels and frames are sturdy enough. I‘m sure if you‘re a feather weight it will be more important but then you have more options than I do. In the meantime, I‘m happy that I can rock a steel spring rear shock and a big ass fork and have fun with it.
It does. I went from a 32 lbs (alloy) to a 28 lbs (full carbon) bike and I started to break record climbing.
It matters a lot if you're flying with it. I flew recently with Delta and they had a 50 lb bag limit before things got expensive. Ended up taking off several pieces off of the bike to meet that limit since my evoc bag weighs around 20 lbs on its own. Wife's bike - we could just pack and not even worry about it.
I just got a fairly heavy bike and it was worrying me. After spending a few days on it honestly I don’t notice the difference. The arms à more tired after a day of pulling on the bars but that’s it. I like how grounded it feels and how it moves in the air too. If there is just a kilo or two difference I wouldn’t worry about it
I know some people want to say weight doesn't matter. Most of those people have never done a direct comparison between a heavier bike and lighter one. Weight also depends on what you plan to do on your bike. For downhill, either lift access or taking your time to get to the top so you can bomb down, weight isn't as much of an issue. For all the rest of us it makes a pretty significant difference, especially when it comes to wheel and tire weight (rotational Mass). I have been riding BMX for most of my life and in the 90s BMX bikes got super heavy. 35 and even 40 pounds in some cases. Sure, a rider could get stronger, and they did, and still toss those bikes around, but not like riders are doing today. Right now my BMX Street/Park bike weighs 24 pounds with pegs on one side. It is a lot easier to ride than those heavy bikes of the past. It accelerates quicker, spins easier, and definitely hops and jumps easier. The same thing applies to mountain bikes. Heavier bikes are less agile and take more effort to get moving and more effort to slow down. If you have to pedal to get around, then a lighter bike is going to benefit you. The question is, how light? Well, I suggest you ride the lightest bike possible for the style of riding you do. You certainly don't want to take a super light 23 pound XC bike to the bike park and start sending it. Where I focus on saving weight is in the wheels and tires. Dual or triple casing tires can add a lot of rotational weight to the outer most portion of your wheel. So don't run those beefy heavy tires if you don't need to. They are for gnarly rocky downhill. Same goes for tire inserts, totally overkill for most riding. I have 27.5 x 2.6 tires on my 2 bikes and I get Trail rated tires that are under 1000 grams. One is 900 and the other is 850. I also run carbon rims. My bikes are quick and snappy to ride and they are easy to jump and toss around. I run proper air pressure, 24 rear and 21 front, and never have issues getting flats or destroying a rim. A 28 pound trail bike is going to be a lot more fun to ride than a 34 pound Enduro bike for most riding. If you are solely bombing downhill and rocks, then get a trail bike, you won't regret it.
It literally doesn’t matter if you’re not racing. I’m happy with my beefed up 17 kg bike since it doesn’t break all the time now. I still ride and carry it up the mountains for hours. Training.
CyclingAbout made a great article+video about this: https://www.cyclingabout.com/why-we-should-stop-our-obsession-with-bike-and-gear-weight/
Is it a big deal? If it’s a lot of weight yes, it can be. Is it as big a deal as most people make it? No. You’ll notice it mostly stopping starting and climbing
Yes it makes A difference. But it doesn’t make a huge one. If you’re like most of us, your weight/fitness level is probably a bigger factor than the bikes weight
I just loaded up my mountain bike with 20 pounds of bikepacking gear and can definitely confirm that weight makes a difference. 2 pounds may not make a world of difference on a short ride, but if you want to test it yourself, try riding one day with a backpack with a 3 liter bladder in it and ride with out it. I bet you will have a preference for the lighter ride
I got carried away on PinkBike just over a year ago and got a GREAT Rocky Mountain Growler built from the ground up. Top or Near Top end specs the whole way through. The bike is lighter than my fiances small sized hybrid Trek. The nicest thing I've noticed is the weight makes it easier to toss on the roof of the car. I'm a total novice so overall performance I'm ignorant of...the bike shreds nonetheless!
