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Active Expert: Gale Bernhardt

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I've been getting some flack about the weight of my new bike and I think it is unfair.

As shipped and assembled, with carbon water bottle cages and Ti Speedplay pedals included in the total, it weighs in at 14.99 pounds. The bike, sans filled water bottles and flat repair kit, is roughly 12.2 percent of my body weight.

There are plenty of nice bikes out there that weigh around 17 pounds, and many weigh much less than that.

Here is my sales pitch:

It only seems fair that bikes are an equal percentage of body weight. Doing some rough calculations, assuming others have a bike weight of 17 pounds and mine is 15, anyone over 140 pounds body weight should be carrying some of my stuff. At 153.75 pounds, this person should carry one of my filled, large water bottles in addition to their own. Anyone weighing 168.1 pounds should carry both of my filled, large water bottles in addition to their own.

I'll make the sales and fairness pitch at the Sunday group ride and let you know how it goes.



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Apr 4, 2008 1:21 PM Reply Click to view Active Toby's profile Active Toby

I'm still too jealous to comment

Apr 4, 2008 1:33 PM Reply Click to view Jesse@Active's profile Jesse@Active

So since I weigh 200 pounds, does that mean I should carry two filled water bottles, a spare wheelset and a coffee maker for you? Hmmm...I'm not so sure about this.

Apr 4, 2008 2:06 PM Reply Guest Paul Thomas

As far as ratios go, you will always be lugging (if you can call it that!) around more of of a KOM than a 6'0" rider on a KOM. Seeing that frame is slightly heavier -95grams- in an XL than your small and the components (brakes, derailurs etc) weigh the same, you will always be the pack mule!

Weight and aerodynamics always seem to have a greater effect on a small rider, such as yourself, as thier bikes are a greater percentage of their total package than a big guy like me! In the meantime, I am going to get apair of Zipp 202's, Zero Gravity brakes, and helium filled tires. When I come out to Colorado, my 182 pounds and 13.5 lb KOM will be a tad closer to your 110lb body and 14.5lb KOM!

Keep turning the cranks!

Paul

Apr 4, 2008 2:10 PM Reply Click to view Gale Bernhardt's profile Gale Bernhardt in response to: Jesse@Active

Jesse ~

Let's see here...200...at 12.2%, that gives you a bike budget of 26.5 pounds to work with. If we say that your bike is 18 pounds, since you're a tall guy, that means you still have 8.5 pounds to make up. If you carry both of my filled bottles, that gets you down to 5.0 pounds. I haven't weighed it a total, but my tire repair kit, cell phone and a couple of gels will get you to 4.0 pounds. If you don't mind carrying the coffee maker, a small French press and the grounds (enough for both of us, of course) probably gets you to 2.0 pounds. The spare wheelset is a nice offer, but I'd prefer saving the budget for clothing and misc. Now, some may argue that as the ride progresses, I'll consume the fluids and you'll have plenty of spare weight to take on those extra clothes, but for now I'd like to keep them separate...just in case of carrying extras at the start that I don't need. If you're okay with it, I'd like to keep that 2.0 pounds in the bank for anything extra that comes up - perhaps purchases made during the ride? We'll have some details to work out, but I'm so happy you see the tidy balance issues.

Apr 4, 2008 2:21 PM Reply Click to view Gale Bernhardt's profile Gale Bernhardt in response to: Paul Thomas

Paul ~

Unless I have really good luck convincing smart people like Jesse to carry their fair share of the cycling load, I think I'll need to figure out how to get that KOM down closer to 12 pounds. Got to start the investigation now...

Also, 110 would be a stretch for me...I'm hanging around 123 these days...

Apr 5, 2008 7:54 PM Reply Guest Ron

Hi Gale,

Since it seems to me like most top pro cycling climbers are very light, I think that your lighter weight already gives you an advantage. Couple that with your new super light bike and it seems to me that you should care my water bottles for the climbs. Now, I want to be fair so here's my proposal:
1) On the climbs you carry my water bottles
2) I'll carry your water bottles on the downhill where my added weight may be an advantage
3) Being a generous person I'll carry your bottles on the flats :-)

Just think of all the additional benefits we'll get from improved bike handling skills by passing these water bottles back and forth on the ride.

Ron

Apr 7, 2008 8:24 AM Reply Click to view Gale Bernhardt's profile Gale Bernhardt in response to: Ron

Ron ~

Ummm, nice try. You beat me up to Drake, up the Glen Haven switchbacks and into Estes yesterday. It is an obvious bike weight as a percentage of body weight issue and certainly not a fitness issue (that 100 miles per week you commute and the rolling 8,000 miles per year average spent on the bike). Actually either way, bike or fitness, seems you have some sort of advantage and should be carrying my bottles.

Next week, be sure to wear a jersey with extra pockets.

;-)

Click to view Gale Bernhardt's profile

Gale Bernhardt

 Member since: Jun 12, 2007

Gale Bernhardt's personal blog on triathlon, mountain biking, road cycling, running, "for women only" stuff, running with a dog and other issues in the endurance sports world.

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