Thought the same, and then he had the all weather tires on there... Als the bag is totally not what I consider, clicking on a video about make a bike light. Sure I pack smart, when I ride. But that's beside the point.
I am in that process, got a lighter seat and am getting heavier ( wider)tyres, but lighter innertubes. Making the somewhat lighter is good when it shal be beefed up with some larger parts.
I watched this video and used it to lighten my bike by 18 kilos! I'm an amateur geologist and no longer carry my collection of rocks with me when I ride. Thanks GCN
A lighter bike has advantages: 1) It does not gain weight over the winter, unlike the lighter rider. 2) You can let others lift your bike. I've never heard of anyone lifting a rider.
It's the opposite dude. There is no better feeling than people lifting your bike and get shocked cause is on the heavier side and still you beat them climbing every time because weight does NOT matter shit as science has proven over and over again
As someone with a 6 kilo bike, here is my order of priority: 1: Carbon Frame and Fork (obviously) 2: Carbon Wheels (preferably with carbon spokes) Carbon spokes reduce the weight an additional 200g total. 3: Carbon Crankset. Carbon cranks save a lot, although savings depends on where you start. But I was able to save 500g with this alone. But if you already have an Ultegra/Dura Ace level crank, put this much lower on the list. 4: Carbon bars with integrated stem. The integrated stem saves a lot and is more aero. 5: Lightweight cassette. Must be Monoblock. A 12 speed 11-34t shouldn't weigh more than 250g, although you can get solid titanium or even aluminum units that are around 130-160g. 6: TPU tubes can be had in 19g weight. This should honestly be higher on the list. 7: The lightest tires that are applicable to your usage. Just remember that lighter doesn't mean faster, it just means lighter. I'd rather a heavier 28mm than a 23mm. 8: This should come with the frame, but just in case, an ultralight carbon seat stem can save a lot. Mine weighed 135g uncut. 9: Carbon saddle. You can actually find them as low as 54g, but this is somewhere where I'd rather more comfort at the cost of a bit of weight. My saddle is 131 grams, a nice compromise. 10: Bottle cages. I'll just say that my 2 bottle cages WITH mounting screws weigh a total of 16 grams. From here it gets real chippy trying to save weight. You'll want to look at your brake/shifter cable housing, derailleurs, Pedals etc. Literally random bolts that can be replaced with aluminum or titanium.
I rode a bucket list tour of Italian mountains in the Summer including the Maratona dles Dolomites. Having already lost 5kg in the months training for my hols, I put my bike on a diet too. She lost over a Kg. I used light tyres, TPU tubes, carbon saddle (second hand) and a ZTTO 11-34 cassette from Ali Express. Cost $73 NZD. Fell in love with my bike all over again and ripped through the Italian Alps. ❤
Hey, how long have you been using the ZTTO casette? Do they last long, or wear out after 3-4000km? I was looking at buying one but did not find enough info on it so went Ultegra to stay safe. But it is good, once my casette wears I'll switch
@@belagajdan just checked the weight and cost: 228g, $76.44 NZD. I also bought a 11-32 which was 216g. I can’t tell you how many kms precisely but about 2000km+ according to Strava. I immersion-wax the chain and top up with a compatible drip-on, either Banana Slip Tru Tension Tungsten All Weather or Silca’s offering. The important thing in drivetrain longevity is appropriate lubrication.
I have a version of that gorgeous saddle (SLR BoostCarbonio Nubuck S3, 148g) and I wouldn’t ever replace it. When you compare it to traditional leather saddles, even those with titanium rails, it’s incredibly light. I have a Berthaud Aravis Titanium (430g) and a Brooks B17 Titanium (410g), but they are more than twice the weight. Granted, the traditional leather saddles are better for long distance, but I have the Selle Italia on my climbing bike.
Heres some advice •Lay off the Cheeseburgers •Eat your greens •Cycling isnt the only exercise •Dont be too obsessed with weight •An empty wallet is always lighter and more aero •A wife with 3 kids is heavy and not aero at all
@rockytalkndawoods3057 Si even showed us how much cycling it would take for him to burn off a cheeseburger meal. Well, an estimate of how much it would take at least.
I chased weight savings on my bike, realized it made zero difference on my trending stats - maybe some bragging conversations with the club riders. I lost 20lbs this year(still overweight) and it has made the biggest difference. Unless you’re professional and racing where milliseconds count, it’s waste of money for most people.
You hit the nail on the head at the end.. lose a pound of body weight working out (also increasing your strength at the same time a little) and be ahead.. and if you can afford the lightweight parts can do both. if you cant afford it go for the diet and exercise. Nice vid !! it's nice to see which areas give the best bang for the buck !
@@gcntech The easy way to get rimbrakes is to buy a fine used bike, but they usually come with two limitations. They are often limited to narrow tyres, and the gearing might not be light enough for heavy riders in the hills.
As someone who's had to use those "weight saving" tire pumps and tools several times, I'll happily spend a couple hundred grams for the larger one, as well as a toolset that works. Otherwise I'd just save the rest of the weight too and call for a pickup and save all the pain and strife of wasting time with bad tools.
Yep i use my multi tool regularly and prefer a big solid park tool model. I also carry a chain breaker which gets me and/or my friends out of trouble a few times a year.
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I have that same multitool with chain-tool on it, and boy did it save my skin last year on my 6-day unsuported solo-trip through the alps. I really aimed for packing light on such a mountaineous trip, but i'm glad i didn't save weight (grams!) on that part.
Removing rotating mass is doubly beneficial so tubes, tyres and cassette give you an added bonus. I had no idea TPU tubes were so light though, going to try some, thanks.
7,700 Calories to a KG of Fat. Convert that to the correct technical unit, the digestive biscuit. That is 110 DB. That is 9 less biscuits a month, for a year. At a cost of minus £9.
The change from 105 to Ultegra is way more significant than going from Ultegra to DA or equivalent level. A lot of new bikes with 105 come with some non-105 generic shimano cranks that weigh a TON - swapping those out for Ultegra crankset (not TOO pricey compared to say the cassette shown) will save you 200+ grams
Yes... but! Being fairly big guy, I will not chase carbon saddles and other ultraweight components. Being able to however make my wheels more effective/light does have impact on how the bike feels to ride ("easier").
