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Re: Unsprung weight ?

Started by Blair P. Houghton · · Last activity · 11 posts · 439 views

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01 / Original postRe: Unsprung weight ?Blair P. Houghton · 16 Sep 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–11Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #11Email address hidden · 18 Sep 2004

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Cycling Equipment
Published
16 September 2004
Last activity
18 September 2004
Original author
Blair P. Houghton
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11
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Public discussion
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439
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Lance Armstrong

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  1. Original post
    Blair P. Houghton
    Archived post
    #1
    Retro Bob said:

    But, practical experience seems to challenge this. I know that getting
    on a light bike makes me go much faster... and if doesn't seem to be
    the 5 lbs difference... or is it ? Is it just an illusion ?

    It's not an illusion. 5 lbs is enough to be noticeable.

    1 lb might, but I'm not giving up my water bottle until
    the City of Phoenix starts stationing water-hander-outers
    every two miles along Pecos Road.

    Quoted message said:

    If I
    hung a 5lb weight on me and then got on a light bike would I feel
    the same as the heavy bike (mechanical smoothness of the more
    expensive bike aside) ?

    Ah. The question is, "what's the difference between 5 lbs
    bolted to the bike, and 5 lbs in my backpack?"

    I think the answer is, "You'll suffer from the weight
    on you more, because there's a lot of motion your body
    undergoes that adds nothing to the transfer of energy to
    the cranks."

    Quoted message said:

    Comments appreciated.

    Hardly a way to keep them from being insulting.

    --Blair
    "I could make this one insulting,
    but I just ate."

    Report
  2. Zog The Undeniable
    Archived post
    #2
    Blair P. Houghton said:

    Ah. The question is, "what's the difference between 5 lbs
    bolted to the bike, and 5 lbs in my backpack?"

    I think the answer is, "You'll suffer from the weight
    on you more, because there's a lot of motion your body
    undergoes that adds nothing to the transfer of energy to
    the cranks."

    Plus carrying a heavy backpack is a pretty sure-fire way to get a sore
    [censored] (as we call it this side of the Atlantic). When you're riding,
    that extra weight is resting on your sit-bones instead of your bike.

    Report
  3. n crowley
    Archived post
    #3
    quote='Zog The Undeniable'Blair P. Houghton said:

    Ah. The question is, "what's the difference between 5 lbs
    bolted to the bike, and 5 lbs in my backpack?"

    I think the answer is, "You'll suffer from the weight
    on you more, because there's a lot of motion your body
    undergoes that adds nothing to the transfer of energy to
    the cranks."

    Plus carrying a heavy backpack is a pretty sure-fire way to get a sore
    [censored] (as we call it this side of the Atlantic). When you're riding,
    that extra weight is resting on your sit-bones instead of your bike.[/QUOTE]

    Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that additional 5lbs
    adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free ride when
    bolted to your bike.

    Report
  4. Email address hidden
    Archived post
    #4
    n crowley said:


    Zog The Undeniable said:
    Blair P. Houghton said:

    Ah. The question is, "what's the difference between 5 lbs
    bolted to the bike, and 5 lbs in my backpack?"

    I think the answer is, "You'll suffer from the weight
    on you more, because there's a lot of motion your body
    undergoes that adds nothing to the transfer of energy to
    the cranks."

    Plus carrying a heavy backpack is a pretty sure-fire way to get a sore
    [censored] (as we call it this side of the Atlantic). When you're riding,
    that extra weight is resting on your sit-bones instead of your bike.

    Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that additional
    5lbs
    adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free ride
    when
    bolted to your bike.

    Dear Norman,

    Regrettably, you first have to hoist that additional 5
    pounds up into the air when you stand up.

    You also have to repeat the process each time the pedal
    reaches the bottom.

    This illustrates some of the difficulties with perpetual
    motion theories, but rest assured that an army of interested
    parties is working tirelessly on fixes.

    Carl Fogel

    Report
  5. Leo Lichtman
    Archived post
    #5

    carlfogel wrote: (clip) This illustrates some of the difficulties with
    perpetual motion theories,(clip)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^
    What a shame! If this worked, helmets could be made heavy instead of light.
    Riders in the Tour de France would all be seen wearing backpacks.

    Report
  6. n crowley
    Archived post
    #6
    [email hidden said:

    "]On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 06:39:46 +1000,

    Quoted message said:

    Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that additional
    5lbs
    adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free ride
    when
    bolted to your bike.

    Dear Norman,

    Regrettably, you first have to hoist that additional 5
    pounds up into the air when you stand up.

    You also have to repeat the process each time the pedal
    reaches the bottom.

    This illustrates some of the difficulties with perpetual
    motion theories, but rest assured that an army of interested
    parties is working tirelessly on fixes.

    Carl Fogel

    Sorry I forgot, ye don't know the biomechanics of the various pedaling
    techniques.

    Report
  7. Email address hidden
    Archived post
    #7
    n crowley said:


    Quoted message said:

    On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 06:39:46 +1000,

    Quoted message said:

    Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that


    additional

    Quoted message said:

    5lbs
    adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free


    ride

    Quoted message said:

    when
    bolted to your bike.

    Dear Norman,

    Regrettably, you first have to hoist that additional 5
    pounds up into the air when you stand up.

    You also have to repeat the process each time the pedal
    reaches the bottom.