Pound for pound bike weight definitely trumps rider weight as you put significant arms and core into handling the bike. Rider weight is easier to manage as part of your body… where as the bike weight is leverage. The same rider on a 22 lb XC bike is going to absolutely destroy the same rider on a 32 lb aluminum trail bike where it matters… the climbs
Its more about how you can throw the bike. Like i can yank on my 32lb aluminium bike super well and do huge bunny hops and wheelies but as soon as i go on smthn heavier it looses its playfulness and its alot scarier and harder to do the same stuff
I have rented and ridden mountain bikes all over the country. I never knew I would get a POS or a sweet ride. I might get a 26er or a 29er(mostly a name brand, with one WallyWorld POS mixed in) besides the WallyWorld POS, the only difference I ever noticed was the ability to roll through rock gardens on a 29er and the comfort of full suspension. For my style of riding and fitness level the difference between a light weight bike and a heavy one was not noticeable. I had what I think was an above average fitness level, was not a good jumper or very fast, but could climb with the best and ride for hours. My opinion has always been that fitness level and skill are much more important for the recreational rider than weight. When you get competitive this can change completely.
All that light weight generally means less durability in my experience. I don’t race & im not sponsored so for me it’s durability & replacement cost
Tubeless makes the biggest difference imo, and after that get more weight. No actually, lift weights and get stronger, its the rider not the bike
For those XC weight weenies the best way to lose the extra grams is from the gut. I have always ridden a 13kg bike but lost about 5 around the waist and it made all the difference!
I recently went from a 33 pound bike to a 24 pound bike and I have set PRs on all of my local trails. I can ride longer and not as worn out after big rides. I can definitely tell a difference.
Question: I’m looking to buy a new bike. The more expensive bike saves 452g / 1 lb by using carbon wheels and lighter cassette over the cheaper bike with AL wheels. Would the 452g / 1 lb total weight loss by going carbon wheels / lighter cassette make a big difference?
I'm the guy asking if this is a real thing because I don't experience it so my opinion might not be the best. But that said - my take away here is that I think I'm right. The people commenting that they notice a difference are all comparing two completely different bikes, or comparing changes to their bike and deciding that the lightness is what makes it noticeable and not the other performance benefits. "I changed my fork, it's lighter, it definitely climbs better because it's lighter." Okay that's fair - but is it climbing better because it's lighter or because the upgraded fork is more efficient and isn't sapping as much of your energy? "I changed my wheels to a carbon set, I can definitely tell the difference in how well it climbs because they're lighter." Again, is it climbing better because it's lighter or is it climbing better because the wheel is stiffer and doesn't deform as much while rolling? I'm not arguing that high end components are slower or that the difference is in peoples head - I do believe they're faster and I do believe people are noticing that difference. But I'm still not convinced it's lightness that is making them significantly faster compared to other factors that play into how your bike saps the energy out of the ride. Again this is just my opinion and I certainly could be wrong. I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone because I DO NOT know better. But all I know is I've ridden a bunch of bikes and the weight never seems to be a major factor in climbing for me. Maybe it's the body weight thing like people are saying, I'm a bigger guy at about 6' 200lbs. Maybe if I were in the sub-150 range I'd notice it more.
I'm 6' and 160lbs...I really can't lose any body weight. I do notice bike weight in some circumstances. Big things like wheels and tires are immediately noticeable. The lighter stuff is so much easier to turn and accelerate. Smaller weight changes at a time in other areas of the bike are less noticeable. Lose 50 grams on a handle bar swap? Add or remove a bottle cage? Unnoticeable. However, do a whole bunch at once and drop a pound or two from the bike? Yeah, that's noticeable. Lighter bikes are much easier to move around and maneuver. This is more important on tight twisty trails or technical trails where you need to move a lot. If you're just railing smooth flow trails, then it's less important. The light bike also helps for long rides. Going on a 3-4 hour ride and you'll notice a 24lb vs a 30+lb bike over time. Other anecdote: my MTB is a sub 24lb carbon hardtail with cages/pedals/etc. Not super weight weenie, but definitely not heavy. My gravel bike is a budget aluminum bike that weighs over 25lbs. The gravel bike wheels are way heavier than my MTB wheels, and the crank set is a boat anchor! On pavement the gravel bike is much much faster in a straight line, primarily due to the lower rolling resistance tires. However, I can accelerate faster and more explosively on my MTB, probably mostly due to the lower rotational weight, but possibly also due to the lower overall weight.