Help me lose bike weight

[flik9999]

Hey so my bike was about 13kg. No idea what it weighs now but its unbearably heavy, when loaded up with my deliveroo bag it will often try and topple over and its really hard to get it back up.

It also feels a bit unstable at slow speeds. Should I look into losing weight off the bike or just try and find a nice steel lightweight bike (531c etc).

Its low quality hi-ten steel I think and pretty theres not a single bit of alloy on the bike apart from the wheels.

 

[flik9999]

Some things I was thinking but not sure if worth it.

Cheap things
Single speed.

Take bottle battery out of holder and secure it to the basket with rope.

Replace inner tube securing basket with rope.

Expensive things
Buy a new frame and move components over to lightweight bike I saw one that was 11 kgs with 12 gears.

Swap forks

Replace back wheel with lightweight alloy or carbon wheel.

Complicated things
See if I can expand the axel to fit in the back of my bike and then put a nice lightweight fork in the front.

 

[flik9999]

Heres a bike I am thinking of swapping to. This bike weights 11kg so should get my bike weight down to about 16/17kg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Reynolds-531c-Competition-Road-Racer-700c-56cm-22-/332110790591?hash=item4d53587fbf:g:JPIAAOSw-0xYkdBn

 

[soundwave]

that is the worst looking ebike i have ever seen pmsl looks more like a steam punk bike.

there are some cheap carbon frames on ebay you just have to find the deals

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-fibre-frame-and-forks-/162384907666?hash=item25cee50d92:g:aisAAOSw2xRYl2Xv

 

[flik9999]

You think carbon frame with steel fork is ok?

 

[jwm]

Unless you buy a new bike and do a swap, is it really worth the effort? With the crate/basket, I'm guessing you carry a load anyway? I was puzzled with the inner tubes, seemingly holding everything on.

John

 

[the_killjoy]

Try replacing the milk crate with some panniers, it's not the weight that's the problem it's the weight distribution.

 

[Fordulike]

If that's what I think it is on the back, a Warburtons bread tray, then try fitting something lighter. We've got the buggers at work and they weigh a ton.

 

[Mac_user82]

Hey so my bike was about 13kg. No idea what it weighs now but its unbearably heavy, when loaded up with my deliveroo bag it will often try and topple over and its really hard to get it back up.

It also feels a bit unstable at slow speeds. Should I look into losing weight off the bike or just try and find a nice steel lightweight bike (531c etc).

Its low quality hi-ten steel I think and pretty theres not a single bit of alloy on the bike apart from the wheels.

The answer here is just to buy a flat bed burley trailer it going to set you back about £210 pounds but if you are using it regularly then it is worth the money i have the Travoy burley trailer and it works great and you can carry heavy loads with no problems at all.

i have had on my burley up to 25kilos no problem and it worked fine and traveling at speed too

For example a couple of weeks ago because i use my bike as my car i needed to bring some wheels home from the bike shop "Chris kings" my burley travoy came in very handy to bring them home if i never had the trailer i would of have to ask someone to pick them up for me which i didn't really want to do

A trailer on a bike is one of them things you don't need but it comes in very handy when you do need it

i have even carried a full set of golf clubs on my trailer with no problems the limit of things that you can carry is endless just make sure you strap it down and you will be fine cable ties come in very handy here

 

[anotherkiwi]

I have used my trailer to carry... a bike! When I built my new bike I put all the bits in the trailer and took them over to my GF's patio.

OK I understand what you want to do @flik9999 and even gave some advice (which you ignored) in one of your early threads. I understand you are on a limited budget. But when I see the bikes other delivery guys are using - well they are using for the most part good quality drop bar bikes here in France. You wouldn't have been hired by deliveroo in France, your bike wouldn't have been accepted.

This is your tool for work, you need to invest in quality tools if you want to be able to provide quality service to your employer. There are cheap quality second hand bikes on auction sites. You could have put a GSM kit from Woosh on a decent hybrid and "forgotten" to put the speed sensor magnet on the wheel. You would have had a 40 km/h bike.

Carrying one of those delivery boxes is always going to be a risky affair. All delivery guys have accidents and lack of balance because of the load is one factor. Maybe you aren't made for this job?

 

[Mac_user82]

Another thing you have to take into consideration when you are cycling with your basket on the back is if you wobble or something like that you could cause a major accident

if the police see what you are doing i should of thought you could be in court for it for not buying the right equipment

if you are carrying a load then the police would say make sure when you are riding you're safe for yourself and other road users at all times wobbling is not safe and secure

At the end of the day it is possible if you did cause a accident and there was a car pile up their could be accident where i child could be injured just because you are not riding with due care and attention i would like to think you wouldn't like that on your conscience

it doesn't matter what transport you are using on any roads is your safety comes first before anything else
and for other road users

if you have a look on youtube and google i am sure you could make a trailer for your needs which wouldn't cost you loads of money if a budget is your problem

if i am carrying bicycles wheels home from the bike shop i always makes sure i use about 20 cable ties to make sure it secure and there is no room for error at all if any policeman stops me and says what are you doing he has no room to argue with me if my load is secured he has no reason to hold me at all.

i would much prefer to use 20 cable ties to strap my wheels down and then them to come off in the middle of the road and some car or bus runs them over and they are crushed and the only place they would be good for is the skip.

 

[Charliefox]

Heres a bike I am thinking of swapping to. This bike weights 11kg so should get my bike weight down to about 16/17kg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Reynolds-531c-Competition-Road-Racer-700c-56cm-22-/332110790591?hash=item4d53587fbf:g:JPIAAOSw-0xYkdBn

6 kg for a motor, battery, controller, extra wiring and possible throttle? Bit tight isn't it?

 

[flik9999]

Switched over to specialsed sirrus alluminium and it weighs as much as my friends anciant mtb.

Havn't been able to weigh it properly yet though.

 

[Low]

Childrens trailors are getting cheaper all the time, bet you can get a cheapy off the bay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252788177776

Or new!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371882016002