Is there a source online for specs for old bikes?

[lordofthemark]

@ShawnoftheDread 29720 wrote:

Sure, sounds right. My hybrid is 31 lbs. Next time you’re pedaling your tank up a hill, just think how fast and strong you’ll feel when you’re on a 20 pound road bike sometime in the future.

see thats actually why I wanted to know the weight

1. To better inform my bike buying strategy – since I will want a bike eventually for commuting (pentagon metro to M Street SE) AND for weekend rides on the W&OD, etc, I might not get a 20 lb road bike, and I wanted to see where Im starting at, relative to what I might get

2. I also want excuses (aside from fitness level and biking inexperience) for my current slow speeds

Is the weight the only thing about this bike that might be slowing me down? I would think a road or city bike would also be faster due to different tires – is that the case, holding weight equal? Are there other factors?

[KelOnWheels]

Yup, tire size & rolling resistance get all up in there – as i understand it my wee 26″ tires do not go as far or as fast as 700C tires would, other stuff being equal.

[Certifried]

Here are some interesting graphs on tire resistances.

http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/rolres.html

For me, needing to lose about 30 pounds, I won’t bother spending too much time or money on trying to get my bike more ELITE. If I get down to my ultimate body weight, then I’ll worry about all that

[vvill]

I don’t think the difference between 26″ and 700c tires would be that significant, assuming the same tire compound/tread/width. But 20″ wheels vs 700c, now there’s a difference!

Rider position and frame dimensions/design affect aerodynamics and how easily you can transfer your power to the bike, which influence how fast you can go. (The greatest influence though, is of course the rider.)

Sometimes just having a 20lb road bike makes you feel like riding more. If I go back to my hybrid or MTB I’ll ride faster than I used to because I’ve ridden more + ridden harder since getting the road bike.

[KelOnWheels]

@vvill 29862 wrote:

I don’t think the difference between 26″ and 700c tires would be that significant, assuming the same tire compound/tread/width.

Oh, true, I wasn’t thinking about width. 23mm tires would be all cute in 26″

[lordofthemark]

@Certifried 29861 wrote:

Here are some interesting graphs on tire resistances.

http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/rolres.html

For me, needing to lose about 30 pounds, I won’t bother spending too much time or money on trying to get my bike more ELITE. If I get down to my ultimate body weight, then I’ll worry about all that

Ah, I was afraid someone would say something like this, but the laws of physics I guess care as much about my weight (about 12 to 15 pounds over what I would like based on that hop on the scale to weigh the bike) as the weight of the bike.

And I guess I will lose weight as fast or faster riding the MTB, though I won’t get as far in the time I have for riding.

[KelOnWheels]

To cross threads for a moment (hopefully that’s not like crossing the streams), this bit on wheel weight I’ve just read in It’s All About The Bike is interesting:

“As wheels are accelerated round as well as forward, the mass of rotating parts is doubled, for the purposes of calculating acceleration. So if a 22 lb bike has 13 lb fixed mass and 9 lb rotating mass, the effect will amount to 31 lb.”

[Amalitza]

I got my road bike a couple months ago. Much to my dismay:rolleyes:, merely the act of purchasing the road bike did not make me magically fast– so far, I’m maybe about 1/2 mph faster on the road than the hybrid. However, now that I’m getting used to the thing, I’m more comfortable on the road bike leaning forward to pedal hard, and can do it for longer without stressing out my shoulders as much, so I anticipate getting faster due to being able to work harder longer. Or some such.

Admittedly, I think my hybrid is basically a road bike with flat bars and better granny gears, so you may find a lot more difference going from a mountain bike to road bike than I did.

[Author]

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