You might not need a chain breaker very often, but when you do need one you really need it. I've broken three chains over the last twenty years or so - once on the way home from work in the West Midlands at two in the morning, fifteen miles from home - and each time I've been very glad indeed of the chain tool in the saddlebag!
i wont ride without my chain breaker. Its also useful for making my bike into a single speed if i mess up my derailleur. Plus i can use my tools to help (my less maintenance inclined) friends get mobile again when they break down so we can keep riding!
if your bike came with basic box alu wheelset n generic butyl+tire, upgrading to tpu tube n better tire(gp5k, corsa next, pzero velo,..) really gonna transform your bike, even with that alu wheelset. you really will feel it 👌
Thank-you for this video. The big lesson is that these weight savings are absurd. Most of the year, I rock a bike rack, a lock, and fenders. Getting rid of those would likely save "a lot" of weight, but restrict the amount I ride. The loss of of fitness would more than account for any change in time... If I ever bothered to time myself.
I added an Ebay toseek carbon saddle for £26 and works a treat, amazon tpu inners for £8 and plenty miles in also still good, pump, tpu inner and lever In the back pocket, sorted
Also worth noting, the extra weight from the Ultegra cassette is from optimizing faster and smoother shifts. There's a reason why the pro peloton doesn't use custom ultra lightweight cassettes apart from being sponsored
Shimano cassettes shift best because they've had like, 30 years to refine the shift ramps and pins through CAD and other tools. If Shimano made a 1 piece steel cassette like the top Sram cassettes they'd be lighter while still shifting better than other brands. That's basically the only way to make a cassette lighter than how Dura Ace cassettes are made, cheaper ultralight cassettes have aluminum sprockets that quickly wear out.
Obviously the magpie instinct to break out that iridescent cassette is the real reason Alex didn't go tubeless and went with narrower tires than he recommends! Seriously, as a non weight weenie, that saddle bag looks more practical than what I'm lugging around, and includes lightweight tubes I could use if I ever get a puncture go flat on my tubeless comfy 32mm tires.
"I'm gonna save weight without spending too much cash" Goes on to by a cassette that's €250 more than its Shim105 equivalent and cheaps out by borrowing a €400+ saddle. Running quick math through all the other bits, that 1kg saving seems to have come at well over €1 per gram
This may be controversial but I think a big reason why the cost of cycling has spun out of control is because too many people are willing to spend money on things they really don't need. Yes, the R&D drives costs up, but people are still willing to pay for "performance gains" that they neither need nor will ever really realize. As long as there are willing consumers, don't expect prices to come down.
One of the reasons I like older 2x9 groupset on my gravel bike- I upgraded the cassette from Shimano hg200-9 to new old stock Sram PG 980 on a spider. Awesome tech btw. it is not expensive unlike machined from one piece of metal, light and durable. And TPU tubes, yeah. They cool and cheap if you know where to look.
Great video,Alex's videos are always a treat,a good but expensive place to save weight are lightweight wheels and rim brakes if you're rim brake.💯👌🏻✌🏻🚴♂️
I would have replaced the seatpost as well. An ultralight carbon seatpost not only reduces the weight considerably but also increases comfort noticeably.
@@daveanolik8837 I have a Schmolke TLO seatpost, it is around 75 grams and it flexes like crazy. When I picked it out of the box when it got delivered I thought it wasn't supposed to put a saddle on it and sit on it, it is that light, it truly is bizar.
I dropped the saddle bag when I got my first carbon seat post. The multitool was old and rusty and never used, and the innertubes were rotten. I've replaced the saddle bag with carrying 1 single innertube and a small multitool on my middle jersey pocket and I've never regretted that decision.
My weight flactuates a lot, like 4-5 kg, during the season, and I don't notice it much while riding (not a lot of climbing around here), but going from my 8.x kg road bike to my 10.x kg gravel bike is a noticeable difference. Going straight, on a flat, I actually often manage to go faster on the heavier bike (I also have clip-on aerobars on my gravel bike, but not on my road bike), but accelerating is so much more effortless on the lighter bike. I know some people claiming that it doesn't matter where the weight is located, but I feel like it does. Especially when it's in the wheels/tyres, it matters. Maybe going up a mountain, weight is weighing you down all the same, but coming out of corners and getting back up to speed, I'd rather have the weight on my ass than my wheels.
Absolutely. GP says I lost 4kg in last 12 months. Went meat free couple of year ago (fish excepted), into wholefoods, and try eliminate upf. Love cake and jam still. Dad got me that SRAM Red 11 cassette at about 150g as birthday gift.. 😎
I started with tubless and got fed up of topping up and replacing sealant. Ichanged to TPU tubes. Made such a difference to the ride...but.... I had punctures all the time, so not great. So I've gone back to tubes with sealant. Heavier yes but a hell of lot more reliable and hassle free
Yup - when I bought road wheels/tires for my gravel bike, it saved just over a kg, and since I got them on sale, the whole thing was comfortably under $1000. Of course, being a gravel bike, I was starting from a heavy setup. Much improved the ride on tarmac , and it was easier than buying a separate road bike.
I went from basic aluminum 19mm training wheels to a 25x50mm deep section carbon wheels and saved 567 grams. Then going with 19g tpu tubes saved me another 146 grams. This was the best change I made to my road bike period. Better aero, way lighter weight at the most important place.
I've been using these TPU tubes for a while and find them very reliable. 28 grams and on Ali express, under £6 a pair. Never take a saddle bag. Just put what I need in my back pockets. Plastic tyre levers are rubbish. I use stainless steel ones, and you need 2. That saddle is not an option for most people, and as for the cassette....Ali express.
Error ...Recon Cassettes are NOT fully compatible with Shimano Hyperglide Plus...so while they're ok for old 11 speed groups or even 105 12 speed systems, their sprocket tooth design is NOT meant to work with 12 speed Ultegra or Dura Ace. No, it won't kill you, but shift performance will suffer noticeably, it will be noisier, and the 8000 or 9000 chains will wear much quicker. Recon is also rather fragile and because it's made from steel, it is susceptible to rust and rapid wear. So if you want to save weight on your cassette, you'd be nuts not to install a Dura Ace one...and something I've never said about Dura Ace, it's actually a much better value - both at purchase and over the long term.
I pay 50 euros a year for insurance and stopped bringing tools and other crap. When i get a puncture or any issue i call assistance while chilling for 30 minutes by the side of the road. Best decision i made ever. Used it like once a year and it's worth all the money and peace of mind. Once i bunked because i was riding in the middle of a heat wave. I called the truck making up some issue with the bike. Just emptied my tyres and took the valve out and it was enough for the towtruck driver to justify the ride.
