Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears

America has an obsession with weight. Whether it is super models that weigh too little (eat a sandwich) or SUVs that weigh too much (get a bike) we spend more time than we'd like to admit thinking about weight. Bicycle riders think a lot about shedding weight from their bikes, spending huge piles of dough on ever lighter weight parts. This is a great idea up to a point. But when this year's lighter weight part is less durable than last year's model that's not a good idea.

I like those crazy long bike rides through the wilderness so I optimize my bike with parts that have a reputation for durability. I carry the tools and spare parts to repair accidental damage likely to occur to parts like tires, cables, and chains. As I was packing up some equipment for a bike ride I laid out all the stuff I'm taking and took photos of it. Then I wondered how much it weighed. Rather than weigh individual pieces, I packed the saddlebag with all the tools, safety reflective gear, and clothing I planned to take, along with a pump, two headlights, and a tail light. Total weight was 30 pounds, not too bad.

Then I grabbed a couple of other bikes for comparison. I weighed my blue bike, which is set up to be light and fast, and found that weighs 23 pounds. My green bike, a fixed gear that eliminates all the components needed for shifting and a whole lot of cogs, weighs 20 pounds.

It's a dumb comparison but it's what I did today. The minimum weight allowed for a racing bike is about 15 pounds. Pro racers have a team car following behind with a new bike when something breaks. So I think I'm doing pretty well. Some of the things I have customized my bikes with include 36 spoke handbuilt (by me) wheels, with strong, double eyelet rims; cushy 28 mm wide tires with flat resistant kevlar belts; and most important for me, a wide leather saddle to support my butt on a long ride. And as we learned in the latest Vintage Bicycle Quarterly, it's not the lightest bike that wins the race. It's the bike ridden by Miguel Indurain.