There comes a time when our ego has to do with the increasingly pressing bicycle to upgrade our aesthetics and obviously also the weight.
But which component is better to replace to make a slimming cure for our racing bicycle?
If our racing bike is not a top-of-the-range bicycle, it will surely have a pair of aluminum wheels as standard. Handlebar, stem, saddle and seat post will almost certainly be made of steel, certainly not the lightest on the market.
One of the first interventions for a slimming treatment on our racing bicycle, even if the most expensive, is to replace the wheels.
On average, a pair of mid-range aluminum wheels weigh 1.8 kg without tires. Intervening on this component is to the advantage of smoothness, weight and reactivity of the vehicle.
A good pair of low profile carbon wheels always with clincher can easily weigh 1.3 kg. A saving of five hundred grams which, in addition to the capacity of the total weight of our bicycle, affects its smoothness and driveability.
Also in this case, if we are not satisfied and we have a budget available, we want to further increase the weight by replacing them and the inner tube. There are very high-performance models of covers on the market, resistant and light that can save us a few more grams.
Leaving the wheel compartment we will focus our attention on the seat post, saddle and handlebar and stem.
Generally, fairly heavy steel components are mounted on a mid-range racing bike.
Handlebar and seat post
A steel handlebar can weigh 350 g in size 42. In this case, we can remove additional weight by checking the most suitable size for us and replacing it with a much lighter carbon handlebar. Taking into consideration an average weight approaching 200 gr, it is very easy to understand that also in this case we have a saving of 150 gr of weight.
Same goes for the seatpost, here too the weight removed from our bike can easily reach 100 grams.
Saddle
The seat is very important, it can vary our attitude on the racing bike and our comfort. If we have found a saddle we are comfortable with, it is not advisable to change the model for a lighter one, but if the same model has an identical one but with a carbon frame, weight savings are guaranteed.
Handlebar stem
The stem, unless you need to change the size, is almost irrelevant. The weight could vary by 40/50 grams against a cost of several tens of euros.
If you want to do a slimming cure on your racing bike, lightening the components to increase the performance on the climb, our advice is to change the wheels. There is another component that could make the difference, namely the transmission, but we will talk about it in a delicate article by going to check the strengths and weaknesses of a possible upgrade, evaluating whether it can really be worth it.
Complete group
In this precise case, we will be able to make a very “heavy” and expensive improvement that can lead not only to an increase in performance, such as shifting speed and ease in performing the same, but also an excellent weight saving. Obviously, the more we upgrade to higher range models, the better the performance will be. The complete group, however, needs continuous care and some attention, for this reason we recommend cleaning your bicycle as well as with the evergreen Super Cleaner also with the special high-performance lubricant Lube 1, suitable for those who want a change. and an unsurpassed smoothness of its chain and a longer life guaranteed by the PTFE contained within our lubricant.