I have never carried spares or tools- never needed as i take care of my equipment. Also the c59 is a nod to the prototype being 59grams. Production ones are 63g - i use the saddle :)
I’ve changed components on various bikes over the years and £1 per gram saved is indeed the long term rate I think. If your £1 saves more, this is therefore a great place to start.
Everybody in the cycling industry knows that heavier bikes are faster! That's why Specialized and other's gave us disk brake bikes that weight more than 1980 era steel bikes. Seems that GCN hasn't got that info yet?
*Removes ABUS Sorbo bikelock* Done. I *could* also remove my hubdynamo and mounted lights, fenders, my panier rack, bikestand and go narrower than 40mm graveltires. But tell me: would that still be a practical, all-round commuterbike? No. The TPU inners are a good point though, I still need to get them. These G-One's are pretty puncture proof on their own.
Not just any and every pump will work with TPU Tubes. The screw head ones, such as the Topeak Race Rocket, won't get enough purchase to inflate the tube. You'll probably need a Flip head pump.
As a tall and heavy Dane I had a 6,8 kilo Top LOOK racing bike with a full Shimano Dura Ace set, also wheels. And I could easily think of a way for us to become 10 kilo lighter!
I've seen a snapped chain that was poorly serviced in some shop a night before on a social ride, fortunately the rider also had a chain breaker tool and the (who would knew) a new chain lock which I helped to install and we could finish the ride afterwards
I rode a 1000km bike race with 27000m of climbing on a steel frame, plus all the luggage since it was totally self supported. Weight does not matter, unless you are trying to win the tour or unless you are riding a 15kg downhill bike up the Mortirolo
He is just showing you you how to save weight on a bike why all these silly comments if you don't want to make your bike lighter don't watch the video I found it very helpful
Weight weenie-ing is a strange old tradition in cycling, like complaining that 120 psi 23mm tyres just "feel" faster than 28mm @ 65 psi, and 'truly serious' cyclists always opt for the former. Making a bike more comfortable is a more appealing goal to me, but not something that you can measure with a number on a bike standing still. Doesn't mean it isn't a valuable upgrade. Reginald even downgraded from 30mm to 26mm for this "standing still stat" saving 😑
You missed another weight saving advantage of switching to TPU tubes- an entire flat kit fits nicely in a plastic sandwich bag and can be tossed in a jersey pocket. No more saddle bag. It's entirely about aesthetics for me, but it's worth mentioning for anyone counting grams.
Dear Alex, here is a bit of advice. You need to separate "Rotational Weight" from "Static Weight"... You could have said this instead... "For those on a budget", the changes and weight savings on the tires and tubes are really what you should focus on because every gram you save on the outer perimeter of your rotational wheel weight makes a "MAJOR DIFFERENCE" in rolling efficiency and handling performance. "For those who want to spend the extra money" Here is a money saving way to improve your "static weight", i.e. the saddle, the cassette and tool bag & its contents/bits. It is my professional opinion, that the Perrelli tires and the TPU rotational weight savings/modifications will account for 90% of the performance improvement(s). And the other static weight loss improvement will cover maybe, 5 ~ 10% of performance improvement. Correct me if I'm wrong... Sincerely Dan Sotelo
ive put foam handlebar grips from Risk on the drops and rest is naked, you dont need such a heavy bar tape. All the bolts are titanium. Cable covers for your brakes and mechs ,high end ones are really heavy, could replace them with a lighter ones as well. No Front mech as live on flats and single narrow wide chainring.
If I was to try and lose 1kg from myself, my (measly) power numbers would diminish much more than the speed gains from the weight loss. Having said that I am making a couple of upgrades using secondhand bits including some Pro PLT alloy bars (some of the lightest alloy bars on the market and about 130g lighter than my current bars) and upgrading my rear derailleur from 105 R7000-GS to Ultegra R8000-SS. Used market can be great for saving weight and money like this. Also the KMC X-SL chain is one of if not the lightest chain on the market.
Easy, I call my my mama and walk my bike the last 8 km to get to the nearest spot where cars have access, and take of my front wheel and put the bike in her car. Been there, done almost that, exept for my mistake was puncturing my spare tyre with bad tyre lever handling. If mummy cant come, use friends or a taxi.
factoring in the saddle bag and the TPU Tubes saved almost half of it all and cost almost nothing would be important here. First starting point for me is always: Spares and gear and other things including a 2nd bottle of water you leave at home cost really nothing and can save so much weight.
If only all manufacturers' quoted bike weights included a saddle bag! I've never felt the need for one, personally - what ever happened to filling the traditional back pockets of a cycling jersey?
saved weight but removed comfort and puncture protection. Tubes and saddle bag yes. TPU from ali express are cheap and I paid £10 for my zefal light XS bag. two tpu tubes and other spares fit. wouldn't bother with the tyres, saddle or cassette. Would use a better pump too.
Interesting weightsaving-ideas. I havnt thought about the toolkit. I am upgrading a bit now, some to lose weight, and some upgrades gains performance and gains weight. A fine upgrade is 16 cm XT brake discs, and I am going up from 38 to 45 mm tyres but with TPU in stead of butyl tubes. My opinion is that larger tyres are better for me and worth their weight, so I didnt like the idea of skinnier tyres. I will think about the cassette. I need 11 speed either 11- 34 or 11-36 thats compatible with Shimano GRX.
I made my overall setup 30kg lighter without even touching my bike. Fun fact: if you weigh 100kg+, a lighter bike will be worse for you, than a heavier and sturdier one. For a 60-70kg pro rider, I can see how an extra 1kg off of a 7kg bike could make a big difference.
Question, does tubless save weight over tpu tubes? Additions. Throwing in the tiniest cf pump is a bit unrealistic... as is the 100% cf seat. Those are unicorn items. They will also leave me sore and angry about how many pumps it takes to get to the center of the tootsie pop. How much weight savings would swapping the iphone for a cheezy kyocera save? You could make it the bike phone. I bet it saves as much weight as the cassette yet costs 10x less. Im looking @ a mini electric inflator (rock bros As1 pro), topeak toolkit (topeak ratchet rocket essential) , tubless repair kit (dynaplug pill), and a bento box/top tube bag (tailfin 1.1l) coming in around 414g for the kit. The pump is replacing a silca mini pump, the toolkit is a marginal gain from another topeak kit (going aluminum on the ratchet), the repair kit is added weight (but needed), and the bento box is a swap from a saddle bag. The old kit was on my mtb, i gave the mtb to my dad, the old kit is also going to him. I may have him get some things and keep some of what i have. I dont care too much about weight, but i do care. Also. Losing weight isnt free, its a lot of work, and arguably the most expensive option (its why I have a bike to begin with!). Though once invested, losing weight might be a method of saving money (less stuff in the mouth). Funny to think of losing weight as the reason you're now trying to lose the weight! It all comes back to the start, full circle...