    This illustrates some of the difficulties with perpetual
    motion theories, but rest assured that an army of interested
    parties is working tirelessly on fixes.

    Carl Fogel

    Sorry I forgot, ye don't know the biomechanics of the various pedaling
    techniques.

    Dear Norman,

    Can you explain the physics, biological or otherwise, of how
    adding weights to the rider makes it easier instead of
    harder for him to pedal when standing?

    Is there any limit to the amount of weight that's helpful?
    That is, if five pounds of lead strapped to your body
    instead of to the grame makes it easier to stand up and
    climb a hill, will fifty pounds in a backpack allow you to
    overtake Lance Armstrong?

    Where do these pedalling techniques attach the weights for
    the greatest benefit? To the helmet? To the ankles?

    Carl Fogel

    Report
  8. n crowley
    Archived post
    #8
    [email hidden said:

    "]On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 18:03:33 +1000, n crowley

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 06:39:46 +1000,

    Quoted message said:

    Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that


    additional

    Quoted message said:

    5lbs
    adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free


    ride

    Quoted message said:

    when
    bolted to your bike.

    Dear Norman,

    Regrettably, you first have to hoist that additional 5
    pounds up into the air when you stand up.

    You also have to repeat the process each time the pedal
    reaches the bottom.

    This illustrates some of the difficulties with perpetual
    motion theories, but rest assured that an army of interested
    parties is working tirelessly on fixes.

    Carl Fogel

    Sorry I forgot, ye don't know the biomechanics of the various pedaling
    techniques.

    Dear Norman,

    Can you explain the physics, biological or otherwise, of how
    adding weights to the rider makes it easier instead of
    harder for him to pedal when standing?

    Is there any limit to the amount of weight that's helpful?
    That is, if five pounds of lead strapped to your body
    instead of to the grame makes it easier to stand up and
    climb a hill, will fifty pounds in a backpack allow you to
    overtake Lance Armstrong?

    Where do these pedalling techniques attach the weights for
    the greatest benefit? To the helmet? To the ankles?

    Carl Fogel

    The question was , to phrase it another way, " IF " a 5 lb weight had to be
    carried, in what area would it be of least hindrance to rider, whether to
    attach it to bike or carry it on body? It is going to be a disadvantage in
    both cases.

    Report
  9. Email address hidden
    Archived post
    #9
    n crowley said:


    Quoted message said:
    n crowley said:


    [email hidden] Wrote:
    > On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 06:39:46 +1000,
    > >Every time that you get out of the saddle you can have that
    > additional
    > >5lbs
    > >adding to the pressure on the pedal instead of looking for a free
    > ride
    > >when
    > >bolted to your bike.
    >
    > Dear Norman,
    >
    > Regrettably, you first have to hoist that additional 5
    > pounds up into the air when you stand up.
    >
    > You also have to repeat the process each time the pedal
    > reaches the bottom.
    >
    > This illustrates some of the difficulties with perpetual
    > motion theories, but rest assured that an army of interested
    > parties is working tirelessly on fixes.
    >
    > Carl Fogel
    >
    Sorry I forgot, ye don't know the biomechanics of the various


    pedaling

    Quoted message said:

    techniques.

    Dear Norman,

    Can you explain the physics, biological or otherwise, of how
    adding weights to the rider makes it easier instead of
    harder for him to pedal when standing?

    Is there any limit to the amount of weight that's helpful?
    That is, if five pounds of lead strapped to your body
    instead of to the grame makes it easier to stand up and
    climb a hill, will fifty pounds in a backpack allow you to
    overtake Lance Armstrong?

    Where do these pedalling techniques attach the weights for
    the greatest benefit? To the helmet? To the ankles?

    Carl Fogel

    The question was , to phrase it another way, " IF " a 5 lb weight had
    to be
    carried, in what area would it be of least hindrance to rider, whether
    to
    attach it to bike or carry it on body? It is going to be a
    disadvantage in
    both cases.

    Dear Norman,

    So in which case is a five pound weight more of a
    disadvantage when standing up to climb? On the bike frame or
    on the rider's back?

    Carl Fogel

    Report
  10. n crowley
    Archived post
    #10

    [QUOTE

    Quoted message said:

    The question was , to phrase it another way, " IF " a 5 lb weight had
    to be
    carried, in what area would it be of least hindrance to rider, whether
    to
    attach it to bike or carry it on body? It is going to be a
    disadvantage in
    both cases.


    ===========================================================
    Dear Norman,

    So in which case is a five pound weight more of a
    disadvantage when standing up to climb? On the bike frame or
    on the rider's back?

    Carl Fogel[/QUOTE]
    ==========================================================

    On the bike frame.

    Report
  11. Email address hidden
    Archived post
    #11
    n crowley said:


    Quoted message said:

    The question was , to phrase it another way, " IF " a 5 lb weight had
    to be
    carried, in what area would it be of least hindrance to rider, whether
    to
    attach it to bike or carry it on body? It is going to be a
    disadvantage in
    both cases.[/color Wrote:

    ===========================================================
    Dear Norman,

    So in which case is a five pound weight more of a
    disadvantage when standing up to climb? On the bike frame or
    on the rider's back?

    Carl Fogel


    ==========================================================

    On the bike frame.

    Dear Norman,

    Why is a 5-pound weight attached to the frame more of a
    disadvantage than the same weight attached to the rider's
    body as he stands up and pedals uphill?

    Carl Fogel

    Report

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