When you cycle a lot, you get to know something about the machine. When I first bought my Trek Domane SL5, I had mixed emotions. Compared to my previous bike, I liked it plenty — its carbon frame was stiffer and more responsive than my aluminum-framed Motobecane. And it had an internal suspension system in both the head tube and seat post, so it would allegedly dampen the road noise a bit.
But I found that, after a while, it was just something to which I was accustomed. Not really noticeable, and I don’t know whether that’s a good thing. It came to the point that I felt like I couldn’t recommend the bike. I liked my brother’s Specialized Roubaix better.
But then I tweaked it a bit. I changed the drive train to 1x (a single chainring in the front), and then from there picked up an elliptical chainring that Chris wasn’t using anymore. And I loved the setup, and I’m pretty much convinced 2x is really overkill. Of course, there are variables. I was lucky enough to have a long enough chainstay (the tube between the bottom bracket and the rear hub) that chain flex wasn’t a problem. I also have a very specific range when it comes to climbing and speed, and the 1x covered it all (gear-calculator.com is a great resource for comparisons).
I followed up by installing Salsa Woodchipper handlebars along with flat pedals (and you might have seen I just put on fenders this past week too), and now I must say I really like the bike. And to think just a few months ago I was already planning its replacement.
Anyway, because of my tinkering, I’ve gotten to know quite a bit about the bike. I know I can’t do it all by a long shot, but I’m getting by with the basic maintenance, and really enjoying it. One thing I haven’t really worried about is the bike’s weight. It’s passable. I could even say that because I went 1x, I’ve lightened it a bit. But really, I don’t care. Here’s my mantra: “If you want to cut weight on the bike, skip the donuts.” And a lot of stuff. That’s really played out this summer for me. I’ve gone farther and climbed higher than I’ve ever done in the past, and I owe it mainly to the fact that I’m 30 pounds lighter than I was a year ago. That’s the entire weight of a whole bike, and then some!
So there was a line in this video that really struck home. The rest of it is interesting enough, and perhaps fodder for debate (rolling resistance for example), but the most important statistic is that the rider’s weight makes up about 80% of the total package you’re peddling around, so reducing weight on the bike by even an entire kilogram is only going to give you a smaller percentage gain than you might think. It’s much easier, and cheaper, to eat right.
Bottom line: excessive worry about weight is for riders who 1) are down to single digit body fat and 2) actually care about being faster and going farther than others. And really, this is relative. I go as fast and as far as i care to go, and it’s just right. Every so often, I’ll toss in a longer ride. Most mornings, shorter. It all works out.
So go ahead and watch this video and make up your own mind. Or don’t. It’s just something to ponder and maybe talk about if you want.