Well done with the weight loss. The TPU tubes are a fantastic upgrade - a bonus is you can carry two spares which weigh less and take up less space than a single conventional tube.
Alex, can you pease post the weight of the saddle before you give it back to Ollie? My 30 years experience of Selle Italia saddles is that will be markedly heavier. I would guess around 12% heavier
@@gcntech Pretty much the only thing that helps me is the fairly standard gearing new bikes have. 53/39 and 11-23 was standard. In my part of the world 30 years ago I doubt I could use that again. Currently 46/30 and 11-36, which is a touch easier!
Personally, I think I would prioritize seatpost, stem and bars before cassette. I think the avg person is going to need to purchase more cassettes (alt wheelsets or replacing wear), than seatpost/cockpit so seems like the lighter cassette expense is less bang for buck.
Depending on the road surface those skinny tires may be "slower". You might save comparable weight and have faster tire by going 28 or 30 mm and going tubeless?
The tpu tubes should be the biggest loss and advantage while riding. Lighter means less rolling mass on wheel which is slightly less energy used to keep same speed or accelerate.
Step 1: Make your bike 1 kg heavier. Step 2: Make your bike 1 kg lighter.
Thought the same, and then he had the all weather tires on there... Als the bag is totally not what I consider, clicking on a video about make a bike light. Sure I pack smart, when I ride. But that's beside the point.
true, fyi.. i have never seen anybody that carried metal tire levers.. Oo
Alternate Title: how to spend another grand on your $9k bike.
I am in that process, got a lighter seat and am getting heavier ( wider)tyres, but lighter innertubes. Making the somewhat lighter is good when it shal be beefed up with some larger parts.
I watched this video and used it to lighten my bike by 18 kilos!
I'm an amateur geologist and no longer carry my collection of rocks with me when I ride.
Thanks GCN
A lighter bike has advantages:
1) It does not gain weight over the winter, unlike the lighter rider.
2) You can let others lift your bike. I've never heard of anyone lifting a rider.
There’s a problem with point number two; nobody, and I mean NOBODY touches my bike, let alone lifts it! 😊
If you've not heard of anyone lifting a rider, someone in your group could probably save a kilogram somewhere else.
😁
On point 2, if its a thief I'm not sure that's an advantage.
It's the opposite dude. There is no better feeling than people lifting your bike and get shocked cause is on the heavier side and still you beat them climbing every time because weight does NOT matter shit as science has proven over and over again
As someone with a 6 kilo bike, here is my order of priority:
1: Carbon Frame and Fork (obviously)
2: Carbon Wheels (preferably with carbon spokes) Carbon spokes reduce the weight an additional 200g total.
3: Carbon Crankset. Carbon cranks save a lot, although savings depends on where you start. But I was able to save 500g with this alone. But if you already have an Ultegra/Dura Ace level crank, put this much lower on the list.
4: Carbon bars with integrated stem. The integrated stem saves a lot and is more aero.
5: Lightweight cassette. Must be Monoblock. A 12 speed 11-34t shouldn't weigh more than 250g, although you can get solid titanium or even aluminum units that are around 130-160g.
6: TPU tubes can be had in 19g weight. This should honestly be higher on the list.
7: The lightest tires that are applicable to your usage. Just remember that lighter doesn't mean faster, it just means lighter. I'd rather a heavier 28mm than a 23mm.
8: This should come with the frame, but just in case, an ultralight carbon seat stem can save a lot. Mine weighed 135g uncut.
9: Carbon saddle. You can actually find them as low as 54g, but this is somewhere where I'd rather more comfort at the cost of a bit of weight. My saddle is 131 grams, a nice compromise.
10: Bottle cages. I'll just say that my 2 bottle cages WITH mounting screws weigh a total of 16 grams.
From here it gets real chippy trying to save weight. You'll want to look at your brake/shifter cable housing, derailleurs, Pedals etc. Literally random bolts that can be replaced with aluminum or titanium.
Nice post!
I stopped carrying a chain breaker because I hadn’t needed it for 10 years. Broke my chain 2 weeks later…
It’s always the way…
Sods law !
A broken chain is something that's not very easy to achieve 🤣
Yep, It's called Murphy's Law. I stopped twice last week when road bike riders asked for help with their broken chain.
I only bring chain breaker if I'm more than 30km away from the nearest bikeshop. thanks to google maps, it's easy to map them before riding.
Some Dura Ace cranks I had lying around??
naturally!
Most of the people do
I can't get out of bed without falling over some Dura Ace cranks
As you do
Dura ace are anvils
I rode a bucket list tour of Italian mountains in the Summer including the Maratona dles Dolomites. Having already lost 5kg in the months training for my hols, I put my bike on a diet too. She lost over a Kg.
I used light tyres, TPU tubes, carbon saddle (second hand) and a ZTTO 11-34 cassette from Ali Express. Cost $73 NZD.
Fell in love with my bike all over again and ripped through the Italian Alps. ❤
ZTTO 11-34 how does it shift? I was told all cassettes from AI are poor to shift comparing to original Shimano.
@@TheOkinawaBoy perfectly. And - I was using 11s Campag Super Record medium derailleur. 228g from memory.
Good on ya! Nothing like a good holiday, and feeling good going into it.
Hey, how long have you been using the ZTTO casette? Do they last long, or wear out after 3-4000km? I was looking at buying one but did not find enough info on it so went Ultegra to stay safe.
But it is good, once my casette wears I'll switch
@@belagajdan just checked the weight and cost: 228g, $76.44 NZD. I also bought a 11-32 which was 216g.
I can’t tell you how many kms precisely but about 2000km+ according to Strava. I immersion-wax the chain and top up with a compatible drip-on, either Banana Slip Tru Tension Tungsten All Weather or Silca’s offering. The important thing in drivetrain longevity is appropriate lubrication.
