Will I get used to the weight?

I know this is probably a dumb question, but I was wondering if I will get used to a 35 lb bike on long climbs? :o It seems the gravel roads I ride I'm doing more uphills than downhills and doing about 1200 ft of climbing. I know it's probably not much but after awhile the bike seems kinda heavy. :p

I like my bike (Specialized Rockhopper comp disc) and I don't *think* I need a different kind for the type of riding I do.

What can I do to make it more uphill friendly besides lose my cellulite of steel? Hopefully Coach Troy will get me into shape for the hills this year, lol.

Does it really weigh 35 lbs?? My mtb doesn't weigh that much, I think. I don't notice the weight at all.

Karen

If you're unsure of the weight the LBS should have a scale. My 91 rigid weighed more than that. While it's definitely more work to get up a hill than the 22 pounder, it's not unpossible. Downhills it's less flighty.
Generally the most effective place to rid yourself of weight is the wheels/tires, though that's prolly more noticeable on the flats.

Yes, I weighed it on a scale. The only thing extra I have on it is an aluminum rack for a trunk (but no trunk) and Wellgo BMX pedals. :(

On the flats it doesn't feel like 35 lbs. But on the steep climbs.......:eek:

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Originally Posted by sundial

What can I do to make it more uphill friendly?

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Shift?

LOL! Zen, I can always count on your tongue in cheek advice. :D

Greg LeMond was (is) fond of saying, "It doesn't get any easier. You just get stronger/faster."

1) Ride lots.
2) Replace anything that breaks or wears out with something lighter.

:)

Whew! 35 pounds is heavy! Of course last time I started complaining about the weight of my bike, my friend said "You could always lose some weight!" This is a slight (but not total) obsession of mine as a person who is challenged by going uphill. My old bike was 29 lbs., my new bike is 27. I think you'll be hard pressed to get 5 pounds off your bike, but one of the cheaper things you might do is get lighter tires. If you don't have kevlar now, they're lighter. And if you get a narrower tire with a lower profile you'll have less rolling resistance too.

Of course, there's always the option of getting a new bike. :) Good luck!

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Originally Posted by sundial

Yes, I weighed it on a scale. The only thing extra I have on it is an aluminum rack for a trunk (but no trunk) and Wellgo BMX pedals. :(

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Like others said it's cheaper to drop a few pounds on the person than it is on the bike....but if you were so inclined to spend a little money you could upgrade the wheels. Then again, it might be more trouble than it's worth. If you get used to riding a heavy bike up hills, when you upgrade to a lighter bike it will feel awesome. How much does the rack weigh? If you don't use it, you should lose it.

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Originally Posted by madisongrrl

How much does the rack weigh? If you don't use it, you should lose it.

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It weighs 640 g, just a little over a pound. I do use the rack regularly but for the long rides, I could ditch the rack.

It would be better if rider could lose some weight so that my bike wouldn't feel like a freight train going uphill.

OK, maybe not a freight train.

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Originally Posted by MALcontent

Of course, there's always the option of getting a new bike. :) Good luck!

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Yes. But first slog around with this heavy tank for as long as you can stand. You'll be so strong that then when you buy that new light bike you'll just be flying! :D

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Originally Posted by madisongrrl

....but if you were so inclined to spend a little money you could upgrade the wheels.

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I called my LBS to see what wheels await my bike. :)

How heavy is your fork? Can you lock it out when you climb? This can make a huge difference.

My Rock Shox Tora weighs about 5.3 lbs I believe. I do keep it locked when I climb and it does well. This fork is ok I guess for what I'm riding--mostly trails and nothing really technical.

I'm going with the wheel upgrade. We shaved a few pounds off my bike here and there, but the difference was most noticeable when I got lighter wheels. As I recall it was pretty expensive, but it was like getting a brand new bike.

Stephanie, I'll give my LBS a call and see what they suggest. I have priced some wheels and some are more than my bike. :eek: What kind do you have?

Mine are the American Classic Disc 350. I can't remember anymore what my top pick was, but we were able to get such a good deal on these that I "compromised". And they've been great! I've had them for about a year and a half now. I've been riding year 'round, in snow and mud and whatever, and they've been fantastic.

I should qualify though ... I'm a XC rider, I don't do a lot of jumps and stuff. And I'm not all that hard on my equipment. If you're more of a freeride or DH person, or you know that you're hard on your bike, I don't know if these would work as well for you. They might, but I was looking specifically for wheels that would work for the way I like to ride.

New wheels are certainly not cheap! You can keep them for years though, transferring them from bike to bike. Most of the women I ride with don't upgrade their wheels though. We're just usually too thrifty, and wheels are so expensive. Mine were my combined birthday and Christmas gifts from my husband one year.

Well, I chatted with my LBS and it seems I'm not going to be upgrading my rims anytime soon. Turns out that if I go tubeless, the rims will be lighter but the weight of the tubeless beasts will put me back to almost where I was with my original equipment--Specialized/Alex RHD rims and Fast Track DC tires. :(

OK, so maybe I just need to accept I'll be a choo choo train on hills.

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Originally Posted by sundial

Well, I chatted with my LBS and it seems I'm not going to be upgrading my rims anytime soon. Turns out that if I go tubeless, the rims will be lighter but the weight of the tubeless beasts will put me back to almost where I was with my original equipment--Specialized/Alex RHD rims and Fast Track DC tires. :(

OK, so maybe I just need to accept I'll be a choo choo train on hills.

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It might not make your ride lighter but there are some pretty big advantages to going tubeless. Running lower pressure (without worrying about pinch flats) gives you better traction and a little bit of suspension. Add a little bit of stans and you will flat less. At least that has been my experience during racing and training for cross-country events.

What if you ride on roads as well as trails? Won't the lower tire pressure hinder you on the pavement? Can you have as many options with tubeless?

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Originally Posted by sundial

What if you ride on roads as well as trails? Won't the lower tire pressure hinder you on the pavement? Can you have as many options with tubeless?

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On the pavement you would pump your tires up to a higher psi (tubeless or otherwise).....off-road you have the ability to run your tires at a lower psi.

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Originally Posted by sundial

Well, I chatted with my LBS and it seems I'm not going to be upgrading my rims anytime soon. Turns out that if I go tubeless, the rims will be lighter but the weight of the tubeless beasts will put me back to almost where I was with my original equipment--Specialized/Alex RHD rims and Fast Track DC tires. :(

OK, so maybe I just need to accept I'll be a choo choo train on hills.

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As much as I love to support my LBS, have you looked online? My boyfriend got a set of CrossMax wheels for dirt cheap online, lightly used. Many shops will build up spare hubs and rims and sell them on ebay or through forum classifieds just to get rid of them.

I totally agree that lighter wheels can make all the difference. After I swapped the boat anchors off of my hardtail and had a set of wheels built up, it was like a new bike.

Or rather, my darling hubby did.

After I changed 2 flats again this weekend (darn thorns!), he surprised me with Mavic Crossmax SLR wheelset, The Captain 2Bliss tires with the tubeless conversion kit, and a new lighter crankset. He was trying to figure out what to get me for our anniversary and decided that the French rings would do. ;) So hopefully by next weekend, my little mtb will be a little happier on the trails. :)

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Originally Posted by sundial

After I changed 2 flats again this weekend (darn thorns!), he surprised me with Mavic Crossmax SLR wheelset,

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Wholly crap. That's awesome! Now your wheels are worth more than your bike.....

:) I thought Carmine would like to play dress-up.