Comments on: How Important is Reducing Weight on a Bike?

By: Joo Mong

Joo Mong — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:12:18 +0000

Last year at 78Kg (obese for my built) now reduced to 70Kg (still above ideal BMI of 22.9 = 62Kg). Dietition said to do it gradually for body to adapt to weight reduction. Regularly above 40Km/H each cycling trip (ever exceeded 50Km/H) with this 70Kg weight. At 78Kg, it used to be about 10Km/H slower (30Km/H… 40Km/H respectively). Looking forward to 50Km/H regularly and above 60Km/H occassionally, with further body weight reduction. I suppose that would put me into commpetition cycling level.

By: Lewis

Lewis — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:51:37 +0000

Very true. I recently changed my diet and quite easily (with a bit of will power) I’ve lost 10kg in 8 weeks. Goes to show.

By: Jarred

Jarred — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:52:13 +0000

I think it is hilarious that some cyclists will spend so much money for minuscule weight savings but don’t have a proper diet to stay at a lower weight. You can make larger savings % wise on your body than on your bike.

By: aad

aad — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:22:13 +0000

The most difficult part is loosing body weight, many amateurs have many, if not more than 10 kgs overweight (like me), but the escapism of winning grams and especially chatting and surfing about it is fun. Am I right?

By: tejvan

tejvan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:14:50 +0000

Yes, good point for criteriums with lots of acceleration weight will be important. For a straight time trial not too important.

By: vint

vint — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:44:40 +0000

Weight matters not in climbing… it also matters on accelerating decelerating… you know… inertia… it works both ways but you want to stop as fast as you can and speed up with as little effort as possible. but i agree with your general opinion…. people are obsesed with weight… there are other things to be obsessed about…. areodynamic drag…pedling efficiency.. peeing before riding ;]

By: George

George — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 20:15:48 +0000

The UCI weight limit is 6.8kg not 6.5

By: SaddleSoar

SaddleSoar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:25:46 +0000

I just checked your friend’s math and my numbers check out with his pretty well. Further though, if MY numbers are correct, that puts you right around the magical 7 W/kg . . . but since I don’t know how much you weigh the 7 W/kg actually includes the weight of you AND your bike (not just you alone the way a certain texan measures it). So, much respect from this side of the pond and nice blog I must say.

Also, my philosophy is to not drill holes in anything you have to ride back down the mountain, no one’s bike ever killed them on the way up.