I love that brown Selle Italia saddle. I bet you put it back right after the last shot of this video :-)
I have a version of that gorgeous saddle (SLR BoostCarbonio Nubuck S3, 148g) and I wouldn’t ever replace it. When you compare it to traditional leather saddles, even those with titanium rails, it’s incredibly light. I have a Berthaud Aravis Titanium (430g) and a Brooks B17 Titanium (410g), but they are more than twice the weight. Granted, the traditional leather saddles are better for long distance, but I have the Selle Italia on my climbing bike.
Heres some advice
•Lay off the Cheeseburgers
•Eat your greens
•Cycling isnt the only exercise
•Dont be too obsessed with weight
•An empty wallet is always lighter and more aero
•A wife with 3 kids is heavy and not aero at all
Cheeseburgers aren't the bad guy, in fact the ride means you've earned it lol
@rockytalkndawoods3057 Si even showed us how much cycling it would take for him to burn off a cheeseburger meal. Well, an estimate of how much it would take at least.
> Heres some advice
> •Dont be too obsessed with weight
Fixed that for you.
I chased weight savings on my bike, realized it made zero difference on my trending stats - maybe some bragging conversations with the club riders. I lost 20lbs this year(still overweight) and it has made the biggest difference. Unless you’re professional and racing where milliseconds count, it’s waste of money for most people.
Exactly. And some of the lightweight components are quite fragile and of questionable durability.
Is it really a waste if you enjoy having having a light and reactive bike? you only live once.
Facts
Yeah, but GSNs sponsors Re not making any money from you loosing weight.
@@yutiros5174yes it is.
You hit the nail on the head at the end.. lose a pound of body weight working out (also increasing your strength at the same time a little) and be ahead.. and if you can afford the lightweight parts can do both. if you cant afford it go for the diet and exercise. Nice vid !! it's nice to see which areas give the best bang for the buck !
But you need to lose 2.2 pounds for a kilogram :O
GCN Tech: "Make Your Bike 1 KG Lighter"
SavagePro: Rim Brakes💥
Coaster brake
@@GeorgiGeorgiev-ne9psfixed gear bike, no brakes.
It sounds a bit complicated to convert a disc brake bicycle frame to one with rim brakes, but it's a good starting point if you already have it 🤓
Cheeky and true 👌@@gcntech
@@gcntech The easy way to get rimbrakes is to buy a fine used bike, but they usually come with two limitations. They are often limited to narrow tyres, and the gearing might not be light enough for heavy riders in the hills.
As someone who's had to use those "weight saving" tire pumps and tools several times, I'll happily spend a couple hundred grams for the larger one, as well as a toolset that works.
Otherwise I'd just save the rest of the weight too and call for a pickup and save all the pain and strife of wasting time with bad tools.
Topeak pocket rocket master blaster. 100 grams and does the job the last 5 years.
@@l.d.t.6327Oh, that looks nice, inexpensive too. Thank you for the recommendation.
Yep i use my multi tool regularly and prefer a big solid park tool model. I also carry a chain breaker which gets me and/or my friends out of trouble a few times a year.
I have that same multitool with chain-tool on it, and boy did it save my skin last year on my 6-day unsuported solo-trip through the alps. I really aimed for packing light on such a mountaineous trip, but i'm glad i didn't save weight (grams!) on that part.
Removing rotating mass is doubly beneficial so tubes, tyres and cassette give you an added bonus. I had no idea TPU tubes were so light though, going to try some, thanks.
7,700 Calories to a KG of Fat. Convert that to the correct technical unit, the digestive biscuit. That is 110 DB. That is 9 less biscuits a month, for a year. At a cost of minus £9.
Yah but then you poo less so you don’t actually loose any weight
The true British standard of measurement
But then you don't get as many biscuits.
@@samus4799 that is not how weight loss works
The change from 105 to Ultegra is way more significant than going from Ultegra to DA or equivalent level. A lot of new bikes with 105 come with some non-105 generic shimano cranks that weigh a TON - swapping those out for Ultegra crankset (not TOO pricey compared to say the cassette shown) will save you 200+ grams
Free weight saving hack: loose weight :)
😂😂😂😂😂😂naw fr
Yes... but! Being fairly big guy, I will not chase carbon saddles and other ultraweight components. Being able to however make my wheels more effective/light does have impact on how the bike feels to ride ("easier").
As an overweight rider I am insulted -
Nah I am just fat lol
Not really ‘free’ right? You can actually save money too. Less food, less ice cream, less mcdonalds…
Lose
You might not need a chain breaker very often, but when you do need one you really need it. I've broken three chains over the last twenty years or so - once on the way home from work in the West Midlands at two in the morning, fifteen miles from home - and each time I've been very glad indeed of the chain tool in the saddlebag!
i wont ride without my chain breaker. Its also useful for making my bike into a single speed if i mess up my derailleur. Plus i can use my tools to help (my less maintenance inclined) friends get mobile again when they break down so we can keep riding!
Nice Alex. some good info. I tend to think a chain splitter and a quick link is pretty essential (if you travel a fair distance from home).
if your bike came with basic box alu wheelset n generic butyl+tire, upgrading to tpu tube n better tire(gp5k, corsa next, pzero velo,..) really gonna transform your bike, even with that alu wheelset. you really will feel it 👌
Thank-you for this video. The big lesson is that these weight savings are absurd. Most of the year, I rock a bike rack, a lock, and fenders. Getting rid of those would likely save "a lot" of weight, but restrict the amount I ride. The loss of of fitness would more than account for any change in time... If I ever bothered to time myself.
I think you are missing the point. Alex is showing ways to reduce the weight of an already light bike; and doing a great job of it!
I added an Ebay toseek carbon saddle for £26 and works a treat, amazon tpu inners for £8 and plenty miles in also still good, pump, tpu inner and lever In the back pocket, sorted
Without watching the video. Don’t carry any water bottles. Boom 1kg
yeah, that will help the paramedics to carry you.
Its ok for city biking when you can buy drink anywhere
@@dmitryhetman1509 Yeah, that reminds me of Japan, full of vending machines and convinient stores.
@@ingulari3977 they caught a guy recently in Singapore cycling naked.
Dehydration for the win!
That cassette costs almost as much as I paid for my entire cyclocross bike (which I still use) back in 2017. 😂
What cassette was it?
