On Monday, January 14, 2013 2:58:13 PM UTC-5, Skenry wrote: > > >> The only real way to compair weights is to have a frame built up with >> normal duty "heavy" Riv-ish parts and then build it again with lighter >> "racing" parts. Then you'd be able to notice a weight diffence. >> Scott >> > You don't need to go through that much effort. You can just add a water bottle full of gravel to the lightweight bike. Compare it against a known rider on a known bike, before and after. We've done that multiple times in *Bicycle Quarterly's* bike tests, and the 4 pounds of gravel didn't make any noticeable difference in the performance of the bike.
When we first tested a bike made from "superlight" tubing, we were surprised how much better than my Alex Singer it climbed. Switching bikes back and forth, Mark and I found that whoever rode the "superlight" bike was faster. To make sure it wasn't the weight difference (one was a racing bike, the other a randonneur bike), we moved all the water bottles, food, etc. to the "superlight" bike, stuffing the rider's jersey pockets until the "superlight" bike was heavier than the Singer. The performance difference remained. Whoever rode the heavy "superlight" bike still was faster, and we switched back and forth multiple times. The test method of switching bikes between well-matched riders is useful, because it accounts for environmental conditions (both ride side by side, so have the same wind, temperature, etc.) and fatigue (both riders fatigue at the same rate). This makes it easier to compare bikes than repeat runs up a hill, where it's obvious that Run 10 will be slower than Run 2, because the rider is getting tired. Jan Heine Editor Bicycle Quarterly Follow our blog at http://janheine.wordpress.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/SsAxzo8BHFgJ. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
