How Much Difference Does 1kg Make On An Epic Climb?

Many cyclists obsess over weight and, when cycling uphill, a rider’s power-to-weight ratio is key. The higher your power-to-weight, the faster you will climb. But by how much? Does weight really make that much of a difference? While we were in Spain, we teamed up with @gcnenespanol resident mountain goat, Oscar Pujol, to do some science and put it to the test on the epic Alto de Velefique climb.

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[gcntech]

Were you surprised by the results? Have they changed how you view weight?

[Columbia]

Ollie this week: 1kg? No big deal.
Ollie next week: This new frameset is ONE HUNDRED GRAMS lighter than last year's!

[chrisridesbicycles]

On the one hand, this video shows me that investing in lighter components is a waste of money, on the other hand it shows me that I would have already reached my year goal if I wasn‘t so fat. At the point where I am, loosing a kilo is much easier than adding 5W to my FTP.

[ClimberTik]

This means for a lighter rider, the value of saving 1kg is greater than that for a heavier rider?
Namely, 1kg for a 60kg rider is "more" than 1kg for a 80kg rider. (1.67% vs 1.25%)
So light rider invests light components would get a better return in term of climbing speed.

(p.s. I'm a 60kg rider :))

[nicktheodorou]

I reduced my weight from 82kg to 78kg and have gone from dreading every hill on my ride to the point now that I can't wait for the next hill.

[edwinwong]

Curious to know whether the 1kg weight penalty was less with Alex not because he was putting out 300w rather than 250w but rather, because 1kg is proportionately less for Alex (whose total weight 88.4kg) vs. Ollie (82kg). Nice video that puts things in perspective.

[timjurgens]

It shows this:
The more power you can put on the pedal, the less the time gains are from being 1 kg lighter. All the discussions about 55s being a huge deal in the pro peloton are only half the deal, I think. Because, let´s face it, these guys put very different numbers down. Would love to see the 5w video as well! If it shows the math being true, the simple solution is this:

Instead of losing a kilogram for a maybe 4 digit amount of money on your bike, take that money, go to a nice training camp, eat some good food, have a nice time and increase your power output. Because this is what really will make you faster: work. Also most of us can easily lose 1kg, totally free of charge.
Of course Pros obsess about every second. But these guys are already on the edge on the training part. You and I are not.

[richcrompton]

Lol on your full system weights! I reignited my cycling obsession, like many, during the first lockdown. My personal weight was 20kg more than Alex’s system weight. Hills were very hard indeed. 2 years later, my bike is still heavy, but I’m far more svelte. Now sneaking under 80kg, so my system weight is now 89kg. Thank goodness I’m built! Got a few more Kg to shift yet, but dropping a load of weight REALLY is a benefit!!

[tossemanden]

Imagine what a pro will pay for a 35 second advantage on a long climb like this. These differences are enormous or subtle depending on who you might ask.

[MichalBrat]

1kg and 5W? Sweet. My weight plus the bike is easily over 120kg, unfortunately the bike already is a carbon 😀

[darrenq]

Great video guys, I love the way you got to the top then casually mention your going down to add a further kilo and do it again. If I went down after that climb to add a kilo, that kilo would be burger and chips and I'd be away home for a good sleep 🤣

[antonythornely]

I would live to see what adding 5w would do to time, but weather conditions would have to be very similar, maybe repeat this experiment and do third run on same day?

[MaxRevitt]

I asked chatgpt whether I should get a lighter bike or lose weight. Unsurprisingly it said the best option was to lose weight. I did that by 13kg, and got a cheaper older rim brake bike at 7kg rather than the 13kg of my previous bike. That is a noticeable difference! For me it's a game of maximise on all fronts as best you can. Bike weight as a percentage of total system weight seems to make a difference (maybe only mentally) for sure. Gearing for efficient cadence is important too...

[djaluby]

super interested in the 5W increase test.

And maybe to note: it might be worth mentioning that reducing (useless) body weight (instead of spending money on lighter tech) is also an option for many :)

[jamesnicholson]

Really enjoyed this, I’d love to see it across a wider range of weight differences and power numbers

[-inch]

55s is huge in a Grand Tour perspective.

[danielakerman]

To be honest, to every cyclist except those who are competitive cyclists, the weight and time issue is irrelevant. Unless you’re racing, the time just doesn’t matter. Buy a bike that’s geared to allow you to finish the rides you want to take. End of story. The gear ratio that allows you to complete the climb, get the exercise and have a good time is way more important than a kilo or finishing 50 seconds quicker.

[cypercharged]

Quick math: The average watts are time-based. You probably put more power on the steeper parts and less on the flatter part.
Try again with the same power during the whole climb and total time will be longer.
We do this naturally to push harder when the grade is rising, but it would be a nice experiment to do!

[bubblesezblonde]

7:42 Yes I think cyclists are far too weight obsessed per our machines. Some whipersnapper asked me about the weight of the AA batteries I have on all the lights on my bikes; my reply was have you ever ridden with a generator? Talk about drag and poor wattage (<---pun intended)

[GFlop]

The take-away:
Ride an entry-level bike (upgrading not for performance but for comfort/ aesthetic) until the improvement of a preferred performance metric (e.g. FTP) begins to wane; despite a considerable amount of training- upon discovering this asymptote one would be, finally, most benefitted making a timely investment in performance-oriented upgrades that will aid in one's never-ending endeavor to bridge the gap betwixt their current upper-physiological limit and that of their maximum theoretical.