I bought a specialized tricross sport for a third of that price and gave it to my friend.
@@davidadamus177It's a Recon cassette,it's a Taiwanese company and they also make super lightweight aluminium cassettes to.
@@davidadamus177 I don't know. The one he has on the video.
Also worth noting, the extra weight from the Ultegra cassette is from optimizing faster and smoother shifts. There's a reason why the pro peloton doesn't use custom ultra lightweight cassettes apart from being sponsored
Shimano cassettes shift best because they've had like, 30 years to refine the shift ramps and pins through CAD and other tools. If Shimano made a 1 piece steel cassette like the top Sram cassettes they'd be lighter while still shifting better than other brands. That's basically the only way to make a cassette lighter than how Dura Ace cassettes are made, cheaper ultralight cassettes have aluminum sprockets that quickly wear out.
I’m a weight weenie. I do all those savings and then some. However, there’s one exception, born out of experience: A proper pump.
agree. riding 23 mm tyres, you need a decent air pressure which is easiest to achieve with a co2-pump. pretty compact, too...
Obviously the magpie instinct to break out that iridescent cassette is the real reason Alex didn't go tubeless and went with narrower tires than he recommends! Seriously, as a non weight weenie, that saddle bag looks more practical than what I'm lugging around, and includes lightweight tubes I could use if I ever get a puncture go flat on my tubeless comfy 32mm tires.
Thanks Alex and crew , yeah , Oleg has been on your channel . That's the dude !
Chain tool: Last week...but you're right, it's very rarely needed, but when it is, it's very necessary
"I'm gonna save weight without spending too much cash"
Goes on to by a cassette that's €250 more than its Shim105 equivalent and cheaps out by borrowing a €400+ saddle. Running quick math through all the other bits, that 1kg saving seems to have come at well over €1 per gram
I m from Bangladesh 🇧🇩 brother, your bike advice is very expensive and unparalleled..performance are good at hole worlds....
This may be controversial but I think a big reason why the cost of cycling has spun out of control is because too many people are willing to spend money on things they really don't need. Yes, the R&D drives costs up, but people are still willing to pay for "performance gains" that they neither need nor will ever really realize. As long as there are willing consumers, don't expect prices to come down.
One of the reasons I like older 2x9 groupset on my gravel bike- I upgraded the cassette from Shimano hg200-9 to new old stock Sram PG 980 on a spider. Awesome tech btw. it is not expensive unlike machined from one piece of metal, light and durable.
And TPU tubes, yeah. They cool and cheap if you know where to look.
Great video,Alex's videos are always a treat,a good but expensive place to save weight are lightweight wheels and rim brakes if you're rim brake.💯👌🏻✌🏻🚴♂️
I would have replaced the seatpost as well. An ultralight carbon seatpost not only reduces the weight considerably but also increases comfort noticeably.
Got a recommendation for a high quality ultralight cf seatpost? I’m finding good ones, but not lighter than my alloy Thompson Masterpiece…
That is something you can do as long as the seat post is round... not that common anymore
@@daveanolik8837 I have a Schmolke TLO seatpost, it is around 75 grams and it flexes like crazy. When I picked it out of the box when it got delivered I thought it wasn't supposed to put a saddle on it and sit on it, it is that light, it truly is bizar.
@@iloverugby4ever I need a bike that has a 27.2 round seatpost, no sir, no earo shit for me... ;-)
@@bobzuidema3560thx for the recommendation!
I dropped the saddle bag when I got my first carbon seat post. The multitool was old and rusty and never used, and the innertubes were rotten.
I've replaced the saddle bag with carrying 1 single innertube and a small multitool on my middle jersey pocket and I've never regretted that decision.
Defo needs the lovely Novus boost back on 😊❤ great vid.. Pete 👍🚴🏻
My weight flactuates a lot, like 4-5 kg, during the season, and I don't notice it much while riding (not a lot of climbing around here), but going from my 8.x kg road bike to my 10.x kg gravel bike is a noticeable difference. Going straight, on a flat, I actually often manage to go faster on the heavier bike (I also have clip-on aerobars on my gravel bike, but not on my road bike), but accelerating is so much more effortless on the lighter bike. I know some people claiming that it doesn't matter where the weight is located, but I feel like it does. Especially when it's in the wheels/tyres, it matters. Maybe going up a mountain, weight is weighing you down all the same, but coming out of corners and getting back up to speed, I'd rather have the weight on my ass than my wheels.
4:00 ya I overlook it cause I don’t race with spares 😂 don’t care how much my bike weighs during training
Absolutely. GP says I lost 4kg in last 12 months. Went meat free couple of year ago (fish excepted), into wholefoods, and try eliminate upf. Love cake and jam still. Dad got me that SRAM Red 11 cassette at about 150g as birthday gift.. 😎
❤❤❤❤❤❤ the main way to lighten your ride by 2-10kgs is to stop eating pizza and drinking beer late at night
Too bad I can't listen to my own advice bahahaha
I started with tubless and got fed up of topping up and replacing sealant. Ichanged to TPU tubes. Made such a difference to the ride...but.... I had punctures all the time, so not great. So I've gone back to tubes with sealant. Heavier yes but a hell of lot more reliable and hassle free
Pretty cool. You can even give Ollie his saddle back! Meanwhile, I'll just work on that last tip....
At a thousand bucks just the wheelset would save the most weight for most people.
@@hockysa would prob feel good riding and you could upgrade the tires as you go later.
Yup - when I bought road wheels/tires for my gravel bike, it saved just over a kg, and since I got them on sale, the whole thing was comfortably under $1000. Of course, being a gravel bike, I was starting from a heavy setup. Much improved the ride on tarmac , and it was easier than buying a separate road bike.
@@Corryvreckan23 even on my raod bike, i saved 1.3kg with wheels and TPU tubes. Did splash out a little on the wheels though spending about 1.5k
I went from basic aluminum 19mm training wheels to a 25x50mm deep section carbon wheels and saved 567 grams. Then going with 19g tpu tubes saved me another 146 grams. This was the best change I made to my road bike period. Better aero, way lighter weight at the most important place.
@@oSirSniffleso dang!
I've been using these TPU tubes for a while and find them very reliable. 28 grams and on Ali express, under £6 a pair. Never take a saddle bag. Just put what I need in my back pockets. Plastic tyre levers are rubbish. I use stainless steel ones, and you need 2. That saddle is not an option for most people, and as for the cassette....Ali express.
Eat more fruits, veg, and whole grains. Train your body to do a number 2 before a ride. Can be up to 470 grams in weight savings!
When I used to race we called it “having an evacuation plan”. Oat meal, coffee, and “dropping the kids off at the pool”.😂
I wonder how this compares weight-wise to just running tubeless with fresh sealant and not carrying the saddlebags and spares.
Error ...Recon Cassettes are NOT fully compatible with Shimano Hyperglide Plus...so while they're ok for old 11 speed groups or even 105 12 speed systems, their sprocket tooth design is NOT meant to work with 12 speed Ultegra or Dura Ace. No, it won't kill you, but shift performance will suffer noticeably, it will be noisier, and the 8000 or 9000 chains will wear much quicker. Recon is also rather fragile and because it's made from steel, it is susceptible to rust and rapid wear. So if you want to save weight on your cassette, you'd be nuts not to install a Dura Ace one...and something I've never said about Dura Ace, it's actually a much better value - both at purchase and over the long term.
I'm not sure I like running TT tires and then carrying ONE tire lever.... Seems like you'll be needing them a lot if this is a day to day bike.....
Agree. At the least get 2 plastic levers
I guess, take your tyre off and on at home with minimal tyre levers to know what you can get away with. I personally need 2 also.
I pay 50 euros a year for insurance and stopped bringing tools and other crap. When i get a puncture or any issue i call assistance while chilling for 30 minutes by the side of the road. Best decision i made ever. Used it like once a year and it's worth all the money and peace of mind. Once i bunked because i was riding in the middle of a heat wave. I called the truck making up some issue with the bike. Just emptied my tyres and took the valve out and it was enough for the towtruck driver to justify the ride.
How to lose >2kg:
Sell your discbrake bike and buy rim brake bike. You can spent the leftover money on lighter/more aero components.
A better idea than the TPU tubes for weight... Seat post cut as the minimum need and same for the chimney. For example.
I have never carried spares or tools- never needed as i take care of my equipment. Also the c59 is a nod to the prototype being 59grams. Production ones are 63g - i use the saddle :)
You forgot to add weight difference between wallet size before and after replacement parts.
I’ve changed components on various bikes over the years and £1 per gram saved is indeed the long term rate I think. If your £1 saves more, this is therefore a great place to start.
The ‘why not just save a kg on body weight rather then the bike’ is such a stupid point, because *drum roll* you could do BOTH!
🤣
Everybody in the cycling industry knows that heavier bikes are faster! That's why Specialized and other's gave us disk brake bikes that weight more than 1980 era steel bikes. Seems that GCN hasn't got that info yet?
Happy to see they made peace with Elite
1,000 pounds worth of upgrades........I can`t afford a 1,000 pounds for an entire bike !!
*Removes ABUS Sorbo bikelock*
Done.
I *could* also remove my hubdynamo and mounted lights, fenders, my panier rack, bikestand and go narrower than 40mm graveltires.
But tell me: would that still be a practical, all-round commuterbike?
No.
The TPU inners are a good point though, I still need to get them. These G-One's are pretty puncture proof on their own.
Not just any and every pump will work with TPU Tubes.
The screw head ones, such as the Topeak Race Rocket, won't get enough purchase to inflate the tube. You'll probably need a Flip head pump.
I just took about 600g out of one of my bikes by fitting a carbon seatpost and tpu tubes. Pretty cost effective.
I want a GCN video showing every clip of Alex laughing throughout the years.
That would be like a week without sleep for the editor, but we’ll note it down just in case anyway 📝
As a tall and heavy Dane I had a 6,8 kilo Top LOOK racing bike with a full Shimano Dura Ace set, also wheels. And I could easily think of a way for us to become 10 kilo lighter!
I've seen a snapped chain that was poorly serviced in some shop a night before on a social ride, fortunately the rider also had a chain breaker tool and the (who would knew) a new chain lock which I helped to install and we could finish the ride afterwards
I rode a 1000km bike race with 27000m of climbing on a steel frame, plus all the luggage since it was totally self supported. Weight does not matter, unless you are trying to win the tour or unless you are riding a 15kg downhill bike up the Mortirolo
He is just showing you you how to save weight on a bike why all these silly comments if you don't want to make your bike lighter don't watch the video I found it very helpful
Any video about weight savings brings out the fusty Freds. It's the rules.
Weight weenie-ing is a strange old tradition in cycling, like complaining that 120 psi 23mm tyres just "feel" faster than 28mm @ 65 psi, and 'truly serious' cyclists always opt for the former.
Making a bike more comfortable is a more appealing goal to me, but not something that you can measure with a number on a bike standing still. Doesn't mean it isn't a valuable upgrade. Reginald even downgraded from 30mm to 26mm for this "standing still stat" saving 😑
I watched hoping for some suggestions that wouldn't cost $1000! Silly me!
He just likes that cassette because it’s shiny and he’s a magpie
If you are going silly with tools spares, use your jersey pockets and save the cost of the saddle bag too.
You missed another weight saving advantage of switching to TPU tubes- an entire flat kit fits nicely in a plastic sandwich bag and can be tossed in a jersey pocket. No more saddle bag. It's entirely about aesthetics for me, but it's worth mentioning for anyone counting grams.
Deflecting the blame now are we? Now it’s Ollie who just happens to have a c59 in his spares bin.🤣🤣🤣🤣
Dear Alex, here is a bit of advice. You need to separate "Rotational Weight" from "Static Weight"...
You could have said this instead...
"For those on a budget", the changes and weight savings on the tires and tubes are really what you should focus on because every gram you save on the outer perimeter of your rotational wheel weight makes a "MAJOR DIFFERENCE" in rolling efficiency and handling performance.
"For those who want to spend the extra money" Here is a money saving way to improve your "static weight", i.e. the saddle, the cassette and tool bag & its contents/bits.
It is my professional opinion, that the Perrelli tires and the TPU rotational weight savings/modifications will account for 90% of the performance improvement(s). And the other static weight loss improvement will cover maybe, 5 ~ 10% of performance improvement.
Correct me if I'm wrong... Sincerely Dan Sotelo
ive put foam handlebar grips from Risk on the drops and rest is naked, you dont need such a heavy bar tape. All the bolts are titanium. Cable covers for your brakes and mechs ,high end ones are really heavy, could replace them with a lighter ones as well. No Front mech as live on flats and single narrow wide chainring.
If I was to try and lose 1kg from myself, my (measly) power numbers would diminish much more than the speed gains from the weight loss. Having said that I am making a couple of upgrades using secondhand bits including some Pro PLT alloy bars (some of the lightest alloy bars on the market and about 130g lighter than my current bars) and upgrading my rear derailleur from 105 R7000-GS to Ultegra R8000-SS. Used market can be great for saving weight and money like this. Also the KMC X-SL chain is one of if not the lightest chain on the market.
What do you do when your plastic tyre lever snaps before you've broken the bead?
Easy, I call my my mama and walk my bike the last 8 km to get to the nearest spot where cars have access, and take of my front wheel and put the bike in her car. Been there, done almost that, exept for my mistake was puncturing my spare tyre with bad tyre lever handling. If mummy cant come, use friends or a taxi.
factoring in the saddle bag and the TPU Tubes saved almost half of it all and cost almost nothing would be important here. First starting point for me is always: Spares and gear and other things including a 2nd bottle of water you leave at home cost really nothing and can save so much weight.
Captain Dura Ace was using an Ultegra Cassette. It's so embarrassing! Where are the Dura Ace Cassettes? Only Dura Ace cranks laying around.
I have 6.8kg sl7 xl size ,the best for lose weight : cybrei full carbon crankset,ridenow 19gr tpu,pzero tt (28mm) and Xpedo Thrust ti pedals.
If only all manufacturers' quoted bike weights included a saddle bag! I've never felt the need for one, personally - what ever happened to filling the traditional back pockets of a cycling jersey?
There's something to be said for "light enough." Most people don't like a heavy bike, but most people on the contrary don't need the lightest bike.
saved weight but removed comfort and puncture protection. Tubes and saddle bag yes. TPU from ali express are cheap and I paid £10 for my zefal light XS bag. two tpu tubes and other spares fit. wouldn't bother with the tyres, saddle or cassette. Would use a better pump too.
Interesting weightsaving-ideas. I havnt thought about the toolkit. I am upgrading a bit now, some to lose weight, and some upgrades gains performance and gains weight. A fine upgrade is 16 cm XT brake discs, and I am going up from 38 to 45 mm tyres but with TPU in stead of butyl tubes. My opinion is that larger tyres are better for me and worth their weight, so I didnt like the idea of skinnier tyres. I will think about the cassette. I need 11 speed either 11- 34 or 11-36 thats compatible with Shimano GRX.
I made my overall setup 30kg lighter without even touching my bike. Fun fact: if you weigh 100kg+, a lighter bike will be worse for you, than a heavier and sturdier one. For a 60-70kg pro rider, I can see how an extra 1kg off of a 7kg bike could make a big difference.
Haven’t watched the video yet but if the conclusion is “fit Dura Ace” I’m going to ride to Bath and laugh at you. 😂
Rotating weight loss is the best kind. A light wheeled heavy framed bike is faster than the reverse
Also, if you swap to your spare Duraace crank in your toolbox that can help.
Question, does tubless save weight over tpu tubes?
Additions. Throwing in the tiniest cf pump is a bit unrealistic... as is the 100% cf seat. Those are unicorn items. They will also leave me sore and angry about how many pumps it takes to get to the center of the tootsie pop.
How much weight savings would swapping the iphone for a cheezy kyocera save? You could make it the bike phone. I bet it saves as much weight as the cassette yet costs 10x less.
Im looking @ a mini electric inflator (rock bros As1 pro), topeak toolkit (topeak ratchet rocket essential) , tubless repair kit (dynaplug pill), and a bento box/top tube bag (tailfin 1.1l) coming in around 414g for the kit.
The pump is replacing a silca mini pump, the toolkit is a marginal gain from another topeak kit (going aluminum on the ratchet), the repair kit is added weight (but needed), and the bento box is a swap from a saddle bag. The old kit was on my mtb, i gave the mtb to my dad, the old kit is also going to him. I may have him get some things and keep some of what i have. I dont care too much about weight, but i do care.
Also. Losing weight isnt free, its a lot of work, and arguably the most expensive option (its why I have a bike to begin with!). Though once invested, losing weight might be a method of saving money (less stuff in the mouth). Funny to think of losing weight as the reason you're now trying to lose the weight! It all comes back to the start, full circle...
Lost 6.4 kg of body weight since the spring. I am considering getting TPU tubes for my Canyon Endurace AL.
Well done with the weight loss. The TPU tubes are a fantastic upgrade - a bonus is you can carry two spares which weigh less and take up less space than a single conventional tube.
I think the smaller saddle bag will be less aero though.
new drinking game: A shot for every time Alex says "lightweight"..
Alex, can you pease post the weight of the saddle before you give it back to Ollie? My 30 years experience of Selle Italia saddles is that will be markedly heavier. I would guess around 12% heavier
it was 60g on my scales, I've never seen a C59 saddle actually weigh 59g yet haha
@@alexpatonGCN Thanks Alex, that's surprisingly close!
You could get a cassette much cheaper of course off of Ali Express as Trace Velo has shown in the past..
same for the TPU tubes and the saddlebag/tools, and the saddle. You probably would get that KG for 300€ rather than 1000€.
And then you added a water bottle and lost your 1kg saving 😂
Saving weight or buying an expensive bike won't make me as fast as I was 30 years ago.
But it helps to get closer to it 🤓
@@gcntech Pretty much the only thing that helps me is the fairly standard gearing new bikes have. 53/39 and 11-23 was standard. In my part of the world 30 years ago I doubt I could use that again. Currently 46/30 and 11-36, which is a touch easier!
Personally, I think I would prioritize seatpost, stem and bars before cassette. I think the avg person is going to need to purchase more cassettes (alt wheelsets or replacing wear), than seatpost/cockpit so seems like the lighter cassette expense is less bang for buck.
Depending on the road surface those skinny tires may be "slower". You might save comparable weight and have faster tire by going 28 or 30 mm and going tubeless?
The saddle bags a great idea, but also a cheat, because it’s not strictly part of the bike.
step 1) Weigh yourself
step 2) Use the bathroom
step 3) Weigh yourself again to see the savings
I always lose about 2kg after my morning coffee. 🤣
You can also drill holes into your frame, reducing material
The tpu tubes should be the biggest loss and advantage while riding. Lighter means less rolling mass on wheel which is slightly less energy used to keep same speed or accelerate.